The court was instantly filled with the sound of coughing, accompanied by the sight of all the officials turning their attention to Yuan Ruan.

Yuan Ruan froze for a moment, then waved her small hand toward the court officials:

[Ah. This is the Minister of the Ministry of Works who gifted me the jade Nine Rings Puzzle. Wave a little more at him. Oh, and here’s the Minister of Rites who gave me the white jade animal sculpture. I should smile at him more. Ah, and there’s the Marquis of Cheng, who gave me the most gifts. Here’s a heart gesture for you! Honestly, I wasn’t planning on getting up, but seeing how many things you’ve all given me, I simply had to come!]

The court officials collectively choked in their hearts: What now? Outsmarted by our own cleverness!

Under the emperor’s knowing yet faintly amused expression, the officials Yuan Ruan called out by name all broke out in cold sweat and did their best to force cheerful smiles in response.

Then, they quietly turned to look at the Marquis of Cheng, who had been the mastermind behind this plan, the silence deafening.

The emperor personally walked down, bent over, and settled Yuan Ruan comfortably on his arm. At the same time, he said, “Alright, does anyone else have anything to say?”

Yuan Ruan’s eyes widened in a flash, and she immediately spoke to the system:

[If there’s melon, let’s first check if any of it can trigger a national fortune mission!]
(Melon=Gossip)

The system replied: [Got it! Let me take a look.]

The officials, who had just been so eager to step forward, now collectively took half a step back, afraid they’d be the first ones targeted by the system.

At this moment, Yu Hongyu, the Minister of the Agriculture, stepped forward under the admiring gazes of the officials. With excitement, he reported, “Your Majesty, I have news to share. The potatoes we planted a month ago have yielded an extraordinary harvest. Each vine can produce about six tubers!”

This number completely exceeded the emperor’s expectations. He almost failed to hold Yuan Ruan securely in his arms, instinctively clenching his fist.

“What!” The officials were equally shocked and responded in disbelief, “There are actually this many!”

Although they were already aware of Yuan Ruan’s miraculous capabilities, seeing such a massive yield still left them utterly astonished.

The officials all glanced at Yuan Ruan in unison, but quickly averted their gazes.

Among them, an elderly, one-armed general was particularly excited. With his single hand, he gripped Yu Hongyu’s shoulder tightly and roared, “What did you say? Six tubers per vine?! Wouldn’t that mean thousands of catties per acre?!”

Yu Hongyu grimaced in pain and replied, “Yes, yes, General! Please let go, my shoulder is about to break. The yield is indeed that high. Moreover, once cooked, potatoes are extremely filling.”

The old general grew even more animated. “Excellent! Excellent! With this as our staple crop, Da Xia will never face famine again!”

Yuan Ruan was taken aback: [System, aren’t potatoes supposed to take months to mature? What’s going on here?]

The system explained: [If it’s from the system, it’s guaranteed to be top-notch! They used the nutrient solution from the box, which accelerated the growth period. Without it, it would still take several months.]

The spectators, upon hearing this, felt reassured. As long as the yield remained high, a longer growth period wasn’t a big issue.

At this moment, the Assistant Censor-in-Chief suddenly stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, “Your Majesty, I have objections. Yesterday evening, as I was routinely inspecting the potato fields on horseback, I happened to see Minister Yu digging up potatoes. My horse, being greedy, secretly ate one and ended up vomiting and having diarrhea when we returned. These potatoes are poisonous and unfit for consumption.”

The court broke out in an uproar: Poisonous?

However, none of them doubted Yuan Ruan. Instead, they looked at the Assistant Censor-in-Chief in astonishment: Are you mad? Didn’t you participate in the Heaven and Earth Ceremony? How dare you question the abilities of the little National Preceptor?

Yuan Ruan yawned as her inner voice sounded:

[Saying potatoes are poisonous? That’s impossible! Could it be a sprouted one, a green-skinned one, or an immature one? As long as it’s a normal potato, it’s absolutely safe to eat.]

The system asked nervously: [What should we do, Ah Ruan? We’re being wrongly accused! Will such an amazing food be abandoned?]

The court officials waved their hands repeatedly: Don’t worry, Little National Preceptor, we all trust you!

The one-armed general even stepped forward, glaring murderously at the Assistant Censor-in-Chief. He said, “What evidence do you have to prove that the horse’s vomiting and diarrhea were caused by eating potatoes and not something else?”

The Assistant Censor-in-Chief faltered.

Yu Hongyu quickly added, “Not only are potatoes high-yielding, but they are also simple to cook. Just boil them to fill the stomach, though their flavor is relatively plain.”

The one-armed general shot Yu Hongyu a dissatisfied look and said, “If it can fill the stomach, what does the taste matter?!”

At this moment, Yuan Ruan’s inner voice sounded again:

[What?! Saying potatoes don’t taste good? Potatoes are super delicious, okay? Slice them into strips and stir-fry them on an iron plate with some chili and seasonings. Crispy and spicy wolf-tooth potatoes can make you lick your fingers clean.

And my favorite, potato and beef stew. Just add a bit of salt and seasoning to the pot, let it simmer, and when the broth starts to thicken, uncover the lid. The hot steam carries a fragrance that can attract people from ten miles away. And don’t forget crispy roasted potato chips… Potatoes are top-tier delicacies that are mouthwateringly good, and you’re saying they’re not tasty?!]

Thinking of these delicious dishes, Yuan Ruan got so excited that she couldn’t help but recall every detail of their appearance, aroma, and taste.

Several officials were practically drooling as they listened, their stomachs growling audibly.

The Assistant Censor-in-Chief suddenly spoke again, [General, I can confirm that my horse only ate potatoes. Two hours later, it vomited and had diarrhea. I believe potatoes should not be promoted.]

The officials: …

They glanced at the Assistant Censor-in-Chief in bewilderment: Colleague, how did you manage to climb to the position of a fourth-rank official with such a lack of awareness?

At this moment, Yuan Ruan’s inner voice sounded again:

[This guy is so stubborn. But having such meticulous officials in Da Xia is good. Let’s just hope potatoes won’t be abandoned. They should conduct more tests. As long as they don’t eat sprouted or green potatoes, normal ones are perfectly safe for long-term consumption.]

The court officials paused upon hearing Yuan Ruan’s thoughts: Wait, could this guy be trying to get the Little National Preceptor’s attention and earn some favor?

At this moment, the system chimed in: [That’s probably it. Ah Ruan, I just scanned the area, and so far, there’s no national fortune mission triggered. But there are a lot of interesting stories here. Want to hear some gossip?]

The officials’ expressions subtly shifted.

Yuan Ruan: [Of course! Let’s start with the Assistant Censor-in-Chief. Anything interesting about him?]

The system replied: [Oh, absolutely! And it’s quite unexpected!]

The Assistant Censor-in-Chief suddenly looked up, his expression incredibly complex.

The court officials threw him looks filled with schadenfreude: Trying to show off, huh? Well, now you’ve hit a brick wall.

Yuan Ruan: [Tell me!]

The system revealed: [First, the Assistant Censor-in-Chief… hahaha, he has a secret hobby. His voice naturally sounds like a woman’s, and he loves to sing. Every seventh day, on his day off, he meticulously dresses up in women’s clothing, boards a flower boat on the outskirts of the capital, and pretends to be a singing courtesan. He’s even gained a stage name because of how good his singing is.]

The officials’ pupils contracted in shock: !!!

What the heck?

A naturally high-pitched voice? Cross-dressing?

Pretending to be a singing courtesan and even gaining a stage name?!

They all turned to look at the Assistant Censor-in-Chief, thinking: Wow, we never imagined you were this kind of person! Trying to show off just led to your social death.

Yuan Ruan looked astonished: [Hiss… I’m a little curious. Did he ever run into his colleagues while performing?]

The system laughed: [Of course! That’s the funny part.]

Yuan Ruan: [What?! Who was it?!]

The officials: !!!

They suddenly panicked and began frantically recalling: No… it couldn’t have been me, could it?!