Sweet potatoes were cultivated in small quantities in Fujian and other places, but were gradually abandoned.

In the south of the Yangtze River, rice is the main food, and mulberry leaves are also planted to raise silkworms, which is not cultivated at all.

Therefore, no farmers in the south of the Yangtze River and the north of the Ming Dynasty ever grew sweet potatoes.

They didn't know that sweet potatoes grew underground, and the officials at court didn't even know.

Of course, a very few officials such as Yang Tinglin, Chen Zilong and Song Yingsheng knew about it, but they were all silenced by Zhu Cihong.

Some people who accidentally discovered the secret also knew that they were also silenced and not allowed to speak out.

When Li Banghua and others heard the new emperor's order to collect sweet potatoes, they were all stunned.

They have all gone out to hunt for locusts. There is no green at all outside the capital city. They have all been eaten clean by locusts. Where did the sweet potatoes and potatoes come from?

Only Yang Tinglin and Chen Zilong smiled and said nothing, but their hearts were filled with turbulence. He had been looking forward to this moment for many days.

We knew clearly that there were sweet potatoes in the fields, but the people were so afraid that they would find out the secret that they didn't even dare to dig them up and take a look. You can imagine their torment!

Seeing several important officials in the court asking questions, Zhu Cixiang smiled slightly and said:

"Dear dear friends, I will tell you a secret. Sweet potatoes and potatoes all grow in the soil. They are basically mature when a locust plague occurs. Do you think that a locust plague can cause the harvest of sweet potatoes and potatoes to fail?"

"Ah...Your Majesty...this, this..."

Li Banghua and others were speechless for a while, and then they prostrated themselves in ecstasy:

"My emperor is wise..."

"Quickly, I will lead my ministers to help the people dig sweet potatoes. I will go back and get ready. We will all wear official uniforms. We will walk around for a while and then return to the carriage or sedan chair to change into civilian clothes..."

Li Banghua and others did not understand what the new emperor meant, so they hurriedly bowed and saluted:

"What do you mean, Your Majesty?"

I want the people to see that now all the courtiers take the lead and love the people as their own children. Don’t you want to have a clear reputation? I will make it happen for you...

The ministers suddenly understood and hurriedly bowed and saluted:

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will take my leave!"

Seeing a group of old men leaving happily, Zhu Cihong said:

"Fang Zhenghua sent people to pass on the decree, the Hanlin Academy, the Imperial Academy, the Six Ministries and the Nine Ministers all sent people to the Gyeonggi Farm to experience life. Unless they are physically ill, those who disobey will be fined one month's salary and will not be promoted within three years!"

"According to the order!"

Fang Zhenghua hurriedly accepted the order and left.

Zhu Cixiang said to Hu Bao again:

"Hu Bao, sent an order to the various departments of the national defense army to take turns to take three days off to go home to harvest sweet potatoes. After harvesting, they will help the soldiers who are fighting abroad to harvest."

"According to the order!"

Hu Bao hurriedly accepted the order and left.

"Second, the eunuchs and maids in the palace, except for some who are on duty, are all going to go out of the city to work on the farm. I will give you a reward!"

"I obey the decree, Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

Er Xi hurriedly accepted the order and did not forget to give him a flattery before leaving!

Now it was Jin Yiwei's turn to work. Zhu Cihong looked at Li Ruolian and said:

"Li Ruolian ordered the Jinyi Guards to patrol various parts of the capital. If they find officials complaining behind their backs or insulting the people, write down the list."

"According to the order!"

"Cao An, inform Yue Yang to prepare the carriage. I want to take my father, the queen, and the queen out of the city for sightseeing!"

"Follow the decree"

Zhu Cixiang issued many imperial edicts in one breath, then got up and went to Qianqing Palace.

"Wang Daban, how much money does the emperor still have in his internal funds?"

Thinking of the tens of millions of victims in Shuntian Prefecture, Henan, Shanxi, and Shaanxi, Chongzhen's scalp went numb.

He knew that disaster relief would definitely require millions of taels of silver, otherwise a large number of people would definitely starve to death, and Yi Zi would eat each other again.

Lao Wang hurriedly bowed and smiled:

"Your Majesty, you still have more than four million taels of silver in your internal funds. You don't have to worry about money anymore in the future!"

Chongzhen nodded and said:

"Leave two hundred thousand taels for the palace expenses, and send the rest to the young master. He needs a large sum of money to buy food for disaster relief."

Lao Wang was stunned for a moment, why did he have to give away the money as soon as he got it? Has the emperor forgotten the pain of not having any money?

Lao Wang hurriedly bowed and advised:

"Your Majesty, don't worry. I have many ways to make money. He will not be short of money..."

Chongzhen shook his head:

"There are tens of millions of victims, millions of troops, and hundreds of thousands of officials. The disaster relief and army salaries are all in need of money. There is not much the emperor can do to help the prince, so he can only return the money to him..."

Lao Wang's eyes suddenly turned red, thinking that the emperor's life is really miserable, the throne is gone, and the money is gone...

"Your Majesty..."

When Chongzhen saw Lao Wang's reluctance, he smiled and waved:

"Go ahead. When I have money, I will not forget about my father..."

Lao Wang had no choice but to bow down and accept the order:

"Okay, slave, I'll go right now..."

"Thank you very much, Father. Your Majesty has received your favor. Your Majesty is not short of money..."

Before Lao Wang finished speaking, Zhu Cixiang came in with a smile and bowed to Chongzhen:

"See you, Father!"

Seeing Zhu Cixi's sudden arrival, Chongzhen immediately smiled on his face:

"Your Majesty is exempt from all gifts. When will the enthronement ceremony be held?"

Zhu Cixiang cupped his hands and said:

"Your Majesty is preparing to hold the enthronement ceremony on July 5th. Today I am going to invite my father, the Queen, and the Queen out of the city to watch the people's harvest."

Chongzhen was also stunned:

"The people have a great harvest? What to harvest?"

Zhu Cixiang smiled slightly:

"Father, the damage caused by the locust plague to the people is negligible. Sweet potatoes grow in the soil..."

"real?"

Chongzhen stood up from the dragon chair at once. His excitement and shock were far greater than those of the old men in the Sixth Cabinet Department. Just now he wanted to give the prince some money.

Zhu Cixi nodded:

"Really, how dare you deceive your father?"

"Wang Daban prepares the carriage, the emperor is leaving the city..."

After hearing this, Chongzhen immediately wanted to go out of the city to check. Wang Chengen was so frightened that he trembled. The emperor had just been assassinated and he dared to leave the city?

Although he was worried about the emperor's safety, Lao Wang did not dare to say anything and hurriedly went to prepare a carriage for the emperor.

Seeing that his father was so anxious, Zhu Cixi smiled and said:

"Father, don't worry. Your Majesty would like to invite the Imperial Aunt and the Empress to go out and relax. At the same time, we also want to invite Wei Yao, Cijiong and Cijiang to go out and have a long experience."

Chongzhen nodded:

"Yes, but Weizao is a girl, so it's best not to show up casually!"

Zhu Cixi laughed when he heard this. His father favored boys over girls. Everyone went out to play in the city, but he left Princess Kunxing at home. Wouldn't the little girl be in trouble?

"Father, the emperor thinks that both the princess and the prince should go out often, otherwise they will not know what hard work means. It is better to bring the royal sister with you, what do you think?"

Chongzhen gave Zhu Cixiang a roll of his eyes:

"You are the emperor, you have the final say!"

Zhu Cixi smiled, bowed and saluted Chongzhen, and thanked his father on behalf of Princess Kunxing:

"Thank you, Father!"

After leaving Qianqing Palace, Zhu Cihong immediately rushed to Kunning Palace. Queen Zhou's condition was much better and she could walk with the help of the palace maid.

Seeing Zhu Cixi's arrival, Queen Zhou immediately smiled and said:

"Congratulations, Your Majesty. I heard that your father said that he has given you the throne. It is really not easy for him. You must treat your father well in the future!"

Zhu Cixi stepped forward to support his mother:
To be continued...