Zhenguan Xiaoxian Wang Li Shen Li Shimin

"It seems there aren't many places suitable for farming, but raising cattle and sheep would be very suitable."

Li Shen thought about it and realized he hadn't heard of this place being a perennial great power.

"Sigh, it's really a pity that such a big place is like this." Everyone was somewhat disappointed.

"Father, how about we give this place another name?" Li Shen said obsequiously to his father.

Li Shimin nodded; having gone through the previous two naming processes, he was already familiar with them.

"Do you have any suggestions?" Li Shimin asked.

“Father, how about we call it Rat State? Named after a kangaroo,” Li Shen said with a smile.

"Shuzhou? That's a rather unrefined name." Li Shimin frowned upon hearing this; Li Shen's choice of names was truly questionable.

“Located south of the South China Sea, in a remote and desolate place, let’s call it Southern Wilderness Prefecture,” Li Shimin suggested.

Everyone immediately nodded in agreement. The name "Southern Wilderness State" sounded much better than "Rat State," and Ji Wang's "Rat State" was indeed somewhat vulgar.

Li Shen did not object, nor did he dare to object.

"Fuji, you should also leave your calligraphy." At this moment, Li Shimin looked at Changsun Wuji. He had already written something, and the Crown Prince had also written something.

As his brother-in-law, Li Shimin naturally wanted to give this opportunity to Changsun Wuji.

"Haha, then this old minister thanks Your Majesty for your grace." Changsun Wuji laughed heartily. This time, he did not refuse, as this was an opportunity to make a name for himself.

He took the pen from Wang De, squatted down, and quickly wrote the three large characters "Southern Wilderness Prefecture" on the ground.

His brushstrokes flowed smoothly, displaying excellent handwriting, which aroused Li Shen's intense envy.

He thought to himself, "What's there to show off? You guys don't understand. Anything you can understand isn't high-level; only things you can't understand are high-level."

As soon as Changsun Wuji finished writing, craftsmen came to carve it.

Li Shen pointed to the southernmost point with his stick:

"This is the far south, and like the far north, it is covered in ice and snow all year round. There's not much to say here."

The last point I want to make is extremely important.

As he spoke, Li Shen walked to the east side of the Tang Dynasty.

"Gentlemen, this is the very important place I was talking about, because it is rich in resources, fertile land, and a land of gold and silver."

Moreover, there are several crucial items here that our Great Tang Dynasty desperately needs.

According to ancient records, there is a crop in this area that grows in the soil, yielding at least four shi (a unit of dry measure) per mu (a unit of land area), and with intensive cultivation, it is possible to yield seven or eight shi per mu.

"Seven or eight shi per mu? That's impossible!" Li Chengqian's voice trembled slightly when he heard this number.

However, realizing his rudeness, he quickly bowed:

“Forgive me, Ajatasatru.”

Li Shimin waved his hand, he was also extremely shocked, how could a yield of seven or eight shi per mu be possible.

If that were true, the Tang Dynasty would not have faced a food crisis in the future.

"Your Highness Prince Ji, please don't speak carelessly. Throughout history, whether it's millet, rice, or wheat, there has never been a time when the yield was seven or eight shi per mu."

This is no longer an auspicious omen; it can be described as a miracle.

Changsun Wuji also didn't quite believe it, thinking that Prince Ji's words were largely unreliable.

Li Shen, however, had an expression that said, "You guys have no experience. Potatoes, in later generations, yield at least 2,000 kilograms per mu (unit of land area), and can reach as high as 3,000 to 4,000 kilograms, with the highest yield reaching 5,000 kilograms."

A yield of seven or eight shi per mu is only a little over eight hundred jin, so what's the big deal?

"Tenth Brother, is what you're saying true?"

Seeing Li Shen's expression, Li Shimin believed him to a large extent. Although his son liked to joke around, he would not lie about serious matters.

Besides, there's no benefit for him to lie about this.

“Father, I can guarantee with my honor that every word I said is true,” Li Shen replied immediately.

"How about you change it to something else to guarantee it?" Li Shimin said with amusement.

However, it would have been better if he hadn't said anything. Once he mentioned guaranteeing it with his reputation, Li Shimin became somewhat skeptical.

Does this guy even have a reputation? His reputation has been eaten by dogs.

"I...I can't guarantee it, believe it or not." Li Shen was so angry he almost exploded. If he weren't outmatched, he would have to seek justice for himself.

"Hahaha. Now I'm somewhat convinced." Li Shimin burst into laughter upon hearing this, then his expression turned serious.

"Tenth Brother, if what you say is true, then we must obtain such a divine object, no matter the cost."

Li Shimin certainly knew the importance of this crop to the Tang Dynasty. In recent years, the Tang Dynasty had a bumper harvest of grain, and the population was also increasing.

In years of great famine, it was inevitable that they would be in dire straits, as the southern part of the Tang Dynasty was mostly mountainous and not suitable for farming.

If such a divine object could truly be obtained, the Tang Dynasty would have another source of food, enabling it to feed even more people.

Especially after hearing Li Shen say that this stuff can yield seven or eight shi per mu.

“Father, look here. This is a vast ocean. It is tens of thousands of miles away from our Great Tang Dynasty. Just as I said, it is easy to get lost in the ocean and never be able to return.”

Moreover, no one has ever been here before, and we don't know exactly how long it will take to get here. There are no supplies available in this vast ocean.

Food is manageable; we can catch fish to survive. But without fresh water, people will die.

Li Shen pointed to the blank area on the map, which was the Pacific Ocean, with waves hundreds of feet high and boundless.

Li Shen found it hard to imagine what the ship might encounter while sailing.

Even if someone said he would encounter strange beasts and monsters, Li Shen wouldn't find it strange.

"Is there really no other way?" Li Shimin asked after listening to Li Shen's explanation.

"Yes, but it's very difficult." Li Shen said, turning around and pointing south.

“Ah, there’s another route. It starts from our south, goes through Malacca, and follows the inland coastline westward.”

After reaching Black State, you can continue westward from Black State to get here, but it's just a matter of luck, because I don't know which way to get here.

If you're lucky enough to find the shortest route, you can arrive in a few days; if you're unlucky...

Li Shen stopped talking there. If he was unlucky, he might have come back from the east, having gone in circles.

Li Shen used his small wooden stick to draw a route, all of which was a coastal route, leading all the way to the Cape of Good Hope.

Heading directly west from the Cape of Good Hope leads to South America, but whether you'll encounter it really depends on luck, as there's no GPS or navigation.

“Father, this route will probably take two years to go round trip. Although it takes a long time, there are supplies along the way. As long as the goal is clear, there is an 80% chance of reaching the destination.”

Moreover, the child hasn't finished speaking. There are many things here that we in the Tang Dynasty don't have. There's a crop with golden grains that yields three to four shi (a unit of dry measure) per mu (a unit of land area). It can replace millet and rice, and can also be used to brew wine.

Li Shen has once again offered something good: corn.

Everyone fell silent. It was yet another crop, one that didn't exist in the Tang Dynasty.

After a while, Li Shimin raised his head:

"Tenth Prince, if you can bring back the divine object you mentioned, I promise to grant you the title of Prince."

(I was in a bit of a rush and didn't write it well. I looked up the two best routes from the Tang Dynasty to the Americas, including the travel time.)