Four mu were dug from the superior plots, with the highest yield reaching seven thousand five hundred jin and the lowest six thousand seven hundred jin.
The elders were so overjoyed they wept and laughed. Such high yields, was this a grain that could exist in the mortal world?
Without stopping, the elders rushed to their next target, eager to see if they could create unprecedented miracles on the barren land where nothing would grow!
The final results did not disappoint them. Again, four mu of land were dug. Three of these plots yielded over four thousand jin each, with the lowest at four thousand two hundred jin and the highest exceeding five thousand jin!
Although it barely passed five thousand, not even five thousand one hundred, it still surpassed five thousand jin!
Land where nothing would grow could also yield five thousand jin per mu!
The Duke of Zhao held a sweet potato, weighing half a jin, and wept so profusely that tears and snot stained his robes.
There was no need to go elsewhere; they would continue digging these thirty mu of barren land. The elders were as if injected with chicken blood, not feeling tired at all.
With the sun high overhead, Xu Hengyan suggested they rest in a nearby village and have lunch. They could continue digging after the sun had lessened its intensity. Although it was already September, the temperature in Ninghe was always much higher than in the capital. Xu Hengyan was worried about the elders' well-being.
What could happen to them? It was just farm work!
Did this young Xu look down on them? Rest? Absolutely not!
The elders refused. They didn't need anything else for lunch; sweet potatoes would suffice.
"Xie Jiang! If you have nothing to do, roast some sweet potatoes for us! Roast a lot!" Duke of Qian shouted at someone who was slacking off at the field's edge.
Yi Yan Gen sat on the ground, leaning against several baskets of sweet potatoes, with Xie Jiang resting her head on Yi Yan Gen's lap.
Since there was no shade nearby, Nie Tong and Wen Feng held umbrellas for them, creating some shade. Nie Tong also fanned Xie Jiang.
So lazy at such a young age! All morning, they were either sitting or lying down.
As soon as the Duke of Qian's loud voice rang out, Yi Yan Gen raised his hand to cover her ears, but Xie Jiang was still startled awake. In such an environment, it was impossible to sleep soundly anyway.
Roasting sweet potatoes was not something Xie Jiang needed to do personally. Nie Tong and Luo Tie could handle it. The elders were not particularly fussy; they were happy to eat sweet potatoes roasted in a bonfire.
Nie Tong and Luo Tie only needed to gather more firewood.
An old farmer digging sweet potatoes hesitantly asked Xu Hengyan, "Master Xu, can we also have a taste of the roasted sweet potatoes?"
They had carefully tended to them for over four months; who wouldn't want to taste what they were like?
But they also couldn't help but feel, could such a good thing be tasted by them?
The old dukes and old marquises were also tasting them for the first time today.
As soon as the old farmer's words left his mouth, he added, "A few of us can share one sweet potato."
Xu Hengyan smiled and said, "I'll have someone roast more. There are enough sweet potatoes for everyone, one per person."
The old farmers were all delighted to hear this.
An elder farmer felt that one per person was too extravagant. Sharing one sweet potato between two people would be good enough. "These sweet potatoes and vines still need to be kept for propagation next year."
The others thought this made sense. They would be content with just a taste. Sharing one between two would be enough, and eating more would mean fewer for propagation next year.
Propagation was more important.
When every household could grow sweet potatoes in the future, they could eat as much as they wanted.
Xu Hengyan said, "Please eat with peace of mind. There are enough sweet potatoes and vines for propagation next year."
Saying this, he instructed a clerk from the county office to announce that everyone would eat sweet potatoes for lunch today.
As the clerk responded and went to prepare, he was stopped by an old farmer.
The old farmer told the clerk not to listen to Master Xu. They appreciated Master Xu's kindness, but sharing one sweet potato between two was the limit; they definitely wouldn't be able to swallow more!
The clerk didn't know who to listen to and looked expectantly at their Master Xu.
"Then two people will share one."
Xu Hengyan did not insist; it would be useless to insist, as everyone was reluctant to eat them.
Next year, at least the land in Ninghe County would be planted with sweet potatoes.
Xu Hengyan looked at everyone, who were full of vigor and unwilling to rest after working all morning, and couldn't help but look back.
The Duke of Qian's shout had woken someone up. They were sitting cross-legged on the ground, yawning, still looking a bit dazed.
Nie Tong had gone with Luo Tie to gather firewood, leaving only Wen Feng holding the umbrella. Wen Feng was observant and, without being told, moved the umbrella over Xie Jiang's head.
His master... would be fine if he got tanned.
His master would not object.
The number of people wanting roasted sweet potatoes for lunch had more than quadrupled. Nie Tong and Luo Tie alone couldn't handle it quickly, so people from the Duke of Wei's mansion went to help gather firewood.
Xie Jiang frowned and stood up. "Sweet potatoes again? I don't want to eat sweet potatoes. Do you want to eat sweet potatoes?"
Yi Yan Gen also stood up. "The sweet potatoes taste quite good. For you, it's tiresome, but for us, it's a novelty."
Xie Jiang said, "Then you continue eating sweet potatoes. I saw a river over there when we came. I'll go catch a fish and roast it."
Wen Feng immediately stated, "Catching fish is such a small matter; there's no need for Young Master Xie to do it himself. Your subordinate will go catch it."
Outside, they all cooperated in calling Xie Jiang "Young Master Xie."
Xie Jiang waved his hand潇洒ly. "Let's go together. Let's do it ourselves; consider it a picnic."
Marquis Yongxin passed by, carrying a load of sweet potatoes. "You've been lying around all morning, doing nothing productive, only thinking about eating and drinking and having fun?"
Xie Jiang said with a straight face, "I can't compare to the vigorous health of the old dukes and old marquises. I am powerless."
He then raised his slender arms.
Marquis Yongxin turned his head away with a look of disdain and quickly walked away with two full baskets of sweet potatoes.
He was the great-grandson of Marquis Jinghai, yet he felt no shame in being weak!
Without tools, the fish in the river were not easy to catch. Xie Jiang and Wen Feng waded in the shallow water for nearly two quarters of an hour before catching a wild crucian carp the size of a palm.
"It's not even enough to fill the gaps between my teeth."
Xie Jiang was starving. He hadn't eaten breakfast and had only nibbled on a few roasted sweet potatoes. His stomach was rumbling.
Xie Jiang threw the crucian carp onto the riverbank. The fish flopped around at Yi Yan Gen's feet. Yi Yan Gen watched her with a smile, as if he hadn't seen the fish at his feet, nor that the fish was about to flop back into the river.
"Yi Yan Gen, are you blind? We finally caught this tiny fish. If it flops back into the river, I'll have to dismember one of your legs and roast it!"
"I won't let you go hungry."
Yi Yan Gen stepped forward two paces and, with one foot, stepped on the fish's head.
Only the fish's tail was left, slapping against the ground.
Xie Jiang didn't want to catch any more and went ashore.
Yi Yan Gen said, "Isn't it not enough to eat? Why aren't you catching more?"
"You go catch it."
Xie Jiang walked towards him, directly reached out, and took off his outer garment, even giving it a squeeze.
"Work hard."
"Wait a moment."
Yi Yan Gen crouched down in front of her, pulled down her trouser leg, and looked at her fair, slender calf. "Are you sure Xu Hengyan hasn't realized yet that you're a girl?"
"I don't think I've ever exposed my legs in front of Xu Hengyan," Xie Jiang said, lifting her foot, letting him put on her shoes and socks as well.