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

As doubts dissipate, financial difficulties arise again.

Su Yunlan paused, looked around at everyone, and said loudly, "If I lose, I am willing to bear all the losses and leave here immediately, without disturbing anyone!" These words caused an uproar throughout the room.

Craftsman Liu squinted and looked Su Yunlan up and down, thinking to himself: Has this woman gone mad?

"Fine! I'd like to see what you're capable of!" Craftsman Liu gritted his teeth and agreed to the bet.

Su Yunlan smiled slightly, confident and composed.

Pointing to a design on the blueprint, she explained, “Craftsman Liu, you think this design is unreasonable because you’ve overlooked the difference in elevation. Look, this area is higher, while this area is lower. By utilizing this difference in elevation, we can…” Su Yunlan spoke eloquently, explaining her design concept in detail from aspects such as terrain, water flow, and soil quality.

She also cited several similar projects she had participated in, using facts to demonstrate the feasibility of the solution.

Craftsman Liu was stunned. Although his skills were not excellent, his years of experience made him realize that what Su Yunlan said made sense.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his face flushed red and then turned pale, but he could no longer utter a word in rebuttal.

The surrounding villagers listened intently. They had initially been skeptical of Su Yunlan's plan, but now they were impressed by her confidence and professionalism.

Seeing that craftsman Liu was speechless, Su Yunlan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile.

She knew she had won the bet and the villagers' trust.

A gentle breeze blew by, bringing a touch of coolness, and Su Yunlan felt a sense of relief.

Grandpa Ma, who had been observing silently, came out leaning on his cane, his cloudy eyes gleaming with admiration.

"Madam Su, I'm quite old and have seen many capable and extraordinary people, but a woman with your insight and courage is truly rare." Grandpa Ma's loud voice echoed through the crowd.

Grandpa Ma's support undoubtedly gave Su Yunlan's plan a strong boost.

The villagers nodded in agreement with what Grandpa Ma said.

Su Yunlan bowed slightly to Grandpa Ma to express her gratitude.

With the problem of craftsman Liu resolved, a huge weight was finally lifted from Su Yunlan's shoulders.

She was preparing to move on to the next step of her plan when she suddenly realized an even more difficult problem.

She turned to look at Xiao Yuhan and whispered, "Husband..."

Su Yunlan sighed softly, a worried look appearing between her brows.

"My lord, now that everyone is united, where will the money to repair the irrigation canal come from?" Xiao Yuhan frowned slightly, realizing the seriousness of the problem.

He looked around at the expectant faces and felt a surge of responsibility.

"I'll go and discuss it with Zhang Fuhu right away." Su Yunlan stood up, dusted herself off, and looked determined.

Zhang Fuhu was a notorious miser in the village; trying to get any money out of him was like pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth.

Zhang Fuhu's courtyard, with its carved beams and painted rafters and vermilion gate, stood in stark contrast to the thatched huts of the surrounding villagers.

Su Yunlan knocked on the door, her heart pounding with trepidation.

A moment later, the door creaked open, and a fat man with big ears, dressed in silk, appeared in the doorway. It was Zhang Fuhu.

He looked Su Yunlan up and down.

"Oh, isn't this the fourth daughter-in-law of the Xiao family? What, the Xiao family's ransacking has spread to my place?" Zhang Fuhu said sarcastically, his tone laced with mockery.

Su Yunlan suppressed her anger and forced a smile onto her face.

"Mr. Zhang is too kind. I have come today to discuss the repair of the irrigation canal with you."

“Repairing irrigation ditches? That’s an expensive thing, what does it have to do with me?” Zhang Fuhu snorted and made a move to close the door.

Su Yunlan reacted quickly and reached out to block the door.

“Master Zhang, this irrigation canal is related to the livelihood of the entire village. You are also a member of the village, so you can’t just stand by and do nothing, can you?”

Zhang Fuhu shoved Su Yunlan's hand away, his tone impatient.

"Stop giving me that high-sounding advice, I have no money! I have no money, but you can take my life!" His obese body trembled, and the fat on his face jiggled along with it, making him look particularly comical.

Su Yunlan felt helpless looking at Zhang Fuhu's stingy manner.

She took a deep breath and tried to control her emotions.

“Master Zhang, as you can see, the villagers are all looking forward to repairing the irrigation canal. If you generously donate, you will surely win everyone’s respect and love.”

"Respect? Adoration?" Zhang Fuhu laughed as if he had heard a joke. "What I, Zhang, want is real money, not those illusory things! You exiles, you think you can get me to pay? Dream on!"

The air seemed to freeze, and a tense atmosphere filled the air.

Su Yunlan felt as if a huge rock was pressing on her chest, making it difficult to breathe.

She realized that the funding problem was more complicated than she had imagined.

Just then, a tall figure appeared behind Su Yunlan.

Xiao Yuhan's deep gaze fell on Zhang Fuhu, and an invisible sense of oppression instantly enveloped the entire courtyard.

He slowly began, "Zhang Fuhu..."

Xiao Yuhan stepped forward, exuding a chilling aura, which caused Zhang Fuhu to involuntarily take a step back, his obese body trembling slightly.

“Zhang Fuhu, I know you are well-off. The money for repairing the irrigation canal is just a drop in the ocean for you.” He paused, his tone low but carrying an undeniable power, “But I am not here to seize by force, but to make a deal with you.”

Zhang Fuhu was stunned. He never expected that the once imposing Fourth Master of the Xiao family would speak to him in such a tone.

His eyes darted around, trying to figure out what Xiao Yuhan was up to.

"What kind of deal?" Zhang Fuhu asked tentatively, his tone noticeably more relaxed.

Xiao Yuhan glanced at Su Yunlan, who understood and took out a small cloth bag from her sleeve, opened it, and revealed a few plump grains of rice inside.

These rice grains are distinct, golden in color, and emit a faint fragrance; one look and you know they are top-quality.

Zhang Fuhu's eyes lit up immediately. He had been hoarding grain for many years and naturally knew its value.

The quality of this rice was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

“This is…” Zhang Fuhu reached out, wanting to touch the rice, but Xiao Yuhan stopped him.

"This is a superior seed I obtained by chance. It has a high yield and is resistant to drought and flooding," Xiao Yuhan said calmly. "I am willing to exchange it for the villagers' labor. I wonder what Zhang Fuhu thinks?"

Zhang Fuhu's eyes darted around even more. Although he was stingy, he was not stupid.

He knew that if he could obtain this superior seed, his harvest would double next year, which would be far more valuable than the money spent on repairing the irrigation canal.

He was secretly delighted, but his face remained impassive. "General Xiao, is what you say true?"

"A gentleman's word is as good as his bond." Xiao Yuhan's tone was firm and left no room for doubt.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Fuhu finally succumbed to the temptation of the superior seeds and gritted his teeth to agree.

"Okay, I agree! But I want to see the yield of this superior seed with my own eyes!"

"It's a deal." A barely perceptible smile appeared on Xiao Yuhan's lips.

The news spread, and the villagers were abuzz with discussion.

Some villagers were attracted by this superior seed variety that they had never seen before and expressed their willingness to participate in the repair work of the irrigation canal.

Su Yunlan watched the villagers busily working, a relieved smile appearing on her face.

As the sun set, the evening glow painted half the sky red, reflecting on Su Yunlan's face and making her look even more radiant.

"Husband, your method is truly brilliant!" Su Yunlan's tone was filled with excitement. She turned to look at Xiao Yuhan, only to find him gazing into the distance with a furrowed brow, as if he had something on his mind.

"Husband, what's wrong?" Su Yunlan gently tugged at Xiao Yuhan's sleeve.

Xiao Yuhan snapped out of his reverie, looked at Su Yunlan, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, "Lan'er, I'm worried..."

Xiao Yuhan frowned, worriedly saying, "Lan'er, I'm concerned that while this superior seed is good, it might not completely solve the funding problem. Repairing the irrigation canal requires a lot of materials, and relying solely on the villagers' labor exchange might not be enough." Su Yunlan understood this as well, and she sighed softly, "Indeed, we need to think of another way."

Just as the repair work on the irrigation canal was about to begin, craftsman Liu started making things difficult again.

He would complain about the uneven terrain here and the loose soil there, nitpicking and obstructing the progress of the project at every turn.

"Craftsman Liu, what do you mean by this? Didn't we already agree on this?" Miss Xiao asked angrily.

The craftsman Liu glanced at her sideways and said sarcastically, "Fourth Miss, this irrigation canal is related to the lives of the entire village, so we can't be careless. I'm doing this for everyone's good."

Suppressing her anger, Su Yunlan stepped forward and patiently explained, "Craftsman Liu, we have already discussed these issues before, and we have taken your concerns into account. The solution is feasible."

Craftsman Liu scoffed, "You've considered it? I doubt it! What do you laymen know about water conservancy projects?" He glanced at Su Yunlan contemptuously, "What if the irrigation canal isn't finished and ends up flooding the village instead!"

Liu the craftsman's difficult behavior caused the initially enthusiastic villagers to waver.

They whispered among themselves, and Su Yunlan felt an immense pressure weighing on her heart, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

She walked alone to the riverbank, watching the slowly flowing water, feeling extremely troubled.

As the sun sets, a fiery red sunset paints the sky, reflecting on the shimmering water, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

However, Su Yunlan had no interest in appreciating the beautiful scenery.

"Oh dear, what should we do?" Su Yunlan sighed softly, rubbing her throbbing temples.

Suddenly, her gaze fell on a clump of wild grass by the river.

The wild grass was lush and green, swaying gently in the breeze and emitting a faint fragrance.

A thought flashed through Su Yunlan's mind.

She walked quickly to the weeds and began to observe them carefully.

The leaves of this wild grass are oval-shaped with fine serrations along the edges, and the stems are thick and covered with fine hairs.

Su Yunlan reached out and gently stroked the leaves of the wild grass, a familiar feeling welling up in her heart.

"This is...?" Su Yunlan was overjoyed, as if she had grasped a lifeline.

She carefully uprooted several weeds and then quickly returned to her lodgings.

Back in her room, Su Yunlan couldn't wait to put the wild grass into her spatial storage for careful identification.

"It really is it!" Su Yunlan's voice trembled with excitement.

She gripped the wild grass tightly in her hand, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"With this, perhaps the funding problem can be solved..." Su Yunlan murmured to herself.

She turned to look at Xiao Yuhan, "Husband, I've thought of a way."

Xiao Yuhan looked at Su Yunlan, his eyes filled with doubt, "What method?"

Su Yunlan smiled mysteriously, "You'll find out tomorrow."