Murong Wushuang turned and left the military tent, not giving Beichen Yuan a chance to refuse.

He seemed somewhat impatient to leave.

Before Murong Wushuang arrived, however, Chu Fengchun had already followed the scent and found his way there.

“You little rascal, having good food and not inviting this old man? How dare you eat alone!” Chu Fengchun, like an old child, was completely shameless as he pulled up a chair and sat down.

Shen Qingwan quickly apologized and handed him a set of chopsticks and a bowl. “Please forgive me, sir. I simply forgot in the moment. My mother has just recovered from a serious illness, so we wanted to celebrate with some good food. But you came just in time! I was planning to visit you after dinner to bid farewell—we’re leaving early tomorrow morning.”

Chu Fengchun had just put a piece of meat into his mouth when he heard that they were leaving. “Why are you leaving in such a hurry? Is it because you’re upset about what happened to your mother?”

He spoke as he ate, not missing a single bite.

“That matter has already been dealt with by the prince, so there’s no need to dwell on it. It’s simply that we’ve been away from home for too long, and there’s much to take care of. Now that my mother has recovered, we won’t stay any longer.”

As Shen Qingwan spoke, she picked up some more food.

Chu Fengchun nodded and didn’t say much.

“Leaving this place might be for the best. If it weren’t for that stubborn brat refusing to let me go, I would have left with you.”

Just as they were talking, Murong Wushuang suddenly entered.

Seeing them gathered around eating, he was somewhat surprised.

“Young Master Shen, it’s quite lively here. Why are you eating so late?” By now, lunchtime had long passed, yet they were only just starting their meal.

Moreover, this clearly wasn’t military rations.

Shen Qingwan didn’t complain about the lack of food in the barracks.

Instead, he smiled and invited Murong Wushuang to join them. “Young Master Wushuang, if you don’t mind, why not have some with us?”

Murong Wushuang didn’t hesitate and actually sat down.

Even Chu Fengchun, who knew about his cleanliness obsession, was surprised to see him eating from the same pot as them.

Accepting the chopsticks and bowl Shen Qingwan handed him, he smiled as he took a seat. “In that case, I won’t hold back.

This stew smells amazing. The scent alone made it impossible for me to walk away.”

Murong Wushuang picked up a slice of meat, inspecting it before recognizing it as beef.

Though he didn’t know where the beef had come from, the taste was undeniably delicious.

With food shortages in the military, even the meals of himself and Beichen Yuan were strictly vegetarian. After going so long without meat, this one bite was irresistible.

They continued adding more meat to the pot—one pound after another—until everyone was almost full. Only then did Shen Qingwan start adding vegetables.

The potatoes, taro, and sweet potatoes were unfamiliar to them, as was the bok choy.

“Shen brat, what is this yellow thing? It’s delicious!” Chu Fengchun asked curiously, holding up a half-eaten piece of potato.

Shen Qingwan didn’t hide anything from him—after all, these crops were set for large-scale cultivation next year.

“This is a potato. The white one is taro, and the pink one is sweet potato. These are all newly discovered crops, and their seeds are already being cultivated. By next year, they will be widely planted.”

Hearing that they were new crops, everyone took a piece to taste and soon began praising them.

“These three have similar textures, but each has a unique flavor. I think I like the potato best,” Chu Fengchun said, picking up another piece.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t winter yet, and eating hotpot in this weather was a bit too warm—especially since it was slightly spicy.

The group ate until they were sweating.

Since Shen Qingwan didn’t want to reveal his and Ye Minglan’s true identities for now, he had disguised Ye Minglan with makeup, altering her appearance.

Though the heavy powder concealed her blushing, she was still visibly sweating.

Murong Wushuang also seemed unable to handle spicy food, stopping after just a few bites.

Inside the tent, they were enjoying their meal.

Meanwhile, Beichen Yuan was still waiting for Murong Wushuang to return with a report.

But after waiting for a long time, he sent someone to check—only to find that the traitor had gotten caught up in the feast instead.

Beichen Yuan’s face darkened, but he resisted the urge to storm in and flip the table.

After eating, Murong Wushuang didn’t immediately return.

Instead, he stayed to chat with Shen Qingwan and relayed some important news. “The prince has agreed to the request for a county lord title.”

Shen Qingwan was a little surprised. She hadn’t expected Beichen Yuan to agree so easily. Was he planning to make an outrageous demand in return?

She was already prepared for heavy bargaining—after all, the chance to trade food for a noble title was a rare opportunity.

More food could always be stockpiled later.

“Did the prince say how much grain he wanted?”

It was obvious that securing a county lord title required more than just a grain donation. But given all the charitable work Shen Qingwan had done in Suzhou recently, it should be enough for the War King to make a case for her.

If only the potatoes had already matured—introducing such a high-yield crop would surely earn her a reward.

Murong Wushuang smiled, his expression as warm as a spring breeze, making it hard to look away.

“You’ve been selling grain at low prices in Suzhou, helping countless people. And you’ve also organized food distributions outside the city. During the last military supply drive, you contributed significantly. Because of all this, the amount of grain you donate is up to you. No matter how much, the prince will still petition for your title. However, there is one other matter he needs your help with.”

Although Murong Wushuang hadn’t specified a required donation, if Shen Qingwan could accomplish this task, Beichen Yuan definitely wouldn’t object.

Shen Qingwan was stunned. Donate any amount?

Was this really Beichen Yuan’s decision? That man usually wanted nothing more than to wring her neck—how could he suddenly be so generous?

“Young Master Wushuang, please speak plainly. If it’s something I can help with, I certainly won’t refuse.”

Murong Wushuang gazed at her bright, intelligent eyes before softly stating, “I’d like to borrow your grain transport team to deliver a batch of supplies to the northwest for the Grand General.”

With Shen Qingwan’s grain donation, they wouldn’t have to worry about food shortages here for the time being.

However, the northwest army was likely already running out of supplies.

Knowing General Gu’s temperament, he would rather starve than retreat.

Defending Beidi wasn’t enough—northwest territory had to be secured as well. General Gu couldn’t afford to fall.

Since Shen Qingwan had successfully transported grain to Beidi multiple times, she clearly had her own special methods.

Murong Wushuang wasn’t interested in how the deliveries were made—he only cared about ensuring the food reached its destination safely.