"Let me see."

Jiang Chen carefully examined the agricultural products and quickly recognized items like sweet potatoes, which invigorated him.

"Good stuff!" Jiang Chen exclaimed.

The envoys, who were about to introduce the agricultural products to Jiang Chen, were stunned.

What was going on?

They hadn't even started their presentation, and His Majesty already knew they were good?

Curious, an envoy couldn't help but ask, "Does Your Majesty recognize these items?"

"This is a sweet potato, right?" Jiang Chen asked with a smile.

The envoys were dumbfounded. "How does Your Majesty know?"

Jiang Chen coughed awkwardly. "Uh... I saw it in a rare book."

"If I remember correctly, this thing has a very high yield and can fill the stomach, right?"

The envoys nodded repeatedly. "Your Majesty is correct!"

"Very good!"

Jiang Chen nodded heavily and praised the envoys, "You've done well. Go back and rest for a few days, and then take another trip to the Western Regions!"

"Go again?"

The envoys were shocked.

They thought they could rest upon their return, but unexpectedly, Jiang Chen arranged for them to prepare for another mission to the Western Regions before they even had a chance to relax.

On this trip, His Majesty instructed them to find various crops.

So what were they to seek on this next journey?

"This time, I want you to take some things to trade with them, and hopefully establish long-term trade relations!" Jiang Chen said.

"Long-term trade?"

The envoys were astonished by Jiang Chen's idea.

"That's right!"

Jiang Chen nodded emphatically. "Our Great Wei's tea, porcelain, and silk should be very popular over there, right?"

The envoys' minds went blank.

How did His Majesty know everything?

It was as if he had personally gone to the Western Regions instead of them.

What was going on?

Jiang Chen ignored the envoys' surprise and said, "From now on, you will be responsible for trading with the Western Regions."

After the envoys left, Jiang Chen immediately wrote a personal letter.

Jiang Chen summoned Shi Ping and said solemnly, "Take this package and deliver it to Bao Qimeng personally."

Shi Ping asked no questions, accepted the letter and package, and immediately departed.

Watching Shi Ping's departing figure, Jiang Chen murmured, "Whether or not my Great Wei can rise depends on these things..."

The weather gradually became hot, and the scorching wind in the capital was dry.

It hadn't rained in the capital for four months!

This was the first time many people could remember such a situation.

"Your Majesty, the Qin Tian Jian (Imperial Observatory) has been praying for rain several times, but with little effect," Feng Jin reported to Jiang Chen in a hoarse voice.

Jiang Chen nodded, not particularly concerned about the news.

The so-called Qin Tian Jian was just a deceptive trick.

If he didn't need these people to solidify his position as emperor, Jiang Chen would have dismissed them long ago.

"Summon Xu Changqing to see me," Jiang Chen said.

Xu Changqing arrived quickly, and Jiang Chen, without waiting for him to salute, said, "How are the crops growing in various regions recently?"

Xu Changqing immediately replied, "Your Majesty, although it has been dry for four months, the crops in various regions are still growing acceptably, thanks to the Yellow River and the Yangtze River."

"Still acceptable?"

Jiang Chen's expression was somewhat unpleasant.

Xu Changqing's words were clearly insincere.

Prior to this, Xu Changqing had always answered with words like 'growing well' in previous inquiries.

But now, it had become 'acceptable.'

That meant the situation was changing for the worse!

If it didn't rain again, the situation would only worsen.

"Xu Changqing, I want to hear the truth. If this situation continues, what percentage of last year's harvest can my Great Wei achieve this year?" Jiang Chen said sternly.

Xu Changqing thought for a moment and raised two fingers.

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid it will only be twenty percent."

"Twenty percent!"

The news made Jiang Chen's heart sink.

If there was only a twenty percent harvest, then for the people of Great Wei, they probably wouldn't be able to wait until the autumn harvest next year!

"Order the ministers and vice ministers of the various departments to see me," Jiang Chen said.

Soon, all the ministers and vice ministers of the six departments arrived at the Diligent Governance Hall.

After Xu Changqing explained the possibility of only a twenty percent harvest, Jiang Chen looked at the assembled ministers. "You all know the situation. What solutions do you have?"

The ministers looked at each other, all with helpless expressions.

This was a natural disaster, not a man-made one, and even if they were willing, they were powerless.

Jiang Chen looked around at the ministers and finally settled on the Minister of Public Works, Wei Zhengli. "Wei Zhengli, what are your thoughts?"

Wei Zhengli looked embarrassed and said, "Your Majesty, I am incompetent."

Jiang Chen then looked at the Minister of Personnel, Yang Yongqi. "Yang Yongqi, what about you?"

Yang Yongqi also shook his head with an embarrassed expression. "I am incompetent."

Glancing at the other ministers, Jiang Chen didn't even bother to call their names.

These ministers now wished they could bury their heads somewhere, clearly no one had a solution.

Wen Fengli thought for a moment and stepped forward. "Your Majesty, I have a suggestion, but I don't know if I should speak it."

Seeing Wen Fengli step forward, Jiang Chen frowned.

As the Minister of Rites, Wen Fengli had proposed a month ago in court that last year's cold winter and this year's severe drought were signs of divine anger, a result of Jiang Chen doing something wrong.

Clearly, this meant that Jiang Chen should issue an edict of self-reproach.

Jiang Chen had refuted him at the time, and judging by Wen Fengli's current appearance, he seemed to be suggesting the same thing.

"You still want me to issue an edict of self-reproach?" Jiang Chen asked.

"Your Majesty is wise!" Wen Fengli nodded.

"Impossible!"

Jiang Chen flatly rejected the proposal.

On the one hand, everything he had done was for the sake of Great Wei and its people, and he had done nothing wrong.

On the other hand, if issuing an edict of self-reproach was truly useful, then Jiang Chen would have already done so without Wen Fengli's prompting.

Unfortunately, historical experience told Jiang Chen that an edict of self-reproach was useless except for leaving a black mark on his name in history.

Therefore, Jiang Chen would never issue an edict of self-reproach.

But for the ministers of this era, an edict of self-reproach was very useful.

The Minister of Personnel, Yang Yongqi, also said, "Your Majesty, successive natural disasters are indeed abnormal, I'm afraid..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning behind his words was clear, obviously agreeing with Wen Fengli.

Jiang Chen's gaze turned cold as he swept over the other ministers.

"You also want me to issue an edict of self-reproach?"

The ministers and vice ministers did not answer, but they clearly acquiesced.

Jiang Chen nodded with a cold smile, then suddenly said sternly, "Wanting me to issue an edict of self-reproach is impossible!"

"Before the disaster even occurred, I was already racking my brains for the sake of my Great Wei and its people, what fault is there?"

Jiang Chen's questioning left the ministers speechless.

In their hearts, they also felt that Jiang Chen's actions were without any problems.

But with the severe drought plaguing the land, someone had to take responsibility.

That person could only be Jiang Chen, the emperor of Great Wei.

Jiang Chen gradually calmed down. "The words 'edict of self-reproach' are not to be mentioned again."