Chapter 624: Chapter 624: What Are You Afraid Of?

The coachmen of the Qin Family Trading House have just exchanged shifts with the guards, and the guards, having kept watch all night, return to the village’s empty houses to catch up on sleep, leaving only a steward with the coachmen to check the goods in the camp.

The situation was dire last night, and they had no choice but to abandon the carts to block the cliff path to prevent bandits from entering. Although the bandits eventually fled, they wreaked havoc before leaving, pushing the goods from the front five or six carts off the cliff.

Fortunately, the last few carts were loaded with personal belongings, camping gear, and cooking utensils, so at daybreak, they managed to retrieve what they could, minimizing the losses.

However, once they reach the town, they will have to spend a considerable amount of Silver Coin to replenish the lost supplies.

For a large caravan like theirs, with many people and horses, unless a trade handover point is agreed upon in a specific city, they generally refrain from entering towns, opting instead to rest briefly at inns near official post stations. Camping outdoors is also common.

Thus, the lost supplies are indispensable treasures for the journey.

The steward looked at the retrieved damaged items and silently cursed the ancestors of those bandits, feeling more distressed than he would over the lost goods. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Liu Ji folded his arms and approached, glancing here and there, secretly astonished. This Qin family caravan was far wealthier than he had imagined.

The carts were carrying salt!

There was also plenty of leather and wool, all valuable items indeed.

Especially the salt, and from the looks of it, the Qin family seemed to be legitimate salt merchants with salt permits rather than smugglers.

Profits from salt and tea are large; they’re not just wealthy merchants, but exceptionally rich.

Despite his young age, Qin Feng had already become the head of the salt merchants, and the more Liu Ji observed, the more disheartened he felt.

He had a handsome face and the status of a scholar, making it hard for most people to dislike him.

At the moment, the only person extremely displeased with him, Qin Feng, was absent. Liu Ji needed only to step forward with a smile, asking a few words of concern and hardship, to make the steward and coachmen in the camp welcome him with overwhelming enthusiasm.

People often admire what they lack; the steward held scholarly people in high regard. After a few words, upon learning that Liu Ji was not only a scholar but also preparing to enter the Capital for the Advanced Scholar examination, the steward’s eyes changed instantly.

The steward addressed him as Liu Junren and Mr. Liu with enthusiasm, as if it were a great honor for him to speak with Liu Ji and be courteously called "brother" by him.

As their brotherly bond grew, they were so close that they almost wanted to open their hearts to each other. Within less than half an hour, Liu Ji had gleaned much information about Qin Feng from the steward.

He had chosen the right steward to inquire; the man had followed Qin Feng for three years, ranking second in seniority within the caravan, knowing a bit of everything important.

The first was the person called Uncle Qi, who had left early with Ah Wang to report to the An County Government. He was Qin Feng’s most trusted individual, both a father and a friend, said to have saved Qin Feng’s life four years ago; their bond was extraordinary.

This Uncle Qi was unswervingly loyal to Qin Feng, following him from nothing to something, from the North to the South, enduring innumerable hardships before establishing the Qin Family Trading House, successfully joining the Northwest Chamber of Commerce, and becoming the youngest leading member among them.

Liu Ji said, "My lady, this Qin Family Chamber of Commerce transports Northwest salt to the South, returns with cotton cloth and tea leaves to the Northwest, sends leather and wool to the Southwest, where they bring back water-pipes and medicinal herbs to Su City, circling around Sheng Country once a year. The profits are immense, by my calculations, approximately five fingers wide!"

Liu Ji spread out his palm, shaking it twice emphatically, fearing Qin Yao might miss the point.

His arithmetic was learned from Gongliang Liao, lending some credibility to his words, and Qin Yao was secretly astonished.

She, currently selling Lady’s Boxes as a high-luxury business line, might not receive fifty thousand in her hands in a year, yet the Qin family caravan made profits ten times over, in silver five hundred thousand!

Indeed, those engaged in the sale of salt and tea were the wealthiest.

"But what does this have to do with the person I asked you to investigate?" Qin Yao frowned with displeasure, eyeing Liu Ji with suspicion. It seemed he fundamentally misunderstood the information she sought.

Liu Ji, confident as he was, was unafraid of her glare, lifting his robe he sat opposite her, beckoning her closer.

Qin Yao: "Speak up; there’s no one else here."

The outsiders, Gouwa and his brother, quickly shrank under their covers, pretending not to exist, not to exist.

Liu Ji coughed awkwardly twice, failing in his plan to get close to his lady, but no matter, there was always next time!

He cleared his throat, speaking earnestly: "Qin Feng, originally named Qin Yunfeng, is from Northwest City, aged twenty-six. He has yet to marry or have children. However, each time he arrives in Su City, he spends a few days meeting with a woman named Yanhong at the Xianhe Building. It’s said this Yanhong woman has skin like ice and jade, beauty like a celestial fairy blah blah blah....."

Oh no, it seemed he had said something he shouldn’t have. Liu Ji took a deep breath abruptly, pretending nothing happened, awkwardly shifting the topic back and continued:

"Four years ago, calamity struck the Northwest. Qin Feng planned to migrate south with his family to survive; they all perished on the journey. It’s said that Mr. Qin’s body, wrapped in a mat, was half-buried in the ground, emerging only to be dug out by wild dogs. Had he not met Uncle Qi, he might have been eaten by wild dogs, mistaken for a dead man—certainly a lucky life."

"Then, as he adhered to the saying ’a blessing follows great hardship,’ he followed Uncle Qi to the South, starting small before gradually establishing the Qin Family Trading House."

As he spoke here, Liu Ji intentionally glanced at Qin Yao; the background of Mr. Qin seemed to have several curious coincidences with her own.

"My lady, you also seem to be from the Northwest. Are there many people with the surname Qin where you are from?" Liu Ji asked with curiosity.

Qin Yao truthfully replied: "Quite a few."

Moreover, the original body even had a biological brother named Qin Yunfeng, whom she personally wrapped in a grass mat and buried casually.

The little girl, weakened from hunger, buried him in shallow soil. So, her own brother was nearly buried alive by her?

"Did you gather any other information? News about Qin Feng’s family, perhaps?"

Liu Ji nodded, keeping his gaze on her as he slowly spoke: "The steward mentioned that whenever Mr. Qin arrives at a location, he sends someone to inquire at the local government whether there have been any young girls from Northwest City seeking refuge, with appearances and ages roughly matching yours, my lady."

Qin Yao: You might as well call my name!

"The name, too, matches yours, Qin Yao." Liu Ji really named her, getting even nervously.

However, Qin Yao remained calm and composed, showing no surprise or intent to reunite with a long-lost brother, causing a sudden yet inexplicable sense of relief and joy to rise in his heart.

"It’s unexpected that such coincidences exist in this world." Just as Qin Yao reached out to pour herself some water, Liu Ji swiftly seized the teapot, pouring her a cup personally and handing it to her.

Qin Yao gave him a playful look, took a sip, her keen eyes seeing through him, "What are you afraid of?"

Liu Ji chuckled, waving his hand: "Nothing, nothing."

In truth, the little person inside him was already about to weep.

...

Known: Having cursed your brother-in-law thoroughly, saying every harsh word possible.

Question: How to mend the relationship with the brother-in-law?

Answer: It’s easier to dig a pit and bury oneself immediately.