Chapter 230

Chapter 230

It was evident that Lord Wen held the potatoes in high regard. This tenant-farmed land was situated at the westernmost edge, closest to the river.

Though the soil showed some dry cracks, it was significantly better than other plots, and its proximity to the water source made irrigation convenient.

The following day, Wang Ying instructed two subordinates to lead dozens of tenant farmers in tilling and fertilizing the land. Simple plant ash sufficed as fertilizer, as potatoes are not particularly demanding of soil; even basic fertilization could enhance their yield and quality.

The batch of potatoes in the experimental field had matured, having grown at five times the normal rate and ripening in just three days. They were perfectly suited for use as seeds.

Wang Ying arranged for the potatoes to be transported to the field. The farmers, gathered around the cart, scratched their heads in bewilderment. Having farmed for most of their lives, this was their first encounter with such a crop, and they were at a loss as to how to proceed.

Wang Ying began instructing them on potato cultivation. While seemingly simple, potatoes are not entirely straightforward; the most crucial steps involve breeding and virus elimination.

Potatoes are susceptible to accumulating pests and diseases during reproduction, leading to genetic degradation and reduced quality, making virus elimination technology especially vital.

Virus-free potato seeds exhibit characteristics such as a short dormancy period, early sprouting, rapid growth, concentrated tuber formation, and superior quality.

The initial step was cutting the potatoes into pieces. The farmers, holding the small knives they had been given, hesitated, unsure how to begin.

Wang Ying demonstrated first: "Select potatoes with prominent 'eyes' and cut them into pieces approximately two *cun* in size."

The cut potato pieces then required rinsing with water, drying, and burying in sandy soil to encourage sprouting. As it was already late July, despite the delayed planting, the favorable temperature meant sprouts emerged in roughly two days.

Once the potato sprouts reached about six to seven centimeters, they were dug up and planted. The furrow sowing method was generally employed, with a sowing depth of 6-8 centimeters. After sowing, the soil was covered and compacted.

After the seedlings had fully emerged, a second round of fertilization was carried out, primarily using farmyard manure. Prompt irrigation followed to maintain soil moisture.

By the time this extensive work was completed, it was already August. Still, not a single drop of rain had fallen. The prefectural river in the capital's outskirts had dried up, but at least the potatoes had been planted.

This marked Wang Ying's first time farming outdoors since leaving Chen Village years ago. Unlike the controlled environment of the experimental field, outdoor conditions offered no control over temperature, humidity, or various pests and diseases. Coupled with the slightly late planting, Wang Ying felt a profound sense of uncertainty.

Every day, from dawn till dusk, Wang Ying worked alongside the farmers, meticulously recording data in the fields. The sun tanned his skin dark, as if he had been transported back to his previous life in the experimental field.

Fortunately, with diligent care, the potatoes bloomed on schedule.

*

By late September, news of widespread harvest failures began to arrive from the six northern provinces.

Tax revenues from the south amounted to less than a third of previous years, and the tax vouchers issued by the Ministry of Revenue had little impact. In the capital, the price of a *dou* of rice had soared to three hundred *wen*, and it seemed the common people would soon face starvation.

Adding to the crisis, the Prince of Zhennan was growing restive, reportedly amassing troops in Yongzhou.

The court faced an unprecedented crisis. Emperor Wuping lay awake night after night, consumed by worry. He issued seven or eight decrees in quick succession, summoning the Prince of Zhennan back to the capital. However, the prince consistently pleaded illness and refused to return, indirectly confirming his rebellious intentions.

This was hardly an opportune moment for war. Just a few years prior, the conflict with the Turkic had nearly depleted the national treasury. If war broke out now, there might not even be enough provisions for the army. A civil war would displace tens of millions of people, leading to widespread famine or death on the battlefield...

At this critical juncture, the often-overlooked provinces of Shanzhou, Liangzhou, and Xizhou delivered life-saving grain.

Over the past few years, Wang Ying’s composting techniques had spread by word of mouth throughout the northwest. Combined with the promotion of new wheat varieties, grain production in the traditionally scarce northwest had steadily increased.

Furthermore, the drought had minimal impact on the northwest, where rainfall was already sparse. Irrigation primarily relied on meltwater from snow-capped mountains, so this year’s harvest was comparable to previous years.

Together, these provinces purchased 1.8 million *dan* worth of tax vouchers, providing the court with much-needed immediate relief!

Concurrently, good news arrived from the Ministry of Agriculture: the potatoes were almost ready for harvest!

A week earlier, Wang Ying had already instructed the tenant farmers to press down the potato vines. This process involved using a roller to flatten the plants a week before harvest, causing slight damage that redirected nutrients from the stems and leaves to the tubers, thereby promoting ripening and increasing yield.

Since the potatoes were planted later than usual this year, pressing the vines was essential. Under normal planting conditions, simply cutting the vines would suffice.

Early in the morning, Wang Ying rose, changed into short work clothes and tight-legged boots, and neatly tied his hair back. With a straw hat on, he looked indistinguishable from the farmers in the fields.

Chen Qingyan, curious about his attire, inquired, "Are you going to work in the fields again today?"

"Today we harvest the potatoes. I need to dig them up myself."

"Are the potatoes ready?"

Wang Ying nodded. "I dug up one plant yesterday. The potatoes are already fist-sized. After the frost, they won’t grow much more. We pressed the vines a while ago, so it’s best to harvest early to prevent frost damage."

After breakfast, the couple each took their carriages to work.

Wang Ying had just finished signing in and was about to head to his office when he encountered the Minister of Agriculture. "Wang Ying, you’re here early today."

Wang Ying stepped forward and said, "Greetings, sir. The potatoes in the field are ripe. We’re harvesting them today, so I need to go oversee it."

"Oh? I’ll try to stop by and take a look when I have time." With that, the minister hurried off to attend the morning court session.

Around 7–9 a.m., Wang Ying took a carriage from the Ministry of Agriculture to the tenant-farmed land. Yang Zhi, along with over thirty tenant farmers, was already waiting in the field, equipped with tools like rakes for digging and ox-drawn plows for tilling.

The weather was clear and pleasant—a perfect day for harvest.

Yang Zhi stepped forward and said, "Magistrate Wang, everything you requested has been prepared. Shall we begin?"

"Let me take a look first." Wang Ying put on his homemade gloves and walked into the field. He pulled up a withered potato plant, and since the soil was loose, three or four fist-sized potatoes came up with it.

The potatoes were intact, free of insect holes, uniform in size, and firm in texture. A gentle rub on the earthy-yellow skin revealed the fresh flesh inside.

Truly a top-tier potato variety from the future—even when cultivated in ancient times with the most primitive methods, it still yielded excellent results.

"Let’s begin the harvest. Start by pulling up the vines."

"Yes, sir." The tenant farmers divided into several teams and began pulling up the potato vines along the ridges.

Wang Ying joined in the work. After all the effort, the joy of harvest invigorated everyone.

Around 9–11 a.m., more people gradually arrived at the edge of the field. They were officials from the Ministry of Agriculture—some came to observe the potato harvest, while others, like Zang Mingsheng and his group, came to mock. "Potatoes" or "earth beans"—they had never heard of such things. Claiming they could be a staple food? Utter nonsense.

"If you ask me, Magistrate Wang does possess some skill in farming, but developing new crops? That’s pushing it. The land beneath our feet has grown the same crops for over a thousand years. It’s not something he can change just by saying so."

Someone nearby chimed in, "Exactly. And these potatoes look like rocks—they probably don’t taste very good. Could they be something like ‘Guanyin clay’?"

In earlier years during disasters, when people had nothing to eat, they would resort to eating clay. One type of white clay was called "Guanyin clay." Because it was more palatable than other types of soil, famine victims would eat it to stave off hunger. But clay is still clay—it cannot truly be considered food. In the end, it would accumulate in their stomachs, unable to be digested, and people would die from being literally "full" of clay.

Yu Xin retorted, "I’ve already tasted these potatoes. They are not clay. Their flavor is somewhat similar to cassava, but the texture is finer. They are quite suitable for filling one’s stomach."

"I’ve noticed that you, Lord Yu, seem particularly close to Magistrate Wang. Even if you admire him, you should exercise some restraint. After all, he’s a married man."

"What nonsense are you spouting?!"

Zang Mingsheng smirked and said, "Don’t be angry. I’m just reminding you, that’s all."

"Unbelievable!" Yu Xin’s face flushed crimson with anger. He flicked his sleeves and turned to leave.

With many hands making light work, it wasn’t long before half the vines in the field were pulled up. Each plant yielded four or five potatoes, and the harvest looked quite promising.

An elderly senior clerk stroked his beard and remarked, "It seems the yield per *mu* could be around two to three *dan*, which is quite decent."

Zang Mingsheng immediately interjected, "Two to three *dan* is worse than planting millet. Who knows if this crop might get diseased?"

The old chief clerk kept his thoughts to himself, sensing that this young Lord Wang had more up his sleeve.

At around nine forty-five, a carriage drawn by four horses arrived from the capital, followed by dozens of cavalrymen, and behind them were the carriages of many officials, both civil and military.

The visitor was none other than the current Emperor Wuping.

He had come because during the morning court session, the Minister of Agriculture had mentioned to the emperor that the potatoes had matured. The emperor, curious and concerned—since the grain from the northwest had only temporarily alleviated the immediate crisis, while next spring remained a significant problem—had placed great hopes on these potatoes.

After court, Emperor Wuping decided to bring the civil and military officials out of the city to inspect the leased fields.

Along the way, seeing the parched land, Emperor Wuping couldn't help but sigh. He was not an emperor out of touch with farming; in his youth, his father, the previous emperor, had been very strict with his children, requiring them not only to study both scholarly and martial arts but also to learn about farming. He had even worked the fields with his father.

He still remembered his father holding seeds and asking them, "Do you know what is the people’s heaven?"

Emperor Wuping had replied, "Imperial power is the people’s heaven."

His father shook his head sternly and said, "Food is the people’s heaven. Only when the people are well-fed can the throne be secure. If the people go hungry, chaos will arise. Whoever can feed the common people is their heaven."

At the time, he had nodded, only half-understanding. Now that he was older, he understood more deeply how crucial food was to the people.

Weighed down by troubles at home and abroad, the emperor, already over fifty, felt exhausted. Leaning on the soft cushion, he sighed deeply, "Father, it's truly difficult to be a wise emperor..."

The carriage slowly came to a stop. "Your Majesty, we have arrived."

Emperor Wuping straightened up, tidied his clothes, and stepped down from the carriage. The Ministry of Agriculture officials, surprised by the emperor’s sudden arrival, hurriedly knelt and kowtowed.

Emperor Wuping raised his hand. "Rise, all of you. How goes the potato harvest?"

The Minister of Agriculture stepped forward and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Wang Ying is leading the workers in the fields."

The emperor looked out and saw piles of potatoes in the field, curious. Was this the food the Minister of Agriculture had said could serve as a staple? The yield did not seem particularly high, far from what he had imagined.

Unaware of the emperor’s arrival, Wang Ying and the dozens of workers were still bent over in the fields, pulling up the vines. They were almost done and would soon begin digging up the potatoes.

After fitting the plow to the ox, Wang Ying demonstrated, "Pay attention to the depth and position when plowing. Don’t cut the potatoes."

"Yes," they replied. With limited oxen and plows, most of the others used hoes and rakes to dig out the potatoes.

As more and more potatoes were unearthed, those standing at a distance widened their eyes in astonishment. How could there still be so many potatoes in the ground?!