Old Man Sun repeatedly shook his head, "Not to the military camp. My farming skills are only good enough for scratching a living at home, not in the military camp."
Sheng Lengshuang said, "Even if you don't think for yourself, you have to think for your little granddaughter, right? Farming in the military camp means at least you won't worry about food and drink, won't you?"
"This..." Old Man Sun looked down at his granddaughter in his arms, hesitating.
He was a man with one foot in the grave, and any kind of food would suffice for him. But his granddaughter was so young; if he didn't take good care of her, she could easily die young.
"Really, you're inviting me to farm in the military camp? I've never heard of the military camp needing farmers."
Sheng Lengshuang explained, "The military camp will be needing farmers soon. Not just you, but several more skilled farmers will be invited to improve the meals for the soldiers in the camp."
"If you don't believe me, you can come to the military camp with me to see for yourself. If you're worried, you can come to the military camp to find me when you've made up your mind. My surname is Sheng."
Someone shouted, "Is the surname Sheng the same Sheng as General Sheng's?"
Sheng Lengshuang nodded, "That is my father."
Instantly, the surrounding commoners looked at Sheng Lengshuang with great familiarity.
"Old Man Sun, this is General Sheng's beloved daughter, you can trust her."
"Yes, yes, General Sheng is a great general of our Eastern Jin Dynasty. What his beloved daughter says can be trusted."
"Old Man Sun, hurry up and pack your things and go with Miss Sheng to farm in the military camp. It's good for you and the child. It doesn't matter if you suffer, but you can't let the child suffer."
Old Man Sun looked at his granddaughter sleeping soundly in his arms, gritted his teeth, and said to Sheng Lengshuang, "I'll go with you to farm in the military camp! I don't ask for food, I only ask that my granddaughter be well."
Sheng Lengshuang reassured him, "You will naturally receive the monthly wages owed to you. Also, I will have the cooks in the military camp prepare some goat milk for the child."
"It's too late today. Pack your things and come to the military camp tomorrow to find me. I'll arrange work for you."
Upon hearing this, Old Man Sun, holding his granddaughter, was about to kneel down to express his gratitude.
Sheng Lengshuang stopped him, "I'm hiring you to work, and you'll be helping the military camp with farming. There's no reason to kneel and thank me. Besides, you must be truly good at farming."
Old Man Sun wiped away tears and repeatedly promised to farm diligently. As long as he could raise his granddaughter, he was willing to do any dirty or tiring work, no matter how bitter or exhausting.
Sheng Lengshuang gave him a few instructions and then returned to the military camp.
Upon returning to the camp, she informed the guards and then spoke with Mo Lingxi.
"I plan to recruit more skilled farmers. There are many empty spaces in the military camp, and if utilized properly, we can have a good amount of fruits and vegetables in a year."
Mo Lingxi, who always indulged her, was a little worried that she would be too busy. "You have to manage caring for the patients and also farming. Can you handle it all? Can your body withstand it?"
Sheng Lengshuang picked up her teacup and took a sip of water. "Don't worry, I can handle it. Besides, whether it's treating illnesses or farming, there are people to help. It's not like I'm doing it all alone."
Mo Lingxi understood her nature and held her hand, persuading her, "Don't be too busy. If you really have no time, hand these matters over to others. Your health is important."
Sheng Lengshuang agreed and asked about the Southern Jin Dynasty's army, "How is the Southern Jin Dynasty's army doing? A protracted war benefits neither side."
Mo Lingxi knew this best. "The Southern Jin Dynasty cannot sustain a protracted war. It is estimated that the Southern Jin Dynasty's main army will make a major move soon."
"If this drags on, the Southern Jin Dynasty will be in big trouble. Be careful recently, and try not to go out alone. By the way, I heard you encountered Tao Li?"
Sheng Lengshuang elaborated on the matter and also stated her guess, "The other party wants to refine more people like Tao Li. They might try to negotiate with me."
Mo Lingxi was puzzled by this. "Logically speaking, puppets without their own consciousness are easier to control. Why would these people refine puppets with their own consciousness?"
Sheng Lengshuang explained, "In many ways, puppets without their own consciousness are essentially corpses. Puppets with their own consciousness can act like living people, and often, they can follow commands without needing to be controlled."
"However, such puppets also have drawbacks. They have their own consciousness, and they might do things that go against their orders, or even betray their masters."
Mo Lingxi understood, "It must be very difficult to refine such puppets, right?"
Sheng Lengshuang replied, "It's much harder than refining 'medicine people.' You know how difficult it is to refine a 'medicine person.' Puppets are a bit more powerful than 'medicine people,' and to have their own consciousness makes it even more challenging."
"What have you thought of?"
Mo Lingxi nodded, "Where did all these people come from? If we start from this aspect, we should be able to quickly identify the culprit. Also, His Majesty has made progress."
Sheng Lengshuang's face lit up, "Do you know who the culprit is?"
Mo Lingxi said, "Not completely certain. Once we investigate from this angle and the other party makes another move, we'll know who it is. Then His Majesty will take action to arrest them."
Sheng Lengshuang let out a long sigh of relief, "It would be good to catch this person. This person has done so much; they should taste the same pain."
Mo Lingxi's eyes flashed with cold light, "We will catch this person. His Majesty has arranged for many people to keep watch, so there will be no chance for them to escape."
Sheng Lengshuang was still a little worried, "What if there's a secret passage..."
Mo Lingxi chuckled, "You have to trust His Majesty. Several people have already been identified, and His Majesty will not give the other party another chance to escape. Even if there is a secret passage, they must have the opportunity to enter it."
Sheng Lengshuang felt more at ease, "I've always wanted to ask this person if they did all this purely for amusement, or if there's another reason. Because of this person, so many innocent people have died."
Mo Lingxi said, "We'll ask them when the time comes."
Sheng Lengshuang hummed, her eyes filled with coldness.
...
The next day.
Old Man Sun, carrying his granddaughter and a bundle, arrived at the military camp with trepidation and unease. He explained his purpose to the guards.
"Follow me," said the guard, leading him forward. "Miss Sheng specifically gave instructions yesterday and asked us to prepare a temporary tent for you. If you don't want to stay in the tent, that's fine too, as you wish."
Old Man Sun was extremely grateful and bowed repeatedly, "Thank you, thank you! I will farm diligently."
The soldier noticed his nervousness and timidity. "Don't worry, just farm with peace of mind. Our military camp needs to improve its food, and perhaps in the future, we'll raise chickens, ducks, and geese, which can also reduce expenses."
After escorting Old Man Sun to the tent and letting him put down his bundle, the soldier then showed him the area where he would be farming.
Sheng Lengshuang happened to be there.
She smiled at Old Man Sun, "Start by farming in this plot of land. Tell me if you need anything. The seeds won't arrive for a few more days, so you can start by cultivating the land."
She wondered if the seeds she had requested could be bought. In this border region, even seeds were hard to come by.