Fleeing from famine? Not a chance; the divine healer's wife made her fortune.

The decisive battle on the salt route finally broke the monopoly.

Before the servant could finish speaking, Su Yunlan felt a chill run from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.

Government officials came and said there were irregularities in the operation of the new salt road?

This is clearly someone trying to sabotage things!

She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

"Who goes there? Where are you now?" Su Yunlan asked quickly, her clear, cold voice carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"It's...it's Master Chen from the county government, leading a team of officials, already in the front hall!" the servant stammered.

Su Yunlan frowned. Master Chen?

She recalled carefully that this person was a capable assistant to Magistrate Li, known for being slippery and difficult to deal with. It seemed that this matter was not simple.

She quickly stood up, straightened her clothes, and said with a sharp gaze, "Xiao Shi, go and calm Master Chen down. Remember, you must not have any conflict with them. I'll go check on things."

Young Master Xiao accepted the order and left, while Su Yunlan walked steadily toward the front hall.

She was filled with doubts. She had personally overseen every step of the Xinyan Road project; there was absolutely no way any irregularities could have occurred, unless…

Someone deliberately framed him.

In the front hall, Master Chen was sitting in a grand chair, leisurely sipping tea, while several constables stood on either side, their eyes fixed on him, creating a tense atmosphere.

Young Master Xiao stood by with a forced smile, but he couldn't hide his anxiety.

"Oh, Madam Su, you've finally arrived." Master Chen put down his teacup, a sinister smile in his eyes. "We are here on the orders of the magistrate to inspect the new salt road."

Su Yunlan walked up to Master Chen and said in a humble yet assertive manner, "Master Chen, I wonder if there are any violations in my new salt route?"

Master Chen sneered, took out a file from his pocket, and slammed it heavily on the table. "Madam Su, the salt you're selling on the new salt route has been reported for its unknown origin and unauthorized price increases, seriously disrupting market order. Men, take Madam Su back to the yamen to await her punishment!"

"Wait!" Su Yunlan shouted sharply, her clear voice echoing in the hall. "Master Chen, you say the source of my smuggled salt is unclear, do you have any evidence?"

Master Chen raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "Evidence? Hmph, the person who reported this is so certain, how could it be false? Madam Su, you'd better stop trying to argue and come back to the yamen with me."

“Master Chen, you want to convict me without any evidence?” Su Yunlan took a step forward, her tone icy. She looked around, her sharp gaze sweeping over the officials. “Every grain of salt in my new salt route has a clear record of its origin; it is not fabricated out of thin air.”

“Madam Su, you’re exaggerating a bit. This source record is just something you wrote yourself; who knows if it’s true? Besides, your new salt is priced so much lower than other salt merchants’. This is clearly disrupting the market and harming everyone’s interests.” Master Chen’s tone was sharp, as if he had already expected her to refute him like this, and a confident smile appeared on his face.

Su Yunlan's anger intensified. She understood that Master Chen had come with ill intentions and was determined to frame her.

She took a deep breath to calm herself down, her gaze sweeping over Master Chen before finally settling on a young constable behind him.

The officer's eyes flickered, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated to speak.

Su Yunlan's lips curled slightly, and a sharp glint flashed in her eyes. She suddenly spoke up, "Master Chen, I'd like to know who reported that there are problems with my Xinyan Road? Wouldn't it be better to invite them out for a face-to-face confrontation?"

Master Chen's expression changed slightly, and his smile became somewhat stiff. "Madam Su, the person who made the report is anonymous and cannot show their face, but..."

Just as he was about to continue speaking, a voice suddenly rang out, interrupting him: "Wait, Master Chen, I'm here."

As soon as he finished speaking, a figure slowly walked into the front hall.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the person was none other than Sun, the salt merchant.

With a hint of smugness on his face, he strode over to Master Chen's side, cupped his hands, and said, "Master Chen, I have not failed you."

Su Yunlan sneered, "It really was him!"

She had long suspected that, apart from this salt merchant Sun whose business had been taken away by Xinyan Road, no one else would have gone to such lengths to frame her.

"Salt Merchant Sun, why are you slandering my Xinyan Road?" Su Yunlan's tone was icy, her gaze like a knife as she shot at Salt Merchant Sun.

Sun, the salt merchant, was not afraid at all. Instead, he laughed loudly, "Madam Su, I'm slandering you? The price of salt on this new route is so low, it's clearly disrupting the market! Do you dare to say that your salt isn't of dubious origin?"

“The source of my salt is all recorded.” Su Yunlan said firmly. She took out an account book from her sleeve and handed it to Chen, the clerk. “This is all the accounts of my new salt route. Every transaction is clear. You can check it carefully, Chen.”

Master Chen took the ledger, quickly flipped through a few pages, and his expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

The ledger is so detailed that there is absolutely no problem with it.

Just then, a young officer suddenly stepped forward and said in a trembling voice, "Sir, I have something to say."

"How dare you! Who gave you the right to speak here!" Master Chen scolded.

The constable trembled with fear, but still mustered his courage and said, "I...I saw with my own eyes that Master Sun...Master Sun gave Master Chen a packet of silver, and told him...to frame Madam Su..."

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

Master Chen's face turned deathly pale instantly. He pointed at the constable and stammered, "You...you're talking nonsense!"

Su Yunlan's lips curled into a cold smile. She had noticed the young official's strange behavior long ago. It seemed that he was the weakness that Sun the salt merchant and Chen the clerk had in mind.

Magistrate Li's face turned ashen. He slammed his fist on the table. "Master Chen, do you know your crime?!"

Master Chen slumped to the ground, knowing he was finished.

Sun, the salt merchant, was completely exposed. He glared fiercely at Su Yunlan and stormed off.

Su Yunlan won this game, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Xiao Yuhan walked to Su Yunlan's side and hugged her tightly.

He stroked her hair tenderly and said softly, "Lan'er, you've suffered so much."

Su Yunlan buried her head in his chest, feeling his warm embrace, her heart filled with peace and happiness.

In the stillness of the night, candlelight flickered in Xiao Yuhan's study.

"Lan'er, your performance today has truly impressed me." Xiao Yuhan looked at Su Yunlan with admiration in his eyes.

Su Yunlan smiled and said, "They're just some petty tricks."

"A little trick? To be able to manipulate Mr. Sun and Mr. Chen so easily, that's not something an ordinary person can do." Xiao Yuhan's tone carried a hint of admiration. "Lan'er, you're surprising me more and more."

Su Yunlan got up and walked to the window, gazing at the dark night sky outside, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes, "Yuhan, I have a feeling things aren't that simple..."

"Lan'er, what are you worried about?"

“Sun the salt merchant will not let this go so easily…” Su Yunlan’s voice was soft, but it carried a hint of determination. “He will definitely come back for a comeback.”

Xiao Yuhan walked to her side and gently took her hand. "Don't be afraid, I will always be by your side."

Suddenly, a rapid knock on the door broke the silence of the study.

"Fourth Master! Something terrible has happened!" a servant's voice rang out from outside the door. "Trouble has struck!"

On the rugged mountain road, a caravan of镖车 (army caravans) moved slowly forward, their wheels crunching over the gravel.

The air was filled with the dry smell of dust, mixed with a faint odor of sweat.

Zhang, the bodyguard, rode a tall horse, his eyes sharp as he warily scanned his surroundings.

His rough, large hands gripped the reins tightly, the veins on the back of his hands bulging.

The atmosphere in the team was extremely tense. Everyone held their breath, as if a taut string could snap at any moment.

"Whoa—" Zhang, the bodyguard, reined in his horse and raised his hand to signal the group to stop.

He squinted at the dense forest ahead, a sense of unease creeping into his heart.

The woods were quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind, yet the silence was eerily profound.

"Everyone on alert!" Zhang the bodyguard's deep voice rang out in the group, breaking the oppressive silence like a thunderclap.

The bodyguards drew their swords and warily surveyed their surroundings.

The blades reflected a blinding glint in the sunlight, illuminating their tense yet resolute faces.

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, ready to explode at any moment.

Suddenly, a commotion arose in the woods, and then a group of men in black, wielding sharp blades, leaped out of the woods and pounced on the caravan like hungry wolves.

"Kill!" the man in black shouted deafeningly, brandishing his sword and slashing at the bodyguards.

"Protect the cargo!" Zhang the bodyguard roared, charging into the enemy ranks first. He wielded his long sword with fierce speed, repelling the approaching men in black one by one.

The clanging of swords clashing, screams, and roars mingled together, echoing through the valley.

The bodyguards fought back fiercely, but the men in black outnumbered them and gradually surrounded them.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves approached from afar, like ten thousand horses galloping, shaking the mountains and fields.

"Kill!" Another group of men rushed down the hillside, led by Young Master Xiao.

Holding a long spear, he was like a god descending to earth, unstoppable.

Young Master Xiao's men quickly joined the battle, surrounding the men in black.

The men in black were attacked from both sides and were thrown into chaos.

Sun, the salt merchant, hid in the shadows, watching the scene before him with a grim expression.

He never expected that Young Master Xiao would know about his plan in advance.

"Withdraw!" Sun, the salt merchant, ordered through gritted teeth. He knew the situation was hopeless, and if they didn't leave now, it would be too late.

The men in black abandoned their armor and fled in all directions.

Upon receiving the news, the authorities acted swiftly and arrested Sun, the salt merchant, and all his men.

Sun, a salt merchant, was sentenced to a heavy prison term for crimes such as disrupting market order, setting up checkpoints without authorization, and engaging in gang fights, which was met with applause from the people.

The crisis on Xinyan Road has been averted, and the transport team has safely arrived at its destination.

Su Yunlan stood at the city gate, watching the caravan slowly drive in, and a huge weight was finally lifted from her heart.

"Lan'er, what's next..." Xiao Yuhan walked to her side, hesitating to speak.

Su Yunlan turned to look at him, her eyes resolute, "Yuhan, we still have a lot to do."

Two months later, the new salt road was operating smoothly, and a steady stream of salt flowed into the market at a lower price.

The people spread the word that the price of salt, which was originally expensive, had dropped by 20%!

Now that every household can afford salt, the dining table can finally have an extra touch of salty flavor.

The sounds of vendors hawking their wares and laughter filled the air, creating an unprecedented festive atmosphere in the marketplace.

Standing in the center of the bustling salt field, Su Yunlan looked at the crowd and felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment.

The sunlight shone on her face, reflecting her bright smile.

A gentle breeze carries a faint salty scent, a taste mingled with the sweat of hard work and the joy of harvest.

She took a deep breath, savoring the hard-won achievement.

Xiao Yuhan walked to her side and gently embraced her.

His deep gaze was fixed on her profile as he said softly, "Lan'er, you did it."

Su Yunlan leaned against his chest, feeling his warm embrace, and her smile deepened.

"All of this is thanks to you."

The two embraced and laughed, creating a warm and beautiful scene.

In the distance, salt workers were busy carrying bags of salt, their clothes soaked with sweat, but their faces were filled with satisfied smiles.

The new salt road not only benefits the people, but also brings them new livelihoods, filling them with hope for the future.

Wang, the salt worker, shouldered a bag of salt, wiped the sweat from his brow, and grinned, saying, "Life is getting better and better!"

A festive atmosphere filled the air, and everyone's face was beaming with smiles.

However, just as the celebration was in full swing, a servant rushed over, looking flustered, and whispered a few words in Xiao Yuhan's ear.

Xiao Yuhan's expression instantly turned serious. He glanced at Su Yunlan.

"Lan'er..." He had just opened his mouth when he was interrupted.

"Fourth Master, Madam, someone from the capital has arrived!" another servant ran up breathlessly to report.

Su Yunlan's heart sank, and an uneasy premonition welled up in her heart.

People from the capital?

At this juncture...

"What is it?" Xiao Yuhan asked in a deep voice.

"They say... they say it's on the Emperor's orders, requesting that Madam and Fourth Master return to the capital immediately." The servant's voice trembled, as if foreshadowing some kind of storm.

Su Yunlan and Xiao Yuhan exchanged a glance, and both saw a hint of seriousness in each other's eyes.