If you traveled back to ancient times, while others ate Guanyin clay, you would actually have giant

When everyone found Zhou Wu, they were all stunned. They thought it was something very important that prevented Zhou Wu from meeting His Highness the Crown Prince. Unexpectedly, Zhou Wu was farming in the fields.

“How dare you, Zhou Wu, defy the imperial authority!”

Zhou Wu was happily tending to the potatoes in the field when he was startled by a loud shout. Turning around, he saw that the ridge of the field had been surrounded by people.

"Lord Chen, Lord Kang... Your Highness the Crown Prince! Ninth Princess~, Your Majesty, I pay my respects..."

"Okay, no need to be polite."

It was indeed not suitable to talk in the fields, so they found a thatched hut nearby. The Crown Prince, Zhou Wu, and the Princess were seated there. Due to limited space, An was not allowed to sit down, and Kang Wen was even less qualified. The two of them could only stand in the shade of a tree not far away.

"Zhou Wu, I've been looking for you everywhere."

"I apologize, Your Highness, but I was truly unaware that Your Highness had returned to Qingyang County."

Zhou Wu had already cursed Kang Wen countless times in his heart. The Crown Prince was coming to Qingyang County without even informing him.

"None of that matters. I just happened to be on my way to visit you."

Crown Prince Li Junren had always held Zhou Wu in high regard, believing him to be intelligent, resourceful, and brave—a rare talent who, despite his youth, was destined for great things.

"Hmph, Crown Prince, this person actually didn't come to see you because of such a trivial matter as farming. It's truly hateful."

From the moment they met, this Ninth Princess seemed to find fault with him no matter what he did, and Zhou Wu had no idea what he had done to offend her.

"Your Highness, this kind of land is no small matter; on the contrary, it's a major issue. At least half of the people in our Great Dragon Kingdom are still starving. How can farming be considered a trivial matter?"

"Hmph, all talk and no action. Do you think you can feed all these people just by farming?"

"Hehe, Your Highness, you are absolutely right. I am currently trying to grow potatoes and corn, two foreign grains, in Niujia Village. According to my understanding, the yield of these two crops is about ten shi per mu for one and about twenty shi per mu for the other. Moreover, both crops are not picky about the land, are easy to grow, and can be used as staple food or vegetables. Do you think they can feed the people of my Great Dragon?"

Li Junren had initially thought it was just Xue'er and Zhou Wu bickering, but Zhou Wu's words stunned him.

"Zhou Wu, that joke went a bit too far."

"Your Highness, everything I have said is true, and I am not joking."

Is this truly the truth, and not a joke?

Li Junren stepped forward and grabbed Zhou Wu's arm tightly, his face flushed.

"Yes, these two kinds of grains have been consumed in foreign lands for many years, but they have never reached the Great Dragon. It was a friend of mine who brought the seeds. As for whether they are genuine or not, Your Highness can wait two more months and then we will know."

"Zhou Wu, if what you say is true, I will personally petition the Emperor for your commendation."

The main grains grown in Dalong are millet, sorghum, rice, soybeans, barley, wheat, and Job's tears. The highest yield of these grains is no more than five shi per mu, so when Zhou Wu said that the two grains he grows yield at least ten shi, Li Junren thought that Zhou Wu and the princess were just arguing. However, Zhou Wu then confidently stated that it was true, and Li Junren could no longer remain calm.

"Right now, our Great Dragon is unable to recruit more soldiers because we lack money and food, which is why we are constantly threatened by the Northern Daz. If our production is really as you say, then our Great Dragon will surely become strong in the future."

"Your Highness, what are they saying from the Dazi Kingdom now?"

Zhou Wu had been concerned about the situation in the north, but without any channels of communication, he could only worry helplessly. However, since the Crown Prince had brought up the topic, Zhou Wu decided to take the opportunity to inquire about it.

"Sigh, don't say anymore. Although the court is determined to be strong, time is of the essence. I guess Father has already arranged for a delegation of envoys to negotiate."

Although it's called a negotiation, everyone knows it's really just about spending money to avoid trouble. This is at the national level, so the amount of money spent is definitely enormous. Moreover, as one side gains and the other loses, the strength of the Great Dragon Kingdom will become weaker and weaker, while the other side will become stronger and stronger.

"If you were Zhou Wu, would you be suitable to deal with the Da Zi Kingdom?"

"The negotiations here are a done deal, but there are ways to deal with the Dazi. If hard tactics don't work, we can try softer ones."

Li Junren had only asked casually, but he was surprised to find that Zhou Wu actually had a solution, which piqued his interest.

"Tell me quickly."

"First, I suggest that a trading post be set up at the border with Dazi, allowing both sides to buy and sell goods."

"What does this mean?"

“Your Highness, first we must open up trade with the Dazi.”

"Why? We're hostile to the Dazi, we're too busy sealing off the border, let alone trading?"

"First, we will conduct trade with them. We can decide what to sell. The winters in Dazi are colder and longer than in Dalong. We can increase our sales of alcohol. They mainly eat meat, so we can increase our tea trade. This will not only earn more money for Dalong, but we have also allowed them to pay with livestock. In addition to cattle and sheep, horses also count."

"I agree with your suggestion to trade cattle, sheep, and horses, but aren't we helping them by giving them warm drinks and refreshing tea?"

"Has Your Highness ever encountered a person who is fond of alcohol?"

"That's for sure. Every time there's a banquet in the court, there are always some drunkards who talk nonsense, stagger around, and make a complete fool of themselves."

"Your Highness, what if the entire Kingdom of Dazi became an alcoholic?"

Li Junren then realized that although the wine of the Dazi Kingdom was good, it could not be produced domestically because it lacked agriculture. This was why the Dazi Kingdom had been secretly smuggling wine into the Dalong Kingdom. If the wine trade were opened up, given the Dazi's character, they would definitely buy it in large quantities and drink it without restraint.

“Open trade has another advantage. The reason why the Da Zi are so ruthless and brave is because their living conditions are harsh. After they have seen and enjoyed it, do you think they can still maintain their determination to fight to the death? The most important thing is that once they become dependent on alcohol, tea, grain, etc., it is equivalent to their lifeline being in the hands of the Da Long.”

"Zhou Wu, I want to go and see the Qingyang Army."

Li Junren had fully accepted Zhou Wu's proposal to open up trade with the Da Zi, but that was not enough. Ultimately, they still had to reach the point of military confrontation. Therefore, leaving an indelible mark on Li Junren's mind with the Qingyang Army became another objective for him.

"Your Highness, why don't we rest today? I will show you around tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll do as you say, but you have to cook something delicious tonight. Xue'er came here specifically for you."

"What are you saying, Crown Prince? Who's after food?"