When the soldiers had eaten their fill, Qin Junyao returned with Liu Yu and three soldiers.
"Madam, have you found a suitable location?" Dengzi Tui stepped forward quickly to greet Qin Junyao.
Qin Junyao sent the three accompanying soldiers to eat. "Yes, it's found. Once it's warmer, we can plant the saxaul saplings. What's for lunch? Can we have enough to eat?"
"We can eat our fill, Madam. May I speak with you privately?"
Qin Junyao followed Dengzi Tui to the side. "What is it?"
"Madam, do the wealthy households still have grain?"
Seeing Qin Junyao's questioning look, Dengzi Tui scratched his head. "It's like this, the General took most of the grain when he left. Salt Lake is experiencing a grain shortage, and Deputy Commander Zhou cannot buy any."
Qin Junyao frowned. "How can this be? Didn't we have enough grain?"
"It was calculated before. Some wealthy households had old grain they were going to sell us. Something happened, and now they won't sell it."
Qin Junyao did not ask what had happened; if Dengzi Tui didn't say, it meant she couldn't be told.
She thought for a moment. "Go and ask Deputy Commander Zhou how much is needed and what kind of grain. I will inquire."
Dengzi Tui's mouth stretched into a wide grin. "Thank you, Madam. Then, I'll go and ask right away."
"Go. If Grandma Ma has any leftover food, take it to Salt Lake."
"Yes, yes, I will."
The soldiers stationed at Salt Lake were also Dengzi Tui's comrades. The brothers at Salt Lake were barely getting one meal a day, while these men were eating three full meals. He truly couldn't bear it.
"Madam, bring these few people back with you," Grandma Ma reminded Qin Junyao as she was about to leave.
She also explained the situation at the Zhao family's door to Qin Junyao.
"Alright, Grandma Ma. You should also go back early."
Qin Junyao did not return to the Zhao family directly but went to the Qin family. They had just finished eating.
"Why are you back at this hour? Have you eaten?" Aunt Qin Er was sewing clothes under the eaves and saw Qin Junyao entering the courtyard.
Qin Junyao smiled and told a small lie. "Yes, I have, Auntie."
"Is my father at home?"
"He's gone to the fields. I'll go and call him for you," Aunt Qin Er put down her sewing and got up to find him.
Qin Junyao quickly stopped her. "Auntie, I'll go myself. You're pregnant, don't exert yourself."
Aunt Qin Er touched her still-flat abdomen. "I'm not that delicate. I'm almost four months along and haven't shown yet. I'm afraid I won't be able to keep it."
"Don't worry, Auntie. Liu Yu, stay and examine Auntie's pulse, then head back. I'll go find my father."
"Yao Yao, there's no need. Liu Yu, hurry and follow me..."
Qin Junyao pretended not to hear Aunt Qin Er's call and took Liu Yu to find her father.
"Father, Uncle."
Qin Fu put down his hoe and looked at Qin Junyao, who was once again wearing dark long-sleeved clothes and pants, as she walked towards him.
"Did you go to the fields again?" Qin Fu asked Qin Junyao.
"Ah, I went to see the land for planting saxaul."
"Father, I've got another batch of three-year-old saxaul trees. I'll give you some. We'll plant the saxaul first, and then the *Cistanche deserticola*."
Qin Fu looked at the large expanse of newly cleared land before him. "Junyao, you can't handle all this."
"Hire people," Qin Junyao stood next to her father, also looking at the vast empty land, wondering if the well water in her spatial dimension would be enough for these barren lands.
Qin Fu rested his hands on his hoe. "Hire people? Junyao, you can't be too ambitious. With those two hundred people you've hired to clear land, can you even get enough seeds?"
Qin Junyao turned to look at her father. "Don't worry, Father. If I dare to clear that much land, I'll definitely have enough seeds."
"I came because many villagers are blocking my door. Come with me and we'll see which ones are genuinely struggling and decent people, and which ones are trying to take advantage."
"Alright, let's go now."
Qin Fu shouldered his hoe and walked with Qin Junyao towards the Zhao family's residence. "Didn't you say you'd have your servants investigate the villagers?"