Traveling through the busy farmland of a peasant girl

Bai Jin took out the corn, potatoes and sweet potatoes that he had prepared and showed them to the emperor one by one.

He held the crops respectfully in both hands and placed them on the table in the center of the hall, arranging them neatly so that the emperor could see them clearly.

Li Quan, the emperor's personal eunuch, stared at these things he had never seen before with wide eyes, and looked at Shen Li and Bai Jin in confusion.

Shen Li introduced it calmly, her clear voice echoing in the palace: "Your Majesty, this yellow thing is called corn, its grains are plump, delicious and nutritious.

This yellow thing is called potato, also known as ground egg. Don’t be fooled by its inconspicuous appearance, it actually has a wide range of uses. It can not only fill your stomach, but also be made into many delicious foods.

There are also larger pieces called sweet potatoes, also known as yams, which have a sweet and soft texture.

At this point, Shen Li paused slightly, then raised his voice, his voice full of pride: "Your Majesty, these crops have extremely high yields. If the land is suitable, the yield of corn per mu can reach 1,000 kilograms, potatoes can reach 2,000 to 5,000 kilograms, and sweet potatoes can reach more than 5,000 kilograms."

When the emperor heard this number, he was so shocked that he stood up from his chair. His eyes widened and his face was full of disbelief.

God knows, since he ascended the throne, the national treasury has been poor, natural disasters have continued, the people have lived in hardship, and it has been difficult to collect taxes.

The drought has become increasingly pronounced over the past two years, and the entire country is struggling to cope.

He was just over forty years old, but his black hair had already turned gray. He worked hard for state affairs every day, worried all the time, and was always concerned about the people's food and clothing and the stability of the country.

Now when I hear about this high-yield crop, it is as if I see County Magistrate Bai Jin standing in the courtyard of the county government office in the dark, gazing at the fields in the distance, his heart full of concern for farming.

In recent days, he has been thinking about how to improve the livelihoods of the people in the county. He heard that corn, sweet potatoes and potatoes are drought-resistant and high-yielding. If their cultivation can be promoted nationwide, the people's granaries will surely be full.

So he decided to go there himself and saw a ray of hope, which ignited the fire of hope in his heart.

The emperor excitedly stepped down from the throne and walked to the table. He carefully examined the crops and muttered to himself, "If the yield were really this high, my people would have no worries about food and clothing, and my country would have no worries about prosperity."

He turned to look at Shen Li and Bai Jin, his eyes filled with anxiety and anticipation: "Is it difficult to grow these crops? How long will it take to harvest?"

Bai Jin quickly stepped forward, saluted, and replied, "Your Majesty, these crops are highly adaptable and are not very demanding on the soil.

Corn grows in about four to five months, potatoes are ready for harvest in about three months, and sweet potatoes in about five months. I have already sent people to Qingshan County for trial planting, and the local people can all testify to this."

The emperor nodded slightly, but there was still doubt in his eyes. "I need to send someone to verify it. If it is really as you say, this is a great achievement, and I will definitely reward you handsomely."

Shen Li and Bai Jin looked at each other and saw relief and confidence in each other's eyes. They knew very well that once these crops were promoted, they would definitely change the agricultural landscape of the entire country, bring welfare to the people, and lay the foundation for the prosperity of the country.

Seeing that the emperor still had doubts, Shen Li bowed and said in a crisp voice, "Your Majesty, I am willing to go to the imperial kitchen and cook a delicious meal with corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Once Your Majesty tastes it, you will know its deliciousness and benefits."

The emperor nodded slightly and approved her request.

Shen Li walked into the imperial kitchen, rolled up her sleeves, and started busying herself.

Soon, several dishes with tempting aroma were served on the emperor's table.

There are golden and crispy corn pancakes, soft and sweet sweet potato cakes, and smooth and delicious mashed potatoes.

The eunuch who was tasting the food took a bite of each dish with his chopsticks. His eyes, which usually had no expression on their face, suddenly lit up and he nodded slightly to the chief eunuch Li Quan.

The emperor took a bite and was delighted by the novel texture and unique flavor. He exclaimed repeatedly, "Wonderful! Wonderful!" He excitedly said to the eunuch Li Quan, "Little Quanzi! Come and try this new dish with us!"

The chief eunuch, Li Quan, bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward." He picked up his jade chopsticks and tasted each dish carefully, nodding his head repeatedly and saying, "Your Majesty, these dishes made from new crops are indeed delicious!"

Shen Li was delighted when she saw this, and immediately issued a military order: "Your Majesty, I have every confidence that as long as we have suitable land, we will be able to produce high-quality grain seeds that can be used to sow in several counties in a few months. If there is any mistake, I am willing to accept Your Majesty's punishment."

The emperor laughed heartily, and was quite impressed by Shen Li's courage and confidence. "Good! Good! Good! I really didn't misjudge you. Please keep all the corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes you brought. I want to taste them carefully! Remember to leave the recipe for me. You two can stay in the palace today, and come to listen to the emperor's order tomorrow morning!"

Shen Li and Bai Jin bowed respectfully and left.

The lights were just coming on, and the candlelight was flickering in the imperial study in the palace.

The emperor sat upright behind the dragon table, his expression solemn yet somewhat relieved. He picked up the imperial pen, dipped it in golden ink, and personally drafted the decree.

I saw dragons and snakes moving under the brush. "By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: Now there is Shen Li, who is kind-hearted, virtuous, beautiful, intelligent, and graceful. I am very pleased with her.

I hereby confer upon him the title of Lord of Fuxi Township, and bestow upon him two hundred taels of gold, a pair of rare jade bracelets, one hundred rolls of silk and satin, an elegant Duan inkstone, and ten boxes of Western spices. I also grant him a fief of five hundred households, an annual allowance of fifty taels of silver, and fifty dou of rice. I hope he will diligently cultivate himself and bring honor to the imperial family. This is my decree."

After writing, the emperor gently put down his pen, breathed a long sigh, handed the imperial edict to his personal attendant, and asked him to keep it properly and wait for the chief eunuch to come and summon him early the next morning.

On the second day, Bai Jin and Shen Li waited outside the Golden Palace early in the morning.

After a while, the emperor summoned the two people waiting outside to come to the palace after the court was dismissed, and then the eunuch announced the decree in public.

The emperor said: "I bestow this title upon you, hoping that you can bring blessings and happiness to my country.

I have also ordered Qingshan County Magistrate Bai Jin to fully assist you in developing the experimental fields, ensuring that this high-yield grain is widely planted in my territory as soon as possible."

Shen Li and Bai Jin quickly knelt down to express their gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. Your Majesty, I will do my best to live up to your expectations."

Bai Jin was also filled with relief. He knew that this was not only a recognition of Shen Li, but also an affirmation of their efforts along the way. Although the road to promoting grain varieties in the future would be full of challenges, with the support of the emperor, success was expected.