Chapter 125
Ming Yu clapped his hands, and palace attendants promptly presented trays carrying prepared watermelon and corn. The crowd focused their gaze— the watermelon was a brilliant shade of emerald green, translucent like jade, while the golden-yellow corn, which they had never seen before, shone brightly.
These items had come from the west. While a few had encountered watermelon before, the majority had no knowledge of these foods at all.
Prime Minister Wen was also quite curious. He had once been fortunate enough to taste watermelon, finding it sweet, crisp, and juicy—very much to his liking. He now wondered if this so-called “corn” that Ming Yu had presented would be just as delightful.
“What exactly is this ‘corn,’ and how is it used?” Prime Minister Wen asked.
The emperor nodded toward Ming Yu, signaling for him to proceed. Now, it was up to Ming Yu to showcase his knowledge.
Ming Yu had already prepared for this moment. He explained the origins of corn in detail.
Upon hearing that it came from lands far to the west, curiosity spread among the gathered officials. They had only ever heard of the many small kingdoms in the Western Regions, which, in their understanding, were already unimaginably distant.
But according to Ming Yu, there were lands even farther away, places where the customs and traditions were completely different from those of the Central Plains. The people there lived in distinct environments, and naturally, their crops and resources differed as well.
This only further highlighted how rare and valuable this item was. However, looking at it from another angle, who besides Ming Yu would bother paying attention to crops growing in distant lands? If it were anyone else, they would likely have ignored such things even if placed right before their eyes. Who would go out of their way to collect and trade for seeds of unfamiliar plants?
“You mustn’t underestimate this crop,” Ming Yu said. “It has a high yield and can serve as a staple food. Moreover, it is easy to cultivate and can thrive even in arid and barren lands. This means that many places previously unsuitable for grain production can now be put to use. If the government promotes its cultivation nationwide, the people of the Great Yan will have an additional food source. That can only be a good thing, wouldn’t you agree?”
The Minister of Revenue was skeptical. “If this is a newly introduced crop from the west, how is Duan Wang so familiar with its properties? There has been no prior cultivation of it in the Great Yan, so how can you be certain it will adapt to our soil and climate? You must know that oranges grown in the south remain oranges, but when planted in the north, they become trifoliate oranges. Every plant has its own unique characteristics—it is not as simple as Wang Ye makes it out to be.”
Ming Yu would not have made such claims without confidence. Corn had long been widely cultivated in later generations, with countless farmers growing it. He had drawn upon his knowledge of future agricultural developments before making his assertions.
Ming Yu smiled politely at the Minister of Revenue. “Of course, I conducted experiments before introducing it.”
“Experiments?” Assistant Minister Zou Chang frowned. “What kind of experiments? Are you telling me that in such a short time, you’ve managed to plant this crop across different regions? Otherwise, how could you possibly understand its growing conditions in various climates?”
Impossible! Even putting aside the issue of growth cycles, how many seeds could a single trading caravan bring back? And how much land could they possibly cultivate with those few seeds?
The Ministry of Revenue oversaw household registrations and agricultural land—the empire’s grain supply was a critical matter of national stability. If Duan Wang wanted to focus on trade, no one would stop him. But meddling in farming? That was absurd.
Ming Yu scoffed impatiently. “What’s so difficult about that? I can make flowers bloom in winter, and I can grow pears on a peach tree—do you believe me or not?”
Zou Chang thought Ming Yu was deliberately being ridiculous to mock him. He was furious and snapped, “Utter nonsense!”
Farmers followed the natural cycles of the seasons—who didn’t know that autumn was for harvesting and winter was for storage, while spring brought blossoms and autumn bore fruit? Winter blooming and fruit-bearing? Ridiculous! What an ignorant child. Did Ming Yu really think that spouting nonsense would make people believe him? Did he take everyone present for fools?
The gathered officials laughed at him. What could Duan Wang possibly know? He didn’t even understand the basics of the four seasons or distinguish between the five grains. What reliable insight could they expect from him?
Ming Yu was speechless. Just because they had never seen it before, and didn’t believe it, didn’t mean it wasn’t real! Even if he explained, they wouldn’t understand—summer insects could never comprehend ice. He truly had no words.
As the saying went, “You can never wake those who pretend to sleep.” What else could he do? He would simply wait until the future to prove them all wrong with undeniable facts.
“I believe him!” a voice rang out—it was the Crown Prince, Ming Ye, who openly voiced his support for Ming Yu.
Then, another cold voice followed, “I also believe in Wang Ye.”
Ming Yu stood at the center of attention, unfazed by the ridicule. When he heard the two familiar voices, he couldn’t help but smile.
One was the Crown Prince. After learning about corn’s characteristics from Ming Yu, he had immediately recognized its potential. If this crop were promoted throughout the Great Yan, it would bring about a historic transformation.
He had initially intended to personally test its cultivation but ultimately abandoned the idea. However, he had still set aside a small plot in his backyard for planting corn—he wanted to see for himself whether it was truly as Ming Yu described.
For this, Ming Ye had even personally sought guidance from Ming Yu, who had provided thorough explanations, detailing every stage of the growing process and recording its progress. His descriptions were so meticulous that it was evident he had invested significant effort into the matter. That was why Ming Ye believed him.
The other voice came from Xie Yixiu. Everyone knew that Xie Yixiu was aloof and distant, carrying an air of unapproachable coldness. Yet today, he had spoken up in support of Duan Wang.
Xie Yixiu naturally chose to trust Ming Yu unconditionally. After all, back when he was stationed at the border, he had often seen Ming Yu toiling away in that so-called greenhouse—turning the soil, watering the plants, and personally guiding the farmers on how to tend to the crops. He would often end up covered in dirt, all for the sake of growing this particular plant.
Xie Yixiu had witnessed Ming Yu’s efforts firsthand. He didn’t want this young man to be misunderstood and ridiculed by everyone. Ming Yu stood there, shining so brightly. His hard-earned results deserved to be recognized.
The greenhouse Ming Yu built with his own hands remained as warm as spring, even in the bitter cold of winter. Inside, the plants thrived, blooming and bearing fruit—this was a fact. If not for that greenhouse, neither watermelons nor corn should have been able to exist here at this time of year.
No one had expected someone to speak up in support of Ming Yu. But when they saw who it was, they quickly fell silent. It was the Crown Prince himself, and in an occasion like this, no one would be foolish enough to go against him.
The Third Prince smiled slightly and said, “I have never seen such a marvelous sight as Fourteenth Brother describes. But since he says it is possible, then perhaps it is. Why must everyone be so insistent on this matter?”
His words offered everyone a graceful way out of the situation, and they were about to agree when Ming Yu simply shook his head and said, “Tsk, tsk! Just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. You’re just ignorant and inexperienced.”
The Third Prince frowned, but before he could speak, the Minister of Revenue chuckled and said, “Everyone knows that Duan Wang has the people’s best interests at heart. However, this matter is of great importance and cannot be treated lightly. If the government were to promote this crop without understanding it, the drawbacks would be significant. First, we do not know how to cultivate it, nor do we understand its growth patterns. If the common people were to plant it blindly, it would be inappropriate. Second, the government’s policies vary from region to region. If some officials were to enforce its cultivation strictly, would that mean forcing farmers to abandon their familiar crops like wheat, millet, and rice to grow corn instead? That would only lead to widespread complaints. By then, it would be too late to regret it.”
“Indeed! Lord Lin is absolutely right,” Zou Chang nodded in agreement.
These matters were the responsibility of the Ministry of Revenue. Duan Wang might speak easily, but the actual implementation was another story. It required consideration of every aspect, as well as the long-term consequences.
If this crop proved beneficial, then there would be no issue. But if it turned out to be harmful, the ones who would suffer would be them.
Minister Lin of the Ministry of Revenue had earned his position through his exceptional abilities. His analysis was precise and logical. He wasn’t targeting Duan Wang personally; he was simply being thorough and addressing the matter objectively.
Everyone found his words reasonable. National governance and the livelihood of the people were not matters to be taken lightly. Duan Wang should just focus on managing his fief in Liangzhou properly—there was no need for him to concern himself with anything beyond that.
The Emperor remained silent, watching Ming Yu with a smile, waiting to see how he would respond.
Ming Yu appeared completely at ease. He even clapped his hands and agreed, “Lord Lin is right. I was merely making a suggestion. I say that corn is a good crop, but others have never seen it, so naturally, they don’t know.”
His words seemed like a concession, and Zou Chang sighed in relief. He had feared that Duan Wang would stubbornly insist on having the Emperor promote corn nationwide. This year had already been difficult, and they were hoping for favorable weather so that the southern harvests could proceed smoothly. That way, the Ministry of Revenue’s tax revenue could improve, easing the financial strain. But if Ming Yu were to act recklessly, the consequences would be unpredictable.
Just as he was thinking this, he heard Ming Yu laugh and say, “Right now, I don’t have many corn seeds in my possession, so it’s impossible to plant them across the entire Great Yan. It’s already quite good if I can ensure that the people of Liangzhou benefit. So, for now, my promotion efforts will be limited to Liangzhou. As for other regions, I haven’t made any plans yet. Even if corn were to be introduced nationwide, it wouldn’t happen overnight.”
“In fact, when it comes down to it, a good thing doesn’t need government promotion. The people will naturally adopt it on their own. Once they see its benefits, it will spread naturally without anyone needing to say much.”
His words made sense, and everyone had to admit it. Since Ming Yu was only experimenting within his own territory, there was no need for them to worry too much. It was none of their business, after all. They only pitied the people of Liangzhou, who had such a ruler—it was hard to tell whether they should laugh or cry.
In truth, Ming Yu was thinking about how, in later generations, crops like corn had been introduced to the Central Plains by diligent farmers who spread them generation after generation.
All he was doing was giving a little push. With him here, the appearance of corn was already a miracle. He was confident that he could accelerate its adoption.
Liangzhou was barren, its people impoverished. Crop yields were poor, and they also had to defend against barbarian invasions and raids, making life extremely difficult.
By introducing corn to Liangzhou, he was giving the people another source of food. Having something was always better than having nothing.
“This is a good approach,” Prime Minister Wen said in agreement. “Let Liangzhou serve as a trial. If the harvest there proves bountiful, then other regions should have no problems either. There’s no need for the government to promote it—people will naturally recognize its value. There’s no need for us to interfere.”
Since the Prime Minister had spoken, what else could the others say?
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