roccoschili Chapter 134: Promoting Sweet Potatoes 4
Chapter 134: Promoting Sweet Potatoes 4
Zhao Liangchen looked at Zhao Jian in confusion: "Why can't we bring sweet potatoes to the emperor? Did something happen?"
Zhao Jian was furious: "You still have the nerve to say that."
He hinted to Zhao Liangchen many times that the Zhao family had already defected to King Liang, and asked him to put King Liang's interests first in everything he did in the future. However, he had such a good policy that benefited the people, but instead of offering it to King Liang, he went to the emperor. Isn't this treason? How will the entire Zhao family behave in front of King Liang in the future?
Seeing that Zhao Jian was only focused on losing his temper and didn't say anything about what happened, Zhao Liangchen stopped asking questions and turned to look at Prince Liang: "Your Highness, can you tell me what happened? There's something wrong with the sweet potatoes. The emperor got sick from eating them."
Prince Liang looked at Zhao Liangchen gravely, but could not detect anything unusual on his face. He rubbed his fingers unconsciously and asked, "Why did you bring sweet potatoes into the palace?"
Zhao Liangchen: "I came back from outside the city yesterday and went to see my teacher first. I ate this sweet potato there and found it very delicious, sweet and warm. So when I left, I put two in my arms and planned to eat them when I left the palace.
When I entered the palace, I saw Zou Tai. Seeing him standing guard in the heavy snow, I felt really sorry for him, so I gave him one. When I met the emperor, I took off my cloak. The emperor asked what I had in my arms. It was bulging, so I took it out and showed it to the emperor. The emperor was curious and tasted it.
Prince Liang looked at him doubtfully, "Did the emperor say anything else?"
Zhao Liangchen pretended to think, "After eating, the emperor was curious and asked a few more questions, such as where the sweet potato came from, what its habits were, and whether it was easy to grow. I don't know any of this. I just heard Su Qing say that it was bought from a foreign merchant."
King Liang: "Su Qing?"
Zhao Liangchen: "Oh, the teacher's granddaughter is called Suqing."
Prince Liang didn't say whether he believed it or not. He just nodded and gently instructed, "The emperor's body is precious. Everything that enters the palace is inspected several times. How can anything brought in casually from outside be allowed to enter the emperor's mouth? Nothing happened this time, but if something did, you would be blamed. Everyone entering the palace must be searched. No outside items can be brought in without permission. As a guard guarding the imperial city, you should be strict with yourself and set a good example."
Zhao Liangchen pretended to be terrified and said, "Yes, Your Highness is teaching me that I was reckless."
King Liang nodded and said, "From now on, consult with your father more often. If he's undecided, you can come to me. The most taboo thing in the court is recklessness. You must be extremely careful, otherwise one wrong move could lead to a complete failure."
Zhao Liangchen: "Yes."
King Liang: "Okay, you can go back."
After walking out of the gate of Prince Liang's Mansion, Zhao Jian said to Zhao Liangchen with a gloomy face: "Be careful in everything you do in the future. If you find anything new, come home and tell me first."
Zhao Liangchen looked at Zhao Jian and asked calmly, "What new thing is that, father? Sweet potatoes? I'm sure you've seen that before. I've heard that many prominent families in the capital buy some exotic seeds. It's normal that I haven't seen sweet potatoes, but father shouldn't have seen them before."
Zhao Jian's expression froze. He had actually seen it before. The family's shopping cart had bought it and the cook had cooked it, but he didn't like it, so the chef never bought it again.
Zhao Liangchen asked calmly, "I really don't understand why you and King Liang attach so much importance to a mere sweet potato. Father, can you please tell me what happened?"
Zhao Jian looked a little embarrassed. After all, he had seen sweet potatoes but did not take this seemingly unpresentable thing seriously. How could he have known that such a thing could have such profound knowledge? If the emperor could really promote sweet potatoes successfully, he could imagine how high the emperor's reputation would be among the people. He now regretted very much that he had not paid attention to this matter before. If he had known the benefits of sweet potatoes earlier, he would have advised King Liang earlier. In this way, he would not have to embezzle disaster relief money and take such a big risk just to improve King Liang's reputation.
Fearing that something like this would happen again, Zhao Jian recounted everything that had happened in the court today to Zhao Liangchen, his words tinged with reproach: "You too, if you hadn't brought sweet potatoes into the palace, so many things wouldn't have happened. King Liang won you over to help him, not to hold you back."
Zhao Liangchen's heart went cold, but his face was filled with confusion. "If we follow what my father said, wouldn't promoting sweet potato cultivation be a good thing that will benefit future generations? Why is it hindering Prince Liang? Doesn't he want the people to live a good life?"
Zhao Jian: "You..."
He felt depressed, but he couldn't directly say that Prince Liang wanted to rebel. It wasn't that he didn't want the people to be well, but that he didn't want the emperor to be well.
In the end, he was angry with Zhao Liangchen but couldn't say anything.
After Zhao Jian and Zhao Liangchen left Prince Liang's mansion, he ordered his men to "check Zhao Liangchen again, and his teacher's newly recognized granddaughter."
Although he did not do anything to Zhao Liangchen, he did not really believe what Zhao Liangchen said. He did not believe in coincidences, nor did he believe that the emperor had such keen insight and decision-making ability. He just thought of promoting it when he saw Zhao Liangchen took out the sweet potatoes. Moreover, Zhao Liangchen left the palace just as Gu Yun entered the palace. Gu Yun presented such a detailed plan and investigation early this morning. In order to prove that sweet potatoes are high-yielding and do not require fertile land, it would take at least a year of trial planting in various places to gain experience before having such a detailed plan. Even if Gu Yun was very capable, he could not do it in just one night.
He felt that there must be someone behind the emperor, and that it was not just a simple person, but a capable person. He couldn't sleep or eat because he couldn't find out who it was.
The subordinate asked, "Your Majesty, should we send someone to Chanzhou to tell our people to stop the promotion of sweet potatoes?"
King Liang gave a meaningful smile. "No need. Let my good nephew do this job well. When Chanzhou is well governed, won't I reap the benefits? The better he governs the country, the easier it will be for me to govern once I ascend the throne. Just think of it as him working for me now."
Su Qin didn't know that she was being targeted again. She didn't go out for the past two days. After completing the preliminary preparations for the auction, she began to hibernate.
The heavy snow lasted for two days, and the entire Shangjing City was covered in white. After another two days, the snow on the roads was almost gone, and the auction began.
The invitations were sent out by the wife of Marquis Wuning long ago, and the auction was not held at the manor of Marquis Wuning as before. This time the auction was mostly targeted at the ladies and daughters of various families, so the auction was held in an elegant pavilion in the city.
This elegant pavilion is also the property of the Wuning Marquis Mansion. It was previously used by Wuning Marquis to receive literati and poets. Later, it was renovated according to Su Qin's suggestions. It is similar to the theater in Zhuangzi. A large stage was built on the first floor to facilitate the display of goods, but there were no seats prepared under the stage.
Those who can come today are all prominent figures, mostly ladies and young ladies, and they cannot be allowed to show their faces in the lobby for the auction.
This Accord has three floors, all of which are private rooms. Each room has a small window that is hidden but can clearly see the stands. Guests in the room can see the displayed goods through this small window.
The size and grade of the rooms are also arranged according to the level of official rank and status. The rooms on the first floor are the smallest and the interior is simply decorated. They are for the families of officials of the fifth rank and below. The private rooms on the second floor are larger and more exquisite. They are for the families of officials of the third to fourth rank.
The third floor is used to entertain people of the second rank and above, or people with titles or royal family members like Marquis Wuning. The rooms there are spacious and beautifully decorated. The maids in charge of the reception are all of good character and appearance found by Marquis Wuning according to Su Qin's instructions. After training, their every move and gesture is as decent as that of ladies from noble families.