Wow, this rough-around-the-edges pregnant wife is something else, she's incredibly ruthless!

The sound was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the man on the city wall to hear.

The figure hidden in the darkness moved slightly, and Zhou Yan raised his hand slightly to signal the guard Zhou Fu beside him to come over.

"Your Majesty."

"Go down and bring the person in."

"Yes."

Zhou Fu bowed respectfully, then strode downstairs.

The two guards at the city gate naturally knew their current situation. When Meng Tong mentioned the grain, the two exchanged a glance, and then one of them said, "Let us go in and report."

"can."

The woman nodded, and one of the gate guards ran towards the city, bumping into Zhou Fu who was coming down from the city gate tower.

"My lord, a few men claiming to be merchants have arrived outside the city. They say they are selling grain, so..."

"Bring it in!"

Zhou Fu interrupted him and then walked towards a courtyard not far from the city.

The six followed the guards into the city. The once bustling and lively place was now unusually quiet and desolate, with only a few dim yellow lights visible.

I walked toward a courtyard that was lit up. Several armored guards stood at the entrance, each holding a long sword.

Upon seeing the six people approaching, one of them pushed open the courtyard gate and gestured for them to enter.

"Please come in, all six of you!"

"Thank you, Master."

Nodding to the gatekeepers, Lu Chuan and Sheng Yu walked in front, followed by Meng Tong and Sheng Zhuzhu, with Cheng Mian and Sheng Xiu at the back.

The courtyard wasn't particularly large; just a few steps away was the entrance. Through the reflection of the candlelight inside, you could see a man's figure standing at the entrance.

"Dong dong dong."

Lu Chuan raised his hand and knocked lightly on the door three times, then stepped back two steps to wait.

The door creaked open from the inside, revealing a man dressed in a black guard uniform.

He was about the same size as Lu Chuan, but his eyes were sharper and he wore two long swords at his waist.

He exuded a very imposing aura.

"please."

Stepping aside to make way, Zhou Fu glanced at the six of them the moment he opened the door, then kept his head down, probably afraid that his iron-blooded aura would intimidate them!

As soon as she stepped into the room, a faint scent of sandalwood wafted into her nostrils. Meng Tong didn't like the smell and instinctively wanted to cover her mouth and nose, but she ultimately suppressed the discomfort.

In the very center of the room stood a long table with three incense burners on it, from which the fragrance of sandalwood emanated.

After closing the door, Zhou Fu led the six people inside.

After passing a long table and a screen depicting galloping horses, the group met the legendary Prince Zhou, Zhou Yan.

The man was not as imposing and domineering as one might imagine; instead, he was rather slender, and his demeanor did not suggest that of a decisive general on the battlefield. Instead, he exuded the aloofness and coldness of a noble young master.

He wore a reddish-brown round-necked robe embroidered with bamboo leaves, over which he wore a fur-collared cloak.

But this is Mayday! Why are they dressed so warmly?

The group had their own questions, but they never showed them on their faces, only bowing to the man.

"Greetings, Prince Zhou."

"The guards told you that you are merchants passing through this area."

"Yes."

Sheng Yu replied.

"Where did you come from?"

"The Lin Yuan Kingdom in the south."

Sheng Yu used to travel all over the country, and ninety percent of the business of Dawn Island relied on him. Lin Yuan Kingdom is a small island kingdom in the south of the Great Wei Kingdom. Because of its suitable climate, it is indeed rich in grain.

The good friend he mentioned in Fucheng was from the Kingdom of Linyuan.

The room fell silent. After a long while, Zhou Yan seemed to come back to his senses and turned his head to gesture for the six people to sit down.

"The grain you're selling."

"Yes, but not many."

After sitting down in the chairs arranged by Zhou Fu, Sheng Yu and the others sat on either side of Zhou Yan.

Even though there were two people between them, Meng Tong could still clearly see the man's face.

His features were deep and defined, and his skin, unlike the dark complexion of Zhou Fu and the others, had an unnatural paleness, giving him a sickly appearance.

But his eyes were very bright, even sharp, making people hesitant to attack him even if they knew he was ill.

……

A cup of fragrant tea was handed to him, and Meng Tong nodded slightly in acknowledgment before looking up at the man.

Perhaps it was because Meng Tong's gaze was too sharp and carried a subtle scrutiny, but Zhou Yan suddenly asked as he withdrew his hand, "Does Madam have something to say?"

"No, I'm just flattered to be able to drink tea personally brewed by Prince Zhou."

He lifted the teacup and took a small sip. The aroma was wonderful and the taste lingered in his mouth. It was truly a fine tea. After putting the cup down, Meng Tong asked the most important question of the evening.

"I suppose His Highness summoned us here for more than just tea!"

Having spent so much time navigating the political landscape in his early thirties, he naturally understood the unspoken meaning behind Meng Tong's words.

Besides, he was also tired of all the so-called roundabout ways.

With a kind smile playing on his lips, Zhou Yan glanced at Meng Tong and the other six.

He possesses an excellent temperament, graceful demeanor, and striking appearance; he doesn't believe he's simply a businessman.

But what's the point of exploring this? Everyone has multiple identities when they're out and about.

Zhou Yan didn't care about that; all he wanted was food.

The Wei emperor, being utterly inhuman, wanted the Zhou family army wiped out, but he would never grant his wish.

The cold glint that flashed in Sheng Yu's dark eyes was noticed by the others, but they would not interfere in matters of officialdom.

"How much grain do you have, and what is it?"

"Your Highness wishes to buy?"

"Yes."

Zhou Yan answered frankly and openly.

"Our food crops are mostly new species; we don't have much rice or wheat."

The table suddenly became a negotiating table for Meng Tong and Zhou Yan, and everyone else who wanted to say something ultimately shut up and remained silent.

My wife/sister-in-law has her own ideas.

Indeed, when Meng Tong saw the dark figure on the city wall, he had already guessed his identity.

The military's demand is no less than that of the civilians, so selling to them would be a way to establish a long-term partnership!

Moreover, while the general public might not be very accepting of fresh crops like sweet potatoes and potatoes, they are considered the best food for Zhou's army at present.

So Meng Tong came up with this idea.

"What kind of fresh grains are you referring to, Madam?"

"this one."

Meng Tong took out a potato and a sweet potato from her small satchel, and pushed them in front of Zhou Yan, saying, "These are foods we found by chance. They are not only filling but also delicious."

Holding the clean potatoes and sweet potatoes in his hand, Zhou Yan examined them for a moment before asking, "May I try some?"

"Of course you can. Just put it in the fire to roast. There are many other ways to cook it, and I can provide them if you need them."

"Hmm." Zhou Yan nodded and handed the things to Zhou Fu behind him. The man took them, went outside, found a bonfire, and threw them in.

During this break, the two chatted about rice and wheat.