Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 700 When Humanity's Stars Shine
Seven days remain until the harvest ceremony. All the invited powerful figures and emperors are already on their way: the imperial delegations of the Tang Dynasty, the Northern Han Dynasty, the Turkic Khaganate, Wang Shichong, Li Mi, Liu Heita, representatives from the forty-seven kingdoms of the Western Regions, the Abbasid Caliphate, Japan, Persia…

More than 140 forces and countries, large and small, are converging on Jinling, and it is noticeable that the streets have become more crowded these days.

Today was probably the busiest day yet, as grain from Beidacang, Jiangnan Road, Lingnan Road, and various special crops and fruits from Qiongzhou, Leizhou and other places were all transported to the area.

The freight wagons were stuck at the city gate for a full seven hours, but they hadn't even passed a tenth of the way. A staggering amount of grain was transported to the main venue in Jinling City. The grain was piled up in the center, forming mountains of grain, covered with thatch and oil paper, and even covered with a huge shed. These mesmerizing mountains of grain were truly a sight to behold.

The site is now closed off, but the children still sneak in to play. They roll around and frolic on the piles of grain, and the guards don't chase them away. It's truly a vibrant and thriving place.

Old Zhang has been free these past few days, so he sits here painting whenever he has free time. This time, he was even accompanied by Persian and Abbasid officials and painters. These people observed and learned his techniques, and Old Zhang generously gave them his paintings so that they could take them back to show their people what the grandeur and majesty of the Celestial Empire was like.

In an era when the world has just enough food to feed itself, these dozens of grain mountains, with their unhulled rice and wheat, golden millet, and jade-like yellow corn, are nothing short of gold.

The Persians stood on the sidelines, watching the children tumbling and playing among the mountains of grain. They thought about how in their own land, a single bag of grain could be exchanged for the virginity of a poor woman. Their hearts were filled with gloom and helplessness, but also with longing.

What is this? This is the paradise from mythology! The harvest festival truly lives up to its name.

In the evening, officials from the Ministry of Rites would set up a large pot around the house, which was filled with corn cobs, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. These novel and unfamiliar grains would release a rich aroma after ripening. Not only ordinary people, but even foreign envoys would put aside their pride and line up to receive them.

"It's free, and each person can only choose one item."

The staff explained to an elderly woman who came to collect the novelty food. The woman seemed to have hearing problems, but she probably understood what they meant. She chose a soft, mushy sweet potato and sat down to eat it.

Well, I can't think of any other way to describe it besides "delicious." It's sweet, soft, fragrant, and glutinous. After all, it's an improved variety, and its taste is definitely not comparable to the original sweet potato that was so dry it could choke you.

The large pot kept cooking, and more and more people came to sample the food. Everyone said it was a way to share the joy with the people. Naturally, anyone could eat these things, and everyone was happy. The happiest of all were the children. Under the bright moonlight of the Mid-Autumn Festival, they lined up with the food they had received and shared the taste with each other. After all, these coarse grains, which would not be very popular in the future, were a rare delicacy in this time and space.

The common people were happy, but what foreign envoys saw was quite different. What kind of broad-mindedness and wealth does a country need to open up its resources so that its people can help themselves to food?

They had no doubt that these people were ordinary citizens, because the nobles would disdain to be associated with them... wait?
The group of envoys had just finished their remark when they turned around and saw the Emperor of Great Wei standing in front of the pot, eating a piece of food that had been distributed to the people. Beside him were a group of high-ranking officials whom the envoys had not dared to look directly at when they came to pay their respects. They were also eating this strange food with the emperor.

The surrounding people were less than three zhang away from them, and even some mischievous children chased and passed by them. This was actually very dangerous, since no one knew whether there were assassins among these people.

However, His Majesty the Emperor walked fearlessly on the road outside the grain mountain, eating and chatting with the emperor of Northern Han beside him. Both emperors had very strong auras, but the emperor of Great Wei, although young, seemed to have the upper hand.

Meanwhile, in a corner where no one could see him, a man was squatting there, surrounded by a group of children, with a stone stove in front of him, inside which dry wood and branches were burning fiercely.

"This stuff tastes best when grilled; boiling it makes it bland."

The speaker was Xia Lin, and sitting around him were the little ones who had gone in to help him pick potatoes and sweet potatoes.

The best way to eat sweet potatoes and potatoes is naturally to roast them, and when this batch was almost ready, he looked up and called out, "Dou'er, are you done yet? This batch is almost done."

"I'm coming."

Dou'er walked over quickly with a bowl filled with a mixture of finely ground pepper and salt. Xia Lin couldn't help but swallow when he saw this. He clapped his hands and said, "Don't worry, everyone will get some."

Most of the foreign envoys and dignitaries have arrived tonight. It's no exaggeration to say that anyone who's read *Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties* knows that today is the shining day of this era. Whether good or bad, treacherous or loyal, cruel or kind, these people have gathered in this small place. Although their purposes for being here differ, they all share one task: Eat!
How can we celebrate the harvest without eating?
Regardless of your status, wealth, or social standing, whether you're sophisticated or vulgar, from now until the ceremony ends in half a month, the goal is to eat—to eat without restraint.

This is a gift from the earth to all people, and it is also the highest aspiration of humankind.

I wonder how this festival will be described in textbooks for future generations. Whether it is described as extravagant and decadent or as affluent and peaceful, this celebration was probably the first crazy grand party in human history. It was far more elegant than the so-called ancient Roman nobles eating until they were sick, and far more sophisticated than King Zhou's wine pool and meat forest.

Suddenly, fireworks burst in the sky above Jinling City. Xia Lin, holding a corn cob, looked up at the sky, and the dazzling fireworks were mesmerizing.

As he watched, he suddenly heard a low sobbing sound next to him. He turned around and saw Dou'er holding a potato, eating it while crying.

Why are you crying?

“Before I entered the palace, my parents, brothers and sisters all starved to death. That year, our home was hit by a flash flood, and I watched them die right in front of me.” As Dou’er spoke, tears still streamed down her face. “Lord Xia, if only you were here back then.”

Xia Lin didn't speak, but turned his head to continue looking at the sky, because he had nothing to say, because he was there at that time. However, what happened today was not his achievement alone, but the result of the concerted efforts of hundreds of thousands, millions, or even millions of people. He had been working for more than ten years from having nothing to now, but he had not even achieved one percent of what he had hoped for.

In truth, countless people in Jinling City at that moment were just like Dou'er, holding food in their hands yet weeping uncontrollably. Those who have never experienced hunger will never know how terrifying it truly is. This transcends ethnicity, nationality, and gender; regardless of whether the harvest festival is praised or criticized in the future, it will ultimately be permanently recorded in history.

The emperor of Northern Han was sitting on the steps of the square, holding a boiled egg in one hand and a potato in the other. He chewed while staring blankly ahead. As someone who had experienced hunger firsthand, he learned from Xia Lin that a full stomach could solve ninety-nine percent of problems.

Now, looking at the towering grain mountain, his longing for the black soil northeast of Huangya Pass grew stronger. He really wanted a granary of his own. He also wanted to hold a harvest festival in his royal court, to let the children of the grasslands roll in the grain piles, and to let his people have a happy smile on their faces.

But it's really difficult. But so be it, good things in this world always come with difficulties.

The merriment lasted until late at night. The crowd gradually dispersed, and they went home to rest, satisfied, waiting for the surprises of the next day. Xia Lin was sitting under a willow tree on the banks of the Qinhuai River. Beside him was Emperor Jingtai, who was drinking and eating a bag of pig's head meat. There was also Old Zhang, who was already snoring loudly, Ma Zhou, who was gazing at the Milky Way, and Xu Jingzong, who was weaving a bracelet with foxtail grass.

None of them spoke; they simply sat there in various postures. At this moment, Emperor Jingtai suddenly spoke up: "Tell me, if a carriage were to lose control and rush over here, wiping us all out, wouldn't the Great Wei be finished?"

"Your Majesty, there's no need for this." Xia Lin, who was struggling with the dizziness of being drunk, said after hearing him rambling on, "If you've had too much to drink, go back to sleep."

Emperor Jingtai picked up a piece of pig's head and put it in his mouth: "I can't bear to go back."

Ma Zhou didn't speak, but smiled slightly. Xu Jingzong laughed instead: "Your Majesty, I haven't lived enough. I want to keep my life to see this beautiful land. When the country is unified one day, it won't be too late to die then."

"That day will come." Emperor Jingtai laughed, and being six or seven parts drunk, he became somewhat unrestrained in his speech: "When has China ever endured a century of division? If not in this lifetime, then my son's lifetime will also bring about the unification of the land."

Xia Lin didn't have the strength to answer, and just lay there, completely asleep.

The guards around them watched as this group of people slumped over drunkenly on the embankment. They didn't dare to call out to them, nor did they dare to just watch. In the end, they could only silently bring blankets, set up tents, and cover them all inside.

It wasn't until the next morning, before the Tang emperor entered the city, that the Minister of Rites hurriedly came to summon these few portions of food...

(End of this chapter)