The steaming fish soup was served.

Ning Que couldn't wait to stand up.

The fish broth, a creamy white, is brimming with red grouper. Adding tofu, chopped green onions, and ginger, the broth is fragrant from afar. Just a sprinkle of salt is all it takes to create a delicious dish.

"Hmm, this fish soup is pretty good. This grouper would definitely taste even better if made into sashimi." Ning Que took a large bowl first, nodding in praise. "Live by the mountain, eat by the mountain; live by the sea, eat by the sea. As long as the workshop has fish to eat every day, it's actually quite good."

“The fish sashimi is definitely better.”

Haigui nodded repeatedly.

He and Haejae grew up by the sea.

Raw food like sashimi was his favorite. However, Ning Que had previously said that sashimi should be eaten sparingly. Even marine fish harbored parasites. Eating too much could easily lead to illness. Furthermore, those with weak spleens and stomachs were not suited to eating sashimi, as it would easily cause diarrhea.

Most of the people working in the firearms workshop were servants, and they were also Ning Que's personal guards. Some of them had never seen the sea in their entire lives, and if they rashly touched fish sashimi, it would easily cause an accident. For their safety, they chose to stew it. After all, there weren't many sea fish, so stewing it into fish soup was enough for everyone.

Just like factories and schools in later generations, food was always cooked. It was often healthy and simple, with no sashimi being served. After all, safety was paramount; just being able to fill one's stomach was enough.

“This is rice.”

“And fried leeks.”

"Plus stir-fried bamboo shoots and mushrooms with pickles."

Soon, all the food was served.

Ning Que casually sat on the ground and picked up his bowl. The leeks were quite salty and rather old, barely adequate for a side dish. What surprised Ning Que most were the bamboo shoots and mushrooms. Thanks to the Lingnan climate, the local mushrooms were plentiful and delicious.

“Not bad, not bad!”

“The food here is really good.”

"There are both meat and vegetables, and the rice is quite fragrant too."

Ning Que nodded repeatedly and said with a smile, "Brother Hai, you have to understand that those in the workshop are basically our own people. They will be the elite of the elite, the aces of the aces in the future. They are currently doing physical labor, which involves certain risks. They work very hard every day, so they can't be treated unfairly in terms of food. They can't only eat fish and meat, but occasionally kill a sheep for them to enjoy. The people of Nanyue regard sheep as a totem, but we don't. We should eat and drink as we please, as long as we don't get in their way."

"Don't worry."

Haizai also smiled.

The various tribes of Lingnan have different customs and habits. If they really care about all of them, life will be unbearable. They respect the customs of the Nanyue people and can choose not to eat mutton in front of them. But the Nanyue people must also respect their customs. Just because they don't eat it, we can't stop everyone from eating it. Otherwise, Ning Que can always say that the people of Dafeng don't eat pork either. How can the Nanyue people not eat it?

This is all about mutual respect.

Ning Que doesn't care as long as he doesn't cause trouble.

The craftsmen were surprised to see Ning Que sitting on the floor. They were mostly Gongshu people, and had only heard of him. They hadn't expected a prince like him to sit and eat with them. He had no airs at all, and ate even more heartily than they did. They remembered Hai Zai saying that Ning Que was a very picky eater. If the food didn't suit his taste, he wouldn't eat it.

This is actually half true and half false.

Ning Que was indeed a picky eater before.

But that also depends on the occasion.

When he was with them, there was no need to quibble about his stutter. And when he was leading troops in battle or providing disaster relief, he wasn't picky about food. As long as there was something to eat, he was willing to eat and live with the soldiers, which helped to build closer relationships.

…

…

After eating and drinking, Ning Que got back into the carriage.

He also had to check on the potatoes.

Wars are often fought with logistics and national strength.

Dafeng was defeated many times in foreign wars due to lack of food and supplies.

For example, a 100,000-man army, including the warhorses, would require at least 20,000 dan of grain per day. This grain wasn't just rice; it also included salt, soy sauce, vinegar, meat, vegetables... and even fodder for the horses. Furthermore, the soldiers also received pay. A normal march and battle required at least ten coins per day, bringing the total cost of pay alone to one million coins. Even assuming the cheapest grain price of fifty coins per dan, this still cost one million coins, roughly one thousand taels of silver.

It might not seem like much, but you have to remember that wars can sometimes reach a stalemate, lasting two or three years. And these figures are for an army of 100,000; if it were 500,000, the costs would be even more horrific. And these are just daily expenses, not counting the wear and tear of weapons and armor. If a war were to happen, archery would surely be necessary, right? A single duck-feather arrow from Dafeng costs at least 50 coins. If a single battle consumes 20,000 arrows, that's another million coins!

In short, if you want to fight a war, you need money!

There must be enough food on hand!'

In Ning Que's view, potatoes were even more important than firearms. Not only was his ability to overthrow Emperor Feng's rule at stake, but the future of Dafeng was also crucial.

"Little Junior Brother, you can rest assured."

"We now have a total of 50 acres of potatoes planted."

"I have sent two hundred men to guard the place day and night."

"No one is allowed to come near."

Hai Zai knew what Ning Que was worried about and said with a smile, "Actually, there aren't many people here. After all, Lingnan doesn't lack land. Most people grow rice, and no one cares about our potatoes. The main thing is to be on guard against wild boars. You don't know, but Yue people are often killed by wild boars. Wild boars will steal rice at night and dig up the soil, leaving even the roots untouched."

"Um."

Ning Que nodded thoughtfully.

This isn't just the case in Lingnan; the same applies to Dafeng as well. As the saying goes, one pig, two bears, and three tigers—the competition isn't about combat effectiveness, but the threat posed to humans. Wild boars are like that; when they go mad, they're fearless. If you get close to a wild boar, their fangs are formidable. Even a grown man might not be able to withstand them. And wild boars, like animals, will eat anything; they're not picky at all.

Ox carts were moving through the jungle.

Birds fly by from time to time along the road.

Tie Niu and Bai Yu were on the left and right, responsible for clearing the way.

Fortunately, the field is not far away.

"My Lord, something happened!"

Bai Yu, who was walking in front, stopped suddenly.

He stood high above, gazing at the plain in the distance.

"Quite a few people are fighting to the death!"

"What?"

Ning Que jumped off the ox cart immediately upon hearing this.

There can't be any loss of potatoes.

Even one less potato will have far-reaching consequences.

He could smell the smell of blood from a distance.

The soldiers led by Song Ci are fighting a desperate battle with the enemy.

Ning Que was shocked when he saw their weapons.

"Oh no, they are Japanese pirates!!!"