A string of questions and guesses popped into Qiao Lian'er's mind, but she didn't say anything.
She only picked the question she cared about most: "Then, Lord Shi, there must be quite a few people in the capital who recognize you, right?"
Shi Nanfu knew her worries and smiled with a relaxed expression.
"You can rest assured about that. I have always operated in secrecy, wearing a mask. No one has ever seen what I look like."
“Miss Qiao, to tell you the truth, I was in trouble when I was young, and it was the Pei family that saved me. So I obeyed the Pei family. In recent years, due to the pressure from the Northern Border, some foreigners have been restless. The Pei family always keeps the greater good of the country in mind and asked me to coordinate these relationships. I have worked hard to suppress their restless hearts.”
"Now that the Pei family has sent me here to assign me a task, I will complete it well. I am here to solve your problems and will not add to your burdens."
His words were sincere, and Pei Zhujin had also written to inform him beforehand, so Qiao Lian'er believed him.
"Lord Shi, it's been a pleasure working with you." Qiao Lian'er smiled.
"I won't let you work hard for nothing. I'll pay you based on the number of orders you receive."
Just as Shi Nanfu was about to refuse, Qiao Lian'er stepped in front of him.
“I know the Pei family will settle accounts with you, but you’re helping me now and you’re not getting anything in return. I’ll feel uneasy if you accept this. Only if you do this can I continue to cooperate with you with a clear conscience.”
Seeing her resolute attitude, Shi Nanfu felt a hint of unease.
"Miss Qiao, this—I'm afraid it's not a good idea."
Qiao Lian'er shook her head: "There's nothing wrong with it. I will take the initiative to talk to Young Master Pei about it. It was my insistence that I make this request."
Shi Nanfu sighed: "Miss Qiao, no wonder Young Master Pei praised you. With your temperament, you are destined for great things."
Only by giving benefits to others can one gain benefits oneself.
Even if he doesn't need it, Miss Qiao's actions have won him over to some extent, which is very beneficial to her in the long run.
Then, Qiao Lian'er discussed with Shi Nanfu the settlement ratio of wages and how to operate the procurement process.
Shi Nanfu's carriage convoy would come to Datian Village every now and then, while sending people to keep an eye on all the movements. If anyone went to investigate, the carriage convoy would go to the vicinity of Flame Mountain and send out the Fire Eagle.
The carriages would also be loaded with goods, because some checkpoints would have inspections, or if they encountered bandits, their presence would be exposed.
Qiao Lian'er first went to load up Shi Nanfu's horse-drawn carriage, with plastic film, fertilizer, and improved rice, etc.
Before doing this, she asked Shi Nanfu's men to leave. When Shi Nanfu reappeared and saw these extra items in the carriage, his azure eyes still held a hint of disbelief.
After calming his shock, he turned his head and whispered to Qiao Lian'er, "Miss Qiao, an extraordinary person like you will indeed attract attention and trouble over time, but don't worry, with the Pei family here and with me here, none of this will be a problem."
Qiao Lian'er also sighed with emotion: "Although I told people before that I sourced goods from foreign businessmen, no one had ever seen the foreign businessmen. I was always on edge. Now, I can finally let people see for themselves."
She was very grateful to the Pei family and Shi Nanfu.
She had done them a huge favor, and if they ever needed her again, she would go through fire and water for them.
With everything arranged, Qiao Lian'er drove the carriage home, her mood light and cheerful as she hummed a song.
It felt like a major life event had been resolved.
A few days later, Shi Nanfu led a long caravan of horses to Datian Village and, again "pretending" to unload goods from the Qiao family warehouse.
The rear buildings of the Qiao Family Courtyard were all warehouses with a large capacity.
With this deception, Qiao Lian'er filled the warehouse with fertilizer, Wuchang rice, Yuzhenxiang rice, and other high-quality rice.
It was the first time I'd ever seen so many foreign businessmen. They all had high noses, deep-set eyes, and colorful hair, and they were quite handsome. The villagers all came to see this novelty.
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