Chapter 54 Sweet potato? What is this!
"Look, this is it!" Xu Luo said, with a hint of provocation in his eyes, "How about you all try this 'gift' from the Emperor?"

Before he finished speaking, the sweet potato had been neatly cut in half with such a graceful movement, as if he was doing something extraordinary.

At this moment, the female character next to her pursed her lips gently, curiosity revealed in her eyes, her chest rose and fell slightly with her laughter, and she seemed to find this sudden "banquet" a little interesting.

"Half of this sweet potato belongs to me, and the remaining small part is yours, Buda envoy." Huo Xiu pointed casually, and the Buda envoy widened his eyes and held the sweet potato as if he was looking at some treasure.

The Buda envoy had never seen such food before. He hesitated for a long time before taking a small bite cautiously.

Just as he was chewing the sweet potato with half belief and half doubt, he seemed to have suddenly discovered a new world. His eyes widened and his pupils contracted and expanded, as if he was mesmerized by the taste of the sweet potato.

Not long after, his originally hesitant fingers seemed to have their own consciousness and stuffed the remaining sweet potatoes into his mouth.

He ate one bite after another, until the last bite of sweet potato slid down his throat, an expression of disbelief and horror appeared on his face.

"Is this the legendary sweet potato?" The voice of the Buda envoy was full of surprise. Huo Xiu beside him just nodded faintly, as if he was already used to his reaction.

Matthew carefully put away the remaining half of the sweet potato, then pretended to be calm and said: "Well, this is the legendary red clay egg? How does it taste?" He asked with his eyes narrowed.

"Wow, this sweet potato is so fragrant, sticky and delicious, so sweet that it makes me feel dizzy. After eating a few bites, I even felt my stomach bulge."

The Buda envoy smacked his lips, his face full of surprise, "Our Great Tang is indeed full of hidden talents, and we can find treasures like this."

Xu Luolan shook her head slightly, smiling, "However, this kind of thing is not a good thing for ordinary people like us."

When the Buda envoy heard this, his expression changed slightly and he thought to himself: Could it be that this sweet potato is poisonous?

At this time, Xu Luolan continued with a smile: "It is true that sweet potatoes are sweet and delicious, but they have more benefits than just this."

The Buda envoy was stunned. This was not bad at all. It was clearly a lot of benefits. He thought to himself that the most lacking thing in Tubo was food. Although they usually ate mutton as their staple food, they couldn't always rely on it to fill their stomachs.

Besides, the land on the plateau is barren, and nothing grows. If I could get these sweet potatoes...

Although the Buda envoy felt distressed, there was a shrewd gleam in his eyes. He knew the value of these sweet potatoes.

Zhuo was suddenly stunned, scratched his head, and asked in confusion: "Hey, sir, you have explained the benefits of sweet potatoes so clearly, why do the dignitaries in Chang'an City turn a blind eye to this?
Also, why would those refugees prefer to gnaw on tree bark and eat dirt instead of sweet potatoes? "Gong Xiu couldn't help laughing after hearing this. He had expected him to ask this question, so he deliberately put on a stern face and said in a deep voice, "Oh, it seems that Brother Zhuo knows very little about the customs and folkways of our Tang Dynasty."

He paused and continued, "In the eyes of ordinary people, sweet potatoes are not even as good as wild vegetables. Yes, they can fill you up, but after eating them, your mouth will feel dry like a desert and your throat will feel like there is a fire stuck in it.

Think about it, if you eat this stuff without drinking a few bowls of water, how can you quench your thirst? "

Zhuo listened attentively, Gongxiu's lips curled up with a smile, and continued: "But if it's wild vegetables, it will be very different. Take a big iron pot, fill it with water, throw the wild vegetables in, boil it, sprinkle some salt, the taste, wow, it's so delicious!" He smacked his lips and continued, "So the court has a rule that sweet potatoes can only be distributed to disaster victims during famines, and buying and selling is prohibited at other times. In fact, even if you want to sell it, no one will buy it, and it will grow mold in the granary."

As he spoke, his eyes turned and revealed a cunning light, "However, when it comes to the storage of sweet potatoes, it's really magical. As long as they are placed in a cool and ventilated place, they can still be eaten even after two years!"

At this time, Cui Er, a female character, quietly approached, her eyes moving, her mouth smiling, and she asked softly: "Sir, are these sweet potatoes really as magical as you say?"

She leaned down, her slender neck and hair dancing in the wind, inadvertently revealing a hint of her snow-white chest, making people want to take a closer look.

When Envoy Lambuda heard the words "hateful or not", the muscles on his face twitched, and he looked as if he had eaten sour plums and then encountered chili water.

He laughed secretly in his heart. This Emperor of the Tang Dynasty was really an interesting weirdo. He actually treated such precious sweet potatoes as waste. You know, in their Tubo, this was a treasure that people would fight for.

At this time, Envoy Lambuda's eyes rolled and he remembered a funny joke circulating in the country, which said that someone sold a stone as gold, and the buyer actually thought he had picked up a treasure.

He couldn't help but smile, then he approached Xu Luo and asked in a low voice: "Mr. Xu, do you really not want these sweet potatoes?"

Xu Luo was stunned for a moment, and looking at the anxious look of the Buda envoy, he couldn't help but feel amused, so he replied: "Sell it, why not?"

When the Buda envoy heard this, he was so excited as if he had discovered a new continent, and nodded quickly: "That's it! This sweet potato is a treasure that can be sold at a high price in our place, but you Tang Dynasty don't take it seriously.

Hey, if I succeed in this business, maybe it can become our country's invincible military rations! "

At this time, the Buda envoy's heart was already blossoming with joy. He thought to himself: Li Shimin, Li Shimin, you, the emperor, are so silly and adorable. You don't know how to cherish such a good thing. If we in Tubo can take it back, we will make a fortune.

"These sweet potatoes are delicious when roasted, and can be taken away after being dried. How convenient! They are more economical than dried beef and mutton, and save you time and effort." Xu Luo said, with an involuntary look of embarrassment on his face.

He cleared his throat and continued, "But even though I said that, I actually can't do anything about it!"

"Well," he sighed, "I really want to sell these sweet potatoes to you, but unfortunately the imperial court has issued an order prohibiting the sale of this stuff.

Besides, now is not the time to plant sweet potatoes. If you come three or five months later, you might still be able to get some.

Of course, you have to make reservations in advance. After all, the imperial court not only prohibits the sale of sweet potatoes, but also prohibits their cultivation. There are so many sweet potatoes in the granary that they are about to overflow.

As Xu Luo spoke, his voice became lower and lower, and he looked around from time to time, fearing that others would hear him talking about this taboo topic. The Buda envoy was also infected and became nervous, with his ears perked up, listening carefully.

(End of this chapter)