Every time the tea room door opened, Ling Ran would glance up, see Fan Jiang and Fan Hu, and then move away without changing his expression.

"Ling Ran, we really owe you a lot this time!" Li Huyu said heartily.

Ling Ran smiled faintly and said sincerely, "It's my pleasure."

Aunt Bai Shuhu cared deeply for Bai Ziqian. Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for her not to visit him for so long. Even if she trusted Aunt Shuiqing, she would still miss her son.

There is only one possibility for why they didn't come: they couldn't come.

Guangning Prefecture was already in chaos, and Nandu was in even more dire straits than Guangning Prefecture, so it was impossible for it not to be in chaos. Therefore, when he went to ask his father to help Shanshui Village out of its predicament, he also asked him to take care of the Bai family in Nandu.

Bai Manshan took Ling Ran's politeness as an excuse and said with a smile, "We're not related, so how can it be your obligation? I have a lot of good things stored here with your Aunt Shuiqing. Take a look and choose whatever you like!"

Ling Ran shook his head and said affirmatively once again, "Uncle Bai, it's what I should do."

This is indeed what he should do, not because of Bai Ziqian, but because of Uncle Bai and Aunt Huyu!

When they arrived, he was just a useless person staying at Aunt Shuiqing's place. Aunt Huyu wanted to teach him martial arts to strengthen his body, and Uncle Bai said that he would take him to do business so that he could support his family in the future.

How could he not repay this kindness that showed him consideration?

"I'm here very late this time, and I'm heading back tomorrow."

Shui Qing asked in surprise, "Returning tomorrow?"

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Bai Ziqian asked anxiously.

"Can't we stay a few more days? Even just two or three days would be fine," Li Huyu hurriedly asked.

Fan Jin and Bai Manshan also looked over.

Ling Ran forced a smile, turned his gaze to the window, and said leisurely, "I do need to take some things with me this time, but they belong to Aunt Shuiqing and Uncle Jin."

He didn't come back simply to visit relatives; he came back with a mission.

"What is that?"

"Potato."

Shui Qing had a rough idea in her mind. She looked at Ling Ran, and he looked at her in return.

Ling Ran explained briefly: "My maternal grandfather was a subordinate of the King of Yan. Now the King of Yan is fighting against the new emperor, and the capital is in dire need of food. My maternal grandfather and I were talking about potato production, and he asked me to bring people to transport potatoes back to use as seed."

Actually, he wasn't the maternal grandfather, but the eldest son of the King of Yan.

Before leaving, Aunt Shuiqing told him to get close to the eldest son of the King of Yan. After getting to know him, he truly believed that the son was a meticulous and insightful leader who could command the entire army.

This trip was his own decision; after learning about the potato yield, he didn't waste a single moment.

The potatoes in Shanshui Village need to be planted in early February. The climate in the north is cold, but even if they are transported back to the north, it will be at least April. He must transport them back without delay!

Every day of delay could affect production. If there isn’t enough food, the army simply won’t be able to march and fight!

Shui Qing was also estimating the time in her mind.

She had read books on potato cultivation, and it was normal to plant potatoes in April or May in the north. However, given the long distance, she couldn't afford to delay.

However, "Do you know how to plant them? Also, you only brought fifty people, and fifty-one horses can only carry a limited amount of potato seeds. Is that enough?"

A horse can pull several hundred catties. If we calculate it at five hundred catties, fifty-one horses would only pull a little over twenty thousand catties.

More than 20,000 jin of potatoes as seed would certainly be enough for a village, even more than it could eat, but for the three armies, it would be far from enough.