"You two need not be so polite. My Great Sheng has suffered greatly from years of war, and my family and I have endured much hardship. Naturally, we hope that one day we can live a peaceful life. Besides, my two younger brothers are both in the army, and doing what I can will put my mind at ease," Qin San Niang said sincerely, returning the curtsy.

"Regardless of the circumstances, I will certainly report what Madam Qin has done to the Prince truthfully. Please rest assured that we will do our best to ensure the safety of your brother in the army." Boss Zhou was indeed a shrewd businessman. His years of experience in the business and officialdom made him more shrewd than the average person.

Madam Zhou laughed heartily, stepped forward, and took Qin San Niang's hand, saying warmly, "I'm a few years older than you, so calling you 'sister' is perfectly acceptable. From the first moment I saw you, I felt an instant connection. If it weren't for the current unrest in the world, I really would have wanted to spend a long time with you. To be honest, your brother Zhou and I are returning to Yongzhou tomorrow, and we probably won't see each other for quite a while. If there's anything you'd like us to bring back, please feel free to send it. We're leaving at noon tomorrow."

His own wife had actually told others about such an important trip? Boss Zhou was startled, but then he thought, oh well! Madam Qin's own brother and sworn brother had both joined their Yongzhou army, and this time they were going to provide 100,000 shi of grain! It was said that this iron mine was also related to her... In that case, she was no different from one of their own.

"Thank you very much, sister. I'll hurry home to pack some things. Let's meet at our usual spot tomorrow at noon." With that, Qin San Niang bowed and took her leave.

The border region is bitterly cold, and they didn't bring much last time. This time they can bring some food that can be stored for a long time, as well as some wound powder and fever-reducing powder. Old Doctor Cao's medical skills are becoming more and more advanced, and his medicine powders are getting better and better. Qin San Niang is even thinking of opening a clinic and inviting him to sit in the clinic.

Because everyone had a lot to do, the Zhou couple didn't keep their guests any longer. After leaving the Zhou family, Qin San Niang went out of the city gate through Guo Mengzi. It was curfew, and the city gates were already closed, but Guo Mengzi was on duty today, so he naturally wanted to make things convenient for his people.

Besides, Master Qin and the county magistrate were acquaintances, so he wasn't afraid at all! Third Sister Qin didn't hesitate to give him a tael of silver, telling him to treat his companions to drinks.

Ten thousand shi of grain was already the limit of what Qin San Niang could produce. Grain in her spatial dimension matured faster, and she had stored up quite a bit over the past year, but it still wasn't enough for ten thousand shi. Starting half a year ago, she followed He Yingyuan's advice and purchased grain every few days, always under the name of Ruyi Pastry Shop. Including during the previous bumper harvest, she purchased nearly one shi of grain in batches, which brought her to ten shi.

If the iron ore was a pledge of loyalty, then this grain was a lifeline! Even if the army marches south and reaches Jiangnan, regardless of success or failure, Prince Xiao Chang'an of Yongzhou will surely have to consider their fate.

This Dasheng is rotten to the core!

A few days ago, Qin Sanniang heard that the number of refugees from the north had surged and they were now fleeing here! Who caused this? Was it the barbarians? The Tatars? Neither! The cause of the people's suffering was deserters and bandits!

Currently, several vassal kings guard the border, among which the Yongzhou army is the most powerful, but also the most difficult to deal with. Yet, the Yongzhou army has managed to prevent the Hu people from entering the pass! In contrast, the Jingzhou and Youzhou regions, which have no powerful enemies, are suffering from a series of problems, such as insufficient military pay and embezzlement by officials, resulting in eight or nine out of ten soldiers going hungry.

To be honest, the conscription system in Dasheng was really tough! Not only were recruited soldiers hard to bring back, but their pay was also pitifully low. Forget about earning money to support a family, they could barely even support themselves!

Without able-bodied men in their families, the soldiers' families either starved to death or deserted... With no one left at home, how can you expect them to guard the border with peace of mind? Only saints could do that!

Therefore, whenever they encountered a strong enemy, they suffered repeated defeats. Over time, some soldiers would fake their deaths during the chaos of war, or disappear without a trace when they went on missions.

But all land under heaven belongs to the emperor, and the situation outside was really not much better than in the army. To survive, some decided to go all out, taking off their military caps, sticking straw in their hair, and becoming bandits in the mountains! Even worse, some went down the mountain to work during the busy farming season and went up to banditry during the off-season. The honest, hardworking farmers naturally suffered the most, toiling away all day long. When they finally managed to harvest their grain, most of it went to taxes, leaving only enough for their families' food. They lived in constant fear that the bandits would steal it, since those bandits were villagers themselves and knew exactly where to hide the grain…

Even the farmers' children couldn't bear it anymore. The royal court didn't care about their lives, and bandits even came to steal their life-saving grain. The heavy taxes were suffocating them, and their younger brothers were almost of conscription age...

So, one dark and windy night, the village was deserted, but the bandits' camp not far away suddenly had a hundred or so more people...

Thus, the number of bandits increased while the number of farmers decreased. Where could they rob after they'd robbed everyone else? Naturally, they headed south. The more sophisticated ones transformed themselves, raising the banner of "Are kings and nobles born with special privileges?" and marching south with their armies. The less sophisticated ones simply led their men in guerrilla warfare; they were all survivors of hardship and knew never to underestimate the power of bandits.

This is the current state of Dasheng!

Riddled with holes, utterly dilapidated!

Although He County maintained a semblance of calm, the people knew that chaos had broken out outside, but they believed that as long as their city gates remained closed and the Lin'an royal court could block them, they would be safe.

Little did they know, there were no such inevitabilities. If a large number of refugees from the north were to flood in, He County would be in grave danger!

This is why she provided financial assistance to the Yongzhou army. In this way, the Yongzhou army could maintain its strong fighting power. With food and supplies, it could have a chance to catch its breath in the chaotic world of warring states, and also had the capital to seize the world.

If only the space could be upgraded, those things behind the fog, if they were all fertile fields, would be extremely useful.

Alas, where can we find jade pendants these days? He County doesn't produce jade. Wealthy women are mostly seen wearing gold and silver, and very few wear jade. This is certainly related to the turmoil. Gold and silver are hard currency, so who would buy jade, which is neither edible nor wearable and is easily broken?

That night, Qin San Niang quickly packed her things. Knowing that they were for her sons, Liu Shi packed a large bundle containing various dried meats and pickled vegetables, as well as sugar cubes and salt, and also the medicine powder that Qin San Niang had brought.