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

The journey of porcelain kiln innovation begins

A cool night breeze swept away the hustle and bustle in front of the pharmacy.

Upon hearing the news brought by Young Master Xiao, Su Yunlan's brows furrowed with seriousness, but her almond-shaped eyes blazed with fierce flames.

She put down the medical book in her hand, her tone calm but with an undeniable firmness: "Let's go take a look."

Her turn was swift and decisive, the light blue skirt tracing an elegant arc in the air.

Xiao Yuhan followed closely behind, his tall figure like a solid fortress, silently guarding her side.

His deep eyes reflected Su Yunlan's resolute figure, gleaming with trust and support.

The group quickly walked out of the pharmacy, and the originally bustling crowd on the street consciously made way for Su Yunlan and Xiao Yuhan after seeing them.

After all, Su Yunlan was not only a revered divine doctor, but also their hope for a prosperous life.

The porcelain kilns in the west of the city are brightly lit at this moment, but the usual hustle and bustle is gone.

The air was filled with the smell of burning, mixed with the earthy stench, which was unsettling.

Su Yunlan walked into the courtyard and saw a scene of utter chaos. Several kiln workers stood dejectedly to one side, their faces gloomy and lifeless.

"Sister-in-law, Fourth Brother." Young Master Xiao Twelfth came forward, his face showing anxiety.

Su Yunlan looked around and then locked onto the Song kiln worker standing at the front of the crowd.

He crossed his arms, his body was hunched over, and his face was covered with wrinkles, much like the bark of a weathered tree.

His eyes were cloudy, revealing deep resistance and disdain.

Su Yunlan stepped forward, her clear voice carrying a hint of gentleness, "Master Song, I heard that there have been some problems at the porcelain kiln. May I ask what happened?"

The Song kiln worker snorted coldly, his voice hoarse and low, "My kiln has been firing for half my life and has never had such a mistake. In my opinion, this is all caused by evil tricks!" His tone was clearly accusatory, as if the spearhead was aimed directly at Su Yunlan.

Su Yunlan smiled slightly, not angry at all. She had long expected to encounter resistance from the traditional kiln workers.

“Master Song, I admire your extensive experience, but the current porcelain styles are outdated and sales are sluggish. Should we try some new methods?”

Upon hearing this, the Song kiln worker became even more displeased. His beard trembled, and his voice suddenly rose, "What new method? How can you change the things passed down from our ancestors? These fancy gadgets are not porcelain at all!"

His attitude was firm and unyielding, like an impregnable fortress, keeping Su Yunlan's innovative ideas out.

The kiln workers around them whispered amongst themselves, their eyes filled with worry and unease.

Looking at the determined eyes of the Song kiln worker, Su Yunlan knew that there was no point in saying anything more. She paused for a moment, and the cool moonlight shone on her face, making her exquisite features even more captivating.

Her lips parted slightly, and her words made everyone present hold their breath, as if the air had frozen. "Since that's the case, then let's leave it at that for now." She turned her head and nodded gently to Young Master Xiao, "Twelfth Brother, call all the young apprentices from the kiln here."

Su Yunlan's actions surprised everyone, including the Song kiln worker who looked disdainful.

The crowd looked at each other, none of them expecting that she would not continue to persuade them, but instead choose to give up directly.

This left those who had been expecting a heated debate bewildered.

Before long, a dozen or so young apprentices gathered around. They were dressed simply, their faces still showing traces of childishness, but their eyes sparkled with curiosity about the unknown.

They looked at the divine healer before them with a mixture of awe and anticipation.

"Among you, is there anyone willing to believe that porcelain can become better?" Su Yunlan's gaze swept over these young faces, her tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable force.

Instead of directly stating the reform plan, she posed a question that prompted them to think.

Among the crowd, a young man stepped forward first. He was not tall, had dark skin, and his face was full of youthful vitality. He was none other than the apprentice, Li Shaonian.

“I believe you! Madam Su, I believe everything you say! The things we fire in our kiln are all outdated and can’t be sold anymore.” His voice was clear and firm, filled with the passion unique to young people.

Su Yunlan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a relieved smile. Her gaze fell on Li Shaonian, and her tone was encouraging: "Very good, you are very brave. What I need are people like you who dare to try new things. Let me tell you, the porcelain of the future will not only be decorations, but also works of art, treasures that can create wealth. As long as you are willing to put your heart into it, you can master new skills and gain more rewards."

Her words were like sparks, igniting the passion in the apprentices' hearts.

They all nodded, and they looked at Su Yunlan.

The Song kiln worker standing to the side watched as his apprentices were gradually persuaded by Su Yunlan, and his stubbornness began to waver.

He clenched his fists tightly, and a hint of unease appeared on his previously disdainful face.

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately chose to remain silent.

He felt that his outdated beliefs were being shaken by an invisible force.

Su Yunlan took in everyone's expressions. Her clear gaze swept over each apprentice's face, and a meaningful smile appeared on her lips. She turned to look at the porcelain kiln behind her and said softly, "Tomorrow, we will begin."

Just then, a warm force gently grasped her hand. She turned her head and saw Xiao Yuhan's deep and determined eyes. He didn't speak, but...

The moonlight, like water, poured into the courtyard of the porcelain kiln, gilding this slightly dilapidated land with a layer of silvery radiance.

Su Yunlan felt the warmth from Xiao Yuhan's palm; it was Xiao Yuhan's firm and powerful warmth.

She turned her head and met his deep gaze, which was filled with trust and support, as if it could melt away all the ice.

A warm feeling welled up in her heart, dispelling the fatigue and anxiety of the past few days. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and her smile was as gentle as a spring breeze.

The apprentices around them watched the silent interaction between the two, their faces showing envy—a longing for beautiful love and a hopeful anticipation of the future.

Just as this warm atmosphere was broken by a cold wind carrying discordant sounds.

A middle-aged man dressed in brocade robes walked arrogantly into the courtyard.

With his nose in the air and arrogant eyes, he exuded an aura that kept people at a distance. He was none other than Zheng, a major porcelain merchant in the area.

"I heard that Lady Su wants to reform the porcelain kiln, how utterly ridiculous!" Zheng the porcelain merchant's voice was sharp and grating, like a rusty knife slicing through the air.

He glanced at Su Yunlan sideways, his tone filled with undisguised contempt, "I've been in the porcelain business for many years, what good stuff haven't I seen? You think you can change the fate of porcelain with your little yellow hair? That's just wishful thinking!"

Su Yunlan was not angry; she had long anticipated encountering such an obstacle.

She stepped forward, her clear eyes sparkling with confidence.

“Mr. Zheng, times are changing, and porcelain needs innovation too. I don’t mean to overturn tradition, but to give porcelain a new lease on life and create greater value. This is profitable for both of us.”

Zheng Cishang sneered, covering his nose with a handkerchief, as if looking at Su Yunlan was an insult to his eyes.

"Value? Based on your absurd ideas? Let me tell you, let alone cooperation, I wouldn't even want to look at what you've cooked." His words were sharp and sarcastic, as if he wanted to trample Su Yunlan's efforts underfoot. "I advise you to save your energy and stay at home to be a good wife and mother."

Su Yunlan frowned slightly. She hadn't expected that this porcelain merchant Zheng would be so stubborn.

She wanted to say something more, but Zheng Cishang waved his hand impatiently, as if shooing away a fly. "Hmph, we have different paths, so we can't work together. I don't have time to waste with you here!" With that, he turned and left, leaving behind a proud and aloof figure, letting the night wind ruffle his robes.

Su Yunlan looked in the direction Zheng Cishang had left. She was not discouraged, because she knew that true change required breaking down old ideas, and this was destined to be an arduous journey.

She turned around and said to the twelfth young master Xiao behind her, "Twelfth brother, go and..."

Su Yunlan ignored Zheng Cishang's arrogant words, knowing full well that verbal sparring was meaningless.

She went straight to the corner where the clay was piled up and carefully examined the texture of each piece of clay.

The delicate touch from her fingertips gave her a clearer understanding of the current state of the porcelain kiln.

She discovered that although the clay here was of acceptable quality, it contained too many impurities and required careful screening and processing in order to produce higher quality porcelain.

She turned around and instructed Young Master Xiao, "Twelfth Brother, go and count all the porcelain clay in the kiln, pick out the rough ones, and also collect the porcelain fragments that failed to be fired."

Although Young Master Xiao is still young, he is serious and meticulous in his work.

He responded immediately and acted swiftly.

He traveled to every corner of the kiln, carrying out Su Yunlan's instructions one by one.

Watching his busy figure, Su Yunlan felt a warm current surge in her heart.

She knew that with such a capable assistant, she could focus more on the innovation of the porcelain kiln.

She then went to the place where the firewood was piled up and carefully observed the type and moisture content of the firewood.

She discovered that the firewood used here was mostly ordinary miscellaneous wood, and the heat generated when burning was uneven, which would affect the firing quality of the porcelain.

She thought to herself that finding a more suitable fuel was also an urgent task.

The air was filled with a faint scent of earth, mixed with the fragrance of firewood and a slight damp, musty smell. These smells blended together, yet they made Su Yunlan feel at ease.

She grew up surrounded by the aroma of medicinal herbs, but now she has developed a deep attachment to this land that is filled with the scent of everyday life.

She enjoys this down-to-earth feeling and likes to use her own hands to change all imperfections.

She noticed that the Song kiln worker was still standing in the same spot, arms crossed, his face gloomy.

But unlike before, his eyes held less disdain and more confusion.

As he watched Su Yunlan handle the affairs of the porcelain kiln in an orderly manner, watched Young Master Xiao cooperate actively, and watched the gleam in the eyes of the young apprentices, the stubbornness in his heart began to quietly loosen.

Just as Su Yunlan was preparing to look for new sources of funding, a clear, cold voice came from not far away.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a man in a blue robe slowly walking into the courtyard.

He was tall and slender, with an air of aloofness between his brows; he was none other than Liu, the painter who was skilled at painting on porcelain.

"Lady Su, I heard you're planning to innovate porcelain?" Painter Liu asked, his hands behind his back, his tone somewhat scrutinizing.

His gaze swept over the piles of porcelain clay and fragments. "Let me make this clear: if your revamped porcelain style does not meet my requirements, I will never paint on your porcelain again."

Su Yunlan's brows furrowed slightly.

She looked at the painter Liu in front of her. His words carried a hint of aloofness and pride, as well as a commitment to traditional art.

She originally intended to use Liu's painting skills to add artistic value to the porcelain, thereby attracting more customers.

But Liu's words forced her to reconsider how to make porcelain meet market demands while maintaining its artistic value.

She turned her head and looked at Xiao Yuhan, who had a calm expression, and fell into deep thought.