Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

Gu Mingyue frowned in thought.

Potatoes and sweet potatoes.

That was something that could change the fate of the Great Yong's food supply.

Potatoes are cold- and drought-resistant, and their yield per acre can surpass that of rice and wheat.

If the introduction of the species is successful, the 200,000 soldiers guarding the northern border will no longer have to wait for grain to be transported from the south every year.

In years of famine, people have one more way to survive.

But here is the problem.

They were buried within enemy territory.

Gu Mingyue looked at her brother.

"This wasteland is probably in the battle zone between Dayong and the Northern Di. There are no large garrisons, but there will be plenty of scouts and rangers."

"What are you planning to do?"

Gu Mingli turned off the map, rested his chin on his hand, and stared blankly at the roof beam above him for a while.

"Have Huang Jiaojiao send someone to dig up a sample."

"Have the emperor send someone? How are we going to explain this to him? Are you going to dig up soil from an enemy country?"

"Just say you're going to the border to investigate a certain plant."

The brother and sister fell into deep thought.

How could Xiao Ye, such a cautious person, easily send troops to enemy territory?

That could provoke a border war.

The Great Yong Dynasty simply doesn't have enough silver to support a border war.

The candlelight on the table flickered gently, casting two shadows on the wall.

After a moment, Gu Mingli tilted his head and asked, "Do you really want this reward?"

Gu Mingyue nodded.

"Brother, this is an essential crop for time travel. It can save Dad's life in a critical moment."

Gu Mingli sighed.

"Alright, I'll try to talk to Huang Jiaojiao."

The next day, in the Imperial Study.

Xiao Ye sat behind his desk reviewing memorials, while Gu Mingli stood to the side grinding ink.

Gu Mingli rubbed the ink stick around and around on the inkstone, his wrist turning mechanically as he pondered how to start the conversation.

After grinding for half an hour, the ink in the inkstone had thickened into a paste.

Xiao Ye stopped writing and glanced at the inkstone.

"You're acting strange today."

Gu Mingli paused.

"No, I'm fine."

Xiao Ye ignored his perfunctory response and put the pen back on the pen holder.

"The last time you were in this wretched state, you were trying to ask me for something."

"Speak, what do you want?"

Gu Mingli's lips twitched, thinking that dealing with smart people was time-saving and effortless.

So much so that you don't even have time to think of what to say before they let you speak.

So, what should he say?

Gu Mingli put down the ink stick, rubbed the ink stains on his fingers, and carefully considered his words.

"Your Majesty, I wish to find something in the North."

"You want to leave Beijing?"

Gu Mingli: "..."

No, bro!

Can we talk on the same channel?

Xiao Ye's eyes were noticeably gloomy.

Gu Mingli quickly explained.

"How could I possibly leave Beijing? The logistics park is still in the design phase, and I need to come to you for my shift every other day. I can't get away."

Xiao Ye glanced at him indifferently.

"Well, that's quite a lot of work for you. Tell me, what do you want from the North?"

"Go dig up two kinds of rhizomatous plants."

Xiao Ye frowned slightly, puzzled.

"Go all the way to the North just to dig up some dirt? What for?"

"Logically, it should be edible, but we need to find it first so I can test it and know if it is food."

Xiao Ye fell silent.

"Gu Mingli! Do I look like a tyrant to you?"

Gu Mingli: "?"

"I sent people out of the way to find plants just to satisfy your appetite?"

Gu Mingli took a deep breath.

"No, what do you mean by 'satisfying my appetite'? You're insulting me!"

He glanced around at the people serving in the hall.

This shouldn't be known by too many people.

If there are spies or informants from noble families inside the palace, they could overhear and dig up potatoes and sweet potatoes in advance.

Then your reward will be wasted.

Gu Mingli frowned, pondering how to say it appropriately.

The eunuchs and maids waiting around secretly glanced up at the two "arguing".

Liu An pursed his lips, glancing at the two of them out of the corner of his eye with a kind expression.

Xiao Ye didn't hear anything more for a while, then looked up at Gu Mingli.

"Go on."

Gu Mingli sighed.

Let's just whisper to each other.

He leaned casually over the back of the dragon throne, casually leaning close to Xiao Ye's ear.

"Let me tell you..."

Before Gu Mingli, no one dared to get so close to the emperor's ear time and time again.

Xiao Ye was not used to it and instinctively leaned back.

All I heard was a metallic clang.

A long sword with a white blade was already pressed against Gu Mingli's neck.

Geng Zhi stood on the other side of the dragon throne, holding a sword in one hand.

The three men squeezed together in front of the dragon throne again.

The hall was so quiet that not even a gasp could be heard.

Geng Zhi frowned as he looked at Gu Mingli.

"Disrespectful behavior before the palace! Step back!"

Gu Mingli: "..."

Gu Mingli slowly raised his hands, stood up, and stepped back.

Xiao Ye pinched the bridge of his nose, speechless.

He waved to the people inside the hall.

Liu An, being sensible, led his attendants out of the hall.

Xiao Ye turned to look at Gu Mingli.

"Speak up, now there's no one here."

Gu Mingli got angry, pouted and shook his head.

Without a word, he picked up the ink stick and began grinding ink again.

Xiao Ye glanced at him sideways, and finally gave Geng Zhi a wink.

Geng Zhi dodged back.

Xiao Ye then said in a deep voice, "Alright, can you talk now?"

Gu Mingli snorted and leaned closer.

This time, Xiao Ye didn't dodge.

Gu Mingli said earnestly, "There is a crop that can satisfy hunger. If successfully cultivated, it can yield up to 3,000 catties per mu."

Xiao Ye's eyes widened slightly, and he slowly turned his head in disbelief.

"You mean, that thing can be eaten as food?"

Gu Mingli nodded.

"The most effective emergency food during years of famine and war."

The two looked at each other for a moment.

Xiao Ye lowered his voice and asked, "What does it look like? Where is it located?"

"The northern border, the frontier of the Northern Barbarians."

The atmosphere in the imperial study became subtle.

Xiao Ye remained silent for a long time.

His fingers tapped lightly on the imperial desk, one tap at a time, the rhythm steady, as if he were repeatedly calculating something in his mind.

Should we send troops to the Northern Barbarians?

That's unrealistic.

It will provoke a war.

The national treasury cannot support it.

But if they don't go, the emergency grain will fall into the hands of the Northern Di.

After pondering for a moment, Xiao Ye instructed Geng Zhi:

"Go to the Censorate and request a contingent of the Dragon Scale Guard."

The Dragonscale Guard is a powerful army that falls between the Shadow Guard and the Imperial Guard.

Three hundred men can match the fighting power of an army of ten thousand.

Xiao Ye looked at Gu Mingli.

"Here's a squad of Dragonscale Guards. You'll assign them tasks."

Gu Mingli's eyes lit up.

"Okay. But let me make it clear first, there's no guarantee this will be successful."

"We need to find the materials and bring them back so I can have people try planting them first, and then we can determine the true yield per acre."

Xiao Ye nodded.

"Well, I won't assign you any tasks. Whether you find it or not is entirely up to you."

Gu Mingli grinned. "Deal."

He bowed respectfully, then turned to leave.

"return."

Gu Mingli stopped in his tracks.

"The ink isn't finished grinding."

Gu Mingli looked at the inkstone filled with thick ink.

"Your Majesty, there is enough ink in that inkstone for you to write for three days."

Xiao Ye ignored this, picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and continued to review the memorials.

Gu Mingli rolled his eyes.

He had no choice but to return and stand in front of the inkstone again.

He picked up the ink stick and symbolically rubbed it twice.

Three days later, the Dragon Scale Guards set off from the North Gate of Kyoto, carrying the blueprints given to them by Lord Gu.

The team traveled light, with twenty Dragonscale Guards changing into civilian clothes.

Heading north along the official road.