I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 375 Wise Rulers and Virtuous Officials, Ingenious Cooking Techniques

Tianjin is known for its many playboys and eccentric individuals.

Those who blow sugar figurines, perform martial arts, act on the streets, or sell tickets in teahouses—there are always one or two outstanding figures in every profession that become the subject of conversation after meals.

Today, Rongshengzhai is packed with guests. The short, dark, and fat storyteller has been performing for three days straight, a total of twenty-two shows. Luckily, he hasn't lost his voice!
Guo Baolin harbored a stubborn streak, determined to break free from the shadow of his master, Guo Dongyang, so that when people talked about him, they would say he was the dark-skinned, chubby Guo Baolin, not the disciple of the old master Guo.

After more than twenty performances, the results were remarkable. Although Guo Baolin was tired, he was happy. Once he finished this last performance, his secret weapon, he would have firmly established his reputation as a master craftsman.

At least in the storytelling profession in Tianjin, he could be the top scholar!
However, just as Guo Baolin finished reciting the opening poem and was about to launch into a major performance, chaos suddenly broke out below.

Many listeners whispered among themselves, and some even started running outside in groups. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought that an earth dragon had risen up!
Hey! Don't go! I haven't even delivered my big presentation yet. At least let me finish this one before you leave!
Guo Baolin panicked and hurriedly told his apprentices to have some snacks and tea served for free, considering it a loss to gain publicity.

But it's no use!
Guo Baolin was so anxious that his throat was burning, and he asked his apprentice what exactly happened.

The apprentice then said:

"Master, haven't you heard? A remarkable person has emerged in Wanshou County and accomplished something extraordinary! Ten thousand acres of new grain are being harvested today, and His Majesty from the capital personally came down to Tianjin just to eat the first grain."

"In Tianjin, they've also set up soup kitchens. They say they'll be distributing porridge made from the new grain right after noon. Judging by the sky now, it's about time to start."

Guo Baolin was extremely frustrated. For centuries, the people had toiled in that land, planting crops with their hoes. How could they possibly grow new grain so easily?

It's probably just a scam by a con artist to make money!

"There's only so much stuff in the soil, where would we get new grain? I've heard about what happened in Wanshou County, it was just some sorghum from the Western Regions, how could that be considered food?"

Guo Baolin was wondering who was so bold as to try and fool the Emperor when he heard his apprentice say that the farmer was a close friend of their ancestor Guo Dongyang, their grand-uncle in the storytelling business, Mr. Xu from the Xu family's pallbearer shop.
Guo Baolin's hand trembled, and he almost lost his balance and sat down on the ground.

The fat, dark-skinned man, no longer caring about his storytelling, immediately covered his apprentice's mouth. Only after realizing no one was paying attention did he break out in a cold sweat and cautiously say:
"Who is your grandmaster uncle? No one is allowed to mention his name from now on. This time, His Majesty is personally inspecting the grain seeds. If there is any mistake, it will be a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family. How many heads do you and I, master and disciple, have to be chopped off?"

"Let's put the book aside for now and hang up the sign. We'll be closed for the next few days and won't be entertaining any guests. We'll make further plans once things calm down."

Guo Baolin was a shrewd man; compared to the bond between his master and disciple, he still valued his life more!

Seeing this, the apprentice dared not be negligent. He hung up the sign, closed the door, and asked his master what to do next.
Guo Baolin pondered for a moment, then immediately changed out of his long gown, put on ordinary clothes, and wore a hat.

Even in the lingering heat of late summer, this chubby, dark-skinned man wore a scarf, wrapping himself up tightly, as if afraid of being recognized.

“I’ll go and find out what’s going on. You go and tell everyone in the study to keep their mouths shut and not to mention your advisor and Mr. Xu’s past.”

Wanshou County.

The corn stalks, covering tens of thousands of acres, stand like soldiers lined up in formation, neat and orderly, stretching as far as the eye can see.

Lu Xiu led the monkeys that roamed the hills of Monkey Mountain to the fields to pick corn.

The monkeys that were once unruly and untamed are now all incredibly well-behaved.

Beside him, the refined and easy-going Lu Xiu held a teaching ruler, his face always bearing an approachable smile.

After working overtime to finish picking the corn and shelling the kernels, Lu Xiu handed over the task of drying the grain to the people in the grain drying room.

During his spare time, Xu Qing, along with Guaye, Li Tiezhu, Sun Erzhuang, and others, set up porridge sheds in the fields. They would open the sheds to distribute the porridge after Zhu Huai'an finished his first bite of the new grain, so that everyone who came to watch the ceremony could have a taste of the new grain. At the same time, they also wanted to spread the word about the planting of the new grain throughout the world.

At the end of August, the emperor's imperial entourage visited Wanshou County.

As the imperial carriage was about to enter Wanshou County, Zhu Huai'an suddenly asked, "I remember that in the previous dynasty, this place was known as the land of longevity. Emperor Longping of the previous dynasty also came here in search of the secret to longevity and even named this place Wanshou."

Beside him, Minister of Revenue Xi Yutang nodded and said, "It is indeed true. I have long heard that there are many centenarians in Wanshou Township, which shows that this place is indeed a blessed land."

Zhu Huai'an's eyes flashed, and he immediately said, "The idea of ​​longevity is unfounded and of no benefit to the country. In my opinion, the only practical way to govern the country and ensure its stability is to ensure that the people are well-fed and clothed and that the granaries are full."

"By imperial decree, Wanshou County shall henceforth be stripped of its empty title and renamed Cangshi County."

The wheat threshing ground that should have been idle in the past is now covered with a layer of gold.

Zhu Huai'an stepped down from the imperial carriage, and Imperial Censor Xichun immediately stepped forward to greet him.

"Minister Song, is this the harvest this autumn?"

Song Tingfang exclaimed excitedly, "This threshing ground has ten thousand shi of new grain. There are twelve such threshing grounds, and the total harvest will be no less than one hundred and twenty thousand shi!"

Zhu Huai'an's eyelids twitched, and he pressed on, "Is it heavier dry or wet?"

“It’s all dried grain!” Song Tingfang said, “Your Majesty, if this grain can truly be used as food, it will surely benefit future generations. This achievement is comparable to that of the wise emperors and famous rulers of all time, and may even surpass them.”

Zhu Huai'an did not respond. He strode forward, picked up a grain of rice, and put it in his mouth.

The raw corn kernels tasted like sweet fruit and candied fruit in Zhu Huai'an's mouth, a flavor that defies description.

Whether it's raw wheat or raw rice, both have a unique aroma when chewed, and Zhu Huai'an tasted that familiar flavor again at this moment.

Unable to hide his smile, he immediately shared the 'golden beans' in his hand with his ministers to taste.

The Minister of Revenue was a bit older, and with a cry of pain, it turned out that the corn kernels were too hard and had knocked out one of the old minister's teeth!
The old man held the tooth in his palm, not annoyed at all, but instead grinning and showing off his gap-toothed smile:

"Food is the foundation of the people; the people are the basis of the nation. This grain is harder than my teeth, a clear sign that the foundation of our Great Yan is solid, truly an auspicious omen!"

This old man
Some colleagues looked at the accompanying historian who was nodding frequently, feeling puzzled.

If I had known that I would also knock out a tooth, and use that tooth to gain a place in history by being recorded by the historian, what could be more worthwhile than that?

In front of the porridge stall, Sun Erzhuang, who was used to preparing funeral banquets, was stirring the corn porridge in the large pot with a three-foot-long ladle.

Freshly dried corn kernels are ground into a paste and put into a pot. Add some flour paste to thicken the sauce, and the contents of the pot will become thick in no time!
Even before Zhu Huai'an got close, he could smell the unique, rich aroma of grains from afar.

When the emperor approached, Sun Erzhuang skillfully took a bowl and ladled out porridge. The thick porridge was drawn into the bowl in thin strands, and the enticing aroma of the grains seemed to intensify.

Zhu Huai'an picked up the bowl of porridge, refused the spoon offered by Sun Mingli, and, ignoring the fact that it was too hot to drink, blew on it twice perfunctorily before eagerly slurping up two mouthfuls along the rim of the bowl.

After eating the hot porridge, Emperor Zhu's eyes lit up, and he repeatedly praised, "Good porridge! Truly good porridge!"

Sun Erzhuang looked up in confusion. It seemed that this emperor had never seen much of the world. It was just a bowl of ordinary porridge. How could it be so delicious?

After Zhu Huai'an, many other officials who drank the hot porridge also praised it highly.

"Where is Minister Xu?"

Zhu Huai'an, carrying the porridge, looked around. Although he didn't see Xu Qing, he did see an old friend.

Upon seeing Lu Xiu, Zhu Huai'an was visibly taken aback. He stepped forward with delight and asked, "What brings you here, Master Lu?" Lu Xiu bowed respectfully and replied, "Master Xu is my teacher, so I am here to learn farming from you and Master Gua."

Zhu Huai'an's smile froze, and his excitement vanished instantly.

How can all these extraordinary people be Brother Xu?
Thinking of Wang Liang, who had not yet become Xu Qing's disciple, the Wu brothers who had received guidance from Xu Qing, and Shang Shaoyang from Huainan, Zhu Huai'an dared not imagine how talented the people who could be formally accepted as Xu Qing's disciples must be!

"Minister Lu is learned in both heaven and man, and his thoughts are profound throughout history. Since our last parting, I have never forgotten him. It is truly a predestined fate that I can meet Minister Lu again today."

"Today, I intend to once again invite Minister Lu to serve in the government, to assist me in governing the country."

Zhu Huai'an could not suppress his love for talent, but Lu Xiu shook his head and refused, saying, "Your Majesty's kindness is truly touching, but I, a junior scholar, have already made up my mind to follow you and seek the truth. I cannot agree to Your Majesty's request."

Seeing that Zhu Huai'an was still unwilling to give up, Lu Xiu immediately shifted the blame, saying, "Isn't Your Majesty looking for the gentleman? The gentleman is currently selling rice cakes on the official road. If Your Majesty wishes to see the gentleman, you can search along this road."

Rice popcorn?

Zhu Huai'an, intrigued, asked, "What is this?"

Lu Xiu smiled and said, "Your Majesty will know once you go there."

Beside the official road.

Zhu Huai'an led his group to search along the way. Before they had gone far, they saw a group of people surrounding a dark-looking object.

That thing was neither a furnace nor a cauldron; it looked more like a sealed gourd for alchemy, its entire body dark and emitting smoke.

At this moment, Xu Qing was standing behind the stove, wearing a funeral uniform with the words "Jinmen Funeral Service" written on it. In fact, it was just a long gown used for advertising.

None of the onlookers knew what the stove was; they were just there for the spectacle and to see something new.

The stove spun for a while, and all the people saw was Xu Qing stretching out one foot, steadily pushing against the leg of the black stove, while slowly shaking a handle in his hand.

There was also a long cloth bag over the furnace opening, but its purpose was unknown.

Beside Xu Qing, a little girl dressed in black with red lips and white teeth tilted her head and stared intently at the black stove, clearly curious and wanting to know what the stove that had been spinning for so long was.

Xu Qing glanced at the little girl beside her and reminded her again, "Are you really not going to cover your ears? I'm warning you, it might be a bit noisy later."

The little girl blinked, and instead of covering her ears, she moved closer to the funeral director.

Xu Qing grinned and said nothing more.

Seeing that the time was right, Xu Qing casually picked up a wrench and, with a click, pried open the seal on the round lid of the furnace.

In the blink of an eye, the onlookers heard a muffled thunderclap, as if a thunderclap had struck out of nowhere!

Moreover, the thunderclap landed right at everyone's feet, making their feet numb and their ears ring.

The instant thunder roared, a cloud of white smoke suddenly billowed up, obscuring even the black furnace!

The long, flat cloth bag next to the stove opening swelled up instantly, as if a dragon had turned over!

None of the people had ever seen anything like this before. They all thought they had been punished by the heavens. Some of the more timid ones even sat down on the ground, nearly losing their minds.

At the same time, a gasp of surprise rang out from not far away—

"Protect the king! There's an assassin!"

"."

The onlookers, who had just come to their senses, turned pale again.

Oh no! I almost forgot today is the day the Emperor is visiting this area. If I'm mistaken for an assassin, there's no need to keep dinner at home.
Amidst the chaotic shouts, Xu Qing glanced at the imperial carriage surrounded by guards, personal soldiers, and imperial cavalry, but paid it little attention.

He turned to look to his side, but the girl was nowhere to be seen.

Xu Qing looked up and saw Xuan Yu, who had darted ten steps away.

At this moment, Xuan Yu stared wide-eyed at the black stove in front of Xu Qing with suspicion and uncertainty.

That big black rat with a white tail looks rather fierce.
Xu Qing opened the long cloth bag and saw that it was full of fluffy and tempting popcorn!
Xu Qing reached out and grabbed a handful, handing it to Xuan Yu who had returned. Xuan Yu's nose twitched; the aroma of roasted and puffed-up food was incredibly tempting.

"How does it taste?" Xu Qing asked.

Xuan Yu took a light bite, and the fluffy popcorn was indeed sweet and crispy, with a unique flavor.

The black crow, standing nearby, was also seeing this practice for the first time.

"This practice is truly unheard of. Even in the Feathered-Crowned People's Tribe, I have never seen anything like it. The Sect Leader is indeed a man of extraordinary learning!"

Xu Qing chuckled. "What kind of celestial being is a popcorn stove?"

Not far away, Zhu Huai'an dismissed his startled personal guards. In his eyes, if there really was an assassin who could kill Xu Qing, how could he possibly escape?
Xu Qing looked at Zhu Huai'an who had approached and immediately smiled, "Would Your Majesty like to try some?"

"If what Brother Xu said is true, I must give it a try!"

This time, in front of everyone, Zhu Huai'an no longer referred to himself as "I". The accompanying officials had different expressions when they saw this scene, but without exception, they all remembered this middle-aged man in the uniform of the burial chamber.

After Zhu Huai'an and his ministers tasted the popcorn, they couldn't help but exclaim, "This is truly a gift from heaven, a treasure for nourishing the people. Brother Xu truly deserves the title of Sage of Agriculture!"

Xu Qing smiled and said, "These 10,000 mu of grain seeds are not the result of my efforts alone. If Your Majesty wishes to increase grain production, you can recruit talented people from all over the country to continue cultivating high-quality grain fertilizers and seeds. This is the right way."

Zhu Huai'an wholeheartedly agreed, believing that food and population were both indispensable if he wanted to realize his ambitions.

Xu Qing, however, solved the two problems that were most troubling him.

"It is said that a wise ruler is aided by Heaven, but my aid is Minister Xu."

On his way back to the capital, Zhu Huai'an was suddenly moved to speak.

Beside him, the historian in charge of recording the history of the Great Yan Dynasty casually took out a copy from his pocket and entered it into the book.

The "Annals of the Great Yan and Yong'an" later recounts this.

In the seventh year of the Yong'an era, Emperor Zhu Yong moved his capital to Cangshi. There, the wise scholar Xu Qing offered a method for saving the world. The emperor was delighted and clapped his hands, exclaiming: "In the past, Fu Yue was promoted from among the builders, and Taigong was found on the banks of the Wei River. People all say that a wise ruler is aided by Heaven, but my aid lies with Minister Xu!"

Later, the people relied on his strategies, and the country gradually became peaceful and prosperous. The historian said: "The emperor's encounter with Qing was like Tang obtaining Yi Yin. Was it not the will of Heaven? It is because wise rulers seek out virtuous men, and virtuous men come of their own accord."

(End of this chapter)