Chapter 938 – The Rabbit and Yam Poison Scheme (Part Eleven)
“Are you not eating? I actually think it’s quite tasty, the flavor is nice. For the common people, food that fills their stomachs is good food. Concepts of lowliness or elegance are mere concerns of the wealthy heirs who were born into privilege and know nothing of hunger.”
His Majesty not only had a hearty appetite, consuming two servings, but also requested the royal chef to prepare a dish for the princess, Jiang Yan.
Wei Ci remembered clearly that as His Majesty grew older, his health declined daily, and he seldom had such a good appetite.
Now, in this time of peace, Yan’er must not forget the suffering their ancestors endured during chaotic times; they must always remember to be grateful and prioritize the welfare of the common people, thus honoring the blood and sacrifice of their forebears. Food knows no quality or rank; should His Majesty throw all the delicacies from the state banquet to the pigs in the pigsty, would they then be seen as lesser food unworthy of your consumption?
With just a few words, he not only smoothed over the malicious insults but also showcased his benevolent heart towards the people.
At the same time, she deftly avoided a bloody slaughter. If she hadn’t said this, anyone who had dealings with sweet potatoes and yams—be they foreign ministers, servants, royal chefs, or officials of this dynasty—could easily be accused of unfounded crimes, with the death penalty being inescapable.
If this were to escalate, at least two thousand lives could be lost.
The emperor’s dignity would not allow anyone to provoke!
Yet, His Majesty chose to be light-handed, even generously accepting the sweet potatoes and yams, prompting the royal chef to create various dishes using these ingredients. Once the people accepted them, they would be promoted nationwide. Who could have imagined that these two items could be so bountiful?
Thanks to them, Jiang Zhao had not faced a significant famine since then.
Having been reborn, seeing these two little things again made Wei Ci feel a rush of emotions.
Before he could gather his thoughts, he heard Gu Xin speaking.
“However, they aren’t popular locally; unless people are extremely hungry, they wouldn’t eat them, as they usually feed them to pigs.”
Jiang Pengji showed no change in expression and smiled, saying, “They taste good, and that’s what matters.”
Upon hearing this, Wei Ci’s expression softened further, and his smile grew.
His Majesty truly was still His Majesty.
No matter the time, her pure and unblemished essence had never changed.
Gu Xin chuckled bitterly, “The little master still has such an open-minded disposition; I haven’t finished my words yet.”
Jiang Pengji, drawn in by the audience’s talk about the roasted sweet potato flavor, asked curiously, “Is there anything else you want to say?”
“I brought them back for a reason. If it weren’t for this, I wouldn’t dare present such humble food to the little master,” Gu Xin’s thoughts were still quite conservative; one shouldn’t compete with livestock for food, it would be shameful to say that.
“Uncle Gu, I’m all ears.”
Gu Xin explained carefully, “They have a high yield, are easy to plant, and can withstand drought; people can eat them and fill their stomachs, making them suitable for farming families. However, upon further inquiry, the elder farmers mentioned that eating them alongside certain foods could cause adverse reactions, some severe enough to be fatal, so caution is advised. For example, persimmons, eggs, and river crabs—eating them together could lead to severe abdominal pain or worse.”
Jiang Pengji remarked, “You’re so meticulous, Uncle Gu; I might not have paid attention if it were me.”
Gu Xin smiled, saying, “The little master is being modest.”
After speaking, the sweet potatoes and yams were almost ready.
Jiang Pengji found a stick to poke them out of the fire.
“Hot, hot, hot—”
She burnt her fingertip a bit and raised her hand to her ear root to ease the pain.
As she peeled away the charred outer layer, revealing the fragrant golden flesh, her mouth watered even more.
She divided the roasted sweet potatoes and yams into several portions, sending some to Feng Zhen and Qi Guanrang, while the remaining ones were shared among the three in the tent.
“Uncle Gu is getting older; why not settle down and stop running the business?” Jiang Pengji sighed.
Gu Xin had traveled back and forth for business, encountering dangers more than once, nearly losing everything a few times.
He pondered the current state of the five nations and had to nod in agreement.
He was getting old; it was time to rest and enjoy retirement.
Jiang Pengji said, “I’ll take care of your retirement.”
“I also have filial sons and daughters; the little master cannot take away their desire to honor their father,” Gu Xin laughed heartily, sincerity shining in his eyes. “Hearing you say this truly leaves me with no regrets in this life, but there is one thing…”
“What is it?”
“The little master is already nineteen; come spring, you’ll be twenty. Forgive this old servant for overstepping, but you should consider your own matters.”
Surely, their little master was the best; no man in the world deserved her.
However, if the little master remained unmarried, how would she bear children?
Without descendants, Gu Xin wouldn’t be able to rest easy even in death.
“This matter isn’t urgent,” Jiang Pengji smiled. “Didn’t I say that female soldiers can only retire and marry after twenty-five? As their leader, my every word and action sets an example for them. I can’t break the rules myself; it’s still early.”
Jiang Pengji’s tone left no room for doubt, and Gu Xin could only yield.
As dusk fell, Gu Xin rose to take his leave.
Jiang Pengji bid farewell to Gu Xin and turned to Wei Ci beside her, saying, “Zixiao, did you hear Uncle Gu’s words just now?”
Wei Ci pressed his lips together, remaining silent.
“Sigh, it’s not that I don’t want to; it’s clearly that the other party isn’t agreeable. I can only wait it out for now.”
“Leader!” Wei Ci couldn’t help but interject.
“Don’t think I’m rambling; why not quickly submit, Zixiao?”
Wei Ci took a deep breath, hurriedly bowing to take his leave.
He had psychological shadows over “submitting”; it was better to leave quickly for safety.
Jiang Pengji stood there, shrugging at the audience in the live stream.
Host v: Look, I scared him off with a straightforward approach; after all, it’s better to simmer things slowly.
The audience now found their greatest joy in watching Jiang Pengji conquer realms, pursue Wei Ci, and outsmart her subordinates.
The progress on the first and last tasks steadily advanced, but the middle one still seemed a long way off.
Yixiali Starlight: I genuinely feel sorry for the host, what kind of攻略（strategy）difficulty did she run into? Hell mode, possibly?
Withering into Dust: Totally! It seems like conquering Zimei’s beauty is tougher for the host than taking over realms.
So painful, old bro.
Jiang Pengji stationed troops at the Chongzhou border, practicing daily to intimidate the Northern Border.
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, signaling an imminent battle.
Sun Wen lived up to his earlier boasts, indeed manipulating the political landscape of the Northern Border effortlessly.
With the “Hunting and Deer Shooting” and “Zhe Ying’s Death” events, the rift among the nine princes and the Northern Border King finally came to light.
The Northern Border had a tradition of autumn hunting to maintain their inherent fierceness.
Deeply influenced by the Han family’s deer hunting culture, the Northern Border King also upheld hunting to assert his supreme status in the Northern Border.
During this year’s autumn hunt, the most prized deer was killed by the Eldest Prince.
Yet, the arrow that slew the prized deer belonged to the Second Prince.
The Northern Border King was enraged, nearly losing his beard in fury, sternly investigating and rebuking his two sons, only to conclude that it was the Third Prince’s handiwork.
“The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind! You’ve ingrained Han culture well enough, using it against your own blood brothers!”
Nearby, the Fourth Prince flashed a gleam of brilliance in his eyes.
Halencha’s trusted advisor was indeed a rare talent!
