Can I get to the other side?.

Chapter 499: Send Zhou Yu to the Philippines to search for sweet potatoes!
Weiyang Palace, greenhouse.

"You mean... they want to cause trouble?"

Liu Xie closed the progress report on the construction of the ocean-going treasure ship submitted by the Shouye Bureau and turned his attention to Jia Xu.

Jia Xu said respectfully: "Your Majesty, Cui Yan secretly summoned the heads of the major families to gather at your mansion last night. This behavior is really suspicious."

"I think they might be planning something illegal."

Liu Xie raised his eyebrows and asked, "Did you find out what they talked about specifically?"

Jia Xu shook his head and said, "They are discussing in a secret room, and there are guards inside and outside, so the embroidered clothes messenger cannot sneak in."

"But if Your Majesty wants to know, I will arrest a few of them and put them in jail for interrogation on the pretext of investigating corruption."

The behavior of the heads of the major families gathering at Cui Yan's mansion last night had been noticed by the Embroidered Uniform Envoy.

When Jia Xu learned about this, he immediately tensed up and went to the palace to report to the emperor, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

Because he didn't know what these people were talking about.

If they are discussing something that attempts to subvert the Han Dynasty and is detrimental to the emperor, they must be nipped in the bud.

The combined power of the major families should not be underestimated, and the newly unified Han Dynasty cannot afford to fall into war again.

"No need."

Liu Xie rejected Jia Xu's proposal and said, "Let's gather together. There is no law in the laws of the Han Dynasty that forbids officials and common people from gathering in private."

"Just send someone to watch over it, and don't do anything else."

Liu Xie was not as nervous as Jia Xu.

He has recently opened the Imperial College and is surveying the land, so it is normal for these people to get together to discuss how to deal with the situation.

He was not so petty as to fabricate charges and put people in jail for interrogation because of such things. Otherwise, wouldn't he become a tyrant?
As for whether they were discussing something related to rebellion, he felt that it was unlikely. Cui Yan, Chen Lin and their group should not be so stupid.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Jia Xu responded respectfully.

He was just considering it out of caution. Since the emperor was not worried, he would have no objection.

At this time, he noticed the blueprints of the treasure ships on the emperor's desk and asked, "Your Majesty, are you planning to build a navy?"

"That's it."

Liu Xie nodded and did not deny it.

Jia Xu asked in confusion: "Your Majesty, now that the rebels have been pacified, what is the point of forming a navy?"

On the emperor's desk was a blueprint of a large ship.

But there is no war in the world anymore. What is the point of building ships and forming a navy at this time?

It costs a lot of money to build a navy.

Liu Xie did not hide the truth from Jia Xu and said: "I built this ship not for war, but for sailing."

"Go to sea?"

After hearing this, Jia Xu was stunned.

What to do at sea?
Liu Xie smiled and said, "I learned from The Exploitation of the Works of Nature that there is an island overseas called Luzon Island."

"There is a crop called sweet potato on this island, which is not only cold-resistant and hardy, but can also replace millet and wheat as a staple food, and the yield per mu can reach dozens of stones."

"If we can obtain this, it will save many people from starvation, so I want to organize a fleet to go to Luzon Island to look for sweet potatoes."

What is the most important thing for the people?
Just to fill my stomach!

If Zhu Yuanzhang had been able to have enough food to eat at the beginning, there would have been no Hongwu Emperor, and there would have been no rebellion.

It can be said that ensuring that the people have enough food is the foundation for the stability of the dynasty.

Among all crops, sweet potatoes and potatoes are the least picky about growing conditions, have the highest yields, and can also replace wheat and rice.

Let’s not think about potatoes for now. There is no such crop in China. It exists far overseas, and the Han Dynasty does not have the ability to reach such a far place now.

But sweet potatoes are different.

Sweet potatoes first appeared in the Philippines. According to the current national strength of the Han Dynasty, it is entirely possible to send a fleet to bring back sweet potatoes.

If sweet potatoes could be introduced to the Han Dynasty and planted on a large scale, it would be a blessing for countless people!
Sweet potatoes have a high yield, and under normal circumstances the yield per mu can reach several thousand kilograms or even higher. Compared with traditional crops such as millet and wheat, the yield advantage is obvious.

Sweet potatoes are drought-resistant and barren-resistant, have low soil requirements, and have strong adaptability. They can grow well in barren lands such as mountains and hills and newly reclaimed land. They can utilize idle land to increase grain production and alleviate the contradiction between population and land to a certain extent.

When Liu Xie was studying history, he read a sentence that was very correct - potatoes and sweet potatoes played an indispensable role in the Qing Dynasty's ability to maintain its rule.

Because natural disasters occurred frequently during the Qing Dynasty, the Yellow River and Yongding River burst their banks many times, and floods and droughts continued. Traditional crops were easily affected, resulting in reduced yields or even complete crop failure.

Sweet potatoes can produce a certain harvest even in years of disaster, and become the life-saving food of the people in years of famine. They prevent a large number of people from starving to death, reduce the mortality rate, and maintain the basic survival of the population.

Moreover, sweet potatoes can be used as a staple food to meet people's energy needs, can better feed a large population, and provide a material basis for population growth.

From the Kangxi to the Qianlong period, the population of the Qing Dynasty grew from less than 100 million to more than 300 million, and reached 450 million in the late Qing Dynasty!

Food is the foundation of social stability. The widespread cultivation of sweet potatoes made the food supply relatively stable, enabling people to maintain their basic lives and reducing the chance of large-scale uprisings, which allowed the Qing Dynasty's rule to continue.

That is why it is said that sweet potatoes and potatoes helped the Qing Dynasty maintain its rule.

More importantly, sweet potatoes were also important for him to promote reforms, because only when people had enough food could they afford to go to school.

We were previously busy fighting various rebels and had no spare energy to send out a fleet to sea to look for sweet potatoes, but now we naturally have to hurry up and look for them.

"Replacing millet and wheat? Resistant to cold and drought? Producing several dozen dan per mu?"

After hearing this, Jia Xu couldn't help but widen his eyes and was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth. He felt that this was simply a fairy tale.

As far as he knew, the per-acre yield of millet was generally around three stones, and wheat was slightly higher than millet, but the difference was not much.

In addition, in some special cases, such as water-irrigated fields and land using the "Daitian" and "Qutian" methods, wheat yields per mu may be higher.

For example, the average yield per mu of irrigated fields can reach four shi, and it is said that "one mu of wheat can often yield one hundred hu".

But even so, it is still far from reaching the level of dozens of stones!

These crops are no different from fairy fruits!
Liu Xie smiled and said, "It's amazing, right? I didn't believe it at first, but the technologies I learned from The Exploitation of the Works of Nature, such as the method of refining fine salt, the Jian'an plow, the Jian'an machine, etc., have all been realized one by one. It can be seen that what is said in The Exploitation of the Works of Nature is true, so I plan to form a fleet to go overseas to look for sweet potatoes."

"Even if there is only a one in ten chance, as long as we find it, it will save many people in our Han Dynasty from starvation."

Jia Xu slowly recovered from his shock after hearing this. After thinking it over, he nodded and said, "That's true. Even if there is only a slight possibility, we have to try it."

"If we can really find this sweet potato, then our Han people, under the leadership of Your Majesty, will create an unprecedented prosperous era!"

He couldn't even imagine the crops that could produce dozens of dan per mu.

Liu Xie smiled slightly and said, "I have already entrusted Gongjin with the task of forming an ocean-going fleet. The fleet will set sail in the spring of next year."

“I hope I can find sweet potatoes successfully.”

He wasn't sure whether he could find it or not, but he had to try. If he didn't find it, it would be a waste of time and effort, but if he did find it, he would make a lot of money.

While Liu Xie and Jia Xu were chatting, an eunuch walked into the greenhouse hall and reported to him: "Your Majesty, the queen wants to see you."

Lu Lingqi is here?
Liu Xie was slightly stunned when he heard this. Although he didn't know what Lu Lingqi wanted to talk to him about, he still said, "Announce."

The eunuch bowed and retreated, and after a moment Lu Lingqi walked into the hall.

"I see you, Your Majesty."

Lu Lingqi bowed to Liu Xieying and then said, "Your Majesty has been very busy with government affairs these days, so I personally made soup for you."

After she finished speaking, she motioned to the maid behind her to come forward with a tray.

There was a pot of soup on the tray, steaming.

Jia Xu, who was standing nearby, said tactfully, "Your Majesty, I have something else to do, so I will take my leave now."

After saying this, he turned and left the hall.

Looking at Jia Xu's departing figure, Lu Lingqi couldn't help but ask, "Did I disturb your majesty and the Grand Marshal from discussing business? Or should I withdraw first?"

She originally wanted to deliver the soup and leave, but she didn't expect Jia Xu to leave first, which made her a little embarrassed.

Liu Xie couldn't help feeling helpless when he heard this. Although Lu Lingqi had been in the palace for a long time, she had always maintained this cautious and respectful attitude towards him.

It is certainly a good thing for a couple to respect each other, but he prefers the harmonious relationship he had with Zhen Mi.

"It's okay, the Queen came at the right time. I'm just hungry."

Liu Xie said after a faint smile.

Hearing this, Lu Lingqi's eyes lit up and she asked inquiringly, "Then...I will serve your majesty soup?"

Liu Xie didn't say much, he just moved his butt, making half a space for him and motioned Lu Lingqi to come over.

A hint of shyness flashed across Lu Lingqi's beautiful eyes. She walked forward and sat down next to Liu Xie. Then she picked up the soup bowl and scooped a spoonful with a spoon. She opened her red lips slightly and blew gently.

Then he put the spoon to Liu Xie's mouth, and after seeing the latter drink it, he asked expectantly: "Your Majesty, how does it taste?"

This was her first time trying to make soup, having never tried it before.

Liu Xie glanced at the burn marks on Lu Lingqi's fingers. Although the soup was mediocre, he still nodded and praised, "Very good."

Lu Lingqi heaved a sigh of relief after hearing this and continued to serve Liu Xie soup.

There wasn't actually much soup in the pot. If Liu Xie drank it himself, he would have finished it very quickly. But because Lu Lingqi fed him one spoonful at a time, it took him a whole incense stick of time to finish it.

During this period, Liu Xie had been watching Lu Lingqi.

When he first met Lu Lingqi five years ago, she was dressed in tight clothes and dancing with a spear in the snow. She looked so heroic that people couldn't take their eyes off her.

After so many years, the heroic woman has now learned to stir the spoon with her bare hands and has become a good wife and mother.

Emotionally speaking, he likes Zhen Mi more, but he also has deep feelings for Lu Lingqi.

She was made queen because Lu Lingqi was indeed qualified and fully worthy of the title in terms of character and other aspects.

It’s not that Zhen Mi is inferior to Lu Lingqi, but as far as the position of queen is concerned, Lu Lingqi is more suitable.

After all, in the entire harem, only Lu Lingqi had a good relationship with all the concubines, and she never took the initiative to bully or provoke others.

While Liu Xie was looking at Lu Lingqi, Lu Lingqi also secretly looked at Liu Xie from time to time. The latter's gaze made her pretty face gradually blush, adding to her indescribable beauty.

"Your Majesty, why are you staring at me? Is there something wrong with my makeup today?"

Lu Lingqi asked with a blushing face.

Liu Xie collected his thoughts, shook his head and smiled, "Nothing, I was just thinking about something."

Lu Lingqi heaved a sigh of relief after hearing this.

Since she was made queen, she has become more cautious in her actions, fearing that if she did something wrong, others would say that she was disgracing the queen's demeanor.

"Where are Ying'er and Jue'er?"

Liu Xie asked. He hadn't visited his two children for some time. There was nothing he could do about it as he had too many things to deal with.

Lu Lingqi said, "In Sister Zhen's palace, Sister asked me to tell Your Majesty to go and see the two children more often when you have time."

"Ying'er has been clamoring to see His Majesty recently."

Liu Xie couldn't help but smile after hearing this and said, "I will go tonight. I have been too busy recently and neglected them."

Lu Lingqi heard this and said seriously: "If state affairs are busy, state affairs should be given priority. I will take good care of Ying'er and the prince."

Although she had not read much, she knew that the queen's job was to manage the harem for the emperor so that the emperor could focus on governing the world.

"There is one more thing besides this..."

At this point, Lu Lingqi paused for a moment, her pretty face slightly flushed, and said, "Your Majesty rarely visits the palaces of other concubines, so this is not acceptable."

"Your Majesty has few children now. You should visit other concubines more often and have more children."

Da Qiao, Xiao Qiao and several other concubines had complained to her that the emperor only visited them a few times throughout the year and that they were no different from being banished to the cold palace.

Lu Lingqi was actually very embarrassed about this matter. As the queen, she had to coordinate the harem, but she could not decide who the emperor would favor.

Zhen Mi told her not to care, the emperor just doted on them two and the other concubines were just envious.

But she was soft-hearted. All the concubines came to complain to her, and she had no choice but to speak to Liu Xie in a tactful way.

“Puff…cough cough cough——”

When Liu Xie heard this, he almost spit out the soup in his mouth and choked and coughed continuously.

Lu Lingqi was startled and quickly patted him on the back.

It took Liu Xie a long time to recover. He stared at Lu Lingqi for a long time, and finally smiled bitterly.

Although it is a good thing for a queen to not be competitive or jealous, pushing the emperor to the bed of other concubines is too Buddhist. Isn't she afraid that Zhen Mi will be angry if she finds out?

"I understand. I will visit other concubines' palaces when I have time."

(End of this chapter)