The appearance of the potato caught many by surprise.
Few had anticipated its arrival at this particular time, and as a consequence, a great many were filled with curiosity about it.
Even numerous officials, upon hearing the news, rushed to the scene.
While they had been aware of the potato's existence prior to this, they had never actually seen one.
Therefore, their hearts were brimming with inquisitiveness about this novel food.
They were eager to discover what the potato tasted like.
With such thoughts in mind, they watched intently as the potatoes were prepared, hoping to have a taste.
Their presence, in turn, naturally piqued the interest of even more common folk regarding the potato.
"What on earth is this thing? Why are so many officials here?"
"I don't know, but it must be something good, otherwise, why would so many people have come!"
"That's true, it must be a delicacy, which is why it's so captivating. I just wonder if I'll get to eat some later!"
At this moment, many were already salivating.
Simultaneously, their minds were occupied with a single thought.
When they finally get to eat, will they actually get a portion?
Lin Tian was unaware of the commoners' thoughts.
He had been waiting for the potatoes and sweet potatoes to be ready.
After waiting for more than half a day, the potatoes and sweet potatoes were finally prepared.
The aroma emanating from them had grown even more potent.
It was at this juncture that Lin Tian began to summon the laborers.
"Gather everyone, let's see our food!"
"Yes!"
Upon hearing this, a large number of laborers hurried over.
They had already been eyeing the potatoes and sweet potatoes with longing.
Now that Lin Tian was calling them, they naturally flocked to the assembly point without delay.
Regarding this, Lin Tian spoke no unnecessary words and proceeded directly to demonstrate.
"I surmise that you are still unclear about the items in my hands. Although they smell fragrant, you still don't know what they are!"
"Today, I shall enlighten you!"
"The item in my hands is called a potato. It is a staple food, and it can also be a dish!"
"It can be consumed as a staple, and it can also be served as a dish!"
"Most importantly, its yield can reach thousands of jin per mu. This type of food will undoubtedly become one of the staple foods of our Great Qin in the future!"
"Today, I wish for everyone to sample the taste of this potato, and see if it is worthy of becoming a staple food of our Great Qin!"
As these words were spoken, the commoners exchanged bewildered glances.
Such news was entirely unexpected for them.
For them, this was a matter of immense significance, potentially even relating to their very survival.
For a time, they were at a loss for how to respond to Lin Tian.
However, their uncertainty did not extend to the officials who were waiting nearby.
These officials had been coveting the potatoes from before.
When the potatoes were first brought back, they had longed to taste them.
But at that time, neither Lin Tian nor Ying Zheng had permitted them to do so.
Therefore, even though they desired a taste, they had not had the opportunity.
But now, things were different. Lin Tian had cultivated enough potatoes.
He was also willing to offer these potatoes for the commoners to sample.
Under these circumstances, it was perfectly reasonable for them to have a taste.
With this thought, they directly voiced their request.
"Your Highness, may we try the taste of these potatoes?"
"Yes, you may all try. Take a bowl, and you too can sample the taste of the potato as a staple and as a dish!"
"Wonderful, truly wonderful! Finally, we can taste the potato!"
Upon hearing Lin Tian's affirmative reply, the officials were visibly delighted.
Subsequently, they eagerly anticipated tasting the potatoes.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, they, along with Lin Tian, served themselves some potatoes.
Initially, they served themselves a small bowl of mashed potato as a staple, and then they began to sample it.
The moment the first bite entered their mouths, many were stunned.
The taste of the potato was entirely different from what they had imagined.
But it had to be said, the potato was exceptionally delicious.
This was a deliciousness that these officials had never experienced before.
Thus, the aroma of potato flowed from their mouths.
"Excellent, truly excellent! The taste of this potato is simply divine!"
"Is this what potato tastes like? No wonder His Majesty ate it so enthusiastically before!"
"Heavens! This is merely a staple, not any kind of dish, and the staple is this delicious? It's truly astonishing!"
In the view of many, staples should be devoid of flavor.
Their sole purpose, perhaps, was to satisfy hunger.
But now, the staple had become delicious, which was utterly unexpected.
This caused many to gaze repeatedly at the mashed potato in their bowls and then begin to eat with gusto.
This level of deliciousness was something even these officials had never encountered before.
And if they were eating with such relish, one could only imagine the commoners.
The commoners' mouths were already watering.
Many of their stomachs were growling with hunger.
Now, they no longer cared whether the potato was a staple or if it was truly delicious; they simply wanted to eat it.
Seeing their state, Lin Tian knew it was not appropriate to delay any further.
Therefore, Lin Tian directly spoke:
"I believe everyone now knows about the existence of the potato. Since that is the case, let us begin eating!"
Upon hearing these words, the commoners became ecstatic.
Without any hesitation, they scrambled to grab bowls and then queued up to serve themselves.
As the first person served themselves, they immediately began to eat with anticipation.
As the food entered their mouths, they were instantly captivated by the taste of the potato.
"Mmm! It's good, the potato tastes really good! It's so delicious!"
"Indeed, the taste of this potato is far better than I imagined. This is the deliciousness I've been wanting!"
"Is this our staple food? That's wonderful! With this staple, I can eat several large bowls in one meal!"
The taste of the potato was far superior to the staple foods the commoners were accustomed to.
Especially considering the current staple foods required numerous processing steps.
After processing, there were still many impurities, and eating sand or grit was a common occurrence.
But the potato was different. The potato offered a pure potato flavor, and once peeled, it was entirely free of impurities.
As it entered the mouths of the commoners, they experienced only one sensation: deliciousness.
Therefore, they developed an extraordinary fondness for the potato.