Leaving aside that Rui Rui and Shu Shu were absolutely incapable of moving the grain.
Even she herself struggled to carry a fifty-jin grain sack, let alone transport the grain from five hundred mu of land—nearly 500,000 jin—to Northern Liao?
Therefore, she needed to find a way to transport the grain quickly and with minimal effort.
Estimating that the grain from the Farm would only be delivered back to the Farm in the evening, Fang Jinzhu took Shu Shu to a children’s clothing store first, buying several sets of spare clothes and nutritional products like milk powder for the two little ones.
Afterward, the older and younger duo drove back to the agricultural machinery sales company.
Upon inquiring, she discovered there were indeed time-saving and labor-saving mechanical arms for handling materials.
A person could operate it to walk and carry items via a control rod, and with a single grab, the mechanical arm could lift at least one hundred kilograms of grain.
The price, however, was not cheap.
A mechanical arm capable of lifting one hundred kilograms in one go cost 38,000 yuan, while one for one hundred and fifty kilograms cost 48,000 yuan… and so on, with the most expensive ones reaching eighty to ninety thousand yuan.
Although expensive, it was something Fang Jinzhu had to buy right now.
After careful consideration, Fang Jinzhu opted for a mid-range model capable of lifting one hundred and fifty kilograms in one go.
Fortunately, having already collaborated once before, and with Fang Jinzhu being decisive, efficient, and polite, the manager of the agricultural machinery company not only gave her advance notice but also voluntarily provided her with the address of the mechanical arm retailer.
Fang Jinzhu didn’t let the manager’s help go unrewarded either—she bought a pack of premium cigarettes and slipped it to him before driving Shu Shu straight to the mechanical arm sales outlet.
Unexpectedly, besides selling mechanical arms, this place also had small conveyor belts!!
Suppressing her eager desire to buy, Fang Jinzhu casually asked about them.
The shortest conveyor belt was four meters long and cost three thousand yuan.
Like the mechanical arms, the larger the specifications, the more expensive they were.
Fang Jinzhu wasn’t originally someone who haggled over prices.
But the thought that even saving one hundred yuan could buy a bag of premium rice and save dozens of Northern Liao civilians made her swallow her pride and persistently bargain for a while. Finally, the shop owner agreed to give her a four-meter conveyor belt for free while keeping the mechanical arm at its original price.
However, Fang Jinzhu didn’t know how long the Space-Time Tunnel was and worried that a four-meter conveyor belt might not be long enough. She paid an extra fifteen hundred yuan to upgrade to a six-meter one and made the shop owner promise that she could exchange it for a larger specification at any time before placing her order with peace of mind.
Watching the shop owner’s small truck deliver the mechanical arm and conveyor belt to the Farm, Fang Jinzhu’s face, flushed from bargaining, broke into a radiant smile, her eyes sparkling with a sense of achievement.
Operating the mechanical arm wasn’t very complicated. After learning for just over half an hour, Fang Jinzhu had basically mastered it proficiently.
Leaving the mechanical arm sales outlet, Fang Jinzhu breathed a huge sigh of relief before taking Shu Shu to the supermarket to stock up on daily necessities and food for the next few days.
As soon as they entered the supermarket, Shu Shu instantly transformed into a toddler version of Granny Liu from Dream of the Red Chamber.
Sitting in the shopping cart, her pair of large, dark eyes found everything incredibly novel. The curve of her little mouth kept shifting with surprise and delight, yet she remained exceptionally well-behaved, not making any exclamations or noisy outbursts.
Watching the unruly children screaming and running around wildly in the supermarket, Fang Jinzhu felt even more that Shu Shu’s sensibility was heartbreakingly mature.
Seeing Shu Shu’s wide-eyed gaze fixed on the plush dolls on the shelves, filled with affection and longing, Fang Jinzhu casually took down a soft little bunny plush toy and tucked it into Shu Shu’s arms. “Do you like it? If you like it, big sister will buy it for Shu Shu!”
The fluffy toy nestled into her arms, and Shu Shu’s pupils instantly dilated, like a kitten seeing a hundred dried fish treats. “For Shu Shu? Really?”
“Really! Shu Shu can also pick one for your brother.”
Hearing this, Shu Shu’s dangling little legs couldn’t help but swing back and forth in excitement. Overjoyed, her small face flushed bright red. “No need…”
She shook her head repeatedly. “Sister, Shu Shu and… brother can play together. Don’t buy too many, buy cheap ones, okay?”
Hearing this, Fang Jinzhu’s heart ached.
The little one had developed a stress response from hunger, believing that all money should be spent on buying food and necessities, and that buying anything else was wasteful.
She sniffled and decisively took another puppy plushie from the shelf.
“Alright, sister will listen to Shu Shu. We’ll only buy these two for now. Later, when no one has to worry about going hungry anymore, sister will buy all the plushies here for Shu Shu and your brother, okay?”
Fang Jinzhu didn’t know that her casual promise had planted a beautiful, hopeful seed in the little one’s heart.
Because her sister had truly given her full meals, Shu Shu believed that anything her sister said would surely come true.
One adult and one child returned to the Farm with a trunk full of supplies.
Vegetables didn’t need to be purchased—late summer and early autumn were the peak seasons for produce, and the Farm had everything they needed.
Most of what Fang Jinzhu bought were convenient, ready-to-cook foods.
After all, she was alone, and the next few days would surely be filled with nonstop work.
Dried noodles, instant noodles, and ham sausages were essential. With a quick fried egg and some greens tossed in, they made a delicious, satisfying meal.
In addition, she bought several pounds of pork and some easy-to-cook chicken drumsticks.
Steam a pot of rice, stir-fry some greens with shredded pork, or braise chicken drumsticks with mushrooms—all were flavorful and perfect with rice.
There were plenty of livestock and poultry on the Farm, so why spend money on meat?
Because she couldn’t bring herself to slaughter them!
Machinery truly was efficient. As soon as the Wuling mini-truck drove into the Farm, they saw workers already loading grain into the large trucks.
Fang Jinzhu had informed the farm machinery owner in advance, asking him to contact the Farm workers to help her receive the mechanical arm and conveyor belt.
Seeing her return, a worker called out to say that both items had already been unloaded outside the chicken coop.
Smiling as she watched the trucks leave the Farm, Fang Jinzhu then took Shu Shu back to the dormitory.
After organizing all the food and daily necessities, Fang Jinzhu brought Shu Shu to the office.
General Chu must be anxiously awaiting her reply, so she needed to send a letter first to inform him that the grain situation was settled.
Northern Liao, General’s Manor.
Chu Ye and the others, along with little Rui Rui, had been guarding the grain bin without leaving for a moment.
“Ah Ye, those things surely aren’t worth much…”
Lady Chu paced anxiously back and forth, pulling out the jade hairpin she had been keeping close to her heart. “Even if they can be exchanged for some food, it would only be a drop in the bucket. Why not let Rui Rui take this hairpin of mine to Miss Jinzhu?”
Chu Ye shook his head, trying his best to steady his voice. “Mother, don’t worry. Let’s wait a little longer…”
This hairpin was the last piece of dowry from his mother’s maternal grandmother. Unless absolutely necessary, it must not be touched.
Moreover, even if this hairpin was more valuable than the calligraphy and paintings, the grain it could exchange for would only sustain Northern Liao temporarily.
The thought of placing the livelihood of an entire city’s soldiers and civilians on the shoulders of a young woman he had never met filled him with guilt and unease.
Chu Ye’s hands behind his back clenched slightly, a sharp and resolute glint flashing in his eyes.
If Miss Jinzhu’s side proved unworkable, he would immediately lead the fifty thousand soldiers and civilians back to the capital.
Even if he were to bear the infamy of a rebel for eternity, he would not stand by and watch his people starve to death!
“Uncle—”
Suddenly, Shu Shu’s ethereal voice drifted over.
Chu Ye’s heart skipped a beat, his gaze fixed on the small gate tightening abruptly.
After a few breaths, Shu Shu emerged from the small gate, holding a letter as she ran out.