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

Business expansion, but also encounters difficulties.

Su Yunlan's initial joy was dampened by the news brought by the caravan workers. She frowned slightly, and the caravan workers around her also noticed the change in atmosphere, starting to whisper among themselves. Anxiety spread through the crowd.

"What's going on? Weren't we told that the trade route had already been agreed upon?"

"Yes, Chairman Luo praised Madam Su highly before, so why does he suddenly want to re-examine her?"

"Could someone be sabotaging this?"

Although the men's voices were soft, they reached Su Yunlan's ears clearly.

She raised her hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and said in a calm tone, "Please be patient, everyone. I'll go to the Chamber of Commerce to inquire about the situation."

After saying that, Su Yunlan walked straight towards the Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber of Commerce's gate was still grand, and the two stone lions in front of it were still majestic, but Su Yunlan felt a bad premonition rising in her heart.

Chairman Luo sat in a large armchair, toying with a string of jade beads in his hand, a half-smile on his face.

"Miss Su, what brings you to my humble abode today?"

"President Luo, I heard that the Chamber of Commerce is going to re-examine my business qualifications. I wonder why?" Su Yunlan asked directly.

Chairman Luo chuckled and put down the jade bead in his hand. "Madam Su, you are new here and are not yet familiar with the local rules. In order to maintain the stability of local commerce, all foreign merchants need to undergo strict review, which is only natural."

"Rules? Why didn't you mention them before?" Su Yunlan suppressed her anger, her tone icy.

"The past is the past, and the present is the present." Chairman Luo's tone was arrogant, leaving no room for negotiation. "Madam Su, if you want to continue doing business here, you must abide by our rules."

Su Yunlan and Chairman Luo faced off, and a tense atmosphere filled the air.

Su Yunlan clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her flesh.

"Okay, I accept the review." Su Yunlan took a deep breath and said calmly.

Chairman Luo smiled smugly. "Those who know when to yield are the wise ones. Madam Su is indeed clever."

Su Yunlan turned and left, but she did not give up.

She knew that the fight had just begun.

Back at their camp, Xiao Yuhan greeted her, asking with concern, "Lan'er, how did it go?" Su Yunlan shook her head and said softly, "Re-examined." Xiao Yuhan frowned, clenching his fists. Just as he was about to speak, Su Yunlan pressed his hand down, "Wait..."

Xiao Yuhan did not act impulsively as Su Yunlan had expected. He took her hand and said softly, "Lan'er, don't rush. Let's go for a walk in the west of the city first." Although Su Yunlan was doubtful, she chose to believe him.

The western part of the town was the most dilapidated area, with narrow, cramped streets, low and crumbling houses, and a musty smell permeating the air.

This place is home to many small vendors who have been ostracized by the chamber of commerce, struggling to make a living.

Xiao Yuhan led Su Yunlan into a simple teahouse and ordered two bowls of coarse tea.

The tea tasted bitter with a faint musty smell, causing Su Yunlan to frown.

Seeing this, Xiao Yuhan gently patted the back of her hand, signaling her to calm down.

A short while later, several small vendors also came in. They were simply dressed and looked tired.

Xiao Yuhan took the initiative to chat with them, his words full of concern and understanding.

Su Yunlan then understood Xiao Yuhan's intention.

Instead of directly confronting Chairman Luo, we should unite these marginalized small vendors and form a new force.

She took out some delicate tea snacks from her spatial storage and distributed them to everyone present.

These tea snacks were fragrant and crispy, immediately attracting everyone's attention.

"What is this? It's so delicious!" an old man exclaimed.

Su Yunlan smiled slightly and explained, "This is a new type of snack, and I plan to promote it to the local market." She then took out some common items in modern society, such as soap and toothbrushes, and demonstrated their uses and benefits to everyone.

These novel products caught the eye of the small vendors, who all expressed their willingness to cooperate with Su Yunlan to jointly fight against the unreasonable regulations of the Chamber of Commerce.

Seeing this, Su Yunlan's heart was filled with hope.

She knew that as long as they were united, they would be able to overcome the difficulties.

As night falls, in the dilapidated alleys of the west of the city, the dim yellow oil lamps flicker with a faint light.

Su Yunlan and Xiao Yuhan walked side by side, followed by a group of enthusiastic small vendors.

They discussed their future plans in hushed tones, their voices filled with anticipation and determination.

“Tomorrow, we will go…” Su Yunlan paused,

Under the dim light of an oil lamp, Su Yunlan's slender fingers moved across the map, her fingertip pointing to a location in the east of the city: "Tomorrow, we will go to the dock." Her voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable firmness.

Xiao Yuhan's gaze fell on her focused profile, his deep eyes filled with tenderness.

He got up and walked behind her, gently draping a cloak over her shoulders.

The night was deep, and the autumn wind was chilly, but Su Yunlan was completely unaware.

She was completely absorbed in the plan, her brows showing a hint of fatigue, but even more so excitement and anticipation.

Xiao Yuhan tenderly pulled her into his arms and whispered, "Lan'er, you've worked so hard." Su Yunlan leaned against his chest, feeling his warm body temperature, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

She gently shook her head. "It's not hard work. What's a little hardship for our future?" Xiao Yuhan kissed her forehead and turned to prepare food and hot water.

The simple room was filled with a warm atmosphere.

However, this tranquility did not last long.

When Zheng Shangren learned of Su Yunlan's actions, he was consumed by jealousy.

He originally thought Su Yunlan was just an exiled criminal woman, not worth fearing, but he didn't expect her to be so troublesome.

With a gloomy face, he paced back and forth in the room, racking his brains for a way to stop Su Yunlan.

"Hmph, I'll see how much trouble you can cause!" said Zheng Shangren.

The next day, Su Yunlan led everyone to the dock, preparing to discuss cooperation with some out-of-town businessmen.

The dock was bustling with people, and all kinds of goods were piled up like mountains. The air was filled with the smells of fish and sweat.

Su Yunlan had just finalized a business deal with a businessman from out of town when she heard a murmur from those around her.

"I've heard that there's something wrong with this Su Niangzi's goods, you absolutely mustn't buy them!"

"Yes, I heard someone bought her stuff, and then..."

Rumors spread rapidly like a plague, and the once bustling stall gradually lost its customers, leaving only Su Yunlan and a few shop assistants looking at each other in bewilderment.

Su Yunlan's heart sank, an invisible pressure enveloping her.

She felt that the gazes around her were filled with suspicion and hostility, as if she were some kind of monster.

She took a deep breath, trying to remain calm, and turned to look at Xiao Yuhan, only to find him staring at a short, stout man with shifty eyes. That man was none other than Zheng Shangren's confidant.

“You…” A cold glint flashed in Xiao Yuhan’s eyes.

Xiao Yuhan was about to step forward when Su Yunlan stopped him.

Her gaze was firm, and her tone was calm: "Ignore it. Rumors stop with the wise." With that, she took out several bolts of fine silk from her spatial storage and unfolded them in the sunlight. The smooth silk shimmered and flowed down like water, attracting everyone's attention.

She then took out several boxes of exquisite rouge and face powder, opened the lids, and a rich fragrance instantly filled the air, attracting the surrounding women to stop and stare.

"Everyone, you can inspect my goods for yourselves." Su Yunlan's voice was clear and crisp, carrying an undeniable confidence.

She handed the silk to a richly dressed lady, "Madam, please take a look." The lady took the silk, stroked it carefully, and a look of surprise appeared on her face: "This silk... is even better than anything I've ever seen before!" People around also gathered around, eager to see Su Yunlan's goods.

They touched the smooth texture of the silk and smelled the fragrant scent of rouge and face powder.

"The color of this rouge is so vibrant, and the fragrance lasts so long, it's much better than the one I use!" a young woman exclaimed excitedly.

"The quality of this silk is truly superb; I have never seen such smooth and delicate silk before!" an old man exclaimed.

Seeing everyone's reaction, Su Yunlan was secretly delighted.

She knew the rumors would fall apart on their own.

At this moment, one of the men who had previously spread rumors stepped forward, pointed at Su Yunlan, and shouted, "Don't try to fool us! Master Zheng said that your goods are all substandard products!"

There was an uproar among the crowd.

Su Yunlan sneered and looked at the man: "Master Zheng? Why would he slander me like this?"

"Because...because you stole his business!" the man stammered.

Su Yunlan's gaze swept across the crowd, and she said firmly, "Ladies and gentlemen, I, Su Yunlan, am new here and only wish to do business peacefully. But some people can't stand to see me succeed and are deliberately spreading rumors to ruin my reputation. Today, I will show you who is lying!"

She took out a contract from her spatial storage and showed it to everyone: "This is my cooperation agreement with a merchant from out of town. It clearly specifies the types and prices of the goods. You can all take a look and see if my goods are indeed inferior products!"

Everyone carefully examined the contract and found that its contents were completely consistent with what Su Yunlan had said.

Their gazes turned to the man who was spreading rumors.

"How dare you lie to us!"

"Master Zheng has gone too far, resorting to such despicable means!"

"We support Madam Su and boycott Master Zheng!"

A chorus of condemnation erupted from the crowd, and the reputation of Zheng merchants plummeted.

Su Yunlan watched all this with a faint smile on her lips.

She knew she had won.

As the sun set, the crowds on the dock gradually dispersed.

Su Yunlan and Xiao Yuhan walked side by side, followed by a group of loyal followers.

They returned home laden with their spoils, their faces beaming with joy.

"Lan'er, where are we going next?" Xiao Yuhan asked.

Su Yunlan took out a map and her gaze fell on a new town.

“To Qinghe Town.” Her tone was firm, her eyes gleaming. “There, an even greater challenge awaits us.” She put away the map and looked up into the distance.

A simple horse-drawn carriage slowly entered Qinghe Town. The driver cracked his whip, and the wheels creaked as they rolled over the cobblestones...