Seeing the imperial guards leading a young woman slowly up the steps, the eunuch, with his hands clasped before his stomach, called out loudly as she approached, "Lady Linghui is granted an audience!"
The lake-blue brocade official dress worn by Song Jinzhao did not make her look older; instead, it exuded a composure that seemed beyond her seventeen years. Her perfect oval face carried a hint of heroic spirit, and her straight back looked as though not even the weight of a ten-thousand-pound boulder could bend it.
Prince Ying's displeased gaze was firmly fixed on Song Jinzhao. Back in Anyang Prefecture, his side consort had made things practically crystal clear, yet he never expected this girl to be so unappreciative of his favors.
Such a high-yielding crop like the potato should have been presented to him first. Then, he could have offered it to his imperial father to claim a monumental merit. Not only would it have made his father value him more, but it would also have won him the love and support of the common people. But now, he hadn't gotten a single piece of the pie. It was truly detestable.
Xiao Chengjing stared at Song Jinzhao as she walked toward him step by step, a look of admiration involuntarily welling up in his eyes.
She was truly young, only in her teens. Recalling the things she had accomplished, it was almost unbelievable.
It was a pity she was a woman. If she were a man, her benefit to the imperial court might have been even greater.
Song Jinzhao calmly placed the wooden box aside, then lifted the hem of her skirt and knelt. "Your subject, Song Jinzhao, pays her respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor."
At only fifty years old, this emperor looked a bit aged.
Xiao Chengjing immediately raised his hand to let Song Jinzhao rise, asking impatiently, "Lady Linghui, is the potato inside the box? Quickly, bring it for Us to see."
"Yes," Song Jinzhao nodded slightly. She opened the lid and offered the box with both hands.
The eunuch hurried up and down the steps with quick, short strides. In the blink of an eye, the potato was placed on Xiao Chengjing's dragon desk.
With its oval shape and pale yellow skin covered in small grayish-brown spots, it looked quite ordinary. Yet, in Xiao Chengjing's eyes at this moment, it was the most beautiful thing in the world, capable of bringing him boundless joy.
His heart had not stopped racing since he heard Ye Liangyu say it could yield a thousand catties per mu.
"Can this potato truly yield a thousand catties per mu?"
Song Jinzhao replied, "To answer Your Majesty, not only does this crop have a high yield, but it is also not as delicate as other crops. It can be planted in barren land, is extremely drought-resistant, and prefers a cool climate."
"Its growth cycle takes only three to four months. It can be planted twice a year, and in warmer climates, even three times. This greatly increases the frequency of land use, achieving an annual yield of three thousand catties."
Every word Song Jinzhao spoke struck a chord in everyone's hearts. Not only was the yield high, but it was also resistant to drought and cold, and it wasn't picky about the soil. If every household planted it, why would they ever worry about the common people not having enough food to eat?
Xiao Chengjing's hand, gripping the potato tightly, trembled uncontrollably. No matter how he tried to steady it, he couldn't stop.
His gaze fell upon Song Jinzhao. Suddenly, he felt as if this young woman's figure had grown much taller. But upon looking closely, she was still as slender and delicate as before.
How on earth did she do it? Could this truly be an auspicious blessing bestowed upon the Dongzhao Kingdom by the heavens?
"Lady Linghui, where did you obtain this potato?"
Song Jinzhao recounted the events that took place at the docks in detail, then pulled out the parchment map from her sleeve and presented it.
As early as the day after she received the parchment map, Song Jinzhao had already copied the nautical chart on it. Although some parts were unclear, she still managed to draw nearly seventy percent of it.
The ocean was vast and boundless, fraught with the dangers of giant waves and tsunamis. Relying solely on herself and a single nautical chart to find a new continent would be fraught with difficulties.
But if it were the imperial court, much like Zheng He's voyages to the Western Seas in history, they might just succeed.
Xiao Chengjing stared at the blurry nautical chart on the parchment, finding it hard to imagine that beyond the endless sea, there were people he knew nothing about.
His gaze fell upon the Complete Map of the Myriad Countries. The blank spaces at the edges began to seem somewhat mysterious. Aside from Dongzhao and Beishuo, there were other countries, and he knew absolutely nothing about them.
"Lady Linghui, how many more of these potatoes do you have?"
Song Jinzhao answered, "To answer Your Majesty, your subject harvested a total of two hundred and seventy catties of potatoes in August, and brought one hundred and fifty catties to the capital this time."
Xiao Chengjing's eyes darted around as he calculated. Ten catties of potatoes could yield two hundred and seventy catties. One hundred and fifty catties would yield four thousand catties. Continuing to plant them would result in one hundred and ten thousand catties. Assuming they were planted twice a year, the growth rate would be rapid, and it wouldn't take many years to reach a massive scale.
Seeing the emperor's expression growing increasingly excited, Ye Liangyu signaled Fei Yanzhang with his eyes. The timing was just about right. According to their plan, as soon as the emperor offered to reward Song Jinzhao, the Hanlin Academy and the Censorate would strike together, determined to snatch a substantial piece of the merit.
