Hunger!

This is a problem that no dynasty can bypass, and for Zhang Juzheng, who is the first assistant of the Ming Dynasty, he knows very well what the famine will cause.

Famine caused by natural disasters would lead to the fall of the dynasty.

And a high-yielding crop, while avoiding the occurrence of famine, is more conducive to the stability of the world.

It is precisely because of this that Zhang Juzheng's mood today will be quite comfortable.

After a while, the meal was ready, and looking at the food on the table, Zhang Juzheng said curiously.

"It's all potatoes?"

"Looking back, this is shredded potatoes, this is roast beef with potatoes, and this is ...... mashed potatoes."

Pointing to the food on the table, Shi Yiwen deliberately explained the mashed potatoes in the basin.

"Mashed potatoes are mashed and then sprinkled with salt as a staple food, because potatoes can't be floured like rice noodles, so if you want to use them as a staple food, mashed potatoes are the best choice."

Although potatoes are the four most important food crops, after wheat, rice and corn. However, even after hundreds of years, it has not become a staple food, but has always been used as a vegetable, and in many European countries, potatoes have historically been the staple food, and mashed potatoes were the main form of food.

"It tastes good!"

Just after tasting a bite, Zhang Juzheng's eyes lit up, and then said.

"The mashed potatoes are lighter, but they taste good."

Then he ate another bite of food, which tasted equally delicious, which reassured him a lot. Compared with Zhang Juzheng's calmness, Ma Ziqiang and others seemed quite excited, praising potatoes from time to time, and of course, praising Shi Yiwen by the way.

Although the food on the table was not sumptuous, because of the difference in the meals, the four pavilion elders seemed to be quite interested, and even between words, they had already discussed how to promote potatoes to the world. Naturally, Edwin is happy to see this, after all, this is also the reason why he grows potatoes.

"This potato is not bad, it can be used as both rice and vegetables, and if it can be promoted to the world, it will definitely be welcomed by the people."

After some sighing, Zhang Juzheng looked at Shi Yiwen, and then said seriously.

"I have never heard of these treasures after so many years of opening the sea and trade, it seems that this overseas is indeed a rare and foreign object that is beneficial to the country and the people!"

The seemingly casual sentence made Shi Yiwen's eyes light up, and he said intentionally or unintentionally.

"It's not necessarily whether there are treasures overseas, but crops like this, not only potatoes and sweet potatoes, but also many crops suitable for the Ming Dynasty, if those seeds are introduced, the people can naturally benefit from them."

Seeing Zhang Juzheng nodding yes, Shi Yiwen said seemingly casually.

"It's just that maritime merchants often ignore the introduction of these good varieties when they go to sea, as far as the lower officials know, crops such as potatoes and sweet potatoes have been planted in some places in Nanyang for decades, but no one has ever introduced them to the Celestial Empire.

Almost at the moment when Shi Yiwen's voice fell, Ma Ziqiang said.

"Merchants are not profitable from their words, and they are naturally reluctant to bring in seeds, that is, you, and have the livelihood of the people in mind."

When he praised it, Ma Ziqiang couldn't help but sigh.

"If you can introduce those overseas rare and good varieties into the Ming Dynasty, I don't know how many people can be saved!"

Ma Ziqiang sighed casually, making Zhang Juzheng nod in agreement, and then said.

"It is true that countless people can be saved, but how can those maritime merchants be willing to handle this matter for the imperial court, after all, it is not easy to handle this matter."

"Ordinary maritime merchants are unwilling, after all, it is not easy to find good breeds, but in fact, if you can promise a lot of profits, I think there will still be maritime merchants who are willing to run for the imperial court."

Shi Yiwen's seemingly casual words made Zhang Juzheng look at him a few times, and then said curiously.

"Promise a lot of profits? What is the big profit? ”

Looking back, although the current dynasty has opened the sea ban for many years, it is only allowed to sell the people of Zhangzhou and Quanzhou "to sell the east and the west", as for other places still implement the sea ban, the lower officials think that if the imperial court can conditionally allow a ship to go to sea from Tianjin or a certain place to trade, but let it collect good seeds from overseas as a price, I think the maritime merchants are still willing to run for the imperial court. ”

Seemingly casual suggestion, in fact, is also brewing for a long time, although as early as the early years of Longqing Ming has opened the sea, but only open the moon port, allow Zhang, Quan two merchants to go to the sea to trade, and do not allow foreign merchants to enter the trade, no matter from the scope of opening or trade system, have great limitations, to open up the local area in exchange for the vast majority of the coastal areas of the country sea ban, resulting in an unequal overseas trade environment, leading to the resurgence of smuggling trade, and finally destroy the legal trade of the moon port.

Because he understands the disadvantages of opening the sea in Longqing, Shi Yiwen will have the idea of opening the sea in the north, of course, this idea also has a certain relationship with his own needs, after all, the wealth that maritime trade can bring is far beyond people's imagination.

In the past, he had put his hopes in the future, on Wanli's body, but now, since he had this opportunity, he naturally didn't want to miss this matter again.

"Gee, I don't think it's necessary."

Shen Shixing almost immediately objected.

"Shoufu, if Shoufu wants to collect good seeds from overseas, he can hand over this matter to the maritime merchants of Yuegang, and there is no need to set up another treaty port in Tianjin, besides, Tianjin is an important place in Gyeonggi, if the port is opened for trade, it will inevitably attract outsiders to peep, and it will inevitably endanger the Ming Dynasty at that time, and the lower officials think that this matter is inappropriate!"

Inappropriate!

Shi Yiwen subconsciously sneered in his heart.

Is it wrong, not yet?

Thinking that Shen Shixing is a native of Nanzhili, maybe he has connections with those maritime merchants, and he is probably opposed now because of interests. Shi Yiwen naturally didn't tolerate others ruining his good deeds, so he immediately retorted.

Shen Ge Lao was surprised that what he was talking about below was not the opening of the port, but only a maritime merchant going to sea in Tianjin, and only the imperial court only needed to give him a concession, and then allowed it to go to sea from Tianjin to trade in the East and West, and ordered him to collect overseas crops and livestock, which was the premise for issuing them a concession to go to sea. This is different from the ordinary opening of the port, which is to allow the people to go to sea, and this is just to give a few ships a permit, the purpose is nothing more than to exchange for overseas crops and livestock. ”

Shi Yiwen said it very easily, as if he was talking about a trivial matter, but he himself knew very well that sometimes if you want the sun to shine in, you first need to tear a crack......