"Yields thousands of pounds per acre... Saving the world and the people... Beneficial for the present era and future generations... No more hunger in the world... A crucial treasure of the nation..."
In the main hall of the Northern Town Governor’s Official Residence, Shen Fa scrutinized Yang Ge’s handwritten letter for the third time, extracting each glowing term from the poorly scribbled lines. Although still unclear about why Yang Ge valued this so-called "sweet potato"—a coarse grain from foreign lands—Shen’s heart was deeply shaken.
Having known Yang Ge for many years, Shen had never seen him praise anyone or anything so highly; the laudatory words were almost enough to qualify for the top imperial examination score!
Then, contrasting those words with the disdain he himself often received—as if he were an odious salted fish—Shen frowned at the mention of Chen Zhenlong and his sweet potatoes...
Feeling aggrieved, Shen set down Yang Ge’s letter, raised his hand to slam it onto the table, and was about to demand from Chen Zhenlong below what sort of enchantment he had fed Yang Ge, but just as his hand was about to strike the table, he suddenly visualized Yang Ge’s cold smirk with crossed arms. His heart shivered, and his hand gently landed on the table without a sound.
"Mr. Chen..."
He forced a smile, but it appeared ferocious.
The already anxious Chen Zhenlong below started, hastily clasping his hands in salute: "Shen has given me too much honor, sir. I, a mere commoner, do not deserve such treatment from you."
Taking a deep breath, Shen lifted his hand gracefully and said warmly, "Mr. Chen, no need for such formalities. Marquis of Luting and I share a deep friendship; if he calls you ’Mr. Chen,’ I shall certainly do the same... It’s just that please forgive my undue suspicions. Can this thing truly yield a thousand pounds per acre as Marquis of Luting claims?"
Chen Zhenlong hesitated. He was acutely aware that every word he uttered at this moment was tantamount to hammering nails into his own coffin, and any slip could be fatal...
Driven by an instinct to seek good fortune and avoid disaster, he instinctively wanted to back away. Yet somehow, memories of Yang Ge gently touching sweet potato leaves while squatting on the ridges flashed through his mind, and he found himself unable to utter any words of retreat.
After struggling for a moment, he finally clenched his teeth and bowed deeply, saying: "I dare not deceive you, sir. On Luzon Island, sweet potatoes can be harvested twice a year, producing up to two thousand pounds per acre in the spring, and a thousand pounds in the summer. Fortuitously, I brought back some sweet potatoes and tested them at home for three seasons. Adapted to our soil and with careful cultivation, the yield per acre could even surpass those figures... I, Chen Zhenlong, stake my life on this guarantee!"
"Well!"
Shen slapped the table, suddenly stood up: "Marquis of Luting was not wrong about you; you are truly a peerless national scholar!"
He grabbed a cloak beside him, threw it over his shoulders, and exclaimed excitedly, "Mr. Chen, please accompany me to the palace. Such an auspicious sign is surely a blessing from heaven for Wei, and it should be you who personally offer it to the Emperor!"
Chen Zhenlong hastily waved his hands, saying: "I’m just a humble citizen; how dare I claim credit for this epoch-making achievement? It’s all thanks to Lord Yang’s favor and Mr. Shen’s support—my little effort is hardly worth mentioning!"
"Mr. Chen, you need not be so modest!"
Shen strode into the hall, grabbed Chen Zhenlong by the arm: "Since Marquis of Luting has decreed it, it is so... Servants, ready the horses!"
...
An hour later, Shen, holding a pot of sweet potatoes, followed a eunuch through the front hall.
He was considering how to present his case to the Emperor when he suddenly noticed they were not on the right path, paused his steps, and asked cautiously, "Eunuch Wu, isn’t this the way to the Chief of Staff’s office?"
Entering the inner court without authorization is a crime punishable by the extermination of one’s family.
What constitutes an "outer official?"
Anyone with a handle is an outer official!
The guiding eunuch looked around, whispered: "Shen, the Emperor is slightly indisposed and is recuperating in the Qianqing Palace..."
Shen was stunned for a moment, thinking the Emperor had been said to be slightly indisposed more than a week ago; why hadn’t he recovered yet?
He felt slightly anxious but dared not inquire... The health of the Emperor was always a state secret, and probing into it before it was made public was also a capital offense!
"Since His Majesty is unwell..."
He sorted his words carefully, "Could I trouble you to report to His Majesty that I would prefer to visit the palace in a few days’ time?"
While speaking, he discreetly slipped a gold nugget into the eunuch’s hand.
The eunuch felt the gold nugget in his palm and whispered cautiously, "Didn’t you say that Marquis of Luting had a letter sent to the capital?"
Shen suddenly realized, thinking ’no wonder,’ but still felt uneasy. He followed the eunuch’s steps and slipped another gold nugget into his hand, pretending to speak carelessly: "Those Imperial Physicians really are useless, a slight cold dragging on this long..."
The eunuch gripped the gold nugget tightly, sighed: "Exactly! They say it’s nothing serious, yet the Emperor continues his medication without improvement. If you ask me, those useless doctors should all be rounded up and beheaded!"
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Upon hearing this, Shen felt a heavy sink in his spirit... Things were getting serious!
Soon after, the eunuch led Shen, bowing deeply, into the Qianqing Palace.
"Bang."
The moment his front foot crossed the threshold, the heavy palace door shut behind him, and a wave of heat mixed with a strong medicinal scent hit him, causing slight perspiration under his arms.
"Zhong He is here..."
Emperor Xiping’s weak laughter came from the direction of the dragon bed, and Shen turned to see two eunuchs helping the Emperor to sit up.