The Great Ming Demon Pill: Your Majesty, please address me as the Crown Prince!

Zhu Di, somewhat speechless, rubbed Zhu Zhanjun's head.

"You're a naughty kid, just like your father."

"By the way, that Yu Qian guy does have some backbone."

"It's not impossible for you to recruit him into the museum."

"Grandpa hasn't asked you these past few days, how's the renovation of your Bowen Pavilion going?"

Zhu Zhanjun said solemnly.

"Grandpa, you've asked at a good time."

"I just managed to tinker with something a couple of days ago."

"Why don't you go take a look?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di pondered for a moment.

"it is good."

"Grandpa will go with you to take a look."

....................

After an incense stick has burned.

The carriage stopped in front of a mansion not far from Xihua Gate.

This place was originally a noble residence. It wasn't particularly grand, but the courtyard was well-organized and the houses were dignified.

At this moment, a brand-new plaque has been hung above the door, bearing three powerful characters: "Bowen Hall," which are quite eye-catching under the light of the lanterns at the entrance.

Although it was already night, light still shone through several windows inside the building.

Zhu Zhanjun brought Zhu Di into the hall.

Yang Rong and Huang Huai followed, looking around with some curiosity.

The large museum is quite simple, with no luxurious decorations.

Zhu Di, Yang Rong, and Huang Huai sat down in the main hall of the palace. Zhu Zhanjun said, "Grandpa, please sit for a moment. I'll be right back," and then ran off to the backyard.

Before long, he returned carrying a wooden tray with a ceramic bowl on it, which was still steaming.

"Grandpa Emperor, try this." Zhu Zhanjun placed the wooden plate on the table and lifted the lid of the ceramic bowl.

Instantly, a unique aroma, a blend of the sweetness of grains and the fragrance of roasted grains, filled the air.

On the plate were neatly arranged several pieces of golden, plump grains, as well as a few purplish-red, spindle-shaped tubers, all steaming hot.

Zhu Di looked at the unfamiliar objects on the plate and asked in confusion, "Zhanjun, what is this? Grandfather... how come I've never seen it before?"

Yang Rong and Huang Huai also leaned closer to take a closer look, and both shook their heads.

The golden object resembled a large string of pearls, yet it was a single, seamless piece; the purplish-red tuber had a rough exterior, and when cut open, it revealed a clear yellow or milky white pulp, making it look like some kind of root.

Zhu Zhanjun picked up a piece of corn, handed it to Zhu Di, and said with a smile, "Grandfather, this is called 'corn,' also known as maize."

"Look at these grains, they resemble pearls and jade, hence the name. They can be cooked directly or ground into powder to make cakes."

"It is drought-resistant and can withstand poor soil conditions. It has extremely high yields. If it is promoted for planting in dry land and sloping land in the north, it can easily produce five or six hundred catties per mu. If it is well cared for, it is possible to produce more than a thousand catties."

He then pointed to the sweet potato, "This is called 'sweet potato,' also known as yam. It grows underground, and its tuber is edible, both raw and cooked, and tastes sweet as honey."

"This plant is not picky about soil fertility; it can grow in sandy loam or barren soil, and its yield is astonishing, yielding hundreds or even thousands of catties per acre."

"What's even better is that its branches and leaves spread and cover the ground, which can conserve water and soil. In years of famine, it can be used as a staple food, and in years of plenty, it can also be used as a coarse grain and livestock feed."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di looked shocked.

"Zhanjun, are you serious?"

"Can these so-called sweet potatoes and corn really produce hundreds of kilograms per crop?"

Although Zhu Zhanjun said it was over a thousand jin, he couldn't believe it.

These days, a yield of 200 jin is considered high.

Yang Rong and Huang Huai were also so shocked that they were speechless.

If His Highness hadn't already demonstrated some of his talents, they wouldn't have believed a single word of it.

Zhu Zhanjun counted on his fingers.

"Grandpa, these sweet potatoes and corn are what I obtained from overseas merchants."

"We found farmers in a village on the outskirts of the city to help with the planting."

"Grandfather will know when the harvest is in full."

"When has your grandson ever lied to his imperial grandfather?"

He would immediately start planting any fruits and vegetables he won as a reward.

Now it has finally come in handy.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di could not contain his excitement.

"Zhanjun, if it is really as you say, that it can serve as a staple food, then the people of our Great Ming will have one more way to survive."

"The land under heaven is sometimes fertile and sometimes barren, and is subject to unpredictable floods and droughts."

"Many people toil for a year, only to reap a hundred or so catties of grain. In years of famine, they harvest nothing at all, resorting to cannibalism... If these two crops could truly be adaptable to all soil conditions, drought-resistant, and highly productive, and could be promoted to the arid plateaus of the north, the hills of the south, and even the border regions for farming, who knows how many lives could be saved and how many people's hearts could be stabilized!"

Yang Rong and Huang Huai were also moved.

Yang Rong bowed and said, "Your Majesty, if what Prince Jiyang says is true, this is a sign of auspicious harvest from heaven! It is of immense benefit to the country and its people!"

Huang Huai nodded repeatedly: "A yield of several hundred to a thousand catties per mu... I have never heard of such a thing. If it can be verified, I will immediately order the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Agriculture to conduct a detailed study and widely distribute the information throughout the country."

Zhu Zhanjun said with a grin.

"The harvest will be ready in a month at most, and then Grandfather will know that what I said was true."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di laughed heartily and ruffled Zhu Zhanjun's hair.

"Grandpa Emperor wouldn't doubt you."

"By the way, Zhanjun, how do the corn and sweet potatoes taste?"

Zhu Zhanjun said solemnly.

"Grandpa, you'll know once you try it yourself."

After saying that, he picked up a corn cob and presented it to Zhu Di.

Yang Rong and Huang Huai each took an ear of corn.

Zhu Di took the golden corn cob; it was warm to the touch, the kernels were plump and uniform, and it exuded a simple, sweet aroma of grain.

He examined it for a moment, then followed Zhu Zhanjun's instructions and bit off a row of corn kernels.

With a soft "crunch," a sweet aroma mixed with the rich fragrance of grains instantly fills the mouth, and as you chew, you experience a unique chewy and glutinous texture.

Zhu Di chewed slowly, his surprise growing stronger.

After swallowing, he took a few more bites before stopping, looking at Zhu Zhanjun, and praising, "Hmm...the taste is excellent! Sweet, soft, and glutinous, it's very filling. If it's truly as easy to grow and high-yielding as you say, this is truly a gift from heaven!"

Yang Rong and Huang Huai also sampled it.

Yang Rong carefully bit off a grain, savoring its flavor. His eyes lit up, and he took a large bite, nodding as he chewed, "Your Highness, this has a unique taste, sweet and fragrant, and the grains are firm, so it should be durable for storage and transport. If it could be widely planted in the dry fields of the north, there would be no worry about food for the army and the people!"

Huang Huai ate carefully, turning the corncob in a circular motion as he ate, almost devouring every single kernel. He even licked his lips with a hint of satisfaction before solemnly saying, "Your Majesty, what Lord Yang said is absolutely right. I observe that this corn has golden kernels, shaped like pearls and jade, with a soft cob that could even be used as firewood; almost nothing is wasted. If the yield per mu can truly reach several hundred jin, it will be a blessing for our Great Ming Dynasty and a boon for our people! His Highness Prince Jiyang's presentation of this auspicious omen is a merit that will last for generations!"

Hearing the praise from his two close advisors, Zhu Di was even more delighted.

He picked up another sweet potato, peeled off its slightly charred skin to reveal the bright orange flesh inside, steaming hot and with a sweet aroma.

"The corn tasted good, but I didn't expect the sweet potato to smell even better!"

Yang Rong and Huang Huai nodded repeatedly.

Damn it!

So delicious!

They had been accompanying Zhu Di for half a day and were already very hungry.

Now that I smell such delicious sweet potatoes, how can I resist?

Just as they were about to take a bite, Zhu Zhanjun chuckled.

"Grandpa, don't be fooled by how good it smells; it tastes even better."

"Although it looks like a pile of poop, it tastes soft and chewy, and it's delicious!"

[Ding! You have obtained a silver treasure chest!]

[Ding! You have obtained a silver treasure chest!]

[Ding! You have obtained a silver treasure chest!]

Zhu Di: "..."

Yang Rong: "..."

Huang Huai: "..."

They glanced at the sweet potato in their hands, and suddenly didn't want to eat it anymore.

Zhu Zhanjun couldn't help but speak when he saw the three of them stop what they were doing.

"Grandpa, why aren't you eating?"

Zhu Di coughed lightly.

"Grandpa is a little full after eating corn, so he plans to eat sweet potatoes later."

Zhu Zhanjun shook his head.

"Grandpa, these sweet potatoes don't taste good when they're cold."

"It's like shit, freshly made and still warm, wouldn't you want a bite of something fresh?"

[Ding! You have obtained a golden treasure chest!]

Zhu Di frowned deeply.

Hey kid, are you even letting him eat?!

Yang Rong and Huang Huai felt a churning in their stomachs and realized they couldn't eat anymore.

Zhu Zhanjun stared with his round eyes.

"Grandpa, this is all thanks to your grandson's filial piety."

"You'd better hurry."

Zhu Di forced himself to take a bite, revealing the sweet potato flesh inside that looked like oil.

Tsk!

It tastes really good!

Zhu Di's eyes lit up.

He was the emperor of the Ming Dynasty; what delicacies hadn't he eaten?

This sweet potato actually gave him an urge to devour it!

Zhu Zhanjun was even more excited than him.

"Grandpa, your roasted sweet potato is absolutely delicious!"

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!

"Look, the meat inside is almost oozing oil."

"The thinner consistency tastes better, so hurry up and eat it along the edge!"

"AUV, that's really authentic."

[Ding! You have obtained a golden treasure chest!]

Zhu Di's face turned green.

What kind of nonsense is this bastard spouting?

Listen to this yourself, is it even listenable?

Yang Rong and Huang Huai, who were standing nearby, had completely given up and silently put the sweet potato down.

His Highness the Prince of Jiyang's words are so vivid.

One slurred sentence, and their CPUs were completely burned out.

Even if you don't want to make the connection, you can still make it come to mind.

Zhu Di forced himself to eat a few bites, then quickly put the food down and coughed lightly a few times.

"Great, great, it tastes really good!"

He was afraid that Zhu Zhanjun would give him another sarcastic remark, so he changed the subject.

"Since my grandfather ascended the throne, he has led expeditions to the northern deserts, pacified the southern barbarians, dredged the canals, and compiled the Great Codex... Each and every one of these achievements seems glorious, but in the quiet of the night, what I worry about most is whether the people of this world can have enough to eat."

"I am the emperor, possessing the wealth of the entire world, but ensuring that these hundreds of millions of people have enough to eat and enough to eat is not something that can be accomplished simply by issuing an imperial edict or a few decrees."

Zhu Di sighed, "I have the will to give the people a full meal, but the right time, the right place, and the right people—none of these can be controlled at will."

"Now, you've given Grandfather some hope."

"If sweet potatoes and corn can truly achieve high yields and can be promoted elsewhere."

"Then in another ten years, the people of the Ming Dynasty will no longer have to worry about starving."

Yang Rong and Huang Huai were also excited upon hearing this.

If the world is at peace and the people are well-fed, the country will be stable.

This is exactly the peaceful and prosperous world they are looking for!

Zhu Di continued with his感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion).

"But I am not satisfied with just feeding the people."

"Besides grain, I want more achievements."

"However, even I, the emperor, cannot have whatever I want."

"I wonder when Grandpa will be able to live a life where he can have whatever he wants."

Zhu Zhanjun said crisply.

"Grandpa, don't worry. I estimate that in another twenty years, you will be able to live a life like this."

"Oh?" Zhu Di had only casually changed the subject and grumbled, but he didn't expect his great-grandson to actually pick up the conversation.

He said with great interest.

"Zhanjun, why?"

Zhu Zhanjun patted his chest.

"Grandpa Emperor, in twenty years, when you die..."

"Whatever you want, I'll burn it for you."

"Wouldn't that mean you could live a life where you could have whatever you wanted?"

[Ding! You have obtained a golden treasure chest!]

Zhu Di: "???"

That son of mine is a traitor by nature.