Because of the distance, I have to go home halfway through the afternoon.

The Qiao family boarded the carriage and prepared to depart. Inside the carriage, Feng and the others discussed their experiences and summarized their insights.

Seeing someone approaching the carriage, she was a little puzzled. It was Team Leader He, whom she had just met that morning. Team Leader He needed to deliver a batch of rice to Luo County, which was 300 miles away, totaling 30,000 catties.

The speed couldn't possibly be that fast; it can only mean that he didn't go.

Team leader He approached, his expression not too good: "Miss Qiao, it seems that we will have to suspend the sale of goods nationwide for the time being, and only sell them in the county and nearby areas. It would be best if the sales area did not exceed 100 miles."

"Why?"

Qiao Lian'er's heart sank.

"Lord Shi has gone to the capital. He has many things to take care of. The Pei family is not at peace right now, and everyone is in danger. We are afraid that if we trace this line back to Miss Qiao, we will find out. So we need to cut off the line first."

"This is an urgent message sent back by Master Shi, urging me to inform Miss Qiao immediately."

As he spoke, Team Leader He presented a letter.

Qiao Lian'er glanced at it and said it was fine. She thought about how she was usually protected by the Pei family, and now that the Pei family was in trouble, she would naturally be affected as well. She was very willing to help the Pei family overcome the difficulties together.

She asked, "Write a letter back and ask if there's anything I can do to help."

"Lord Shi had long anticipated Miss Qiao's intentions, so he specifically instructed her before leaving that she need not worry about anything. If she has any needs that I cannot fulfill, I should write back to her."

Qiao Lian'er was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

“Those freight routes and checkpoints, the more sensitive ones, need to be concealed. I’m going to take care of that now. We can’t be careless at this critical juncture.”

"Wait a minute." Qiao Lian'er told Team Leader He to wait where he was. She went into the alley and took out 10,000 taels of silver from her spatial storage.

He returned to Team Leader He and pulled out a stack of silver notes from his sleeve.

"Since that's the case, we'll have to make some money. Team Leader He, take this money."

Team Leader He declined with a serious expression: "Miss Qiao, I can't take your money. This is what Master Shi instructed me to do. In the end, it's the Pei family's idea."

"Besides, I have plenty of money here, and Master Shi has set aside enough for operating expenses."

"These are essential for improving efficiency. If you don't use them all, you can return them to me." Qiao Lian'er shoved the money into his hand, jumped back onto the front of the carriage, and hurriedly drove the carriage away.

With the Pei family in trouble, she used this money not only to cover up the traces of the smuggling operation, but also in hopes that it could play a small role in matters related to salt transportation.

Team Leader He clutched the heavy wad of cash, and was shocked when he counted it—a full ten thousand taels. But since Qiao Lian'er had run away, he could only keep it for now and return it to her after everything was over.

When the Pei family and Lord Shi learn of Miss Qiao's feelings, they will know that their efforts have not been in vain.

After all, this amount of money is considerable for a family like Miss Qiao's; it probably represents the culmination of most of their family fortune.

Qiao Lian'er drove the carriage back, listening to the birdsong of early spring and watching the new buds sprout, but she was not in a good mood.

It's said that good times are followed by bad times, but the Qiao family's good times didn't last long either.

The Qiao siblings from the east of the village returned to the village first. When they arrived at Qingshui Town, their carriage was stopped by someone.

It was a boy who was about ten years old.

Qiao Chaoheng initially didn't want to pay any attention and prepared to continue on his way.

The boy said coolly, "I know what you're up to."

Qiao Chaoheng immediately reined in his horse.