Discovered Sweet Potatoes!

Under the setting sun, Wei Lan and Ming Yi walked back, chatting and laughing along the way.

Wei Lan carried a delicate bamboo basket in her hand, filled with Ba Zhen Cake from Miss Tang. Miss Tang had mentioned that the cake would take a few days to make, but it was delivered in just one day. This made Wei Lan admire her skills even more.

“Ming Yi, do you think this Ba Zhen Cake will be a success?” Wei Lan asked as she swung the basket playfully.

Ming Yi smiled, “With Miss Tang’s skills, there shouldn’t be a problem.”

Wei Lan walked backward mischievously, dragging out her words, “So, you’re very familiar with Miss Tang’s skills, huh?” Her eyes sparkled playfully as she observed Ming Yi’s reaction.

Ming Yi raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you always the one telling me how amazing her skills are?”

Seeing his helpless expression, Wei Lan chuckled inwardly but kept a straight face. Suddenly, she tripped over a protruding rock and lost her balance, falling backward.

Ming Yi’s heart tightened. Instinctively, he reached out, ready to catch her.

But Wei Lan steadied herself after a few wobbles.

Seeing this, Ming Yi withdrew his hands and teased, “You should watch your step. If you fall, the Ba Zhen Cake might get ruined.”

Wei Lan rolled her eyes at him. “I have excellent reflexes! I wouldn’t fall so easily.”

Ming Yi smirked. “That’s debatable. You can ‘fly’ on flat ground, but the moment you hit a bump, you’d still trip.”

Wei Lan huffed and ran ahead, ignoring him.

Ming Yi watched her retreating figure with gentle eyes and a growing smile.

As they entered the courtyard, a mouthwatering aroma filled the air. Hong Hua had already set up a feast, with Shun Xing and Jiu An helping arrange bowls and chopsticks.

Around the table sat Huang Qi, Dang Gui, Fu Ling, Bai Zhu, Zhi Ke, Chen Pi, and Gan Cao. Seeing Wei Lan and Ming Yi return, they all stood up with smiles.

Fu Ling was the first to greet them enthusiastically, “Sister Wei, Brother Liu, you’re back! Thank you for your hard work!” His voice was loud and full of energy, as if he wanted to spread his excitement to everyone.

Gan Cao, however, timidly hid in the back, sneaking glances at Wei Lan without saying a word.

Noticing this, Wei Lan smiled and nodded at him in acknowledgment.

Jiu An’s nose twitched as he spotted the bamboo basket in Wei Lan’s hand. His eyes lit up, and he rushed over, making excited “hmm hmm” sounds, signaling that he wanted to see what was inside.

Wei Lan handed the basket to him with a smile. “This is Ba Zhen Cake made by Miss Tang. Let’s all try it later. If it’s good, we can start producing it officially.”

Jiu An eagerly opened the lid and took a bite of the cake. A satisfied smile spread across his face. He didn’t speak, but his expression said it all.

Seeing this, Fu Ling hurried over, eyes wide with anticipation. “I want to try it too!” he said, quickly grabbing a piece as if afraid someone would take his share.

Hong Hua called everyone to sit and cheerfully said, “Everyone worked hard today. Let’s enjoy this meal together.”

After dinner, Wei Lan and Ming Yi inspected the herbs the young apprentices had gathered. Shun Xing, always strict, had prepared copper coins for payment, rewarding the apprentices based on the quality and quantity of their harvest.

The courtyard buzzed with excitement as the apprentices eagerly displayed their findings.

Fu Ling, always eager to impress, proudly placed his basket on the ground and announced, “Look at what I gathered! I found some amazing herbs!”

With a smug expression, he unrolled a bundle of herbs and said mysteriously, “I saved these for last because they’re special—I found a lot of Jin Qian Cao (gold coin herb)!”

As soon as he spoke, the other apprentices gathered around, their eyes filled with curiosity and admiration. Fu Ling puffed out his chest, waiting for Ming Yi’s praise.

However, after a careful examination, Ming Yi smiled but with a hint of amusement. “Fu Ling, this isn’t Jin Qian Cao—it’s Che Qian Cao (plantain herb).”

Fu Ling’s face turned red. He stammered, “H-how could I get it wrong? I matched it with the book’s illustration!”

Wei Lan compared the plant to the one in Compendium of Materia Medica and frowned. “They do look quite similar.”

Ming Yi took the book and explained, “Che Qian Cao has oval leaves with smooth edges, while Jin Qian Cao has rounder leaves with tiny serrations. Also, Che Qian Cao has white or pale yellow flowers, whereas Jin Qian Cao’s flowers are small, delicate, and either white or light purple.”

He continued, “These two herbs grow in different environments—Che Qian Cao is commonly found along roadsides and field edges, while Jin Qian Cao prefers moist areas near streams.”

Fu Ling nodded silently, feeling embarrassed.

Shun Xing pulled out a few copper coins and handed them to Fu Ling. “Here’s your pay.”

Fu Ling took the coins, looking disappointed. “Boss, I gathered so much, why only this much money?”

Shun Xing replied coldly, “Che Qian Cao is common and not worth much. You mistook it for something valuable. If you want higher pay, you need to improve your skills first.”

Fu Ling lowered his head, unwilling to argue further. His ears turned red as he heard whispers around him. He muttered, “Gan Cao only brought back two heavy lumps of dirt. He barely gathered any herbs.”

Gan Cao, who had been hiding in the corner, hesitantly spoke up, “I… I dug up these red fruits. They smelled nice, so I tried one. It tasted good, so I brought two back.”

He licked his lips, savoring the memory of the fruit’s slightly sweet and starchy taste.

Ming Yi said, “Gan Cao, bring them here.”

Gan Cao carefully handed over the two dirt-covered lumps. They were round and quite heavy.

Ming Yi brushed off the dirt, revealing a reddish surface with irregular bumps and thin roots.

Wei Lan’s eyes widened in excitement.

“This is a sweet potato!” she exclaimed.

Ming Yi frowned in confusion. “I’ve never seen this before. What is it?”

Wei Lan explained, “It’s a crop brought from overseas, also called fan shu, di gua, or shan yu. It has started spreading through coastal regions like Fujian and Guangdong, but it’s rare here.”

Gan Cao’s eyes lit up. “Is it useful?”

Wei Lan nodded with a smile. “Of course! You’ve made a great discovery, Gan Cao. Sweet potatoes grow well even in poor soil and produce high yields. If we cultivate them, they can become a staple food!”

Fu Ling felt a pang of jealousy but had to admit that Gan Cao had done well this time.

He muttered, “Hmph, it’s just a couple of lumps of dirt. What’s so special about that?”

Wei Lan, hearing his grumbling, walked over and reassured him, “Fu Ling, you did great too. Those herbs look alike, so it’s understandable to mistake them. And your plantain herbs are high quality—they have excellent medicinal properties.”

Fu Ling brightened up. “Really? Then next time, I’ll bring you an even bigger surprise!”

Wei Lan ruffled his hair and smiled. “I’ll be waiting.”

As she looked back at the sweet potatoes in her hands, a bigger idea formed in her mind. If she could introduce sweet potatoes into local farming, it would lower food costs—allowing her to mass-produce medical alcohol.

This could change everything.