"Father, we are here." Fang Yiai knocked on the door and led Zhang San in.
After Zhang San entered the door, he also greeted Fang Xuanling and said, "Hello, Uncle Fang."
"Here comes Zhang San. I just came back from the court and I neglected you." Fang Xuanling echoed.
"Uncle Fang is the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty and is very busy with official duties. Besides, with his beloved wife by his side, my nephew will feel at home."
"Hehehe, that's good. From now on, if you have nothing to do, you can come and play with Yiai, the bastard. You should also give him some guidance and stop hanging around in the flowers." Fang Xuanling said with a smile.
"Father, I also work very hard, okay? How can I wander around in the flowers?" Fang Yiai complained at the side.
"My father doesn't know you yet!" Fang Xuanling raised her voice and said.
"Uncle is joking. Yi Ai is well-read and knowledgeable. My nephew admires him very much." Zhang San praised at the side.
Fang Xuanling didn't say anything more and turned to talk to Zhang San about what happened today.
"The day before yesterday, I presented your disaster relief plan to the emperor, and the emperor was full of praise for you after reading it. Yesterday, at the morning meeting, I discussed with the ministers the disaster relief issue in Bianzhou, Henan."
"This flood in Bianzhou, Henan has a great impact. Since the imperial treasury is also stretched, although your strategy is good, the imperial court currently does not have the ability to implement it. In addition, the Turks have been active in recent days, and the emperor has to send troops to strengthen border defense.
Why……"
Speaking of this, Fang Xuanling also sighed and was very worried about the environment that Datang was currently in.
"The Tang Dynasty in the early years of Zhenguan seems to be really unstable." Zhang San thought to himself, and comforted Fang Xuanling: "Uncle, don't worry, the emperor is talented and wise, and he has uncles, Du Xiang, and Li Jing.
With the help of the general and others, our Tang Dynasty will surely prosper and bring peace to all generations."
Zhang San still has great confidence in Datang.
Hearing what Zhang San said, Fang Xuanling was also very pleased: "Zhang San is right. Our Tang Dynasty will definitely prosper, but right now there are many problems in front of us." Fang Xuanling said, stroking his beard.
Fang Yiai sat aside and watched the conversation between the two. She was filled with admiration for Zhang San's ability to answer her father's questions fluently without any panic.
The majesty of his father is not something that ordinary people can bear. Even when he speaks in front of his father, he is cautious.
When Zhang San heard this, he thought that this might be Fang Xuanling testing himself. Zhang San, who had far more knowledge than people today, didn't care about it. As long as it wasn't about the Book of Songs, it wouldn't be a problem for him.
Therefore, Zhang San said to Fang Xuanling: "The overall social environment of our dynasty has tended to be stable. Although there are some rebellious officials and traitors outside, we in the Tang Dynasty are full of talented people. It won't take long to wipe out all the troubles and stand out from the crowd."
"
Seeing the high fighting spirit in Zhang San's eyes, Fang Xuanling was also deeply affected.
"I'm not worried about the external enemies. It's just that the people's livelihood issues have been bothering Your Majesty. After years of war and the decline of people's livelihood, as an official of the Tang Dynasty, although I am diligent in government affairs and work hard on government affairs, there are still many problems.
People don’t have enough to eat and they don’t have enough clothes to wear.”
"Spring and summer are a little better, but when winter comes, many people have to fight for their lives, and some old, weak, sick and disabled people often cannot survive. Every time I think about this, I feel very uncomfortable!" Fang Xuan
Ling sighed.
Zhang San thought of the potatoes that came with him through time, and said to Fang Xuanling: "My uncle has worked hard for the people of the Tang Dynasty. My nephew admires me very much. I was invited to come to the house today. I also brought a good thing. I want to come to my uncle."
I must have never seen it." Zhang San changed the topic and said to Fang Xuanling.
"Oh, my nephew is bringing something good. Come and show it to me."
Fang Xuanling was also very curious. In the Tang Dynasty, he was inferior to one person and superior to ten thousand people. There was something he had never seen before.
Thinking that Zhang San was not the kind of person who talks big words, he asked.
"Xiaosan, is that the potato you mentioned? Isn't it just something to eat? Does it have other wonderful uses?" Fang Yiai said at the side.
Before coming in, Zhang San handed the potatoes to the concierge for registration and told him how to eat them. Fang Yiai saw that this thing was strange, so he asked Zhang San about it. When he heard that it was a kind of food,
, Fang Yiai lost interest.
When he heard that it was a food he had never heard of, Fang Xuanling called his servants to bring the potatoes for a look.
"What's Zhang San's potato? I've never heard of that name." Fang Xuanling asked, picking up the tea cup and taking a sip of water to moisten his throat.
"Hehehe, these potatoes are a good thing. Once they are planted, our Tang Dynasty will no longer be short of food."
Zhang San is still very proud when he talks about potatoes. This thing is a rare thing in the Tang Dynasty. Without me, I came here in a daze. You don't want to see this thing in your life.
"You are also a farmer, so you should know that this food is never enough." Fang Xuanling shook his head and said with a smile, thinking that Zhang San was just joking.
"Uncle, my Tang Dynasty has a vast land and abundant resources. The reason why we don't have enough food is because the yield of food is too low. Take my fertile fields by the Wei River as an example. An acre of wheat only costs three or four dan, not to mention those
Where is the barren place?" Zhang San replied.
Fang Xuanling also nodded in agreement, and the grain output of the Tang Dynasty was indeed the same.
Zhang San went on to say: "Potatoes don't care about the land. The average yield per mu can reach twelve or three stones. If..." Before Zhang San could finish speaking, Fang Xuanling vomited out all the tea he had just drank.
.
"Uncle, are you okay?" Zhang San asked quickly.
"Ahem, cough, the tea was too hot just now." Fang Xuanling coughed to hide her embarrassment.
"Zhang San, what you said is too fantastic. How can there be such a crop? If there is, why don't I know about it at all?"
Fang Xuanling returned to her calm demeanor. When she first heard what Zhang San said, Fang Xuanling was shocked. A yield of more than ten shi per mu is equivalent to one or two thousand kilograms of grain. This has been unheard of since ancient times. If such a crop really existed
, then the Tang Dynasty really won’t have to worry about food, and prosperity is just around the corner.
Of course, Fang Xuanling was just thinking about it. Regarding Fang Xuanling's reaction, Zhang San was not surprised at all. Seeing is believing, after all, what Zhang San said had no precedent.
Without waiting for Zhang San to answer, I saw the servant who had just left, bringing a plate of something that was pitch black and smelled of a strong aroma. Behind him was a servant carrying Zhang San's small basket with two potatoes left in it.
.
"It's already baked, just in time for everyone to try it together."
Zhang San said happily when he saw that the potatoes were cooked.
After talking so much, I was already hungry, but as a guest, the host didn't mention eating, so I couldn't bring myself to mention it.
After saying that, he stepped forward to take the plate, preparing to taste it with Fang Xuanling and Fang Yiai, and also let these two bumpkin see it.
Fang Yiai also got up when she smelled the fragrance and came to Zhang San's side.
"Can this pitch black thing be eaten?" Fang Yiai asked uncertainly.
Fang Xuanling also looked at this plate of strange things curiously.
"Of course, and it's delicious. This is the simplest way to eat it. Stir-frying it in oil is the best way to eat it. I've just grown a little of this now. When I grow more later, I'll make one for you.
A feast of potatoes on the table." Zhang San said as he began to peel the potatoes.
"You guys want to eat too?" Zhang San urged after seeing the two of them not moving.
So the two of them were curious and didn't mind being dirty, so they imitated Zhang San's example and started doing it.
"Don't tell me, it's really delicious." Fang Yiai took the first bite and said with bright eyes.
Seeing that her son had also eaten, Fang Xuanling also took a small sip, and her mouth was filled with fragrance.
"When I plant another potato crop in July or August, there will be enough seeds. Then I'll treat you to fried potato shreds, mashed potatoes, potato beef brisket..." Zhang San said while eating.
Cattle in the Tang Dynasty were very precious and were not allowed to be slaughtered privately. Often, if a cow died, it would be reported to the county government. Of course, Fang Xuanling did not pay attention to what Zhang San said.
"These potatoes are pretty good to eat, very filling. Where did you get them?"
When Zhang San heard this, he thought, Oh, you are right. This thing cannot be said to have come out of nowhere. It must have a source, so he repeated what he had said to the little girl.
But Fang Xuanling was not comparable to a little girl who was inexperienced in the world, so she didn't believe it in her heart. But since Zhang San said so, she couldn't expose it herself, so she wanted to let Fang Yiai inquire later.
Fang Xuanling was full of questions about Zhang San, who came from a peasant family and whose parents died young, but had such talent. The emperor was also full of doubts about this, and he did a lot of research in secret. Fang Xuanling knew this.
So, he said: "What a wonderful nephew!" Listening to Fang Xuanling's tone, Zhang San knew that Fang Xuanling did not believe what he said, and thought that he would carefully fabricate a source after returning home.
"Uncle, it's a blessing in disguise." Zhang San replied with a smile.
"Is the product you mentioned earlier really produced in such large quantities?"
Fang Xuanling asked again, "This thing tastes very good. After listening to Zhang San's introduction, this thing can not only be used as a staple food, but can also be used for cooking. It is a good crop. If the yield is really so large, why don't you choose?"
Earth, that was truly a blessing for the Tang Dynasty!
"Uncle, when you went to my nephew's place some time ago, you should have seen the things planted in our courtyard, right?" Zhang San asked.
"Well, is this the fenced area you mentioned?" Fang Xuanling replied.
"It's exactly this. My nephew and my sister just harvested ripe potatoes yesterday. Do you know how many potatoes were harvested in that area?" Zhang San was confused.
Fang Yiai was also very curious about the conversation between the two, and did not interrupt. She picked up a potato again, peeled it, and ate it by herself. This thing was very appetizing.
Fang Xuanling asked: "How much?"
"I did a rough calculation, and it's probably more than one stone." Zhang San said, stretching out a blackened finger.
"What? One stone is more?" Fang Xuanling stood up in surprise.
"Yes, where are those potatoes at my house now?" Zhang San said blankly when he saw Fang Xuanling's shocked look.
I thought to myself, potatoes are just over a stone, or a hundred pounds, so why are you so surprised? Then if you saw those super rice in the previous life, wouldn't you have a heart attack?
Fang Yiai, who was next to her, was also stunned by her father. She had never seen her father lose his temper like this before. Looking at the potatoes in his hand, Fang Yiai didn't know whether to continue eating or not. He was thinking about it.
Then he took two more bites, finished the last bit of potatoes, and sat next to him, watching the two of them with big eyes and small eyes.
