Chapter 232: Roasted Sweet Potato

Chapter 232 Baked Sweet Potatoes

On the twenty-sixth day of the fourth month of the first year of Zhaoxin, after nearly ten months of voyaging, the first seafaring fleet of Great Yu returned to Tianjin Port, where it had originally set sail, following a resupply in Champa.

Alongside Great Yu’s multi-story ships, warships, and supply vessels, the fleet was also accompanied by numerous tribute-bearing ships from smaller nations and merchant vessels.

On the day the fleet entered the harbor, the docks of Tianjin Port were packed with crowds. Countless people gathered along the long embankment to witness the rare and magnificent spectacle.

The officials of the Tianjin Prefecture office and the post stations were overwhelmed with work. Clerks borrowed from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial in the capital bustled about, registering the identities of foreign envoys and merchants arriving in Great Yu, issuing temporary identity permits to those who qualified, and forbidding those who did not from disembarking.

This was a policy insisted upon by both Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse—all foreigners coming to Great Yu must have their identities registered, with their conduct and behavior recorded to accumulate a merit score.

Once a foreigner’s merit score reached a certain level, and their wealth and duration of stay in Great Yu met the standards, their temporary permit could be upgraded to a three-year or five-year residency permit. The highest tier even granted an unlimited Residency Permit.

With the improvement of their status, these overseas visitors could enjoy more favorable trade terms, higher purchasing quotas, and looser regulations in Great Yu. This filled every foreigner arriving in Great Yu with an eagerness to compete.

When Qiu Huanian first proposed the rudiments of this policy, he muttered terms like "visa" and "green card." The Vice-Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, who was on duty in Tianjin Prefecture, didn’t understand these words and paid them no mind.

Instead, he stared at the County Princess Qi Shu with shining eyes, repeatedly praising her and nearly declaring her his lifelong confidant on the spot—until Prefectural Magistrate Du coughed heavily to restrain his enthusiasm.

"The County Princess is absolutely right," the Vice-Minister said excitedly. "Just because we are the Celestial Dynasty, why must we endlessly lavish benefits on them? Whose wealth isn’t earned through the hard work of our people? We must set conditions and judge them by their actions—those who perform well can cooperate with us, and those who don’t should leave as soon as possible!"

The more he spoke, the more impassioned he became. Clearly, Great Yu’s previous tributary policy—where foreign envoys would present a cart of wood and receive ten carts of silk in return, all in the name of demonstrating imperial magnanimity—had long been a point of contention for him.

Qiu Huanian agreed with his stance and encouraged him to boldly experiment, urging him to propose any good ideas he had. In the age of great voyages and colonization, driven by profits thousands of times greater, the moral bottom lines of countless nations had plummeted. While Great Yu would not stoop to barbarism, it also shouldn’t play the role of a naive pushover.

The returning fleet would rest in Tianjin Port for seven days, taking inventory of crew and cargo and handling various official business. After that, they would proceed to the capital with envoys and tribute documents from numerous Southeast Asian nations to report their experiences and gains to the emperor.

The fleet carried thousands of people, who disembarked in batches and gathered at the docks before being sorted and led away. From a high vantage point, they looked like a swarm of busy ants.

Qiu Huanian stood on his tiptoes, straining to see, but it was impossible to pick out individual faces among so many. Du Yunse, knowing what he was searching for, said quietly, "He might not even look the same. Let’s wait at home."

Qiu Huanian understood this well. Mei Wangshu was a master of disguise. Previously, he hadn’t used it to solve his identity issues because Great Yu’s household registration system was strict, and the emperor was conducting thorough investigations, making it difficult to fabricate a background. But now, after this voyage, he had a legitimate new identity and would surely adopt a new face through disguise.

Finding a disguised man in a sea of people was like finding a needle in a haystack. Qiu Huanian could only wait for Mei Wangshu to seek him out himself.

With a sigh, Qiu Huanian turned his attention to the newly compiled lists of tribute from various nations to distract himself.

His gaze swept past tributes like "qilin," "phoenixes," and "dragon-pigs"—likely giraffes, peacocks, and Malayan tapir—before suddenly stopping on one page.

"Where are the envoys from this country? Prepare them—I wish to meet them."

A clerk from the post station glanced at the list and looked surprised. "They’re envoys from Champa. Champa was nearly wiped out by Annam—they couldn’t even provide a decent ship. This time, they secured passage on one of Great Yu's ships to bring tribute."

"These people insisted that once the County Princess saw their tribute list, she would summon them. I didn’t believe it at first, so I had them follow the standard registration process and sent them to the post station to rest. If the County Princess wishes to see them now, I’ll fetch them immediately."

Qiu Huanian, having regained his composure, said, "The voyage was arduous. Since they’ve already settled in, let them rest for a day first. But send some people to guard their tribute—ensure nothing is damaged."

Du Yunse, who had been reviewing state documents on the other side of the hall, looked up from his busy work. "What is it that has Hua-ge so excited?"

Qiu Huanian’s eyes gleamed. *Champa rice!* Dozens of bags of carefully selected high-quality seeds and over a thousand seedlings!

Du Yunse froze for a moment before sharing Qiu Huanian’s excitement.

The term *Champa rice* was something Qiu Huanian had mentioned many times, so Du Yunse knew exactly what it was and understood its value and significance.

Qiu Huanian only knew that Champa rice originated from Champa but lacked finer details, so he had merely instructed the fleet to search for it without certainty of success. Now, Champa had voluntarily presented such a large quantity of high-quality seeds and seedlings—it was an unexpected windfall.

"It’s only the fourth month—there’s still time to plant rice in the south. Champa rice isn’t picky about water or fertilizer, and its maturation period is shorter than Great Yu’s native rice. Some varieties can mature in just sixty or seventy days, allowing for double cropping!"

Qiu Huanian quickly calculated, "After promoting the Champa rice, Great Yu's rice production could increase by at least fifty percent, fifty percent..."

What could this fifty percent increase feed? How many more people could it sustain? How many more armies could it support? How much more territory could it be used to expand?

All the officials in the hall who heard their conversation unconsciously held their breath, their minds flooded with countless visions.

County Princess Qishu truly lived up to her reputation as the reincarnation of the Grain Star! As long as he was present, Great Yu's land would yield endlessly abundant crops.

Du Yunse sifted through the stack of diplomatic correspondence on the desk, found Champa's, and quickly skimmed it before raising an eyebrow.

"What is it?"

"Last year, Champa's capital was breached by Annam. The king, princes, and princesses were slaughtered, and they lost sixty to seventy percent of their territory. Now, Prince Chengsong, the deceased king's youngest son, has been proclaimed king, with Princess Yu Cao, the deceased king's daughter, serving as regent."

"In the diplomatic correspondence, Princess Yu Cao states that Champa is willing to become a vassal state of Great Yu, administered through a Great Yu protectorate. She requests Great Yu to send troops to attack Annam, help Champa reclaim its lost lands, and avenge her family."

After hearing what had happened in Champa, Qiu Huanian felt profound admiration. The world was full of intricate and dramatic real-life stories. Young as she was, Princess Yu Cao was resolute and bold—she was bound to become a significant figure in time.

"Helping Champa fight Annam—is this feasible?" Qiu Huanian stroked his chin.

Du Yunse stood up and examined the massive nautical chart hanging in the hall, speaking calmly, "Champa's location is excellent, with a long coastline—it's a prized maritime hub."

His gaze shifted slightly upward, from Champa to Annam. "Annam was originally a territory of China in the previous dynasty, but later rebelled, not only establishing its own kingdom but also repeatedly invading Great Yu's borders, occupying Huế and Đà Nẵng."

Du Yunse's tone was matter-of-fact, but everyone listening understood—this was an endorsement for military action.

"Subjugating the rebellious" had been a perfectly legitimate justification for war since ancient times in China. Upon closer analysis, it was somewhat of a blanket justification, even a hegemonic pretext. As long as one claimed the other had rebellious intentions, war could be waged without needing further justification—subjugating the rebellious was the most orthodox casus belli.

However, as a stable agricultural civilization, China historically rarely initiated wars without provocation. Usually, it was only after smaller states provoked conflict that the banner of "subjugating the rebellious" was raised to teach them a lesson.

Du Yunse supported aiding Champa in attacking Annam not just for the sake of subjugating the rebellious, but also because he recognized Champa's strategic location—and, of course, in consideration of the Champa rice.

For Great Yu, Champa's internal strife and power struggles among its nobility were trivial matters. As long as Princess Yu Cao's diplomatic correspondence existed, Great Yu possessed legitimate authority. After defeating Annam and establishing the Champa Protectorate, no one else's consent would be needed.

Having made up his mind, Du Yunse began drafting a memorial to Emperor Zhaoxin. Sending troops to Annam was a matter of national importance and would require discussion in court council before the emperor made the final decision.

Du Yunse was confident. He understood Emperor Zhaoxin's ambition and leadership style—how could one suffer rivals at their doorstep? If Great Yu was to expand maritime trade, the Champa Protectorate was inevitable.

Not just Champa—if given the chance, Emperor Zhaoxin would surely want to restore Annam as the Annam Protectorate, just as it had been in the previous dynasty.

...

Qiu Huanian spent most of the day at the port before receiving a message from Zhu Jingcheng, inviting him to his home for a gathering.

Zhu Jingcheng's status was part-official, part-merchant, being one of County Princess Qishu's envoys. His management was less stringent, so after disembarking and giving a few instructions, he immediately rushed home to see his beloved family.

Now, after bathing, resting, and enjoying a hearty meal, after briefly enjoying domestic bliss, he finally remembered the important matter at hand.

Qiu Huanian recalled Zhu Jingcheng's previous letter mentioning that he had made some discoveries and might bring back a big surprise, so he couldn't help but feel eager.

Qiu Huanian visited the Zhu family residence often and knew the way well. The gatekeeper, recognizing the familiar carriage, removed the gate barrier, allowing the carriage to proceed all the way to the inner gate before stopping.

As soon as Qiu Huanian lifted the carriage curtain after it halted, he caught a whiff of a nostalgic, long-missed aroma from the courtyard and froze for a moment.

Xing Mi jumped down from the carriage, taking a deep breath. "It smells amazing! What are they roasting? Why is it so sweet and fragrant?"

Su Xinbai and Zhu Jingcheng came out to greet them. Little Raccoon was cradled in his father's arms, holding a red-skinned, yellow-fleshed food wrapped in oiled paper, its aroma impossible to ignore.

Qiu Huanian exhaled, shifting his gaze from Little Raccoon's hands to Zhu Jingcheng. "What is this?"

"A tuber similar to taro, called 'sweet potato' by overseas Chinese. Though not as good as the potatoes you mentioned, it can yield nearly three thousand pounds per acre and grows in any soil without displacing grain crops."

After explaining, Zhu Jingcheng sighed. "Now I finally understand why you were so determined to search for overseas crops. With more high-yield grains like this, Great Yu will never face famine again."

This sea voyage, traversing vast waters, had exposed Zhu Jingcheng to countless foreign customs, expanding his horizons. Now, he no longer saw just his own family but the entire world in which the Yu Dynasty existed.

Qiu Huanian accepted the sweet potato Little Raccoon generously offered to his godfather. Looking at this delicacy—what in another world would be called a baked sweet potato—he smiled sincerely. "Cotton, sugar beets, fruit trees, Champa rice, sweet potatoes... Yes, with more of these, the future will surely be free of famine."