Lin Tian wanted to raise pigs, and he immediately put his plan into action.
He had many wild boars brought in, then they were uniformly branded and penned.
This action surprised many people.
This was because the place where Lin Tian raised the pigs was none other than a part of the Xianyang Palace.
This decision confused many officials, and the common people were abuzz with discussion.
"Raising pigs? Why would His Highness raise pigs?"
"I don't know! Pork doesn't taste good, His Highness shouldn't like pork!"
"I think so too, but His Highness is raising pigs, which is really baffling!"
"Regardless, His Highness must have his reasons for raising pigs, so we should help His Highness in this matter!"
Although the common people did not know why Lin Tian was raising pigs, they believed that Lin Tian must have his reasons.
Therefore, with this thought in mind, many of them spontaneously did something.
They caught wild boars!
They wanted to catch their wild boars and give them to Lin Tian.
Lin Tian was unaware of their intentions.
But when those wild boars were caught and sent to the army, and finally delivered to Lin Tian, he was deeply moved.
He never imagined that the common people would care so much about his endeavors.
He never imagined that the common people would help him catch wild boars.
It should be known that these wild boars were ferocious creatures, especially in the forest where they were considered the lords of the land.
In terms of deterrence, they were even more terrifying than bears.
Yet, despite this, so many common people were willing to risk their lives to catch those wild boars for Lin Tian.
This further solidified Lin Tian's resolve to cultivate these pigs and make pork accessible to more people.
However, upon seeing the nearly ten thousand pigs delivered, Lin Tian felt a mix of amusement and helplessness.
With so many pigs, he truly didn't know how to handle them.
Eating them was out of the question; they were gifts from the common people, how could he casually consume them?
Therefore, Lin Tian's priority was to establish a breeding farm to produce more quality piglets.
As long as there were enough piglets, these pigs could be raised on a large scale.
The large-scale farming Lin Tian spoke of was not just within the army but also among the common people.
Only in this way could he best repay the people.
The common people were unaware of this.
After Lin Tian accepted their gifted wild boars, they considered the matter closed.
But two months later, something happened that shocked countless people.
The pigs that Lin Tian had raised were ready for market.
Normally, raising pigs from piglets took at least five to six months before they were ready for market.
However, Lin Tian did not start with piglets; he started with adult pigs.
It was just that those adult pigs were a bit thin and small, so they couldn't be sent to market directly.
After two months of Lin Tian's care, they were no longer thin and small.
Now, they were very plump and had reached the weight Lin Tian had envisioned for adult pigs, exceeding three hundred jin.
This weight was no less than that of many sheep, and even heavier than many sheep.
Moreover, the time and cost of raising them were very minimal.
Compared to sheep, raising pigs was incredibly cost-effective.
Therefore, when the pigs were ready for market, Lin Tian specifically notified the ministers, and many ministers came to witness the event.
Many people looked at the pigs that were yet to be brought out and speculated.
"Are these pigs really that good? Why is His Highness so fixated on them?"
"I don't know! But judging by His Highness's demeanor, he clearly values these pigs greatly!"
"Alas! Let's hope these pigs don't disappoint His Highness, or all his efforts will have been in vain!"
They worried that the pigs ready for market might disappoint Lin Tian, and if that were the case, it would indeed be a waste of his considerable effort.
However, in their hearts, they were still not optimistic about the pigs about to be brought out.
But by this point, even if they were not optimistic, they couldn't say much more.
After all, Lin Tian's pigs were about to be presented, and any further negative remarks would be seen as criticizing Lin Tian.
Under the gaze of everyone, they could only hope that Lin Tian's pigs would be excellent and that nothing would go wrong.
Lin Tian was unaware of their thoughts.
His gaze remained fixed on the pigpen.
Subsequently, the soldiers drove the pigs out of the pen.
There were not many, only a few hundred.
But after these hundreds of pigs were brought out, everyone was stunned.
They saw plump, round figures.
Those fat, round pigs ambled towards the crowd with snorts.
Their size far surpassed the common understanding.
Many people's first reaction was one of robustness.
At the same time, many felt that even if they were to ride on these pigs, the pigs could easily bear their weight.
They had never seen such robust pigs before.
Therefore, many people were dumbfounded at this moment.
"This, is this really a pig?"
"Good heavens! These pigs are too large; if this were for meat, it would be enough for many people to eat!"
"What exactly did His Highness do? Why are the pigs he raised so strong?"
Many were curious about what Lin Tian had done to raise pigs to such a state.
Lin Tian was unaware of their doubts.
As soon as he had the pigs driven out of the pen, he immediately said to the soldiers:
"Fetch ten pigs, butcher them, and cook them!"
Lin Tian had already taught the chefs how to prepare dishes with pork beforehand.
So, as the ten pigs were tied up, someone immediately began the butchering.
These ten pigs were killed in front of everyone, and because of this, everyone immediately understood that Lin Tian intended for them to dine there.
They did not object to this; in fact, they were somewhat curious.
They were eager to know what the pigs raised by Lin Tian would be like, what they would taste like.
Would the pigs he had spent so much effort raising have any gamey odor?
And amidst their anticipation, many pork dishes were quickly prepared.
These included stir-fried, braised, stewed, and steamed dishes, among others.
As these dishes were made, a tantalizing aroma spread.
In an instant, many people couldn't help but praise.
"Wow! It smells so good!"
"This aroma is incredibly rich; is this truly the smell of pork?"
"Heavens, smelling this aroma, I think I understand why His Highness the Crown Prince wanted to raise pigs!"