Yongle Emperor's grandson: Zhu Yuanzhang with cheats, Zhu Di went crazy

Chapter 161 Wild boars can’t eat fine chaff

“This one isn’t that big!”

Seeing the old man pulling out the potato vines, he only brought out two potatoes, and they were not very big. The people who were expecting were a little disappointed.

Hearing the disappointed voice, the old man snorted and picked up the hoe to dig.

One, two, three, four, five...

Potatoes of different sizes were thrown out one by one. The old man stopped only after he had dug eight.

Together with the ones dug out by the old man, there were a total of ten potatoes in this nest.

Seven of them are about the same size, and the remaining ones are a little smaller.

The disappointed people were speechless for a moment. It turned out that this thing relied on quantity.

The old man dug out the first one, clapped his hands, and then took his achievement to the side to rest.

The tenants began to come in, and the potato vines were pulled out one by one. The round potatoes were piled together, forming a large, bright field that was so pleasing to the eye.

A big pot was set up in front of the old man, and washed potatoes and sweet potatoes were thrown into it. The old man lit the fire himself and decided to let these ministers taste the fresh food.

"When the time comes, give each of you two as a reward, and store the rest to prepare for the next season's rice seedlings."

The old man was giving instructions to Zhu Zhanjun while he was lighting a fire.

Zhu Zhanjun nodded repeatedly and kept responding.

With the busy work of about a hundred people, an acre of potatoes was quickly dug out.

By the time Xia Yuanji finished weighing, the big pot of potatoes and sweet potatoes cooked by the old man was cooked.

"Come and have a taste of this new food to see how it tastes."

Everyone gathered around with smiles on their faces, and the old man distributed the food personally, giving one potato or sweet potato to every two people.

"This thing is so rare that we have to save the seeds. You can just taste it."

The minister who received the distribution couldn't wait to take a bite.

Li Jinglong frowned and swallowed the sweet potato with a frown, muttering, "This doesn't taste good either. It's choking and even worse than steamed buns."

Liu Sheng, who was savoring the food on the side, rolled his eyes at him unhappily.

"You are really used to eating fine grains, and you can't get used to this kind of coarse grains."

"This is life-saving food. It can just satisfy hunger. If it is eaten like delicacies from land and sea, it will not reach the mouths of ordinary people."

Not only Li Jinglong, but also those ministers who were used to enjoying the food, ate with frowns on their faces.

At the first bite, it felt quite fresh, but after two bites, they felt that potatoes and sweet potatoes were just so-so.

As everyone finished eating, Xia Yuanji also finished settling the bill.

"His Majesty."

Xia Yuanji came over excitedly, and the old man handed Xia Yuanji two sweet potatoes that he had specially prepared.

"Thank you for your hard work. This is specially reserved for you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Xia Yuanji accepted it happily.

Although I have eaten a lot in space, I have never eaten it in reality.

After peeling the sweet potato skillfully, Xia Yuanji looked around, squeezed next to Zhu Zhanjun, and took advantage of Zhu Zhanjun's unpreparedness to dip his hand into the small box in his hand.

Zhu Zhanjun glared at the shameless guy in annoyance, and handed the remaining sugar to Zhu Zhanji, who was frowning and unable to swallow.

When Zhu Zhanji saw that it was white sugar, his eyes lit up.

"How many?"

The old man asked Xia Yuanji while eating a sweet potato.

Xia Yuanji's mouth was full. When he heard the old man's question, he stared, swallowed what he had in his mouth, and answered by flipping through the account book.

"Your Majesty, including the ones we cooked, the total is 6115 kilograms, just a little less than the sweet potatoes."

"Hahaha, burp..."

The old man was so happy that he forgot he was chewing a sweet potato. His throat was choked by his laughter, his face turned red, and he beat his chest and stamped his feet.

"Grandpa, drink water."

Zhu Zhanjun quickly took out the kettle and gave the old man several gulps before falling asleep.

"Zhao Xian."

Zhao Xian, who was chewing in small bites, threw the remaining sweet potato into his mouth, ran over quickly, bowed and said, "I'm here!"

"I will give you three days to prepare. I will hold a grand sacrifice and enthrone the Crown Prince on the same day."

three days?

Zhao Xian was stunned for a moment. He wanted to persuade the old man that time was too tight and the auspicious date had not been chosen yet. But looking at the old man's excited expression, he knew it was useless to say anything, so he could only bow his hands and clasp his hands.

"I accept the decree!"

After Zhao Xian agreed, the old man looked at the ministers around him who were eating potatoes and sweet potatoes and discussing in low voices.

He cleared his throat, waited for everyone to quiet down, and then said, "I'm sure you have all seen these high-yield crops. They are the high-yield crops that the Crown Prince brought back from another continent."

"I also know that you are used to a life of luxury and that this kind of coarse food is hard to swallow."

"But I tell you, these two things can keep countless people alive who would otherwise starve to death."

"These two things can not only save their lives, but also save your lives."

"Some people may think that I am exaggerating, but I can tell you that I am understating it."

"Since ancient times, once people could no longer survive, in order to survive and have a bite to eat, they could only pick up kitchen utensils, farm tools, and sticks to rebel against those they considered bad people."

"And who are those bad guys?"

The old man looked around, and no one dared to look him in the eye.

"That's right. In the eyes of the common people, I, the emperor, and you, the ministers, are the bad guys."

"They don't care what the court's policies are, they don't care whether it's a natural disaster sent by God, they only know that they can't eat enough and can't afford to eat, it's because of my incompetence and your corruption and exploitation of the people."

"Since ancient times, when the imperial court was overthrown by the people's rebellion, few officials had a good ending."

"Think about Huang Chao and the chaos at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, and you will understand the significance of these two things to the Ming Dynasty."

Holding potatoes in one hand and sweet potatoes in the other, the old man said loudly: "They can bring a way out for the common people in the end. They are not only the hope for revival, but also a way out for you and me."

"And the one who brought back all this, brought hope to the Ming Dynasty, and solved the hidden worries of the Ming Dynasty's future was none other than our Ming Dynasty Crown Prince Zhu Zhanjun." Everyone looked at Zhu Zhanjun, and Zhu Zhanjun bowed to everyone.

"As a member of our royal family, I have given the Crown Prince a corresponding reward."

"However, leading troops in battle cannot hinder the merits of one person, and there are thousands of soldiers."

The old man turned around and faced Xiaohu and the others who were waiting.

"Someone once told me that it was a group of fools who listened to a madman and set out on an unknown journey to find the legendary divine objects and food."

"In April of the fifth year of Yongle, when the Empress fell ill, the palace was in chaos."

The old man raised his hand and pointed at Xiaohu and the others, "It was these fools who listened to my crazy grandson and embarked on an unknown journey."

"They crossed mountains and rivers, crossed bridges across the sea, walked through desolate deserts, and stepped on ice fields covered with ice and snow."

“They struggled with the heavens and the earth, with the wild beasts, and with death.”

"It was these people who used their own shoulders and bodies to protect a young child, found these things and brought them back to Ming Dynasty."

"Someone once told me that this is not a task that can be accomplished by humans. Even if a god came, he would die on this road."

"But I tell you, tell everyone in the world."

"In my mind, they are the gods who saved the entire Ming Dynasty."

"They carry the hopes of countless ancestors of the Yanhuang people, and countless Yanhuang people who died of starvation protect them, protecting them all the way, and bringing back the divine objects that will save thousands of descendants."

The old man's words were shocking and moving. Xiaohu and the others burst into tears after hearing them. They did not expect that the emperor would think so highly of them.

Liang Zi, who always looked at people with a cold face, now had tears in his eyes.

Who would have known that this man with a stiff expression and never any other facial expression was once a shy and smiling baby-faced boy.

Late that night, his handsome and smiling baby face was viciously torn apart by a hungry wolf.

The old man looked at the group of people and shouted with emotion: "This achievement will last forever, and this favor will be remembered by the Ming Dynasty."

"Come here, call the shots!"

The old man shouted loudly, and Little Sniffle came to the old man with a tray.

Everyone looked at it and was shocked.

They actually recognized this imperial edict. It seemed to be the empty imperial edict that the old man had promised when Zhu Zhanjun handed over the imperial seal.

In an instant, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

This imperial edict was not used as they expected.

But then they came to their senses.

Zhu Zhanjun's position as the crown prince has already been decided, and this imperial edict seems to have little effect on Zhu Zhanjun.

The old man took it and handed it to Fatty Zhu.

Zhu Pangpang understood that his father had asked him to read it, so he straightened his court robes, bowed respectfully, and took the imperial edict with both hands.

Zhu Zhanjun walked in front of Xiaohu and the others, and the tenants who had already made preparations put out the incense table and other things.

After Zhu Pangpang stood up, Zhu Zhanjun, Xiaohu and others bowed respectfully to the ground.

"Your Majesty, I wish you the best of luck!"

"Saint Ann."

Zhu Pangpang replied solemnly, unfolded the imperial edict in his hand, and announced loudly:

"In obedience to the Emperor of Heaven, the decree states: Since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors in ancient times, people have relied on food as their primary need, but......"

“…The grace of heaven has been bestowed upon the Ming Dynasty. We are glad to have obtained the divine seed and relieve the people’s worries.”

"Today, I receive the imperial decree from His Majesty the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty: Liu Xiaohu, Jie Liangzi, Guo Gang, Xu Ergou... thirteen people are granted the title of Earl of the State, with red inscriptions on iron scrolls, and the title is hereditary and will last forever with the country."

"In addition, Liu Dahu, Zhang Fengyu, Han Mo... 35 people sacrificed their lives for the country. Those whose families have sons will inherit the title of 100 households, and their direct descendants will be exempted from military service forever, and will be granted 100 acres of good land, and other rewards."

"If there is no direct descendant, you can adopt someone from another lineage as your son and pass it down for ten thousand years."

As the last word fell, Zhu Zhanjun and all the people in Xiaohu bowed to the old man to express their gratitude.

"I bow down to thank the Emperor for His Grace. Long live the Emperor!"

Hearing such thanks, the old man was stunned for a moment, with a smile on his face.

Xiaohu and the others were all very excited. They were originally the lowest-level guard soldiers, and they never expected that one day they would become earls of the Ming Dynasty.

Although the officials around felt that it was inappropriate, no one stood up to say anything.

According to the rules of the Ming Dynasty, no one could be conferred a title without military merit.

Xiaohu and others followed Zhu Zhanjun just to look for things. Although it was a bit hard, it was not a military mission. To be honest, it did not meet the standards for being conferred a title.

But they didn't stand up after all.

Regardless of whether the old man is happy or not, this imperial edict alone is enough to shut them up.

This imperial edict is the old man's promise. Not to mention conferring titles on some people, even if one wants the position of crown prince, it will work according to the old man.

Besides, there will only be this one imperial edict, and people after that won’t be able to learn it even if they want to.

There is no need to offend the Emperor and the Crown Prince for some rigid rules.

As Zhu Pangpang finished reading the imperial edict, Xiaohu and others all burst into tears and kowtowed continuously to thank the old man for his grace.

"Okay, everyone, get up. This is what you deserve."

The old man smiled and asked everyone to stand up.

"Your Highness."

After Xiaohu and the others stood up, they looked at Zhu Zhanjun and shouted excitedly, then knelt down in an orderly manner again.

No talking, no words, just constant kowtow.

Zhu Zhanjun did not reach out to pull them, but just looked at them quietly.

The scene that unconsciously emerged before his eyes was a group of people supporting him in the endless wasteland, the vast ice and snow, and the dense jungle, talking and laughing, looking forward to the future, and moving forward firmly.

Four years ago, a young man put his hands on his waist and fooled dozens of fools.

The young man was promised a title, a high position, generous salary, the best food and drink, and the opportunity to marry any woman he wanted.

Now, four years later, the young man finally fulfilled his promise.

Give these fools who followed him the rewards and graces they deserve.

(End of this chapter)