Seeing the three longed-for crops before him, Liang Xiao trembled violently. He picked up a potato and a sweet potato in his left and right hands respectively, and couldn't help but let out a wild laugh to the heavens!
As for what the other crops were, Liang Xiao didn't care at the moment. These three were enough!
The crowd looked at Liang Xiao's uncharacteristic behavior with confusion.
He was unmoved by treasures worth a million taels.
Yet, these few oddly shaped pots and a pile of plants…
Jian Qinwan watched Liang Xiao's retreating back, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
She had long been captivated by Liang Xiao's awkward moments, but this was the first time she had seen him so completely lose his composure.
Luo Qingxue nervously clasped Liang Xiao's arm and asked, "What's wrong?"
Only then did Liang Xiao turn around, startling everyone again.
His eyes were streaming with tears, all his former noble demeanor gone!
Liang Xiao hugged Luo Qingxue tightly, still clutching the sweet potato and potato, his voice trembling with excitement.
"With these, everyone will have food to eat and everyone will be able to study. We can achieve our goals faster and no longer fear widespread famine! Once the realm is peaceful, I can retire early and enjoy a life of leisure with you!"
At this point, Luo Qingxue still didn't quite understand what Liang Xiao was holding, but upon hearing his words, she burst into tears, clinging to him, "We'll wait for you! Whether you can retire or not, we'll be by your side!"
Jian Qinwan watched this, her own eyes welling up with tears, a lump in her throat. She wiped her tears with her sleeve.
She had never imagined that Liang Xiao's most uncharacteristic moment in her life would be because he was thinking of his past grand pronouncements…
Food for everyone! Education for everyone!
What should have been his most embarrassing moment was, in fact, his most beautiful…
Yang Huan and Chen Shaoling exchanged glances.
They still couldn't quite grasp Liang Xiao's outburst, but hearing his ambitious words, they seemed to understand something.
These items were beneficial to the country and its people!
Liang Xiao quickly composed himself, setting down the potato. He reluctantly withdrew his gaze from the wooden basins and immediately issued an order to the Imperial Guards.
"General Yang, immediately seal all information regarding the plants on this ship. Only speak of the recovered treasures! Anyone who disobeys will be executed without mercy!"
Yang Huan, being astute, immediately grasped the gravity of the situation and nodded enthusiastically, "Your subordinate and the Imperial Guards will defend this with our lives!"
Liang Xiao eagerly picked up the large basin containing the potatoes, urging them on with a stern voice, "Quick! Have the Imperial Guards carefully move these away, don't drop them, and accompany me to the safest place! When I have time, I must question that old woman!"
Liang Xiao had a hunch why these crops were placed in the plant storage room instead of being treated as food, and he needed confirmation!
Could it be that these three items were poisonous in this world? Then why were they brought here?
A chill went down everyone's spines. They quickly surrounded Liang Xiao, escorting the plants off the ship. Only Yang Huan remained with half the Imperial Guards and five Tian Shan swordsmen to guard the treasures on board.
A day later, Chen Ziliang was in the Prefect's mansion, looking extremely anxious.
"Lord Zhang, why has Marquis Anguo refused all visitors?" Chen Ziliang couldn't help but ask Zhang Yang.
As the Emperor's envoy, he had accomplished such a great feat in Donghai, yet Liang Xiao had only requested a few of Duguling's confiscated fertile fields and a mansion, and then secluded himself!
He was even beginning to doubt if this Marquis Anguo was more interested in Duguling's property than in managing Donghai.
Zhang Yang smiled wryly, "Prefect Chen, Marquis Anguo refuses to see even me. He only asks that we await his news. I don't believe he's infatuated with land and houses, after all, he took not a single tael from the treasures on that foreign merchant ship…"
His unspoken thoughts revealed, Chen Ziliang blushed, "This old man has judged a gentleman by a villain's standards, I am ashamed! Marquis Anguo dared to kill Duguling and search Jiyun, risking offending the Duguling family…"
As the Prefect of Donghai and Zhang Yang's Attendant Official both held fourth-rank positions, there was no hierarchy between them, making official matters and communication much smoother.
Nan Jiyun, standing nearby, chuckled, "You must believe this! Marquis Anguo is certainly not someone who seeks vanity!"
Zhang Yang nodded and rose, "Shall I go and inquire again?"
Nan Jiyun and Chen Ziliang also rose and accompanied him to the residence where Liang Xiao was staying.
"My lords, I apologize! Marquis Anguo is temporarily unable to receive guests. Please do not make things difficult for us!" the Imperial Guards at the gate immediately blocked the three.
Zhang Yang and the other two exchanged glances.
"Then could you relay a message for me? Tell them Zhang Yang, Prefect Chen, and Great Hero Nan seek an audience. The authorities have raided Duguling's home and finally found evidence of his collusion with pirates. This is a major matter…" Zhang Yang asked cautiously.
The Imperial Guards finally breathed a sigh of relief. One of them quickly ran inside and soon returned.
"Marquis Anguo said that Lord Zhang may enter! The others are to wait outside for now!"
Seeing Zhang Yang look back at him, Chen Ziliang smiled knowingly and nodded, "We will wait here."
Zhang Yang then entered the opulent mansion.
Half an hour later, Zhang Yang emerged, his face streaked with tears.
Chen Ziliang and Nan Jiyun looked at Zhang Yang with confusion.
"Good! Excellent!" Zhang Yang could only chuckle foolishly, tears mingled with his laughter.
Nan Jiyun couldn't hold back and asked urgently, "Lord Zhang, what has happened?"
Zhang Yang regained his senses, abruptly wiping away his tears, and smiled, "Good news! Immensely good news! The heavenly secrets cannot be revealed at this time. We will speak of it later! Let's hurry back and not worry Marquis Anguo about the affairs of Donghai!"
Nan Jiyun hesitated, then finally left with Zhang Yang.
As Zhang Yang had said, even if Liang Xiao neglected his duties, Zhang Yang and Chen Ziliang could handle them, and Chen Ziliang was already the Prefect of Donghai!
Meanwhile, Liang Xiao was in the mansion left by Duguling, tending to a plot of land and fiddling with potatoes, corn, and sweet potatoes.
Dozens of wooden basins were placed around, each containing seeds or seedlings of the three crops.
Liang Xiao divided the eyes of several potatoes and planted them in the soil from the field.
The remaining potatoes, corn, and sweet potatoes were carefully preserved by Liang Xiao to prevent them from molding or spoiling.
Zhang Yang, having heard his explanation, had been so moved that he had knelt before Liang Xiao, weeping profusely for the sake of the people!
Currently, the Great Gan dynasty did not have the conditions for long-distance voyages to search for these crops. If the three existing crops in Liang Xiao's possession could not be cultivated, there would be no second chance!
At this moment, Jian Qinwan was playing the zither for Liang Xiao and Luo Qingxue.
Luo Qingxue worked alongside Liang Xiao, fearing he would tire himself out.
Watching the two sweat profusely yet work together harmoniously, Jian Qinwan felt a strange sense of envy, but her music remained flawless, befitting her status as a zither immortal.
Initially, Jian Qinwan had indirectly insisted on planting alongside Liang Xiao.
However, Liang Xiao, knowing Jian Qinwan's aversion to dirt, couldn't bear to have her in the fields and had firmly refused.
Jian Qinwan had no choice but to play for them, from morning till night.
"Bodhisattva, thank you. Working is not so tedious with you here."
Hearing Liang Xiao's grateful words, Jian Qinwan's nose twitched, and she huffed, "What's there to thank? Looking at you, you're clearly enjoying yourself, wishing you could plant 'potatoes,' 'sweet potatoes,' and 'corn' all over the country!"
Liang Xiao chuckled.
Just then, Chen Shaoling rushed in from outside to report, "The old woman's emotions have stabilized. She requests an audience with Marquis Anguo!"
Liang Xiao's eyes lit up.
The origin of these three crops, and why they were not treated as food, was a great mystery. It even related to whether the Great Gan dynasty could expand its influence overseas and command the respect of nations. He had to find out the truth from this old woman!