What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 344 The Power of Sweet Potatoes!

As soon as Wang Hao said this, everyone's eyes immediately fell on him.

The others naturally understood Wang Hao's feelings.

The feud between Su Mo and the Wang family is now out in the open.

The title of Imperial Tutor was enough to give Wang Hao a headache, and now he has another title of Marquis with his own fiefdom and hereditary succession.

No wonder Wang Hao exploded!
This means that Su Mo can build his own army and have a stable tax revenue.

Given enough time, it will become another behemoth that can truly stand shoulder to shoulder with powerful clans!
Under normal circumstances, a big shot like Wang Hao wouldn't directly show up.

Typically, a low-ranking soldier initiates the attack, probing the situation before taking further action.

Unfortunately, those present were all true high-ranking officials in the imperial court.

Even if Wang Hao wanted to send his underlings to charge into battle first, he couldn't. He had no choice but to swallow his pride and personally take to the field to face Su Mo.

The Empress looked at Wang Hao expressionlessly and said calmly, "What do you think is wrong, Minister Wang?"

Wang Hao said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, please forgive my impolite and blunt words!"

"The bestowal of titles upon our subjects is a decision made by His Majesty's holy will, and we have no right to object."

"But I also believe that those who are granted titles must earn the sincere respect and acceptance of their subjects, so as to demonstrate Your Majesty's concern for the common good."

He paused slightly, then said in a deep voice, "Today, the Great Wu disaster has struck, a time of great turmoil. Saving the people is like putting out a fire. Your Majesty should prioritize disaster relief and it is not appropriate to reward your officials at this time!"

"This is one of them."

"Secondly, I believe that those who are granted the title of marquis should have merits commensurate with their rank."

Wang Hao, holding a tablet, made a slight bow towards the imperial city and said loudly, "The founding emperor once said that dukes, marquises, and earls should not be lightly granted without merit in expanding territory!"

"Your Majesty, I acknowledge that Su Xianzi has rendered meritorious service to the court, but his contribution to territorial expansion is far from sufficient. Therefore, I believe that bestowing upon him the title of Marquis is inappropriate. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Cui Xuan, Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "I also believe that what the Vice Minister said is reasonable!"

"The matter of bestowing titles and honors is of great importance. It involves granting land and titles, and should not be done lightly. I earnestly hope that Your Majesty will reconsider!"

Yuan Xingdao, Grand Academician of the Observatory and Director of the Imperial Observatory, then submitted a memorial: "Your Majesty, I believe that the matter of enfeoffing Su Xianzi as a marquis should be postponed for further discussion."

"The priority now should be providing relief to the million disaster victims in Tiannan Province!"

Leng Liuxi's face instantly darkened, and she slowly looked at the other high-ranking officials, coldly saying, "Do you all think so too?"

Whether it's Wang Hua and Yang Ji from the Imperial Party, Zhang Yu, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review who has just completely pledged allegiance to the Empress, or Zhong Yin and Chu Cheng who have a good relationship with Su Mo.

They all remained silent.

Not to mention He Jiang and others who have little connection with Su Mo.

At this point, disapproval is tantamount to opposition.

Of course, they didn't believe that the Empress would be able to grant Su Mo a marquisate.

After all, Wang Hao and others who stepped forward to express their opposition were all cabinet ministers.

They occupied as much as half of the cabinet.

Such strong opposition means that the Empress will not act unilaterally unless she completely breaks with the cabinet.

Furthermore, they did indeed feel that Wang Hao's words made sense and were not specifically aimed at Su Mo.

They may not say it, but they know it all perfectly well.

The feudal lords of the Great Wu Kingdom had become too powerful to control.

If they were to grant more fiefdoms, wouldn't that further strengthen the power of the feudal lords?

Viscount or baron is fine, there's no need to go against the Empress for such a low-ranking title.

The problem is that a marquis is a title only below a duke, and this time the title is one that grants land and is hereditary.

Its true power is probably no less than that of the Duke.

Such an important title should not be casually bestowed upon a mere lackey of the imperial court!

Seeing that everyone remained silent, the Empress turned her dark gaze to Xiao Yuan: "Does Chief Minister Xiao think the same way as Vice Minister Wang and the others?"

Upon hearing this, Zhong Yin, Zhang Yu, and the others felt a sudden jolt in their hearts.

All eyes fell on Xiao Yuan in surprise and suspicion!
Something is wrong!

The Empress's absurd act of bestowing hereditary marquis titles upon the court's lackeys was completely contrary to the laws and regulations of the court.

Xiao Yuan, as the chief minister, should have stood up to oppose it immediately!
But why didn't he step forward to offer suggestions?

Seeing everyone looking at him, Xiao Yuan felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. After hesitating for a moment, he stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I believe that Su Xianzi is worthy of being enfeoffed as a marquis."

All the Grand Secretaries and Ministers were dumbfounded, staring at Xiao Yuan with disbelief on their faces!

Is he crazy?
They actually agreed to grant Su Mo, a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, a marquisate?
What surprised everyone even more was...

Ye Wenshan, a veteran of three reigns who was known for his outspokenness and integrity and dared to say that the Empress's ascension to the throne was illegitimate, stepped forward slowly and solemnly said, "Your Majesty."

"I also believe that the magistrate of Su County deserves the title of marquis!"

The high-ranking officials in the imperial court were completely dumbfounded.

If these words were spoken by Yang Ji and Wang Hua, members of the imperialist faction, they might be acceptable.

But this is the current Grand Secretary, and Ip Man Shan, who is known for his integrity!

Wang Hao frowned, looked at Xiao Yuan, and said in a deep voice, "May I ask, Grand Secretary Ye?"

"Why do you two gentlemen think that Su Xianzi is worthy of being ennobled as a marquis?"

"Could there be some inside story that we are unaware of?"

Xiao Yuan gave Wang Hao a strange look, then said, "Vice Minister Wang, please be patient. You will soon know the answer."

The Empress didn't care what others thought. She turned her gaze to Su Mo and said calmly, "Minister Su, why don't you quickly accept the imperial decree?"

Su Mo quickly replied, "Your subject accepts the decree!"

He didn't say anything like thanking His Majesty for his great kindness or promising to be loyal to His Majesty in the future. He immediately accepted the imperial edict with both hands and then kowtowed to express his gratitude.

Now that things have come to this, Su Mo's ennoblement is a foregone conclusion.

The other senior officials could only ponder the meaning behind Xiao Yuan's words with suspicion.

Wang Hao, on the other hand, had a dark expression and remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.

After Su Mo accepted the imperial edict and the golden seal and purple ribbon, the Empress turned her gaze to a group of important court officials.

"My dear ministers must be wondering why I would bestow the title of Marquis Su when a calamity has befallen us!"

"My beloved ministers, come with me and you will know why."

After saying that, he took the lead and walked straight towards Shenma Rock.

Su Mo and the others followed closely behind.

Wang Hao and his ministers, puzzled, went to the outside of Shenma Rock and found a high wall.

Outside the high walls, there were thousands of elite Dragon Guards standing guard!
This display of force shocked everyone once again!
Once inside the high walls.

Only then did everyone see that it was a field no more than three or four-tenths of an acre in size, with strange, withered yellow vines growing on it.

Beside the sweet potato vines, dozens of clerks, holding wooden rulers and scales, were measuring the fields.

The Empress pointed to the withered potato field: "My beloved ministers, please look!"

"This is why I bestowed the title of Marquis upon Minister Su!"

"The seeds planted in this potato field are the grain seeds that Minister Su presented to the imperial court!"

The Empress emphasized, enunciating each word clearly: "Grain seeds that yield tens of bushels per mu!"

She glanced at Wang Hao and the others, finally fixing her gaze on Wang Hao: "Does Minister Wang think that Su Xianzi is worthy of this marquisate?"

Wang Hao turned his gaze away from the potato field, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty has said that this grain can yield dozens of bushels per mu?"

Where is the grain?

Just looking at those potato vines, there must be no more than several dozen bushels!
The Empress nodded slightly: "Indeed, the yield is several dozen bushels per mu!"

"The grain is buried in the ground!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Hao couldn't help but show a look of doubt in his eyes: "There really is such a grain in the world?"

If it weren't for the fact that the one who said these words was the current sage, Wang Hao would have had this bastard dragged away and given dozens of lashes long ago!

The Empress slowly said, "At first, I was just as incredulous as Minister Wang, but I saw it with my own eyes!"

"This is also the reason why I summoned you all to Lonely Peak Mountain!"

The Empress took a deep breath, her expression extremely solemn: "May Heaven bless the Great Wu! Minister Su has brought such divine food to the court and to me. In the future, the country will be secure forever, and the people will never suffer from famine again!"

She paused slightly, then glanced at the assembled ministers: "I have already had it measured out; this land is a little over three-tenths and seven-tenths of an acre!"

"My dear ministers, you may all dig this grain seed out of the ground yourselves! You will then know whether it yields tens of bushels per mu!"

As she spoke, the Empress looked at Su Mo and said, "Minister Su, give the ministers a demonstration!"

Su Mo was stunned.

Unexpectedly, the Empress bestowed this honor upon him.

Seeing that Xiao Yuan and the others were all looking at him, he quickly stepped forward and said solemnly, "Your Majesty! I think this is inappropriate!"

"Although I discovered this grain seed, in the final analysis, it is because Heaven knows that Your Majesty is a wise and virtuous ruler who loves the people like his own children that the heavens sent down this divine seed and presented it to the court through my hands!"

"In my opinion, Your Majesty is the only one qualified to be the first to dig up the immortal food!"

Xiao Yuan also said in a deep voice, "What Su Xianzi said makes sense."

"Your Majesty, I beg you to excavate the immortal food!"

The other ministers echoed in unison, "Your Majesty, we beseech you to excavate the divine food!" The Empress pondered for a moment, then nodded, "In that case, I will demonstrate for you all."

After saying that, she rolled up her sleeves, squatted down, and began to dig directly into the soil with her delicate hands.

Everyone stared intently.

Before long, the Empress dug out a fist-sized, red-skinned fruit from the mud!
Zhong Yin gasped in shock.

Is this fruit?
Where in the world can you find such a large amount of grain?
If it were truly grain, each grain would weigh at least a pound!

How many times higher is it than rice and wheat?
But before Zhong Yin could finish being shocked...

The empress continued digging and, in the blink of an eye, dug out an even bigger sweet potato from the ground!

Then, the third... the fourth...

Zhong Yin was completely dumbfounded.

Six sweet potatoes were neatly arranged on the ground!
The Empress is still digging!

Only after the last sweet potato was dug up and it was confirmed that there were no more sweet potatoes on the vine did the Empress stand up and say with a smile, "This is the divine food that Minister Su presented to the court!"

"This grain is called sweet potato. It can be eaten raw, with a sweet and delicious taste, or cooked, with a soft, glutinous, and sweet flavor. It can also be ground into flour and is durable for storage..."

"Furthermore, the yield of potato vines is also enormous, and they can be used to feed livestock."

"If one is extremely hungry, one can even eat a person."

After a pause, the Empress continued, "This grain is extremely easy to grow, drought-resistant, and can be planted in mountainous and sandy soils."

"The planting method is also simple; vine cuttings can be used, or sprouted tubers can be cut into pieces and transplanted..."

Upon hearing the Empress's words, even Xiao Yuan and Ye Wenshan, who knew about sweet potato production, were dumbfounded and subconsciously swallowed.

Not to mention Wang Hao and others!

It's hardy, cold-resistant, and can even be grown in mountain gravel.
Does this mean that planting this grain does not require fertile land?

Every sweet potato grown is extra food?
Su Mo then tactfully waved his hand, signaling Liu Siyun and the others to hand over shovels: "Gentlemen, using shovels to dig sweet potatoes is much more convenient and faster..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ye Wenshan glared at him fiercely: "Nonsense!"

"What if we damage the grain seeds while digging them up?!"

Wang Hao glanced at Su Mo with a complicated expression, then said in a deep voice, "We can dig it out with our hands; we mustn't damage the immortal seed!"

Led by the Empress, the ministers, disregarding the filth and abandoning all decorum, squatted on the ground, rolled up their sleeves, and got to work!
Look at their solemn expressions, their careful and gentle movements, treating the sweet potato as if it were their firstborn son.

Su Mo was speechless.

I even kindly prepared tools for him to dig sweet potatoes!
While a group of high-ranking officials were diligently digging sweet potatoes, Su Mo was so bored that she was about to fall asleep, and she covered her mouth with her hand and yawned.

Finally, the Empress glared at him and said, "Su Qing, you come and dig too!"

"And you, Commander Lin and the others, shouldn't you be idle either!"

Su Mo...

What else could he say? He could only obediently find a place, lead a group of women, and dig sweet potatoes with a miserable expression.

Lin Moyin and the others were extremely excited.

This is an unparalleled honor!

Su Mo was working hard, but he hadn't dug up many when he suddenly heard a loud shout in his ear, which startled him!

"Lord Su, be careful!"

"You broke the skin of the sweet potato!"

Zhong Yin, who was not far away, glared angrily and shouted!
Su Mo...

Damn it...

It's just that a piece of skin on a sweet potato was chipped on a pebble.
I've never done farm work in my past life!
Whoever wants to dig can dig it themselves.

I won't take this insult or this hardship!
Don't do it, daddy!
Anyway, after digging it out, only a few pounds will be yours!
The Empress had already made perfect arrangements for the sweet potatoes.

Seeing Su Mo get up in a huff, not digging herself but instructing Lin Moyin and the other women on how to dig, the Empress was both amused and exasperated!

My teeth are itchy again!
This is truly infuriating!
The empress, seething with anger, gritted her teeth and continued to lead her ministers in digging sweet potatoes!
……

It must be said that most of these powerful figures possess martial arts skills, and some even have profound magical abilities...

Anyway, he's still going strong despite his age, and he's very efficient at his work.

In just one hour, they dug up all the sweet potatoes from more than three-tenths of an acre and piled them up into a small mountain.

The sweet potato vines were also arranged neatly, one by one!
Finally, I flipped through the floor again to make sure nothing was missed!
Xiao Yuan strode up to the Empress: "Your Majesty, all the sweet potatoes in the remaining three-tenths of the plot have been dug up!"

"Your Majesty, I request that the scales be presented to measure the yield of this grain!"

The Empress nodded: "Granted!"

Grand Secretary Xiao Yuan, Second Grand Secretary Wang Hao, and others personally weighed the sweet potatoes and recorded the data...

Su Mo waited for another half hour, feeling bored.

The total weight of the sweet potatoes has finally been measured.

Xiao Yuan and the others stared at the final compiled figures, speechless for a long time.

This number has been verified several times; it's absolutely correct.

However, the sheer size of the figure still left the Grand Secretaries and Ministers in disbelief.

Wang Hao, the Minister of Revenue in charge of agriculture, took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down: "Your Majesty!"

"The total sweet potato yield is out!"

The Empress, suppressing her excitement, asked, "How much does it weigh?"

Wang Hao said in a deep voice, "We have weighed the sweet potatoes and found that they weigh a total of 2,238 catties!"

"The yield is sixty shi per mu!"

He paused, then couldn't help but glance at Su Mo, before taking a deep breath: "Since the Great Wu obtained this immortal food, the people of the world have no more worries about famine!"

Su Mo frowned and said, "Only sixty shi per mu?"

"I thought there was more to it than that!"

This is the grain provided by the system, along with my own careful tending and ample water and fertilizer supply.

He thought he could have seventy bushels.

Hearing Su Mo's words, Xiao Yuan was completely speechless!

He exhaled and looked at Su Mo seriously: "Lord Su, a yield of sixty shi per mu is already an extremely high output!"

"The yield of grain in the fields is at most two shi per mu!"

Su Mo nodded: "That's true."

"Sweet potatoes thrive in warmer temperatures. Although there is geothermal heating here, it still affects the yield. Things will be better when the weather gets warmer."

Xiao Yuan...

Su Mo blinked: "Your Majesty, shouldn't we let the lords taste the sweet potato?"

"Uh...like roasted sweet potatoes!"

The Empress glared at Su Mo and said irritably, "I think you're the one who wants to eat it, aren't you? Don't try to pin everything on others!"

After snorting, she still said, "However, what Su Qing said makes sense, so I grant it!"

"You may roast some sweet potatoes for the gentlemen to try..."

The Empress thought for a moment and then added, "Half for each person is enough!"

Su Mo...

He turned to look at Jiang Lan: "Did you hear what His Majesty said?"

Seeing that everyone's eyes were on her, Jiang Lan's pretty face turned pale, and she stammered, "Master, this servant...this servant..."

Su Mo glared at her with exasperation: "It's just roasted sweet potatoes, didn't you roast some last time? Hurry up!"

He secretly ate roasted sweet potatoes a few more times without the Empress's knowledge.

Liu Siyun and the others almost burst out laughing.

Even the most cautious and prudent Captain Yin Rou of the Fengming Division hid at the back and covered her mouth to chuckle!
Su Mo glared at them angrily: "You guys go too!"

"Hmph! Now that you gentlemen have eaten these sweet potatoes and are satisfied, you'll surely benefit from them in the future!"

As he spoke, he looked at the Empress with a fawning smile and said, "Your Majesty, don't you agree?"

"Ahem! Especially Commander Yin... Hmm, I think Yin Rou is a captain? I've forgotten what her rank is, but anyway, her roasted sweet potatoes are the best!"

Yin Rou was dumbfounded.

Empress...

Yin Rou was previously only a captain in the Fengming Division.

In such a short time, he has been promoted from captain to sergeant, and then to captain.

Do I have to promote her to the rank of centurion myself?

How could this bastard be so shameless? How can he possibly gain the respect of the people in the future?

snort!
We need to find an opportunity to teach him a lesson.

Such frivolity is unacceptable!
　Please vote for me! My godfathers, could you please give me a vote?

　　
　
(End of this chapter)