Chapter 26 The Magical Uses of Sweet Potatoes

The three of them looked at each other, then followed Li Shimin without hesitation and headed straight for the city gate.

On the other hand, why didn’t Xu Luo set up a stall in the city these days?

It turned out that Hedong Road was hit by a drought. Although the disaster had not yet spread, Xu Luo had already foreseen that the price of rice would rise. He touched his pocket and thought: With my little money, it is simply a fantasy to want to hoard rice.

Xu Lingling stood aside, blinking her eyes in confusion, and couldn't help asking curiously: "Brother, can these sweet potatoes you planted really survive?" There was a hint of mischief in her words, as if she was mocking her brother's wild imagination.

The brother and sister squatted in the field, their eyes fixed on the sweet potatoes buried in the soil.

In this era when sweet potatoes had not yet been introduced to the Tang Dynasty, Xu Luo's actions seemed particularly abrupt. However, Xu Luo just smiled and said confidently:

"Lingling, sweet potatoes are very strong and can grow in any place. Even in dry and cracked land, they can still grow well. It's no problem to produce a thousand kilograms per mu!"

Xu Lingling was stunned. She stroked her chin gently and said in surprise, "A thousand kilograms per mu? Isn't this a treasure that can solve the problem of famine?"

Xu Luo's eyes flashed with a gleam of pride, then he turned and went into the house, took out a few sweet potatoes, and said while showing them, "Lingling, this sweet potato not only has a high yield and strong adaptability, but also tastes wonderful.

There are many ways to cook it, such as sweet potato porridge, steamed sweet potatoes, boiled sweet potatoes, baked, fried, etc. There are endless variations, and it is convenient and delicious.

He raised his eyebrows and smiled mischievously, "Today I will show you my skills. How about roasting sweet potatoes? Go and help light a fire. We will taste the delicious roasted sweet potatoes tonight!"

After hearing this, Xu Lingling's eyes flashed with anticipation, and the corners of her mouth raised slightly, as if she had already smelled the tempting fragrance.

Xu Lingling turned around with a puzzled look on her face and got busy. Soon, a cheerful bonfire was lit in the yard. She threw sweet potatoes into the fire, but she ignored the jumping flames.

Unexpectedly, not long after, the rich aroma of the roasted sweet potatoes began to spread, and the tempting taste made Xu Lingling's eyes light up.

At this moment, a man's voice came from a distance, with a joking smile: "Oh, this smell is really tempting, Mr. Xu, what delicious food are you grilling?"

Xu Luo was stunned, and when he looked back, he couldn't help but asked in surprise: "Hey, Lao Li, how did you guys get here?"

Xu Luo was wondering by himself when Li Shimin and his companions had already entered the yard.

They were attracted by the aroma of the sweet potatoes and walked straight towards the fire without saying a word. The palm-sized sweet potatoes that Xu Luo had just turned over had cracked skin and the golden flesh exuded an enticing aroma.

At this time, Li Shimin and others stared at the sweet potato with sharp eyes, and it seemed that one could hear the sound of them swallowing their saliva. Looking at their appearance, Xu Luo couldn't help but ask curiously: "Old Li, why did you come here?"

Li Shimin pretended to be serious and replied: "Humph, you still dare to ask?"

Li Shimin stepped into Xu Luo's humble room, frowned, as if he smelled some tempting aroma, and couldn't help but blurt out: "I have been looking for you all over the city these days, but you are so free and easy, hiding here and enjoying delicious food?"

He pretended to be serious, but there was a hint of playfulness in his eyes.

Xu Luo scratched his head awkwardly, looking like a thief who was caught cheating in bed. The ministers behind him, Zhangsun Wuji, Du Ruhui and Cheng Yaojin, all stared with wide eyes, with a twisted expression of wanting to laugh but not daring to. "Haha, Your Majesty, you came at the right time. Brother Xu Luo is a good sweet potato grower."

Xu Lingling walked in at this time, her eyes moving and a smile on her lips. The charm she revealed inadvertently made people almost forget the fragrance of sweet potatoes.

"Yes, Your Majesty, the drought is severe. I am digging for food in my own fields."

Xu Luo smiled and carefully took out two sweet potatoes from the fire. The steaming sweet potatoes seemed to carry all the sincerity.

"Come on, share it with everyone, you're welcome.

"Xu Luo broke the sweet potato into several pieces and distributed them to everyone present. Li Shimin took the half piece of sweet potato and was stunned. This simple food looked a little funny in his hands, but it also revealed an indescribable warmth.

Xu Lingling took a bite of the sweet potato, her lips curled up slightly, the movement was elegant and a little tempting. Her eyes swept over everyone, as if to say, "Look, this sweet potato is more delicious than delicacies from land and sea."

The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment. This absurd scene made them feel both amused and helpless.

Cheng Yaojin's eyes widened, and he kept muttering in his heart: "What the hell is this? This is the first time I've seen it in my life."

He sniffed hard, and the fragrance made his mouth water.

He was a rough warrior who was not afraid of anything, so he didn't even think that Xu Luo had done something bad to the sweet potato. He quickly turned the sweet potato over, opened his mouth wide and took a bite.

"Hey! What's this? Sweet? Delicious!" Cheng Yaojin said as he took another bite without thinking twice and continued to praise, shaking his head. "I am still a good judge of taste. Are you guys afraid that I will poison you?"

Xu Luo was laughing on the side, and when he turned around, he saw Li Shimin and the others holding sweet potatoes in their hands, but not eating them. His expression changed slightly, and he couldn't help but frowned.

Li Shimin laughed dryly, "Haha, no way, it's just that this thing is the first time we have seen it in the Tang Dynasty."

Xu Luo added: "This is called sweet potato. There are so many ways to eat it. Steam, boil, roast, fry, everything is fine. The key is, is this sweet potato not suitable for the local climate? That's impossible. It's no problem to produce a thousand kilograms per mu!"

When these words came out, Li Shimin, Du Ruhui, Zhangsun Wuji and the others were all stunned. Yield of 1,000 kilograms per mu? This is no joke!

If it were true, wouldn't the famine in the Tang Dynasty be saved? But is there really such a miracle in the world?
Li Shimin and Du Ruhui were filled with doubts, but Cheng Yaojin grabbed the sweet potato and ate it with relish, feeling as if he was eating fairy fruit.

He was chewing and yelling, "Old Li, what are you still dawdling about? This sweet potato tastes just as good as stewed pork. If you don't eat it, I'm not going to be polite to you!"

At this moment, Cheng Yaojin's eyes lit up. He turned around and stared at the sweet potato in Li Shimin's hand, licking his lips, as if he had not eaten enough.

Li Shimin was startled, fearing that this rough man would really snatch away the delicious food, so he quickly stuffed a piece into his mouth. But when he took a bite, his eyes almost popped out, this sweet potato was so sweet.

The narrator then added: This old emperor probably had the first time to eat so miserably, but it still made people laugh.

Seeing this, Xu Luo raised a smug smile and said, "How is it? Do you like this sweet potato?"
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(End of this chapter)