roccoschili Chapter 103 Gu Liuli's Background Revealed
Chapter 103 Gu Liuli's Background Revealed
Another minister, while digging, muttered to himself, "No wonder the Emperor values it so highly; this is truly a treasure that benefits the country and its people!"
Lin Yu was stunned. He quickly walked to the edge of the field, squatted down, and carefully observed the sweet potatoes, occasionally letting out bursts of praise.
Everyone was busy in the sweet potato field, and laughter echoed in the air above the manor. The impressive yield of sweet potatoes filled everyone with hope for the future development of food production in both countries.
Just as everyone was immersed in the joy of digging sweet potatoes, the steward in charge of tallying the yield rushed in, holding an account book in his hand. His voice trembled with excitement: "Your Majesty, Crown Prince, Princess, the yield of the last ten acres of sweet potatoes is in!" Everyone stopped what they were doing and focused their attention on the steward. The steward took a deep breath and announced loudly, "These ten acres of sweet potatoes yielded an average of six thousand catties per acre!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked once again. A minister asked incredulously, "Six thousand catties? This... how is this possible?" The steward nodded vigorously and handed the account book to the emperor: "Your Majesty, it is absolutely true! This is a conservative estimate; the yield of some plots is even higher." The emperor took the account book, examined it carefully, and his face was full of surprise and satisfaction: "Such a high yield is truly a blessing for our Nanzhao Kingdom!"
Lin Yu's eyes were full of envy as he pleaded again, "Your Majesty, the people of Xijing Kingdom are suffering from food shortages. I hope that the princess and Your Majesty can help Xijing Kingdom with this sweet potato planting technology." Gu Liuli looked at Xiao Jingchuan and the emperor. Xiao Jingchuan nodded slightly, and the emperor also said, "This matter can be discussed again. If it can help Xijing Kingdom, it would be a good thing."
Lin Yu's eyes were full of envy as he pleaded again, "Princess, the people of Xijing Kingdom are suffering from food shortages. I hope that Your Highness and His Majesty can help Xijing Kingdom with this sweet potato cultivation technology."
Upon hearing Lin Yu's request, the ministers' expressions instantly turned solemn. One minister in charge of the Ministry of Revenue stepped forward first, his expression grave, and said, "Your Majesty, while the sweet potato yield is high, the Nanzhao Kingdom itself also needs to vigorously promote its cultivation to ensure the stability of our dynasty. If we easily hand over the seeds to the Xijing Kingdom, what if they use this as leverage against our Nanzhao Kingdom in the future?"
Immediately afterward, a military general stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, I second your opinion! Although Xijing Kingdom and our Nanzhao Kingdom are at peace on the surface, border clashes occur from time to time. This sweet potato cultivation technology is related to the livelihood of the nation, and if it is leaked, there may be hidden dangers."
The other ministers nodded in agreement, and soon dissenting voices rose and fell. Lin Yu's expression turned somewhat grim; he hadn't expected the crowd to be so resolute.
Xiao Jingchuan stepped forward, cleared his throat, and said, "My lords, Lord Lin has come with great sincerity. The people of Xijing Kingdom are suffering from famine. If we can lend a helping hand, it will not only demonstrate our..."
The grandeur of the Nanzhao Kingdom can also enhance friendship between the two countries, turning hostility into friendship, which is of great benefit to the long-term development of both nations.
The ministers remained unmoved, and the situation reached a stalemate. The emperor sat to one side, his brow furrowed, pondering how to balance the interests of all parties. Gu Liuli gently stroked her lower abdomen, secretly worried. She wanted to help Xijing Kingdom, but also had to consider the concerns of the ministers of Nanzhao Kingdom. She didn't know what to do.
Seeing the ministers' resolute attitude, Xiao Jingchuan decided to try a different approach. He frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over each minister's face, and said earnestly, "My lords, our concerns about the potential threat from Xijing Kingdom are understandable. But consider this: Xijing Kingdom is currently facing food shortages and internal instability. Border residents, struggling for sustenance, frequently clash with those of our Nanzhao Kingdom. If we help them solve their food problems, their border residents will live in peace and prosperity, and these conflicts will naturally decrease."
He paused briefly, observing the ministers' reactions. Seeing some nod slightly, he continued, "Moreover, although sweet potato cultivation technology is valuable, our Nanzhao Kingdom has accumulated rich experience in its cultivation and possesses a large-scale planting operation. Even if the Xijing Kingdom masters the technology, it will be difficult for them to surpass us in a short period of time. On the contrary, we can take this opportunity to befriend the Xijing Kingdom, and future cooperation between the two countries in trade, culture, and other fields will bring more benefits and development opportunities to the Nanzhao Kingdom."
An old minister who had been silent all along slowly spoke up: "What the Crown Prince said makes sense, but this is ultimately a technology that concerns the lifeline of the country. It is really hard to feel at ease if it is easily passed on to outsiders."
Xiao Jingchuan smiled slightly and said, "I understand your concerns, esteemed officials. Tomorrow in court, I will announce something!"
That night, Xiao Jingchuan, Gu Liuli, and Xiao Han were all in the Imperial Study: "Have you thought it through?"
Xiao Han, seated on the dragon throne, asked Gu Liuli, "Your identity as a member of the Xijing Kingdom will be revealed tomorrow!"
Gu Liuli knew that once the news was made public, it would be perfectly legitimate for her to have Lin Yu take the sweet potatoes back to plant, and the ministers in the court would no longer have any objections!
Gu Liuli raised her head, her eyes shining with determination: "I've thought it through. I've always cared about both countries, and now that there's an opportunity for the people of both nations to benefit, I can't back down. Moreover, I hope to use this opportunity to truly achieve peaceful coexistence and common development between the two countries."
Xiao Jingchuan held Gu Liuli's hand, giving her strength: "Liuli, whatever decision you make, I will support you. I will always be by your side and face it with you."
The next day, the atmosphere in the imperial court was exceptionally heavy. The ministers arrived early, all wondering what the Crown Prince had meant by the previous day. Lin Yu stood to the side, a sense of anticipation rising within him.
The ministers held their breath, their eyes fixed on Xiao Jingchuan and Gu Liuli.
Gu Liuli took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said, "My lords, I actually have another identity. I am the princess of Xijing Kingdom."
As soon as these words were spoken, the court was in an uproar.
The ministers were initially silent, then erupted in a gasp of surprise.
"How is this possible? How could Gu Liuli be a princess of Xijing Kingdom?" A young minister exclaimed in shock, his voice rising involuntarily.
"No wonder she's been so concerned about the affairs of Xijing Kingdom; it turns out there's this connection." A senior minister suddenly realized, but his face showed a hint of doubt.
Immediately following, voices of doubt and discussion rose one after another. A military general frowned and said loudly, "Your Majesty, Gu Liuli concealed her identity when she married into our Nanzhao Kingdom. Could there be some conspiracy involved?"
A civil official chimed in, "Yes, when she proposed helping Xijing Kingdom, wasn't she already plotting something?"