Daming: Mixed in Dangzhi County, Beiping

"Brothers, this is His Majesty's eldest companion, Yishaha!"

Guo An introduced slowly.

Guo Bingyong, Guo Zhi and others were shocked. Is there a confidant eunuch beside His Majesty?

Yi Shiha also said hello with a smile on his face, "Our family has met all Di Gong Lang!"

"I've met my companion!"

Guo Bingyong and Guo Zhi also hurriedly held their hands in greeting.

After a brief greeting, Guo An directly stated the purpose of his visit.

"Brothers, I came here today to ask you to grow some more grain!"

"Cultivation of food?"

Guo Bingyong and Guo Zhi all looked confused.

"Ok!"

Guo An nodded slightly and motioned to Xu Yong beside him to take out a stick of corn.

"This is it!"

"Ok?"

When they saw the corn, Guo Bingyong and Guo Zhi immediately opened their eyes with surprise on their faces.

"Ning Yi, what is this and why is it so big?"

"corn!"

Guo An smiled slightly and said: "This is food recovered from overseas barbarians. It can be ground into flour like wheat and eaten."

Guo Bingyong and Guo Zhi's eyes suddenly lit up.

Guo An added: "The most important thing is that these corns are not only drought-resistant, but also very easy to plant, just like wheat.

However, these ears of corn are much larger than wheat, and the yield should be higher than wheat.

Moreover, if these corns are planted in the north, they can be planted directly after the wheat harvest in June, and they will mature in October..."

"this?"

Guo Bingyong and Guo Zhi looked at the cornrows again, glowing green.

They are all from Shunde Prefecture, so they understand that if it is true as Guo An said, how important are these corns to the people in the north?

"Ning Yi means that this kind of corn is most suitable for planting in the north, and the people in the north can plant wheat and then corn to harvest food twice a year?"

"Ok!"

Guo An nodded slightly.

“I didn’t expect that there is such food in the world!”

“If my people in the north plant these corns, they will never go hungry again every year.

Nor would he borrow money from those gentry and merchants just because he couldn’t eat food, thus losing all his land and ruining his family..."

"Exactly!"

Guo An nodded slightly again.

"Great Virtue Ning Yi!"

Praising him, Guo Bingyong couldn't help but look proud.

"What the fourth brother said is absolutely true!"

Guo Zhi and Guo Changchen also nodded.

"Brothers, you are so ridiculous!"

Guo An smiled slowly and said, "Your Majesty attaches great importance to the cultivation of corn.

Moreover, there is only so much corn collected from overseas, so brothers need to work hard! "

"Please rest assured Ning Yi, I will definitely not live up to His Majesty's love, nor will I let you down!"

Upon hearing this, Guo Bingyong and Guo Zhi suddenly looked solemn.

At the same time, his face was full of confidence.

They have been cultivating fine seeds for so many years, and they are confident that no one in the entire Ming Dynasty is better at cultivating fine seeds than them!

Guo An nodded slightly, "Your Majesty and I can rest assured of your brothers' abilities.

However, this must be the first time that these corns have been planted in my Daming field, and there is no experience to say. I don’t know if anything will happen.

However, these corns seem to be averse to waterlogging..."

"Taboo waterlogging!"

Guo Bingyong, Guo Zhi and others couldn't help but think deeply.

"Ning Yi, what is the spacing between these corn plantings?"

Guo Andao: "Let's plant half a step wide first!"

Guo Bingyong said: "If this is the case, then two or three acres of rice fields will have to be uprooted!"

"pull!"

Guo An looked determined, "Cultivation of corn is the most important thing!"

"Ok!"

Guo Bingyong nodded slowly, "Ning Yi, wait a moment, I will go and call for help, pull out the rice, and open up the fields!"

"Excuse me!"

Guo An nodded slightly.

Guo Bingyong, Guo Zhi and others began to instruct a group of disciples to go to the easternmost side of the field.

Here, far away from the Qinhuai River, is the most arid place.

However, even in drought, the soil here is very fertile.

In addition, they often water and fertilize here.

Now, the rice here is also growing very strong.

Therefore, some disciples who were cultivating the fields, Qingzhuang, were very puzzled.

"Now that there is a drought in the north of Ming Dynasty, there will definitely be a shortage of food this year. How many teachers are going to pull out the rice?"

"These rice grains are still growing so well, what a pity it would be to pull them out?"

"What are you talking about? What does the teacher want to do, do you still need to be informed?"

"The fields here are not yours. They belong to Duke Dingguo. Duke Dingguo is watching from the sidelines. You are not allowed to be lazy!"

"Dong Guo..."

All the disciples and Qingzhuang were shocked and hurriedly speeded up their work.

soon.

With the combined efforts of dozens of young disciples, three acres of rice fields were completely uprooted.

Immediately, without the need for plowing cattle, each person had a hoe, and the flat and soft ridges of the fields were skillfully drawn together by these disciples and the young men.

"Ning Yi, is this okay?"

Guo Bingyong asked.

"Can!"

Guo An nodded slightly and said: "Fourth brother, bury a corn seed every half step.

If these three acres of land cannot be planted, the remaining corn must be handed over and kept.

Just in case something unexpected happens in these fields, there are corn seeds to plant again! "

"Listen to Ning Yi!"

Guo Bingyong nodded slightly, then called on all the disciples and young men to give each of them a piece of corn, and told them how to break off the corn kernels and how to plant them.

"corn?"

"Such a huge and strange grain?"

"What kind of food is this?"

"Strange...could this be the purpose of Duke Dingguo coming here in person?"

"But, is this kind of food worth destroying these three acres of rice?"

Looking at the corn in their hands, all the disciples and young men were full of surprise.

Guo Bingyong warned loudly: "These corns are very valuable, not only Duke Ding is watching, but also His Majesty.

All of you must farm honestly and don't try to be clever, otherwise you will be caught...

It will bring trouble to your family. When that happens, no one can save you! "

"Your Majesty is also watching?"

After hearing this, the disciples who were originally preparing to make some small moves were suddenly shocked and began to work honestly.

Guozhou was so far away and deserted, and he didn't want his whole family to be exiled there.

A quarter of an hour later.

"Ning Yi, we have finished planting!"

Guo Bingyong walked up to Guo An again and said with a strange expression, "It's just that there are only thirty-six corn stalks planted in three acres of field, and there are still sixty corn stalks left here!"

Although he said it to Guo An, Guo Bingyong actually reported it to Yi Shiha on the side.

"Ok!"

Guo An and Yi Shiha both nodded with satisfaction.

"Xu Yong, take the remaining sixty-four corns and bring them back to your house and let Guo Ang keep them!"

"Yes, sir!"

Xu Yong responded and took the corn.

At this time, Yishiha on the side suddenly said: "Guo Digong, Your Majesty attaches great importance to corn. There should be a hundred soldiers coming in the evening to guard these three acres of corn fields day and night. Please also ask Don’t panic, Mr. Guo Digong!”

"A hundred soldiers will take care of it personally?"

Guo Bingyong, Guo Zhi and others' expressions changed slightly.

Immediately, their faces were full of joy.

"Thank you for informing me, my dear companion!"

Yi Shiha smiled softly and said: "Guo Di Gonglang and all the Guo family Di Gonglang, as descendants of the Guo family, can calm down and devote themselves to cultivating fine seeds for the Ming Dynasty in the fields. They have made great contributions, and Your Majesty also values ​​​​it very much!"

This time, corn is such a Ming Dynasty grain, which will trouble several Guojiadi Gonglang! "

"We will definitely try our best!"

……

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have handed over all the corn and sweet potatoes on the ship to Duke Dingguo.

Duke Dingguo threw away several boxes of rotten and dried sweet potatoes... and moved the sweet potatoes grown in three large wooden boxes into his back garden.

Duke Dingguo seemed to have cultivated three-thirds of the field in his back garden to grow corn! "

"Dingguo Gong broke off the hundred corn plants on the big ship and gave them to the stalks to feed the cattle...

Later, Duke Dingguo went to the field in Jiangjun Mountain outside the city and asked four Guo Digong Lang to cultivate three acres of land and plant thirty corns in the field.

There are still sixty-four corns left, take them back to Dingguo Duke's Mansion for safekeeping..."

In the Fengtian Hall, Yi Shiha reported to Zhu Di in detail the processing of the sweet potatoes and corn.

"There are sixty-four corns left?" In the front, Zhu Di kept nodding, but after hearing this sentence, something flashed in his eyes, and Zhu Di's eyes flashed with strange light.

"Your Majesty, it's exactly sixty-four!"

Yi Shiha hurriedly replied.

Zhu Di nodded slightly, "Ask Jiang Hu to send a hundred households to the fields in Jiangjun Mountain to guard the corn day and night!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

……

Two days' time.

In the capital, a rumor suddenly spread.

Duke Dingguo also found a new kind of grain, with an extremely high yield per mu. He had specially planted it in the fields of Jiangjun Mountain and gave it to four great farmers of the Guo family to cultivate.

Even His Majesty attaches great importance to this food and sends a hundred households of guards to guard the corn fields day and night.

The entire capital was coaxed to move away!

"I heard that one ear of the new grain is as thick as a child's arm and half a foot long!"

"hiss……"

"How much of this kind of grain can be produced per acre?"

"If calculated in terms of rice, then one acre cannot produce three or four hundred shi?"

"Three or four hundred stones?"

"This is divine food!"

"Hmph, if it wasn't divine food, why would His Majesty send a hundred households of guards to guard around that food field!"

"Yes, guard. If a thieves or those beasts destroy a single plant of this kind of divine food, it will make people feel bad!"

"..."

"Sacred food that yields three to four hundred shi per acre?"

In the household department, Yu Xin looked at the officials in front with a surprised look on his face, who were reporting excitedly.

The two assistant ministers, Wang Chun and Xia Yuanji, also stared with wide eyes.

"How can there be a grain yield of three to four hundred shi per acre in this world? This news must be a rumor!"

"Reporting to Duke Yu, this news has spread throughout the entire capital! Moreover, there is indeed a hundred-household guard guarding the fields of General Shanding Guogong, guarding it day and night!"

The official said hurriedly.

"Really?"

Yu Xin, Wang Chun, and Xia Yuanji were all surprised.

"Absolutely true!"

The official nodded again and again.

Wang Chun and Xia Yuanji couldn't help but look at Yu Xin.

"If there is such a divine food, then God bless me, Ming Dynasty!"

Yu Xin's eyes flickered and he spoke slowly.

Immediately, he stood up directly.

"Just wait here. I will go into the palace and ask His Majesty!"

"Yugong Yingming!"

……

More than half an hour later.

Yu Xin, who had just walked outside Fengtian Hall, had a flash of surprise in his eyes.

So many ministers came to the palace in a hurry?

Thinking about it, Yu Xin walked into Fengtian Hall.

However, they saw that several important officials in the court, including Bao Zhao, the Minister of Civil Affairs, and Yang Jing, the Yushi of Zuodu, were also here.

It's just that everyone's expressions are a little weird.

"The humble minister Yu Xin is here to see Your Majesty!"

"Yu Aiqing is also here to ask about the divine food?"

Zhu Di asked expressionlessly.

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Yu Xin quickly bowed his hands and saluted, but he already had a guess in his heart.

Zhu Di said: "Mr. Yu, please wait aside. There should be more Aiqing coming to inquire!"

"The minister obeys the order!"

Yu Xin bowed respectfully and then stood aside.

In less than a moment.

Outside the hall, a bunch of ministers came in one after another.

Zheng Yi, the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Tie Xuan, the Minister of the Ministry of War, Li Jinglong, the Duke of Cao, Xu Huizu, the Duke of Wei, Sun Xian, the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, Hou Tai, the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, Hu Run, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple...

Six ministries and nine ministers, as well as a host of nobles, basically all the important ministers in the court came!

And everyone comes here for the divine food.

Seeing that everyone was almost here, Zhu Di said slowly: "The divine food that suddenly spread in the capital is indeed true."

Hearing this, Yu Xin and all the important ministers couldn't help but widen their eyes and stared at Zhu Di closely.

Zhu Di added: "It's just that this rumor is exaggerated. Although the divine grain looks huge, its output is not high, definitely not three or four hundred stones!

Not even thirty or forty stones... As for its yield, it is still in the cultivation stage. Only when a few wise farmers from the Guo family in Jiangjunshan cultivate it can we know how much its yield per mu is! "

In the hall, all the officials felt inexplicably relieved.

"My dear lords, as courtiers of the Ming Dynasty, if you encounter such rumors in the future, you should be more sensible. Don't believe whatever you hear..."

"Your Majesty taught you a lesson!"

"It's actually fake?"

"I'm shocked. Those thieves who spread these rumors should be exiled to Guozhou!"

"That's right, that's right!"

"These unruly traitors of the Ming Dynasty should be exiled to Guozhou!"

"Hahaha……"

……

"There are actually these rumors?"

In Duke Dingguo's mansion, after hearing Guo Ang's report, Guo An grinned with an inexplicable expression.

Then, he said: "Go to Jiangjun Mountain and tell your brothers that those who can't control their mouths are not suitable to be kept!"

"Yes, sir!"

Guo Ang responded quickly and hurried out.

He was also very angry at those who spread those rumors.

In the village of Jiangjun Mountain.

Guo Bingyong, Guo Zhi, Guo Changchen, and Guo Shanyuan stared at the disciples Qingzhuang in the courtyard with solemn expressions.

Outside the crowd, there was also a group of guards standing.

"You have all heard the rumors from the capital. These corns were only planted two days ago, and yet they have spread like this... One acre yields three to four hundred dan, you dare to think!

Also, your majesty and Duke Dingguo take this corn matter so seriously, but you dare to spread it. Do you want your majesty to convict our farmers and villages? "

"Tell me, which woman with a long mouth is the one who spread the news? Come forward honestly, I will take you to Duke Dingguo's Mansion to plead guilty!

If not, let Duke Dingguo or His Majesty find out, and you will be responsible for the consequences..."

After saying that, Guo Bingyong, Guo Zhi and others stared at the crowd coldly.

In the crowd, a group of disciples and young men immediately looked around and shouted, asking those who were lax to stand up voluntarily.

Unfortunately, for a long time, no one came forward.

Outside, the faces of Guo Bingyong, Guo Zhi and others turned gloomy again.

"In view of our friendship over the years, I will give you another chance. Don't think that these guards sent by your Majesty are really just to guard the corn fields.

What did you say to outsiders in the past two days, or what did you say when you ran out, do you really think that these guards don't know? "

As soon as these words came out, the expressions of the disciples and Qing Zhuang suddenly changed slightly.

Especially the eyes of several disciples and Qing Zhuang in the crowd were full of panic.

Coincidentally, the group of guards outside noticed this situation and stared directly at it.

Perhaps sensing something, the disciples and Qing Zhuang also looked at the guards.

Eye to eye!

Those disciples and Qing Zhuang suddenly felt their legs weak and their minds went blank. As expected, these guards knew that it was him who had told the truth!

As I thought about it, I became more and more frightened, and a layer of sweat appeared on my forehead.

After a moment, he stood out from the crowd tremblingly.

The entire crowd suddenly became quiet.

"Luo Dingkang, Miao Qiu, Shan Bin, Meng Qingde..."

Guo Bingyong, Guo Zhi and others also had a flash of disappointment in their eyes.

"Teacher, I didn't mean to say it. I was just quick to speak and couldn't hold back, so I said it!"

"Teacher Mingjian, we really didn't expect that these rumors would come out!"

"Please ask the teacher to save me..."

Luo Dingkang and Miao Qiu knelt down and begged.

"I've met several masters!"

At this time, Guo Ang walked in from outside and slowly saluted Guo Bingyong and Guo Zhi.

Then, when they saw Luo Dingkang, Miao Qiu and others kneeling on the ground, a trace of surprise flashed in their eyes.

"Steward Guo, what are your orders from Duke Dingguo?"

Guo Bingyong and Guo Zhi quickly returned the greetings and then asked.

Guo Ang nodded slightly and said loudly: "My master has ordered that people who can't control their mouths are not suitable to be kept!"

After hearing this, Luo Dingkang, Miao Qiu and others who were kneeling on the ground turned pale.

However, I felt relieved!

At least, they were not exiled!

Guo Bingyong shouted to a group of people on the ground: "Dong Guo is kind-hearted, why don't you thank Duke Ding quickly!"

“Thank you so much for Dingguo’s public kindness!”

Luo Dingkang, Miao Qiu and others quickly thanked them.

Guo Ang nodded slightly, then turned and left.

In the afternoon of that day, Luo Dingkang, Miao Qiu and others took their belongings and left with expressions of despair on their faces.

In the courtyard, a group of young and strong disciples looked at Luo Dingkang and Miao Qiu leaving with twinkling eyes!

...(End of chapter)