"Sister Manshuang," Qin Junyao reached out and patted Ling Manshuang's clasped hands.
"Alas, to be frank, the Imperial City is in utter chaos right now. Apart from my cousins here, all my relatives are in the Imperial City."
"All I can do is gather some information and send it to them. This place is considered a fallback."
Ling Manshuang thought for a moment, then clasped Qin Junyao's hand back, "Never mind, what I just said."
"I'll help you."
Ling Manshuang looked straight into Qin Junyao's eyes, confirming her words, "You'll help me?"
Qin Junyao smiled, "Yes, if you're looking for flowers like azaleas, I'll figure something out."
"Thank you, Sister Junyao, thank you."
Qin Junyao could feel Ling Manshuang's gratitude. It was not easy for a proud lady like Ling Manshuang to humble herself and ask for help.
She could have even made more unreasonable requests, asking Qin Junyao to help inquire about news from Zhao Liangcai.
But Ling Manshuang didn't. This was her respect for Qin Junyao.
After a few more words between them, they heard the exclamations of Fu Zi and Qin Xiaoyu, as well as the voices of Qin's father and the others.
Qin Junyao led Ling Manshuang out of the room to greet the Qin family who had just returned.
"This potato is so big, it's as big as my head," Fu Zi held up a potato as large as a melon.
"Mine is bigger, it's as big as my second brother's head," Qin Xiaoyu took out a potato from the basket at Qin Er Niu's feet, which was about the same size as Fu Zi's.
"Mine is bigger, I'm bigger than Brother Er Niu's head."
"My second brother is bigger than your head."
...
The two children were discussing whose head was bigger.
Bai Qing, who had just arrived, also joined the discussion about potatoes.
Qin's father and the others met Bai Qing at the courtyard gate upon their return, with Qin Sen introducing them.
Upon entering the courtyard, they exchanged pleasantries with Ye Zhu and Zhao Liangcai.
It was Fu Zi who first noticed the large potatoes Qin Er Niu was carrying in his basket.
"Bai Qing is here. What are you talking about, big or small? Dad, this is Sister Manshuang I mentioned."
Qin Junyao introduced everyone to each other again and then spoke about how exceptionally large the potatoes the Qin family had harvested this time were.
In the morning, the Qin family had been pulling potato vines in the fields, and the potatoes they dug up were fist-sized, or even smaller. No one paid much attention.
In the Northwest, potatoes didn't grow very large due to the lack of water.
It wasn't until they were returning that Qin Er Niu suggested digging a few to roast for lunch, only then did they discover that the potatoes in the ground were all large.
Not only the Qin family, but the Hou family's harvested potatoes were also quite large.
Qin Grandma leaned against the door frame, watching Ling Manshuang naturally converse with Qin's father, Da Niu, and Er Niu, and felt a pang of emotion.
A young lady from the Ling Mansion was indeed different. Whether it was princes and princesses or humble peddlers and street vendors, she interacted with them based on their character, not their wealth or status.
Her granddaughter truly had a destiny of nobility, as everyone she met was extraordinary.
This was Qin Grandma's first time seeing Ling Manshuang. Previously, when Ling Manshuang and Bai Qing had seen Qin Junyao off in Xibei City, Qin Grandma had not gotten out of the carriage.
She had heard Qin Junyao mention her, but she hadn't realized Ling Manshuang was from the Ling family of the Imperial City. She only recognized her today when she saw the crest on Ling Manshuang's hairpin.
If her eyesight wasn't good, she might have missed it.
"Mother, are you coming down now?" Qin Mother asked from behind Qin Grandma.
"Yes, go borrow some tables. Let's have the men and women sit in separate rooms, and the soldiers with Xiao Chui Zi will have their own table."
Qin Mother agreed and went to find Qin Da Niu to borrow tables from the neighbors.