HCB Chapter 375 Watermelon
Chapter 375 Watermelon
The minister who burped was a military officer. He was not as reserved as the civil officials, but it was embarrassing to burp in front of the emperor. He said awkwardly: "It's just that the potatoes are so delicious that I couldn't help but eat a little more. I ate too much and made everyone laugh. Haha!"
Everyone was discussing with laughter. They all sat up straight, stroking their stomachs with both hands to promote digestion. This scene made Zheng Sisi feel both amused and helpless.
Zheng Sisi waited for everyone to digest it for a while before she said, "Your Majesty, ladies and gentlemen, these potatoes are the seeds my master left me, and they are also a variety that came from overseas.
Because the amount of seeds is too small, I haven’t told you all about it. Some of the seeds were bought from Zheng’s Seed Shop on the street. The reason I’m telling you all now is because we will have potato seeds after the harvest.
Today we harvested more than 2,000 kilograms of potatoes, and I also planted two mu of land in two farms. After the harvest, I will plant another crop this year. Next year, I should be able to plant more than 200 mu of potatoes. "
"Boom!" Zheng Sisi's words were like a thunderclap, which made all the ministers unable to recover for a long time.
"What did Princess Anping say just now? She also planted four acres of potatoes."
"What? Potatoes can be grown twice a year."
"Next year, we can plant more than 200 acres of land. How much land can be planted in the second crop? Will it be popularized nationwide the year after next?"
Duke Zheng stood up and asked in a trembling voice, "Sisi girl, are you serious?"
Zheng Sisi nodded affirmatively and said, "Grandfather, Sisi will never lie. Sweet potatoes can also be promoted next year. So after the autumn harvest next year, although the people will not be able to eat their fill, at least they will not be hungry anymore."
Emperor Yongshun slapped the table with a "bang" sound, and he stood up and said, "Well done, girl. And the double-season rice you experimented with, Xia Sicheng has submitted a memorial some time ago, saying that everything is going well and there is no problem in achieving double-season rice. And the rice seeds your master left behind are better than the rice seeds distributed by the court, and the yield should be much higher. Sisi, you are really my lucky star! In just two years, the wish of the people of Dai Viet to not go hungry has been realized. Your uncle thanks you!"
The ministers were also indignant: "Yes, the Princess of Anping is really talented! She solved the problem that has troubled us for years in just two years."
"Now that we have food, we will have strong soldiers and horses. Why should we be afraid of invasion by other countries? If one comes, we kill him. If two come, we kill both."
When Zheng Sisi heard this, she knew that he was undoubtedly a military general.
Zheng Sisi looked around and also thought that the emperor was very lovable. He called so many ministers but didn't see Lord Liu and Xie Junru. Maybe he was afraid that he would disgust her.
Everyone was discussing heatedly, but Zheng Sisi didn't take it to heart. She did things according to her own heart, and other things were unimportant.
Seeing that everyone was discussing, she asked the maids to clean up the leftovers on the table.
Rose Lily brought out three big watermelons with a few servants and placed them on the table at the side. There was also a kitchen knife next to it. Since there was no fruit knife, they had to use the kitchen knife instead.
The guards had big knives, but Zheng Sisi refused. She was afraid that the big knife had been used on the battlefield to kill people, and it would be too disgusting to use it to cut watermelons.
Everyone knew what this green thing was when they saw it, because the emperor would show off the watermelons he grew in front of everyone every day.
Seeing that it has been moved to the table, the watermelon should be ready to eat. Everyone stretched their necks to stare at it intently.
It had just been taken out of the ice cellar and was still cool. Zheng Sisi tried with the knife for a few times but didn't know where to start because the watermelon was too big and the knife was too small.
Zheng Sisi looked at Sheng Zhen and said, "Third Prince, how about you help me divide it."
Sheng Zhen was amused. Seeing her gesticulating with the knife for a few times before thinking of asking him for help, he walked over and took the knife from Zheng Sisi. Zheng Sisi gestured on the watermelon and said, "Cut it in half first."
Sheng Zhen nodded: "Okay!"
He raised his hand and the knife went down, cutting deeply into the watermelon. However, the knife was too small and did not cut the watermelon open. He turned the watermelon half a circle and finally cut it open.
Everyone was shocked. There was a thin layer of white in the green watermelon rind, and then it was all red, with some small black particles in the middle.
Someone saw the cut watermelon and exclaimed, "Isn't this very similar to the winter melons that the Hu people presented as tribute? But the winter melons that the Hu people presented as tribute have a dark green skin, without such beautiful patterns, and are very small. There are many seeds inside. Half of a mouthful of winter melon is filled with seeds, and it is not sweet. I don't know how the watermelon grown by the Lord of Anping County tastes."