Chapter 465: A Long-Lasting Famine in China

"The imperial decree will be officially drafted and issued shortly, and it will be announced to the world. After the beginning of the year and when all government offices resume work, you can formall...Chapter 465: China Has Suffered From a Severe Famine for a Long Time

Whether Li Keshou was deliberately putting on a show for Li Chen or if he truly kept watch over the sweet potato field day and night, as long as the sweet potato experiment was successful, Li Chen would be satisfied with Li Keshou's performance.

"Get up, no need for formalities."

Li Chen, along with the cautious Li Ke Shou and Zheng Bao Rong who still harbored many doubts but vaguely sensed that something important was about to happen, plunged straight into the makeshift greenhouse.

Here, more than ten farmers are carefully tending to the sweet potatoes.

Compared to when they were first planted, looking sparse and pitiful, the greenhouse is now lush and vibrant. It's completely covered in a sea of vibrant green sweet potato leaves.

Li Chen was overjoyed when he saw this.

Yes, it was exactly the same as the sweet potatoes he had seen in the fields of his hometown in his past life.

"Your Highness, all these sweet potatoes are ripe now."

Li Ke Shou said excitedly, “According to our measurements, there are at least four or five fruits under each sweet potato plant, and some have as many as eight or nine, even over ten. And each fruit is as big as a grown man’s fist. The yield is astonishing, Your Highness!”

Li Chen, hearing this, felt even more delighted. He squatted down and pulled a red sweet potato directly out of the pit.

Turning over the soil, a large, enticing sweet potato hangs above. Although covered in dirt, it looks dull and grimy, but to Li Chen's eyes, it is more dazzling than gold.

"Bring the knife."

Li Chen reached out his hand, and someone immediately handed him a dagger. He slashed open a sweet potato, revealing the stark contrast between its snow-white flesh and the dark, muddy soil. Li Chen didn't mind getting dirty; he took a bite directly from it.

The entrance is sweet, because it is completely artificially cared for, with no later fertilizers, pesticides or other residues. This taste is much better than the sweet potatoes Li Chen has eaten in later generations.

"Very good, indeed!"

Li Chen burst into laughter, tossing the other half of the sweet potato to Zheng Baorong and saying, "Try this."

Zheng Bao Rong was dumbfounded, caught off guard, he took the half sweet potato.

Even the Crown Prince had eaten it, he didn't dare find the outside soil unclean. After thanking him immediately, he carefully took a bite.

To be honest, the taste of sweet potatoes is naturally not as good as fruits, but the problem lies in its yield.

The heavy sweet potato in my hand is just one among many from a common plant.

This plot of land isn't very big, but if every sweet potato yielded this much, it would be astonishing!

Zheng Baorong thought about it carefully, and only felt a chill run down his spine.

"This, is the crop that this palace intends to promote first in the capital and Zhili Prefecture, sweet potatoes."

Li Chen officially solved the puzzle and said, "Sweet potatoes can be planted twice a year, with good seasons. They can be harvested three times, with yields eight to nine times higher per mu than wheat!"

And this thing, can be eaten raw directly, can also be roasted, boiled, and even ground into powder. After drying and other processes, it can be made into noodles, a perfect substitute for wheat.

Pointing to the ground full of sweet potatoes, Li Chen said to Zheng Baorong: "This thing is the top priority during your term. When spring plowing begins, at least half of the fields under the jurisdiction of the capital city must be planted with this."

Zheng Baorong's eyes widened, her heart pounded in her chest, and her mouth felt dry.

He fully realized that what lay before him was a veritable treasure trove!

For millennia, China has suffered from droughts and famines.

Throughout history, how many times have families resorted to cannibalism due to famine How many instances of starvation and widespread death have occurred How many dynasties have collapsed because of hunger! The people couldn't survive without food!

This thing right here, it may not be a complete cure, but it could greatly alleviate food shortages.t.Li Chen only had limited trust in them."Indeed, this is the truth. My father gained decades of wealth and honor because of this thing, but he also lost his life because of it. In fact, on the day my...