The entire winter passed with Chu Chen feeling incredibly dejected.
Despite confirming his relationship with Princess Xinyue, they hadn't seen each other since their last encounter, only exchanging occasional letters.
From these letters, Chu Chen learned that the Empress had placed Princess Xinyue under house arrest, forbidding her from leaving.
Fortunately, the Empress hadn't severed their correspondence entirely, merely limiting it to once every three days.
Though they were both in Shuangyue City, it felt as though an invisible chasm separated them, akin to the annual magpie bridge.
Chu Chen sighed with frustration, "This situation makes me feel like we're in a long-distance relationship or an online romance. It's truly an unpleasant experience! I wonder when the Empress will allow Xinyue out. It's been three months already!"
"Lord Chu?"
A royal guard waved his hand in front of Chu Chen's eyes, calling out.
Snapping back to attention, Chu Chen asked, "May I bring these items in?"
"I've already inspected them, and there are no issues. Lord Chu may bring these items in. Do you need someone to help you carry them?"
"I would be grateful."
Chu Chen nodded and took out ten taels of silver from his sleeve, handing it over.
"Oh my, Lord Chu is too kind." The guard captain smiled and quickly pocketed the silver, then waved his hand, "Brothers, a few of you, help Lord Chu carry these items to the entrance of the Hall of Governance!"
"Alright!"
Chu Chen followed behind the guards, entering the royal city.
Ahead, pairs of men were carrying basket after basket of crops. These were the yields of corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.
As winter receded and early spring approached, Chu Chen brought these with him, intending to present them to the Empress for promotion and cultivation.
After leaving the crops at the entrance of the Hall of Governance, Chu Chen entered to participate in the morning court.
As a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Weapons, holding a rank of Zheng San Pin, he no longer had to stand at the back and was positioned closer to the front rows.
"If you have matters to report, speak now! If not, the court is adjourned!"
The eunuch's cry echoed. The Empress sat regally on her throne, deliberating with the ministers.
As usual, Chu Chen remained silent, feigning ignorance.
It was only when the court was nearing its end that he stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your humble servant Chu Chen has a matter to report!"
"Granted!" the Empress said coldly.
The surrounding ministers looked at Chu Chen in surprise. They were already aware of the affair between Chu Chen and Princess Xinyue, and they knew the Princess had been under house arrest for months. They were astonished that Chu Chen, who usually had no presence in court, would bring up a matter after such a long hiatus.
"Your Majesty, it is now early spring, and the winter snows across Yunyue Kingdom are gradually melting. In less than ten days, it will be time for spring plowing. I have three types of crops, named corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, which I wish to offer to Your Majesty for nationwide promotion and cultivation!"
Chu Chen stated, looking directly at the Empress without fear, cupping his hands.
The moment Chu Chen stepped forward, the Empress thought of her beloved cabbage, now coveted by this pig-like fellow. Annoyance flickered within her.
However, her expression remained impassive as she asked, "What is so miraculous about these three crops that they require my minister's tribute? And for me to promote their cultivation?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, our Yunyue Kingdom commonly cultivates rice, wheat, and millet, and these three are our staple foods. Does Your Majesty know their yields?"
Chu Chen posed a rhetorical question, not directly stating the reason, but rather inquiring indirectly.
"I am naturally aware. For lower-grade fields, rice yields about one and a half shi, wheat and millet about one shi and two fen. For medium-grade fields, rice yields one shi and eight fen, wheat and millet one shi and a half."
The Empress replied indifferently, looking at Chu Chen as if he were a fool. She thought disdainfully, "He doesn't even know the per-mu yield of grains and wants to court my most favored daughter? It seems this Chu Chen is not as knowledgeable as he appears."
One shi is equivalent to 120 jin. Chu Chen quickly calculated: lower-grade fields yielded 180 jin of rice per mu, and 150 jin of wheat and millet; medium-grade fields yielded 220 jin of rice per mu, and 180 jin of wheat and millet.
A household, without the aid of oxen or curved-shaft plows, could only cultivate about five mu. One could imagine how hard their lives were.
"Lord Chu, are you perhaps unfamiliar with agriculture?" the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue asked with a malicious smile.
"I am naturally familiar. I asked this merely for a better comparison later," Chu Chen replied dismissively, giving him a sidelong glance. These officials from the Ministry of Revenue had been collectively displeased with him since the Left Vice Minister, Zhao Weihai, lost his position and was inexplicably killed by bandits on his way home.
"Comparison?" the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue asked, somewhat confused.
Chu Chen, too lazy to look at him, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the three crops I am presenting today, regardless of which one, have yields far exceeding rice, wheat, and millet."
"Far exceeding? Impossible! If such crops existed, wouldn't the esteemed officials know?" shouted He Wen, the Director of the Ministry of Works.
"If you are ignorant, then don't come out and embarrass yourself," Chu Chen said contemptuously.
"You!"
"Enough." The Empress waved her hand, stopping their bickering. Although she was annoyed by Chu Chen's pursuit of her daughter, she took matters of agriculture very seriously. She asked sternly, "Lord Chu, then tell me, what are the per-mu yields of these three crops?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, among the three, corn has the lowest yield, but it still produces about seven shi per mu!"
"What? Seven shi? Lord Chu, did you come to court before you even woke up?" Before Chu Chen could finish speaking, He Wen interrupted again. He simply did not believe that such high-yielding crops existed in this world. As the Director of the Ministry of Works in Yunyue Kingdom, how could he not know the yields of edible crops in Yunyue and its surrounding countries? He had never even heard of this so-called corn!
"Your Majesty, every word I speak is true. May I ask that Lord He be silenced?" Chu Chen said to the Empress with a helpless expression, not even glancing at He Wen.
The Empress, though somewhat puzzled, still wanted to hear him out. She glared coldly at He Wen and said sternly, "Lord He, any doubts you have can be addressed after Lord Chu has finished speaking."
"Your humble servant obeys your decree!" He Wen replied, cupping his hands reluctantly, his expression displeased as he looked at Chu Chen's retreating back.
"Continue speaking," the Empress said, raising her hand.
"Your humble servant obeys your decree." Chu Chen nodded and continued, "Potatoes, the second highest yielding of the three, produce about sixteen shi and seven fen per mu; and the highest yielding of the three, sweet potatoes, produce a staggering thirty-three shi and three fen per mu."
The civil and military officials present, along with the Empress, were so stunned by these terrifying yields that they were speechless.
Chu Chen, on the other hand, showed no trace of happiness or excitement when stating these figures. Instead, a hint of helplessness crossed his face. Yes, helplessness. Although the three crops provided by the system had been modified to adapt to this world, especially Yunyue Kingdom's land, the varieties given were not the best or highest yielding. They were merely the most average, or even the most primitive, in terms of yield.
Converted, corn yielded only about 800 jin per mu, potatoes 1000 jin, and sweet potatoes 4000 jin. Compared to the yields in Chu Chen's previous life on Earth, these figures didn't even reach average, hence his helplessness.