Huangming

Chapter 335 A Wise Mind and Clever Ideas, A Visionary Perspective
News of the bumper sweet potato harvest in Huangzhuang quickly spread throughout Beijing, but Zhu Youxiao showed little joy.

On the emperor's desk were several sweet potatoes that had just been delivered from the imperial estate, their skins still covered in fresh soil. But when he picked one up, broke it open, and looked at the rough fibers inside, his brow never relaxed.

"The yield is really high, but the taste..."

Zhu Youxiao sighed, picked up a steamed sweet potato and tasted it. The bland sweetness had an earthy taste, and his throat felt slightly astringent when he swallowed it.

People have always valued taste, and even if the government strongly promotes such coarse food, it would be difficult to get them to accept it sincerely.

These past few days, he's been thinking about this matter over and over again, and he's even been somewhat absent-minded when reviewing memorials.

"Your Majesty has been looking worried these past few days. Is something troubling you?"

A gentle voice sounded beside her. Zhang Yan walked in slowly and saw him staring at the sweet potato in a daze, so she knew it was probably related to this.

Zhu Youxiao looked up and saw the Empress. He put down the sweet potato in his hand and said with a wry smile, "Look at this stuff. It can yield more than a thousand catties per mu. It's a great treasure for famine relief, but the taste is really terrible. The people don't even want to look at it, so why would they be willing to plant it?"

Zhang Yan had already heard about sweet potatoes from the palace servants. Kunning Palace had even tried using sweet potatoes in cooking. She picked up a piece and examined it carefully. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and a sly smile appeared on her lips:

"If Your Majesty is troubled by this, I have a way that may make the people willingly plant sweet potatoes."

"Oh? What brilliant plan does the Empress have?"

Zhu Youxiao immediately perked up, grabbed her hand, and looked at her with anticipation in his eyes.

Zhang Yan was pulled forward by him, leaning against his arm, and smiled:
"Although I dare not claim to have a brilliant plan, I know that many women in this world love to imitate the customs of the palace. I only need to summon the wives of the ministers to the palace, hold a 'sweet potato feast,' let them taste the improved sweet potato flavor, and then teach them how to make it in detail."

"Your Majesty, think about it. When these ladies go back and tell everyone, every household will follow suit. And when women in the common people see that even noblewomen love to eat this, they will naturally follow suit as well."

She paused, then began to count on her fingers:

"Your Majesty, I have long thought about how to eat sweet potatoes."

Grind it into powder, mix it with some wheat flour and spread it into thin pancakes, and the texture will be much smoother; follow the method for making vermicelli to make dried vermicelli, which can be used to cook soup or stir-fry, and it will be very chewy.

If you want to make dessert, you can cook sweet potatoes in honey or maltose to make them sweet and sticky, which are perfect for festive occasions.

There are also fried potato balls, made by mixing sweet potato puree with glutinous rice flour and frying them until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Ordinary families can make them during festivals...

Zhang Yan's eyes shone with intelligence.

"It can also be mixed into staple foods. Diced sweet potatoes can be cooked with brown rice to make porridge, which tastes better and is more filling; or it can be steamed with wild vegetables and salt to make vegetable and sweet potato dumplings, which can also cover up the earthy taste. With such a variety of ways to cook it, people can always find a flavor they like."

Zhu Youxiao's eyes lit up as he listened, and when she finished speaking, he couldn't help but pick her up and burst into laughter:
"How could I forget! My Empress is the best 'salesperson' in the world!"

The empress's method seemed simple, but it hit the nail on the head.

The principle of "what the superiors do, the inferiors follow" is a common phenomenon in the world.

If sweet potatoes become popular among the elite first and become a "fashionable item," the general public's aversion to them will naturally diminish significantly.

With these improved ways of eating, the taste problem is solved, so why worry about it not being popular?

Zhang Yan blushed slightly as he hugged her, and gently punched him: "Your Majesty is teasing me again. It's just some woman's method, as long as it can help Your Majesty share your burdens."

Zhu Youxiao put her down and said solemnly, "This is not a woman's way of thinking, but true insight! Do as you say, and let the ladies of each household come to the palace for the banquet. I want this sweet potato to spread from the Forbidden City to the ordinary streets and alleys!"

Of course, the Empress's banquet alone could only be a small step in changing the social customs. To truly make sweet potatoes take root in the land of the Ming Dynasty, a multi-pronged approach and a combination of measures were needed.

Zhu Youxiao had already made his plans:
The Huangming Daily should immediately follow suit, dedicating a special column to publish the high yield of sweet potatoes, and even having the scholars of the Hanlin Academy write about how sweet potatoes were "gifted by Guanyin".

It is said that during a year of famine, Guanyin Bodhisattva took pity on the people and specially sent down life-saving grain.

Or it could be a "relic of Shennong," said to be a divine object left by the ancient Shennong to protect all people.

This kind of rhetoric is most likely to take root among people who believe in ghosts and gods.

Moreover, the Huangming Daily would vigorously promote the claim that "one mu of sweet potatoes is equivalent to ten mu of millet," using specific figures for comparison.

Ordinary millet yields no more than 100 jin per mu, but sweet potatoes can easily yield more than 1,000 jin. Even if the taste is slightly inferior, they are a life-saving treasure in years of famine.

The accompanying illustrations could depict scenes of starving people holding sweet potato porridge, expressing their gratitude and shedding tears, thus visually highlighting its value in famine relief.

As for the spies that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had planted in various prefectures, it was time to take action.

Let them mingle in the streets and, through casual conversation, tell stories about how sweet potatoes saved a village from famine, and create catchy rhymes, such as "One acre of sweet potatoes yields a thousand catties of grain, ensuring that parents won't go hungry in a year of disaster," thus subtly spreading the benefits of sweet potatoes to the countryside.

He also planned to have Shuntian Prefecture take the lead in holding a sacrificial ceremony to thank the Potato God in Huangzhuang, a suburb of Beijing.

A stage was set up, an opera troupe was invited, and steamed sweet potatoes and dried sweet potatoes were placed as offerings, so that the people could burn incense and worship.

This lively scene not only dispels people's unfamiliarity with sweet potatoes, but also, through the solemnity of the ritual, deeply instills the idea that "growing sweet potatoes will bring divine blessings."

At the same time, we also need to develop various ways to process sweet potatoes.

Sweet potato chips, cut into strips and dried in the sun, could also be packaged in exquisite porcelain boxes and given as gifts to vassal kings and foreign envoys.

Once labeled as "tribute," this crude crop gains an air of nobility, and people naturally flock to it.

Also.

Policy incentives are also indispensable.

Zhu Youxiao planned to have the Ministry of Revenue draft a decree: all land used for growing sweet potatoes would be exempt from taxes by 30%.

Furthermore, the government can also purchase a portion of it for use as military rations.

Tax cuts encourage farmers to willingly share their land for trial planting, while government-guaranteed purchases eliminate their worries about not being able to sell what they grow. With these two measures combined, it's impossible for them not to be tempted.

With such comprehensive promotion, Zhu Youxiao was confident that he could change the public's prejudice against sweet potatoes.

Of course, these are ultimately external forces.

He knew best that to truly win the hearts of the people, sweet potatoes needed to be improved from the root.

Zhu Youxiao planned to gather experienced farmers and craftsmen from all over the country who were familiar with farming to set up experimental fields in the imperial estate and devote themselves to the research of seed selection and breeding.

If we can cultivate new varieties that are sweeter, have finer fibers, and have a milder earthy taste, and even double the yield per acre, then why would the imperial court need to go to such lengths to promote them?

People all over the world would probably rush to plant sweet potatoes on all their good land.

Ultimately, it's because talented people are so rare!

Zhu Youxiao looked out the window and sighed softly.

He had been planning this for a long time. It was time to establish an "Academy of Sciences" in the capital.

This academy does not recruit scholars who spend their lives studying the Four Books and Five Classics; rather, it seeks to gather skilled craftsmen from all over the world with practical expertise.
Whether you are a craftsman who knows how to improve firearms, an old farmer who is familiar with agriculture and can cultivate new grain varieties, a skilled craftsman who can figure out production tools such as spinning machines and waterwheels, or even an astronomer who can calculate celestial phenomena and measure the earth's veins, you can find a place here.

The Ming Dynasty had long suffered from deep-seated problems. Simply reforming the bureaucracy and promoting new grains was not enough. It was also time to nurture the "tree" of science and technology.

With these capable and pragmatic individuals, firearms can be improved, agricultural tools can be made more labor-saving, and grain yields can be increased, thus gradually enhancing national strength.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youxiao's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed, and a look of anticipation appeared on his face.

Seeing his expression soften, Zhang Yan breathed a sigh of relief.

These days, she saw that the emperor was busy with matters such as the promotion of sweet potatoes and the governance of Shandong officials, and that there was always a sense of depression between his brows. So she thought that she could share some of his burden.

Seeing him smile now, she knew that the problem in her heart had been solved, and that she, as the empress, had not been given this title in vain.

When Zhu Youxiao turned his head, he saw Zhang Yan staring at him intently, her eyes filled with concern. He couldn't help but tease her, "What is the Empress thinking about? She's so engrossed in what she's looking at."

Zhang Yan snapped out of her daze, her cheeks slightly flushed, and slowly rose, taking a white porcelain bowl from the maid's hands, saying softly:

"By the way, Your Majesty, please try this. This is a sweet potato soup made by me. I had it simmered with some rock sugar, and it tastes better than if it were just steamed or boiled."

Zhu Youxiao took the bowl and saw that it contained smooth sweet potato puree mixed with clear sugar water, and a few plump red beans were sprinkled on top. It smelled faintly sweet.

He scooped a spoonful and put it in his mouth. The coarse fibers of the sweet potato were cooked until soft and tender, mixed with the sweetness of rock sugar. The earthy taste from before had completely disappeared. It tasted smooth and refreshing, even more to his liking than the pastries made in the imperial kitchen.

"Yeah, delicious!"

Zhu Youxiao's eyes lit up, and he ate a few more bites.

"This method hides all the shortcomings of sweet potatoes. If more people could learn about this way of eating them, they would probably rush to plant them."

Seeing that he was enjoying his meal, Zhang Yan's smile grew even gentler.

"I was thinking that ordinary people might not like to eat raw sweet potatoes, but if they are made into sweet soups or pastries, children will always like them."

"well said."

Zhu Youxiao put down his bowl, looking at the smile in her eyes, and felt a warm feeling in his heart.

"The Empress's thoughts are even more comprehensive than mine."

She saw that the emperor intended to pull her into the inner room onto the daybed.

Zhang Yan quickly curtsied slightly: "Your Majesty, I will not disturb you any longer. If you like this soup, I will have it sent over again tomorrow."

As she spoke, she and her maids quietly withdrew, afraid of disturbing the emperor's governance.

For her, indulging in lewd acts during the day in the East Warm Pavilion was quite stimulating.

Zhu Youxiao watched her departing figure, then looked at the remaining sweet soup in the bowl, and sighed with emotion.

With such a wise and considerate empress, a way to promote sweet potatoes, and plans to establish an academy of sciences, the Ming Dynasty should gradually improve its situation.

After finishing the sweet potato soup, Zhu Youxiao began thinking about the Academy of Sciences.

Once this idea took root, Zhu Youxiao could not contain his eagerness to put it into practice.

He immediately issued an imperial edict summoning Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe to an audience.

soon.

Fang Congzhe then arrived.

"Your Majesty, I, Fang Congzhe, the Grand Secretary, respectfully wish Your Majesty a long and peaceful life!"

Zhu Youxiao went straight to the point, saying, "I want to establish an 'Academy of Sciences' that is directly under my control and not subject to the constraints of the Cabinet or the Six Ministries. This academy will have three functions: academic research, technological development, and talent cultivation."

Amid Fang Congzhe's astonished expression, Zhu Youxiao explained in detail:
"This Academy of Sciences is divided into two major departments. One is the 'Academy of Natural Sciences,' which is dedicated to recruiting officials and scholars who advocate 'practical application to the world,' allowing them to devote themselves to the study of mathematics, astronomy, and agriculture."

Mathematics lays the foundation for measurement and engineering; astronomy allows for the revision of calendars and the observation of celestial phenomena; and agronomy specializes in the cultivation of new crops and the improvement of farming practices, such as the sweet potato currently being promoted, which could be entrusted to them for in-depth research.

"The second is the 'Crafts Bureau'."

Zhu Youxiao abruptly changed the subject, a sharp glint in his eyes.

"We should search among the common people for skilled craftsmen with unique abilities. Regardless of their social status, as long as they have a skill, such as improving firearms, weaving new cloth, or understanding metallurgy and forging, they can all be included."

Let them specialize in innovating tools and equipment: how to make firearms more sophisticated, how to make spinning machines less labor-intensive, and how to refine iron ore more purely—all of that is under their jurisdiction.

Fang Congzhe held the imperial tablet, listening with growing alarm, feeling that His Majesty's ideas were unheard of.

Zhu Youxiao did not stop, and continued, "The selection of talents also needs to be changed. In addition to the civil and military examinations, there should also be an examination for investigating things! We can add a 'subject for investigating things,' with exam questions that do not test the eight-legged essay, but instead test mathematics, water conservancy, and weapon manufacturing. This subject can be used in parallel with the eight-legged essay examination, selecting talents through different channels."

In addition, local officials were instructed to recommend skilled craftsmen and extraordinary individuals from the common people. After rigorous evaluation, those who excelled could be awarded the title of "Doctor of Natural Sciences," receiving a salary befitting a seventh-rank official, thus ensuring their dignity and motivating them to dedicate themselves to their work.

"Military technology must be prioritized. The range of the Hongyi cannon should be modeled after that of the Dutch naval guns, and combined with the rapid-fire advantage of the Frankish cannon, to develop a new type of artillery that is lighter and has a faster rate of fire."

Warships need to have their hulls improved to enhance their long-range capabilities.

"

"Agriculture and people's livelihoods cannot be neglected. In addition to optimizing sweet potato cultivation, we also need to study long-term storage methods for dried sweet potatoes and sweet potato flour, so that grain can be distributed across seasons and various varieties can be improved."

After he finished speaking, the warm pavilion fell silent.

Fang Congzhe's eyes widened, and he almost dropped the imperial tablet in his hand, his face filled with disbelief and astonishment.

He had lived most of his life and served two emperors, and had never heard of such a "heretical" idea.

Your Majesty's thoughts are too erratic. Instead of delving into the study of history, classics, and the teachings of rites and music, you are pouring so much effort into these "strange skills and tricks".

In his view, mathematics and craftsmanship were ultimately “minor skills” and could not be compared with the eight-legged essay and the way of sages.
But seeing the light in the emperor's eyes, and that unwavering determination, Fang Congzhe swallowed back the doubt that was on the tip of his tongue.

He opened his mouth, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Your Majesty... such a concept is unprecedented. Please allow this old minister... please allow this old minister to go back and ponder it carefully."

Looking at Fang Congzhe's expression, Zhu Youxiao knew that his thoughts had greatly shocked the guy.

but.
This matter benefits the country and its people, and no matter how many obstacles there are, it must be carried out!

(End of this chapter)