Jin Qianqian was simply worried that the refugees would have nothing to eat.

As for the Jin family’s reputation, it was already well established, so she didn’t want her younger half-sister to ruin the porridge relief effort.

More importantly, without the porridge relief initiative, her previous connection to Shen Qingwan would be severed.

Seeing that Jin Qianqian remained silent, Shen Qingwan suddenly recalled her plan to open a restaurant. It wasn’t that she lacked money—rather, she had too much.

However, at present, she only had Tianxia Grain Store under her name.

She needed a legitimate outlet for her wealth to prevent future scrutiny over her expenses.

Unfortunately, she had very few capable people she could trust.

The villagers were reliable, but they were mostly illiterate farmers who could only handle basic labor. Running a business required intelligence and adaptability.

So, she thought—why not find a business partner?

She could provide the capital and recipes while someone else handled management.

Jin Qianqian, despite being a woman, was meticulous, adaptable, and well-versed in commerce. She was an excellent candidate.

“Miss Jin, would you be interested in partnering with me to open a restaurant? I plan to open one in Suzhou City, but I won’t have time to manage it, so I’d like to find a partner,” Shen Qingwan proposed.

Hearing this, Jin Qianqian immediately looked at her. “Young Master Shen, do you really trust me?”

Although the Jin family had been merchants for generations, and she owned several shops under her name, those had all been gifted to her by her mother or elders.

She had never started a business herself.

“Of course, I trust you. But I am only partnering with you, personally—this has nothing to do with the Jin family.”

Shen Qingwan believed in Jin Qianqian’s abilities and had high hopes for her.

Jin Qianqian nodded. “Alright, as long as Young Master Shen trusts me, I will do my best. But how exactly will this partnership work?”

She had no experience running a restaurant, so she needed more details.

“I will provide the capital and the menu. You will be responsible for management. As for profit sharing, we will split it 70-30. What do you think?”

A 30% share of a restaurant’s pure profits was no small amount, and Jin Qianqian knew that well. However, she wasn’t concerned about the profit—she simply wanted to work alongside Shen Qingwan.

“No need. I’ll take 20%, or even 10%. This will be my first time running a restaurant, and I lack experience. If I don’t manage it well, I wouldn’t want to cause losses for Young Master Shen,” she said sincerely.

“That won’t do. We agreed on 70-30, and that’s what it will be. If Miss Jin agrees, we can start choosing a location in a few days. I’ll also draft a detailed business plan for you,” Shen Qingwan insisted firmly.

Seeing her determination, Jin Qianqian no longer argued. “Alright, I agree.”

After finalizing their agreement, Jin Qianqian took her leave, and Shen Qingwan returned to her work.

Meanwhile, in Dahe Village, the village chief and Lu Wenguang had been anxious all day.

With Shen Qingwan away, they feared the Feng family would return to cause trouble.

But after waiting a full day without any sign of them, they finally relaxed.

By mid-October, as the northern war situation grew increasingly tense, Shen Qingwan’s vast sweet potato fields had finally ripened.

With over 400 acres of sweet potatoes, even the leaves alone yielded an enormous amount.

The refugees and villagers who had come to help with the harvest asked whether she still needed the sweet potato leaves.

Shen Qingwan told them they could take as many as they wanted. Upon hearing this, they were overjoyed, picking leaves as they dug up the crops.

The good leaves were taken by the refugees, while the remaining ones were used as feed for the pigs.

When the first plot’s yield was calculated, the entire village was ecstatic.

The yield per acre was an astonishing 4,800 jin (about 2,400 kg).

Some sweet potatoes were as big as a person’s head, while smaller ones grew in clusters of 20 or 30.

Even the refugees were thrilled at the sight.

Seeing the incredible yield, Shen Qingwan immediately sent someone with her personal token to the prefectural office to summon Governor Zhao Zhuo.

When Zhao Zhuo heard that the sweet potato yield had reached 4,800 jin per acre, he thought he had misheard.

He repeatedly confirmed it before hurriedly bringing the prefecture’s chief scribe and several officers to inspect the fields personally.

“Are you certain about 4,800 jin per acre?” Zhao Zhuo was so excited that his face turned red, and his voice trembled.

Shen Qingwan picked up a sweet potato, peeled it, and handed it to Zhao Zhuo. With a calm expression, she replied, “Yes, the yield is 4,800 jin per acre. The average will likely be around 4,500 jin.”

“My heavens! The people of the north won’t have to starve anymore! This is incredible—the refugees are saved!” Zhao Zhuo was so emotional that his eyes turned red.

He took a bite of the raw sweet potato—it was bright orange, crisp, and sweet. Even uncooked, it was delicious.

Shen Qingwan then explained several ways to prepare sweet potatoes, which Zhao Zhuo listened to intently, nodding repeatedly.

“Milord, perhaps we should have Young Master Shen and the officers re-excavate one full acre to verify the yield. If the results hold, this must be reported to the imperial court immediately. This concerns food security—it’s a matter of national importance,” the chief scribe reminded him.

Zhao Zhuo immediately realized the gravity of the situation.

Of course, this had to be reported to the court!

A record-breaking grain yield from his jurisdiction?

This would not only be a major achievement for Shen Qingwan but also a significant political merit for himself.

Shen Qingwan did not object.

She had Lu Wenguang lead a team of officers to harvest another full acre for precise measurement.

The final result was confirmed: an average yield of 4,600 jin per acre.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhuo rushed back to write his official report.

Before he left, Shen Qingwan had her people send him several large baskets of radishes, cabbage, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, winter melons, and pumpkins.

Zhao Zhuo happily accepted them and even asked about cooking methods.

When he learned that tomatoes and cucumbers could be eaten raw, he immediately tried one.

The taste was delicious.

However, he was too preoccupied with drafting his report to inquire about the other crops’ yields.

News of the sweet potato harvest spread rapidly throughout Suzhou City.

Three days after the harvest, Shen Qingwan transported 30 full carts of sweet potatoes to the porridge relief shelters outside the city, adding them to the rice porridge.

The combination of sweet potatoes and rice made for an exceptionally delicious meal.

The refugees had never eaten anything so sweet and soft before.

It was especially suitable for the elderly and children.

When they learned that sweet potatoes could yield over 4,000 jin per acre, their morale soared.

Many made up their minds to plant sweet potatoes in the coming year.

Shen Qingwan also promised that every household would receive some sweet potato seedlings.

Encouraged by this, the refugees eagerly began planning for permanent settlement.

Even though it was already mid-October, there was still time to clear land for farming.