I started on a deserted island and encountered Ying Zheng, who insisted I was an immortal.

Wang Ben's dark face turned purplish-red, as if he had just been fished out of a wine vat.

His thick fingers fumbled around inside his sleeve, but after a long time, he couldn't find anything.

"Nonsense!"

"What...what could I possibly hide in my sleeve!"

Ying Zheng and Meng Yi exchanged a glance, both reading a hint of mischief in each other's expressions.

"cough."

Ying Zheng cleared his throat.

"Minister Wang, bring it out."

"Since you've already seen it, it would be unbecoming of a true gentleman to keep it hidden."

After hesitating for a long time, Wang Ben finally pulled out an oily paper package from his wide sleeves.

As soon as the paper package was opened, a rich aroma of meat mixed with spices wafted out.

It's pork jerky.

It is still Zhang Ying's exclusive secret recipe for marinating pork jerky, which is then slowly smoked with fruitwood to create the finest product.

Wang Ben blushed and stiffened his neck.

"I...I'm just carrying some dry rations in case I get hungry on the road!"

"puff."

Wang Ruoshu couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Ying Zheng and Meng Yi couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter.

This Marquis Tongwu is a god of war on the battlefield, but at the dinner table he's like a mischievous child secretly hiding snacks.

Li Si and Xia Wuqie also wanted to laugh, but as soon as their lips parted in a smile, they felt it was inappropriate and could only force themselves to hold it in, their shoulders trembling.

The atmosphere immediately became much more relaxed.

Zhang Ying ignored the embarrassed Wang Ben and pointed to the dried sweet potato in Wang Ruoshu's hand.

"Prime Minister Li, Imperial Physician Xia, please try this."

Li Si's mind was still in turmoil when he heard this, and he mechanically picked up a dried sweet potato.

Xia Wuqie also picked up one, first held it under his nose and smelled it; it had a pure, sweet fragrance.

Li Si put it in his mouth with some skepticism.

The entrance wasn't as hard as it looked.

It has a bit of resilience, so your teeth can easily bite through it.

With each chew, a richer, more concentrated sweetness, even more intense than eating sweet potato directly, explodes in your mouth.

Soft, chewy, fragrant, sweet, and with a slight chewiness, it's irresistible.

"This...this is really made from those sweet potatoes?"

Xia Wuqie's face was full of disbelief.

"This is sweeter than candied fruit, yet its texture is so unique... truly a stroke of genius!"

Li Si also came to his senses, finished a sweet potato in a few bites, and couldn't resist picking up another one.

"Sir, this item must have been extremely complicated to make?"

In his mind, the process of transforming ordinary ingredients into such a delicacy must be incredibly complex.

"Curiosity?"

Zhang Ying shook her head.

"It's very simple."

"Steam the sweet potatoes until cooked, cut them into strips, and dry them in the sun for two days, and they're done."

"What?"

Li Si and Xia Wuqie were both stunned.

Is it... really that simple?

"Prime Minister Li, let me ask you, if these dried sweet potatoes were sold in Xianyang City, would you buy them?" Zhang Ying asked.

"Of course!"

Li Si answered without hesitation.

"Such delicious food, not to mention me, which official in the court wouldn't want to try it?"

"Okay, so who are you going to buy it from?"

"Naturally... we should buy it from merchants."

"Where did the dried sweet potatoes in the merchant's hands come from?"

"This..." Li Si continued thinking along the lines of his words, "Naturally, it was purchased from farmers."

"Farmers made sweet potato chips from the sweet potatoes they couldn't eat at home and sold them to merchants to make money."

Zhang Ying's voice was calm and unhurried, like that of a patient and encouraging teacher.

"Li Xiang, think about it again. A farmer, by selling dried sweet potatoes, has saved up a sum of money that he never dared to dream of before."

"What will he do with the money?"

Li Si was stunned.

"He...he will buy a few yards of cloth to buy new clothes for his wife and children."

"He will buy better salt instead of continuing to eat that bitter and astringent inferior salt."

"If his hoe breaks, he'll be willing to go to the blacksmith to get a new one."

"He even considered replacing the thatched hut with a sturdier mud-brick house!"

With each sentence Zhang Ying spoke, Li Si's face grew paler.

These scenes are so vivid, so real.

A farming family that had become wealthy through hard work and selling their own produce came to mind.

And all of this started simply because the leftover sweet potatoes underwent an extra, simple process, turning them into a marketable commodity.

And connecting the farmers with the ones who ultimately pay for their purchases is precisely the "merchant" whom he has always despised and suppressed.

"I……"

Li Si opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

He felt that all the knowledge he had learned and the governing principles he had firmly believed in throughout his life were crumbling and shattering piece by piece.

With a "thump".

He slumped back into the bamboo chair, his eyes glazed over, muttering to himself.

"So...that's how it is..."

Looking at him, Zhang Ying knew that the old man had been greatly shocked and needed to process it on his own.

He picked up a dried sweet potato, threw it into his mouth, and chewed it.

"This is just dried sweet potato."

"Grind sweet potatoes into flour to make starch. This starch can then be made into vermicelli, which can be stored for several years without spoiling."

"You can also roll them into sweet potato balls, fry them in oil, and they'll be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside."

"Or you can just throw the whole thing into the charcoal fire to roast—that's how you roast sweet potatoes; the aroma can waft down half the street."

Meng Yi and Xia Wuqie were stunned.

"Sir, what are rice noodles?"

"Meatballs? You can make meatballs?"

Wang Ben forgot his embarrassment and curiously came closer.

Zhang Ying only realized what she was saying halfway through her sentence.

have to.

I've gone beyond the scope of the subject again.

Trying to explain to a group of people from the Qin Dynasty what vermicelli or fried food is is like casting pearls before swine.

He rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

This information-packed dinner is finally over.

Ying Zheng stood up, and the others followed suit.

On the dock, three thousand elite troops and five hundred Xuanwu Guards were already fully prepared and ready to go. Their expressions as they looked at Zhang Ying were full of awe and gratitude.

This meal was the most filling and sumptuous meal many of them had ever eaten in their lives.

The sweet potatoes, the soft and sticky steamed buns, the sweet and sour tomatoes, the crisp and refreshing cucumbers, and the strong wine I had never tasted before.

All of this is thanks to the "gentleman" in front of us.

Several Xuanwu Guards who had previously drawn their swords against Zhang Ying on the beach exchanged glances and stepped forward.

"Thump!"

The group of people knelt down in front of Zhang Ying.

The leading captain presented his sword with both hands.

"Sir! We were blind to your greatness and offended you. Please punish us!"

"Yes, sir, please use this sword to punish us!"

Zhang Ying was left speechless, both amused and exasperated by the spectacle.

"Alright, alright, get up."

He waved his hand.

"You're punished...go and wash all those dishes and chopsticks."

Several towering men looked at each other, then kowtowed heavily.

"promise!"

Ying Zheng walked to the side of the boat and gestured for Zhang Ying to enter.

"Sir, please board the ship first."

Zhang Ying nodded without refusing.

He turned back one last time to look at the island where he had lived for three years.

That little bamboo house, that reclaimed field, that beach.

This is the place where he survived after the plane crash.

He took a deep breath, turned around, and prepared to step onto the springboard.

"etc!"

Suddenly, Zhang Ying remembered something and slapped her forehead.

"I almost forgot! There are some good things on the island!"

Ying Zheng and the others were taken aback.

"My cellar! And the reservoir!"