Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 323 This sweet potato is a treasure from head to toe! Is there any hope for my dad?
"This plant is called sweet potato. It is sweet and warm in nature, easy to grow, and does not require fertile soil or running water. It can be planted in barren soil on hillsides, as well as sandy slopes on the border."

Sweet potatoes have three benefits.

"It is a good and quick way to relieve hunger. Each plant can produce several potatoes, some weighing over a pound. They can be steamed, boiled, roasted, or stewed. They are filling and satisfying, better than millet and beans."

"Secondly, the yield is high; one mu (unit of land area) of seed potatoes can yield several thousand jin (unit of weight), which is twice that of wheat and millet."

"It has three advantages and wide uses: the potato can be used as grain, the potato leaves can be used as vegetables, the potato vines can be used as livestock feed, and it can be stored in a cellar for half a year without rotting, which can be used to prepare for winter and spring needs."

Zhang Yunxiu held a small sweet potato seedling in his hand, and while showing it off, he swayed his head and began to chant.

Sitting in his study, Zhang Juzheng felt a sudden, inexplicable headache. He let out a heavy sigh and turned his gaze to the lush green sweet potato seedlings.

With snow falling heavily outside, Zhang Yunxiu must have been able to cultivate this seedling through the greenhouse in Xishan.

However, Zhang Juzheng simply could not believe that this little seedling was a divinely bestowed grain seed that could yield forty shi per mu.

You should know that even the best paddy fields in Jiangnan only yield four or five shi per mu, and even double-cropping rice in Lingnan region yields no more than six or seven shi.

If Zhang Yunxiu had been more conservative and claimed a yield of ten shi per mu, Zhang Juzheng might have believed him and even credited him with a great achievement.

But you said this sweet potato yields forty bushels per mu?
In Zhang Juzheng's view, this kid was just swindling and exaggerating, and had tricked him.

This is an insult to him as the Prime Minister!
Do I look like the village idiot?!

Zhang Juzheng frowned deeply, inwardly cursing Zhang Yunxiu a thousand times over, but he still spoke slowly aloud.

"You should cultivate these grain seeds well in Xishan. If needed, His Majesty's imperial estate can probably allocate some to you. As for the water fields vacated by the Jiangnan aristocratic families, they should be thoroughly investigated and then given to the original owner to plant rice."

The matter of switching from rice to sweet potatoes should not be mentioned again.

The meaning is clear: you and the emperor can do whatever you want, but stop trying to take over the paddy fields in Jiangnan.

Zhang Yunxiu did indeed create many unimaginable "miracles," but there are still traces to be found.

Zhang Juzheng was a pragmatic man, and based on his past experience, he couldn't imagine any possibility of this sweet potato project being realized.

“We don’t need half!” Zhang Yunxiu said excitedly. “Even if it’s only 30%, the amount of land freed up in Jiangnan will be nearly a million mu, which will greatly alleviate the food crisis of our Great Ming. If we can take out 300,000 mu and achieve a bumper harvest of sweet potatoes, the Great Ming will no longer have a food shortage.”

This is a golden opportunity! Although there are some risks, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!

“No need to rush,” Zhang Juzheng said, shaking his head. “Once you have successfully cultivated your sweet potato, you can gradually promote it throughout the country. Remember, haste makes waste.”

"In urgent situations, we must act expediently!" Zhang Yunxiu countered sharply. "The cultivation of greenhouse sweet potatoes is already on track. The sooner it is implemented, the fewer people will starve to death. This matter cannot be delayed!"

In his view, the situation was naturally different. With the excellent experience of later generations and the creation of a suitable production environment in greenhouses, it was not a pipe dream to cultivate sweet potatoes with a yield of forty shi per mu.

Now that the Jiangnan aristocratic families have suffered a setback, the imperial court has seized on this matter, and the Jiangnan gentry, led by Xu Jie, will inevitably be purged.

It should be noted that Xu Jie's family alone owned more than 200,000 mu of fertile land in Songjiang Prefecture. After plundering Jiangnan, they had more than a million mu of land.
If 300,000 mu of land could be used to plant sweet potatoes, with sweet potatoes yielding eight times more than rice, then the Ming Dynasty would have no food shortages next year, and countless people would be able to eat their fill.

Compared to the deeply rooted grain production of Beizhili, this time the Jiangnan region is a godsend.

If we wait for the Jiangnan aristocratic families to recover, even if the sweet potato yield is good, it will be extremely difficult to promote it.

After all, the gentry and landlords knew that increasing the yield of the land could indeed earn them more money, but if the yield were to increase eightfold, and there was no shortage of food in the world, then the land price would definitely drop!
What will they have left to pass down their literary and scholarly traditions by then?
The father and son argued endlessly, neither able to convince the other; from either perspective, their arguments were quite reasonable.

Zhang Yunxiu's method of making advance arrangements could allow the Ming Dynasty to seize greater benefits and initiative in its reforms, but it obviously involved some risks.

Zhang Juzheng, adhering to the principle of stability, rashly promoted sweet potatoes before everything was settled, which was clearly inconsistent with his governing philosophy.

Just as the father and son were about to have another heated discussion, there was a knock on the door of the study.

"Father, news has come from the Imperial Guard prison."

"Cough cough~"

Zhang Yunxiu withdrew his right hand from his father's collar, coughed twice, and pretended to be calm as he spoke.

"Father, this matter must not be delayed."

Zhang Juzheng also withdrew his left hand, which was gripping the young boy's ear, and paced back and forth before speaking.

"Take it a long time; you're too young and acting too hastily."

Both of them tidied their appearance before calling in Zhang Jianxiu, the fourth brother.

When Zhang Jianxiu saw that Zhang Yunxiu was also present, he immediately understood what had happened. His expression was somewhat strange, but he still reported it directly.

"Father, Wang Yuanyu has already confessed."

confession?

Wang Xijue?
Zhang Juzheng nearly choked on his tea, unable to associate Wang Xijue with the word "confession."

Is this self-proclaimed upright and honest official really going to give up his "reputation," which is more important than his life, and expose his crimes and those of the Jiangnan gentry to the public?
Subconsciously, Zhang Juzheng turned his gaze to Zhang Yunxiu beside him. The latter also looked somewhat surprised, but in Zhang Juzheng's eyes, this seemed more like a pretense.

Noticing his father's expression of suspicion and apprehension, Zhang Yunxiu felt somewhat helpless and spread his hands.

"I just found out about this myself."

Zhang Yunxiu shifted the blame, looking at Zhang Jianxiu with surprise.

"Fourth Brother, how did Wang Yuanyu confess? You didn't torture him, did you?"

Zhang Jianxiu immediately blushed and tried to explain.

"Nonsense! My father gave me instructions; why would I torture these people?"

In order to appease the feelings of scholars, the Wanli Emperor and Zhang Juzheng reached a tacit understanding to give Wang Xijue and others some basic dignity as scholar-officials.

Therefore, in the imperial prison, Wang Xijue, Wang Shizhen, and the Xu family members, along with other prisoners, did not actually suffer much hardship, nor did they experience the various forms of torture in the imperial prison.

Even in Zhang Juzheng's view, a person like Wang Xijue would not confess even if he committed suicide in the imperial prison due to torture.

This is not just a matter concerning his family and surname.

"Is this really true?" Zhang Juzheng still couldn't believe it.

Zhang Jianxiu pulled a bloodstained letter from his pocket and handed it to Zhang Juzheng.

"This was written by Wang Yuanyu in prison with a finger pen. Please take a look, Father."

Zhang Juzheng's gaze immediately sharpened. Upon receiving the letter, he smelled a strong stench of blood. Looking at the words above, he confirmed that it was indeed Wang Xijue's handwriting; the style of the writing and the various measures were absolutely genuine.

"Wang Yuanyu actually went to such lengths."

Even Zhang Juzheng couldn't help but sigh. He looked at Zhang Yunxiu as if he was afraid that the boy had used some inhumane methods.

Zhang Yunxiu stared intently at the contents of the letter. These hundreds of words were truly impressive; Wang Xijue was indeed worthy of being the second-place scholar in the imperial examination.

The above content is nothing more than a list of all the crimes Wang Xijue committed under Xu Jie over the past six months, and he confessed to crimes such as oppressing the people, manipulating market prices, and hoarding goods.

Of course, Wang Xijue was not a fool. He denied all charges of forming cliques for personal gain and treason.

Throughout the entire text, Wang Xijue's words were earnest, yet he subtly shifted the blame onto Xu Jie.

"So good."

Zhang Juzheng squinted and read the article again.

For the imperial court, eliminating the Jiangnan aristocratic families led by Wang Xijue and Wang Shizhen might seem like a satisfying act of revenge, but it was not the best choice. Not only were members of these Jiangnan aristocratic families ubiquitous in the court, but their influence among the common people was already too great to fail.

This is also why Xu Jie and others were so fearless in the past.

In Zhang Juzheng's vision, the court would confiscate the land and property of the Jiangnan aristocratic families, but would not wipe them out completely. In order to stabilize the vast scholar class of the Ming Dynasty, it was necessary to give them some chance to survive.

This was a reluctant measure taken to maintain political stability.

However, he did not expect that many unexpected changes would occur.

Examples include the dispute between Xu Jie and Zhang Yunxiu over the "lectures," where Xu Jie made a series of foolish moves, even considering going to sea, and Wang Xijue's eventual submission and compromise.

These events undoubtedly reduced the bargaining chips of the Jiangnan gentry, while increasing the room for maneuver available to the imperial court.

Zhang Yunxiu stared intently at the contents of the letter, especially at the end where Wang Xijue earnestly pleaded with the court to spare his family, repeatedly declaring that he had severed ties with his eldest son, Wang Heng.

He immediately understood.

“Mr. Weishi, I am truly ashamed of this matter. My father was acting on his own, and as his son, I could not bear to see him suffer punishment.”

Tomorrow I will go to the Imperial Guard prison. The entire Wang family is guilty; how can I, Wang Heng, remain uninvolved?

In Xishan Academy, Wang Heng knelt before Zhang Maoxiu, the vice dean of the academy, speaking earnestly with tears streaming down his face.

Zhang Maoxiu held onto the other man's arm, trying to pull him up, but Wang Heng was like a stubborn rock, refusing to budge an inch.

He sighed and said, "Why are you doing this? You've been in Xishan for months. What does your father's behavior have to do with you? I'll talk to Father and Shiyuan about this again. I think there's still a chance for a lenient treatment."

"My father's actions are known throughout the land, what chance is there for a change in the situation?"

Wang Heng looked heartbroken; his earlier trip to the imperial prison was for this very reason.

If Wang Xijue is able to confess his crimes and accept punishment, the court, for the sake of the overall situation, should still treat the scholar-officials with leniency.

But Wang Xijue's stubbornness was even stronger than Wang Heng's, so how could there be any chance of a turnaround?

Zhang Maoxiu sighed repeatedly: "Have you asked Shiyuan for help?"

"The student... The student is too ashamed to face his teacher, so he sent a letter instead."

Wang Heng's tone was somewhat stammering.

He knew all too well his father’s crimes: hoarding goods, speculating, and oppressing the people. How could he, as an insider, not know these things?

He had previously harbored a sense of wishful thinking, believing that the world was like this and that everything would be different once he ascended to the throne.

But Zhang Yunxiu gave these scholars from Jiangnan a real slap in the face, waking them from their self-aggrandizement.

Wang Heng could even sense that Zhang Yunxiu had been deliberately avoiding him these days.

He harbored no resentment, after all, the evidence against the Wang family was almost irrefutable. He only blamed himself for taking a chance. If he had been more proactive and stood up to stop Wang Xijue and his group, the outcome would have been different.

"Hey~"

Zhang Maoxiu was not good at the intrigues of the court and was at a loss for what to do. He comforted him and said...

"Chenyu, you are exceptionally talented and your future is bound to be limitless. If you can stay at Xishan Academy and have the title of the Emperor's disciple, Shiyuan may seem unreliable, but he is soft-hearted. As his disciple, I think no one will dare to make things difficult for you."

Furthermore,

Zhang Maoxiu paused and said, "Your father probably doesn't want you to do this either. Do you really think your father is heartless enough to sever ties with you? I think he wants you to have a better future and be able to continue the Wang family line. If you act impulsively, wouldn't you be letting him down?"

Zhang Maoxiu's words kept echoing in Wang Chenyu's ears. He didn't know when he had left Xishan.

Today was a sunny day, and the streets of the capital were covered with unmelted snow and mud. Wang Chenyu was wearing cloth shoes, and if he was not careful, he would step into the mud. The biting coldness seeped through his feet and made his body shiver.

Yet he still wandered the streets of the capital like a ghost.

In just four or five days, the people of the capital continued their lives as if nothing had happened.

The most frequently mentioned topics were not Xu Jie's failure or the downfall of Jiangnan gentry such as Wang Xijue; for them, these were merely topics of conversation over tea.

What the people care about most is the market price of various goods inside and outside the capital.

"I heard that Xishan has released another batch of briquettes, but it's a limited supply and requires proof of financial status, which is a bit troublesome, but it's still much better than before."

"The prices of grain and cloth have dropped significantly, even lower than before winter. We must thank Lord Xu and the two princes for this!"

"Hahaha~"

Inside the teahouse, a group of peddlers and laborers finally found a moment to stop, rest, and have a cup of tea.

Wang Heng sat on a plate with a pot of tea and a plate of plums, yet he felt extremely uncomfortable listening to these remarks.

"That's wonderful!"

A smile appeared on his face, but his back slumped even more.

For three consecutive days, Wang Heng stayed in a residence outside the city without leaving his house. His face was emaciated, his eyes were haggard, and he had two large dark circles under his eyes.

To suppress his pain and unease, he frantically read books, desperately trying to understand them, but he still couldn't control the thoughts that kept surging in his mind, the blood-stained figure of his father, Wang Xijue, and even more so, the figures of the people who died because of the Wang family.

A knocking sound rang out on the door.

Wang Heng's eyes were bloodshot, and he suddenly sat up in bed.

He looked out the door, having already made up his mind. He figured the court's verdict on the Wang family had been handed down, and the small house under the Wang family's name would probably be seized.

Wang Heng wanted to pick up the teapot to take a sip of water, but his hand trembled and the teapot shattered into pieces.

A look of despair crossed his face. Without even bothering to compose himself, he ran behind the door, took a deep breath, and slowly opened it inwards.

"My lord."

Upon seeing the person who arrived, Wang Heng was immediately stunned and exclaimed in surprise.

"Brother Shushi? How did you find your way here?"

Gu Xiancheng, who was patiently waiting with his hands behind his back, immediately smiled upon hearing this.

“I contacted the Ministry of Revenue’s Bureau of Personnel to find out where Brother Chenyu is; it’s not a difficult task.”

Wang Heng felt a warmth in his heart, but still sighed and said, "I thought it was the imperial court coming to investigate and seal it."

His lips moved slightly.

"If there is any news outside, Brother Shushi, please don't tell him. I'm afraid."

Although he was mentally prepared, he still did not want to hear the news that Wang Xijue and his family had been executed.

"News?" Gu Xiancheng's expression was somewhat strange, and he said with a meaningful smile, "Brother Chenyu, you really don't want to know?"

Wang Heng's pupils immediately contracted.

"What does Brother Shushi mean?"

(End of this chapter)