As time flowed by, the bellies of Mu Zixuan and her two fellow concubines grew rounder with each passing day. Eventually, the long-anticipated moment drew near—their time of delivery was almost upon them.
Ever since the news broke from Beijun that the Northern King had been ambushed by the Blood Moon Tower and then miraculously saved by a mysterious expert, the entire region of Beijun had calmed significantly. The undercurrents of unrest that once plagued the land began to settle, bringing a strange and sudden tranquility.
This turn of events forced many watching forces to reassess their understanding of the situation. It now seemed that the mysterious master who had appeared during the assassination attempt might not have been a passing stranger, but a guardian who would remain at the Northern King's side indefinitely.
Although Lu Chen was still publicly regarded as a powerless prince, the shadow of the expert standing behind him made everyone pause. He was no longer a soft target. Even the Eighth Prince, despite his ambition, backed down for the time being—especially after Emperor Xia's subtle warning. Instead of sending more assassins, the Eighth Prince ordered Wang Qingci to keep a close watch on Lu Chen and report immediately if there were any signs of contact between him and the Chu family.
During this period, Lu Chen had not actively involved himself in the management of Beijun's civil affairs, which remained in the capable hands of County Magistrate Li Rui. But quietly, without much fanfare, Lu Chen had ordered measurements of all palace-owned lands and began a massive land reclamation project. The goal? To plant every square inch with the ten thousand kilograms of seed potatoes in his possession.
Beijun had vast stretches of fallow, untouched land. And because few were paying attention to the Northern King's agricultural efforts, most overlooked the significance of the sudden land surveying and tilling around the palace.
During these days, Lu Chen rarely left the palace. He remained within, spending his time with Mu Zixuan and the two other women, all of whom were nearing childbirth. He attended to them with the utmost care, afraid that even the slightest mishap might endanger their health.
One quiet afternoon, Lu Chen gently caressed Mu Zixuan's swollen belly and smiled softly. "Beloved, for now, leave the palace industries in Aunt Chu's care. Your only task now is to rest and wait peacefully for the birth. Let go of all those worries for the time being."
Over the past few months, Mu Zixuan had expanded their soap and perfume industries exponentially. Now, from nobles to commoners, the entire Great Xia Dynasty had come to embrace the luxurious products created under her direction. The palace's name had quietly become a household brand.
Although these businesses were remarkably profitable, no one dared to interfere. After all, they were under the Northern King's banner—and with Mu Changtian watching over the capital on Lu Chen's behalf, few had the courage to stir trouble.
What Lu Chen had not expected, however, was how sharp Mu Zixuan's business acumen truly was. Not only had she managed the businesses with elegance, but she even innovated a new product—soap—by cleverly combining the cleansing power of soap and the fragrance of perfume into a refined, bath-worthy product.
[T|N: The soap before was for cloth washing!]
Thanks to these enterprises, the palace now earned hundreds of thousands of silver taels monthly. And even then, Mu Zixuan wasn't content—she had been preparing trade routes and intended to expand sales beyond Great Xia's borders.
However, as her belly grew heavier, her energy waned, and she often found herself drowsy. Managing the palace's economy had become an overwhelming task.
Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Mu Zixuan nodded gently. "I've already handed over all the account ledgers to Aunt Chu. She's been spending her days getting familiar with everything."
Although Chu Yuqin wasn't officially part of the Northern Palace, everyone already considered her one of Lu Chen's future women. No one questioned her involvement, nor did they object to her managing the palace's vast properties.
At that moment, Xiaorou, a palace maid, entered with a hushed voice, "Your Highness, General Li requests an audience. He says it's urgent."
Lu Chen gently stroked Mu Zixuan's cheek and smiled. "My love, I'll be gone for just a moment. Rest well."
Mu Zixuan responded with a light smile, "Go ahead, Your Majesty. I'm fine."
Without delay, Lu Chen made his way to the martial training grounds. There, General Li Feng awaited him.
Before the general could salute, Lu Chen cut to the chase, "General Li, what's the matter?"
Li Feng's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Your Majesty, the crops you had us plant—what were they called again… ah, yes! The potatoes! They're ready to harvest!"
Lu Chen's eyes brightened immediately.
Potatoes—this was the crop he had placed his hopes on. With Beijun often plagued by food shortages, potatoes could be the miracle they needed. And now, the results were finally in.
"Let's go take a look," Lu Chen said without hesitation and strode quickly toward the palace gate.
He was anxious. Though he'd provided instructions based on what he remembered, he was no agricultural expert. He'd adapted the planting techniques to fit this world as best he could, but the final outcome had remained uncertain.
Soon, they arrived at the fields just outside the Northern King's Mansion.
By then, a crowd had already gathered—soldiers and curious townsfolk alike. Everyone had heard of the Northern Palace planting some strange new crop, and although no one knew exactly what it was, the presence of palace guards patrolling the fields daily had made it clear: whatever it was, it was important.
Seeing so many commoners nearby, Li Feng whispered, "Your Majesty, should we clear the area? These crops are still a closely guarded secret."
Lu Chen, however, shook his head. "No need. If we chase them off now, how will we promote widespread cultivation later?"
He had always intended to have the people of Beijun adopt potato farming. But unless they saw the results for themselves, no one would be willing to abandon traditional crops for something unfamiliar. Forcing them would only breed resentment.
As the townsfolk spotted Lu Chen approaching, whispers spread through the crowd.
"Hey, look! That's the prince, right?"
"Yeah, that's him! I saw him the day he first arrived in Yancheng!"
"What on earth did they plant here? Even the Northern King himself came to see it!"
"I heard it's a type of food. But it grows underground, if you can believe that."
"Is that even possible? Food buried in the earth? That's the first I've heard of such a thing."
"Shhh! Let's wait. Looks like they're about to start digging. We'll see soon enough."
Lu Chen ignored the murmuring. He swept his gaze over the field and ordered a nearby soldier holding a hoe, "Dig up one acre. Let's see the yield."
At his command, the soldiers began to dig.
Moments later, misshapen, brown-skinned potatoes began to emerge from the soil in abundance. The onlookers gasped in shock as mounds of these strange crops appeared beneath each plant.
"Wait, these… these are all edible?!"
"Heavens! Look at how many are growing from a single plant!"
"If this is real… if this is truly food… then Beijun will never go hungry again!"
"But will the prince really share this crop with commoners like us?"
Time passed slowly as the digging continued. Then finally, the entire acre was cleared. The harvested potatoes were piled high, forming a mound like a miniature hill. Even the soldiers, hardened by battle, were dumbstruck. The townsfolk stared in awe, speechless.
After careful weighing, the yield per acre was nearly two thousand kilograms.
Li Feng stood frozen for a moment. He could hardly believe the number. Two thousand kilograms? From just one acre?
In this era, even the best wheat fields barely produced two hundred kilograms per acre. And yet, here was a crop that gave ten times the yield!
Still in disbelief, Li Feng turned to report the results to Lu Chen—but Lu Chen spoke first.
"General Li," he said, "Announce it to the people. Let them know how much was harvested."
Realizing the prince's intent, Li Feng straightened his back and shouted in a booming voice:
"Your Highness! After our weighing, we have confirmed that the yield of these potatoes is—two thousand kilograms per acre!"
The surrounding crowd erupted in thunderous excitement.
"Heavens above! Two thousand kilograms?!"
"That much?! That's more than ten times what wheat gives us!"
"This… this is truly auspicious! Heaven has blessed Beijun!"
"Food like this… if the prince shares it with us, we'll never starve again!"
Cries of joy and awe filled the air, mingling with the scent of freshly dug earth. For the first time in a long while, the people of Beijun saw a future that wasn't clouded by famine or despair.
"Auspicious! This is auspicious!"
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