Chapter 36: Bountiful Harvest, Journey to Parthia

Chapter 36: High-Yield Crops and the Expedition to Parthia

"What!" Upon hearing Vivian's words, Yang Zimo sprang from his chair, grabbing her by the collar. "You have truly seen it?"

Startled by his sudden movement, Vivian instinctively tried to pull away, but a long sword flashed and pressed against her waist, while Yang Zimo held her fast.

"What are you trying to do?" Vivian asked, forcing herself to remain calm.

"Feng, let her go!" Yang Zimo released her and sat back down. "Sweet potatoes are native to the Americas. How could they possibly be in Parthia?"

Though she did not fully grasp the meaning of his words, Vivian replied, "You call it 'sweet potato,' but in Parthia, we call it *Glykpatta*. A nomadic merchant brought it from a distant land. Later, the people of the empire discovered that the roots were edible, so farmers began planting them as wild greens around their homes. I once saw the white sap of this plant while playing in the countryside; I thought it was poisonous and was quite frightened, which is why I remember it so vividly."

"Are there many sweet potatoes planted in Parthia?" Yang Zimo asked urgently.

"Not many," Vivian answered uncertainly. "It was just treated as a wild vegetable. If it weren't for the fact that it's so easy to grow, it might have been eaten to extinction."

"Feng, escort her with me to the palace."

"At once!"

***

Qilin Hall

Emperor Ying Zheng, who had been strolling through the rear gardens, heard the news that the State Preceptor had arrived unexpectedly. He hurried to Qilin Hall. Seeing Yang Zimo accompanied by a foreign woman, Ying Zheng was perplexed. What was the State Preceptor planning?

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Yang Zimo bowed slightly.

"State Preceptor, there is no need for such formalities."

"May I ask what this is about, State Preceptor? I am quite confused," Ying Zheng asked, stepping forward.

"Your Majesty, I have wonderful news to share with you!" Yang Zimo said, filled with excitement.

"What could possibly make you lose your composure like this?"

"Your Majesty, do you recall the Parthian Empire?" Yang Zimo reminded him.

"The kingdom you described, located ten thousand miles to the west of the Great Qin? Is this woman from Parthia?" Ying Zheng guessed.

"Exactly, Your Majesty. She is a princess of the Parthian Empire, and most importantly, she knows of the sweet potato!"

"Sweet potato? What! The sweet potato!" Ying Zheng suddenly realized the significance, looking at Yang Zimo with great agitation.

"Yes, that very sweet potato—the crop with a yield of at least fifteen *dan* per *mu*. By sheer coincidence, it appeared in Parthia. They call it 'sweet root' there and even eat it as a wild vegetable," Yang Zimo explained hurriedly.

"Summon the ministers! Have them come to Qilin Hall to deliberate!" Ying Zheng ordered the court attendant. This was a monumental matter that required thorough discussion with his officials.

Before long, the ministers arrived. Ying Zheng waived the formalities and recounted the situation. Everyone present had heard of the sweet potato—a crop from a land tens of thousands of miles away, along with potatoes and corn. They recalled the State Preceptor claiming it could yield ten, or even twenty to thirty *dan* per *mu*.

Hearing that this treasure existed in distant Parthia filled them with excitement. With the sweet potato, the Great Qin would never face a food shortage again, allowing the empire to focus its resources on other grand ambitions.

Ever since entering Xianyang Palace, Vivian had been in a daze. The towering walls, the massive gates, and the strictly disciplined guards—from the palace gates to Qilin Hall, the path was filled with patrolling soldiers. Their robust physiques, exquisite armor, sharp weapons, and the mysterious masks covering their faces left her in awe.

As she entered the grand and magnificent hall, all of Vivian's arrogance vanished, replaced by admiration, longing, and embarrassment. The soldiers outside the hall were clearly more formidable than the noble knights of Parthia. There were hundreds of them in sight, and she realized that a place this vast must be guarded by at least ten thousand men.

She stole a glance at the middle-aged man wearing the imperial crown. An overwhelming aura radiated from him, making her afraid to move. As the ministers entered, though their presence was not as imposing as the Emperor's, each of them carried an air of authority equal to that of her own father.

Under the gaze of so many, Vivian stood in the hall, nearly on the verge of tears. In all her life, she had never witnessed such a spectacle. She was truly terrified.

"So, you are the Parthian princess," Ying Zheng asked suddenly.

"Re-replying to His Majesty the Emperor... this humble daughter is indeed the Parthian princess," Vivian stammered, placing her right hand on her left shoulder and bowing deeply, not daring to look up.

"Don't be nervous. Just answer the questions honestly," Yang Zimo whispered from the side.

"The sweet potato—is it truly in your Parthia?" Ying Zheng asked again.

"That wild vegetable... perhaps it is what the Lord Marquis spoke of," Vivian said, mistakenly addressing Yang Zimo as "Lord Marquis" in her nervousness.

"Excellent!" The ministers cheered upon receiving confirmation.

Wait—who was that "Lord Marquis"? The crowd looked on in confusion.

"Your Majesty, I believe we should immediately send an expedition to Parthia to retrieve the sweet potato!" Feng Quji declared loudly.

The sweet potato was a high-yield crop; a yield of fifteen *dan* was nothing short of divine. As the Minister of Civil Affairs, responsible for the welfare of the people, Feng Quji knew that if the sweet potato were promoted, his name would go down in history.

"We second that!" The others lamented that they had been too slow to speak.

"Your Majesty, the journey to Parthia is long, the route is unclear, and the path is fraught with difficulties!" Wang Wan reminded them.

"The matter of the route is simple! Do we not have the Parthian princess here?" Yang Zimo reminded them.

"Are you going to let me go back? Lord State Preceptor, you are so kind!" Hearing their conversation, Vivian became excited.

"Heh!" Yang Zimo chuckled.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I must trouble Your Highness to stay in the Great Qin for some time. Once the Great Qin has obtained the sweet potatoes, we will let you return home!" Yang Zimo explained earnestly.

"You! Shameless!"

"Take her away. Treat her well, but she is not to leave Xianyang for even a single step!" Ying Zheng waved his hand, ordering her removal.

"State Preceptor, do you have any recommendations for the mission to Parthia?" Ying Zheng turned to ask.

"Your Majesty, this mission is of great importance. It must be led by those loyal to the empire, who are also skilled in combat and clever. I believe the Elite Guard Battalion is capable of this task," Yang Zimo replied after some thought.

"Very well!" Ying Zheng immediately arranged for the mission, including the captured Parthian soldiers as guides, along with the interpreter from the prison.

After discussing the details of the expedition in Qilin Hall, the ministers turned their attention to the fate of the other captives. After all, the Great Qin had already sent diplomatic letters to the tribes behind these prisoners, which should have reached them by now.