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Chapter 177 Potatoes: One of the Three Treasures for Famine Relief
Chaochao thought about the weight of that bag of potato chips. It was very light, and there weren't many chips inside, but that bag seemed to cost several yuan.

That big plate of shredded potatoes for lunch must have cost tens of yuan, right? More expensive than meat.

Chaochao knew the Su family wasn't wealthy, but they were still so generous in entertaining them; it was truly remarkable.

She sighed softly and whispered to He Nanzhou, "Dad, can we not let Sister Su make shredded potatoes tonight?"

He Nanzhou was taken aback. "Chaochao doesn't like to eat it?"

"No, it's just too expensive." Chaochao sighed again, like a little adult. "From now on, if I want to eat potatoes, I'll just buy a few dollars' worth of potato chips to satisfy my craving."

He Nanzhou, "..."

He was laughing so hard he almost died. So in the little girl's mind, a few dollars' worth of potato chips was cheap, while a plate of shredded potatoes was too expensive.
He couldn't help but pat the little girl's head. "Potatoes aren't expensive. The potato chips we buy at the supermarket cost several dollars a small bag because of their processing technology, brand premium, and other factors. But the potatoes we eat are actually very cheap. Like sweet potatoes, they are a high-yield grain."

Chaochao tilted her head. "Like a sweet potato?"

“Oh, right.” Thinking that Shangliu Village, where Chaochao used to live, didn’t have potatoes either, He Nanzhou, like Jian Yunsang, couldn’t help but explain in more detail, “Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn were all introduced from overseas during the Ming Dynasty. Because of the introduction of potatoes, our country’s population increased by 300 million. It is the fourth largest staple food after rice, wheat, and corn.”

Staple food?
Chaochao was puzzled, "Aren't they supposed to be eaten as dishes and snacks?" Shredded potatoes, beef brisket with potatoes, potato chips, mashed potatoes, none of them are eaten as staple foods.

He Nanzhou laughed and said, "Potatoes are very useful; they are indeed a staple food. It's just that because they have a milder flavor, unlike sweet potatoes and corn which have a bit of sweetness, most people like to cook them with meat, which makes them taste better. However, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, they were known as the 'Three Treasures for Famine Relief' along with sweet potatoes and corn. In years of famine, they saved many victims and alleviated the pressure of famine."

Chaochao was surprised that potatoes were so amazing. "So, is its yield also very high?"

This time, He Nanzhou looked at Jian Yunsang beside him. He knew some things about potatoes, but his understanding of agriculture was not very thorough. Jian Yunsang, as a teacher, often encountered this knowledge in textbooks, so she quickly replied.

"Yes, potatoes can yield 7,000 to 8,000 jin per mu, which is slightly lower than sweet potatoes. However, potatoes have a shorter maturation period. Early-maturing varieties can be harvested in just over two months. Moreover, potatoes are cold-resistant, drought-resistant, and highly adaptable. They can be grown in mountainous and cold regions and can thrive even in harsh environments. Like sweet potatoes, they grow underground and have high nutritional value."

"Potatoes can also be ground into flour and made into various kinds of noodles, which are also very delicious."

"Of course, one more thing to note is that if potatoes sprout after being harvested and left for a long time, they can become toxic. However, if the sprouts are only a little bit, as long as you properly remove the sprouted parts and cook them thoroughly, they are fine to eat. This is a very low-risk food, so there's no need to panic."

Chaochao listened and nodded, seemingly understanding but still needing to process what she heard.

But the Great Apocalypse under the sky was once again in an uproar.

Did you hear me? Did you hear me?!

It's another high-yield grain, yielding seven or eight thousand catties per mu, and the harvest time is short. It's also cold-resistant, making it a great treasure for famine relief.

The people of Daqi were overjoyed and wept with joy. Being able to see the heavens was the greatest fortune of their lives, and every day was their lucky star.

They learned about sweet potatoes, and now they know about potatoes. If their Great Qi had these high-yield staple foods, how could they possibly not survive?
Some people even burst into tears.

"Father, Mother, can't you hear me? Why don't you just hold on a little longer? Once we find sweet potatoes and potatoes, we can survive no matter what." "If only the sky had appeared two years earlier, then our village wouldn't have been reduced to just a few households because of the famine."

"My younger brother and sister starved to death. Will we ever have this food again?"

"Yes, it's possible. Everyone in the world has seen it, and His Majesty will definitely send people to find it."

“Yes, I heard from the merchants earlier that there was an imperial decree from the capital that His Majesty ordered people to search for high-yield sweet potatoes. Now that we have potatoes too, we will be able to eat our fill from now on.”

Emperor Jingxuan, who was being discussed at the moment, was even more excited than the people had imagined. He was so shocked when he heard He Nanzhou mention that the population had surged by 300 million that he suddenly stood up.

A population surge of 300 million! 300 million! What does that even mean?
This excited him even more than when he heard that the population of the future generation was 1.4 billion.

After all, that was the future, too far removed from him. But now, telling him that the introduction of potatoes led to a population explosion in the future was something he could achieve very soon.

Which emperor who wanted to achieve something wouldn't want the population to explode during his reign?
Emperor Jingxuan aspired to be a wise ruler, and naturally coveted such high-yield grains.

Not only him, but the ministers below were also buzzing with discussion.

Potatoes are another high-yield grain, and not only that, they can also be used in cooking, and in later generations they have become even more popular as a dish.

Judging from the happy expression on Chaochao's face when she ate the shredded potatoes, you can tell that this dish must be delicious.

Someone with sharp ears, recalling what He Nanzhou had just said, excitedly said, "They also mentioned corn. Didn't He Nanzhou say that potatoes are the fourth staple food after rice, wheat, and corn? So corn is also a staple food like rice and wheat."

"Corn is also a lifesaver in famine relief, so it's definitely a high-yield grain, and it's easy to grow!!"

"Yes, yes, and corn was also introduced during the Ming Dynasty."

Everyone was incredibly excited. If they could find these kinds of food, they wouldn't have to worry about food shortages anymore.

Some ministers were even itching to lead a expedition to sea in search of high-yield grains.

Emperor Jingxuan called out somewhat urgently, "Yu Kangsheng, Yu Kangsheng."

Lord Yu was still thinking about the potatoes when he suddenly heard his name called. He quickly stepped out from the ranks and said, "Your subject is here."

What does His Majesty want him to do?
He subconsciously thought that potatoes were agricultural crops, so His Majesty should be looking for the Minister of Agriculture. At the very least, he should be looking for the Ministry of War, which was responsible for sending people to find high-yield grains.

Is it because you've gotten used to calling him that lately?

Lord Yu didn't know whether to be happy or sad about such attention.