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

Unexpected arrival of guests, unexpected changes along the way

The sound of horses' hooves approached from afar, rapid and powerful, like drums pounding in everyone's hearts.

Amidst the rising dust, a swift horse charged forward like an arrow. The messenger tightened the reins, and the tall horse neighed, rearing up and digging deep tracks in the ground before finally coming to a stop.

The messenger nimbly dismounted, his movements carrying an undeniable air of authority. He strode quickly to the crowd, his travel-worn appearance highlighting the urgency of the situation.

His gaze was sharp as he swept over the crowd before finally settling on Xiao Yuhan. His tone was solemn as he announced, “General Xiao, the imperial decree has arrived!”

The warm atmosphere of the farewell was interrupted by this sudden turn of events, and a tense atmosphere filled the air.

The villagers looked at each other in dismay. No one had expected such an accident to happen just as they were about to embark on their journey to exile.

Village Chief Wang's expression changed drastically. He paced back and forth, nervously twisting the hem of his clothes with both hands. "Imperial decree? What... what's going on?" he muttered to himself. His already deeply lined face now showed even more worry, and the wrinkles on his forehead seemed to deepen.

The messenger ignored Village Chief Wang's anxiety. He took out a bright yellow imperial edict from his pocket, raised it above his head with both hands, and said, "By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees!" His voice was loud and clear, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

Xiao Yuhan stepped forward, accepted the imperial edict, and looked solemn.

He opened the imperial edict and quickly glanced through it, his brows furrowing tightly, his already resolute face now showing even more coldness.

"Due to continuous heavy rain, the official road ahead has been blocked by landslides in many places and is impassable," the messenger explained quickly, his voice leaving no room for doubt. "His Majesty has decreed that you should suspend your journey here and await further arrangements."

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

Village Chief Wang waved his hands frantically, "What should we do! This...this landslide, are we going to be trapped here?" He paced back and forth, at a loss, his anxiety spreading, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, as if he was about to faint at any moment.

Craftsman Liu snorted coldly, crossed his arms, and said disdainfully, "Hmph, I knew this road wasn't so easy to travel. I don't know those officials, they just sit in their offices all day and do nothing but enjoy themselves!"

Zhang Fuhu clutched his money pouch tightly, his face contorted with pain. "Oh dear, what am I going to do? This delay will waste so much grain! Heavens above, this is going to kill me!"

Grandpa Ma frowned, leaning on his cane, and sighed as he looked at the chaotic scene.

Sun Shaonian clenched his fists, his eyes filled with anxiety and worry.

Miss Xiao then quietly walked to Su Yunlan's side, her tone somewhat worried, "Sister-in-law, what should we do?"

Just as everyone was discussing and at a loss, they noticed that Su Yunlan's expression was normal. She seemed to have no worries about this sudden change. Instead, she showed a meaningful smile and said softly to Xiao Yuhan, "Husband, it seems... Heaven is keeping us here."

Su Yunlan looked at the chaotic crowd in front of her, her ears filled with the village chief Wang's wails, craftsman Liu's complaints, and Zhang Fuhu's lamentations of poverty, and her brows furrowed slightly.

She looked up at the sky; the sun was shining brightly today, its warmth washing over her and dispelling the chill.

She knew perfectly well that this accident might not be all bad.

"My lord, it seems... Heaven is sparing us." Su Yunlan's tone was calm, and her clear voice, like a mountain spring, dispelled the panic in everyone's hearts.

Her eyes were calm and clear, as if she had everything under control.

Ignoring the surrounding noise, she turned her gaze to the fields not far away, pondering her next move.

After observing for the past few days, I've noticed that although the villagers are hardworking, the land is barren and the harvest is low due to natural conditions.

Now that we're stuck here, we might as well use this time to make some good plans.

Perhaps this opportunity can be used to improve the lives of the villagers and lay the foundation for their own future development.

Xiao Yuhan gazed at the woman beside him. Her confident smile, like the warmest sunshine in winter, dispelled the unease in his heart.

He understood Su Yunlan's intelligence and trusted every decision she made.

He reached out and firmly grasped Su Yunlan's hand, feeling a warm yet resolute strength emanating from his palm. "My wife, whatever you want to do, I'll support you." His voice was low and firm, as if he were expressing unconditional trust and support to Su Yunlan.

Su Yunlan gripped Xiao Yuhan's hand tightly in return, feeling the warmth of his palm. A surge of warmth welled up in her heart, filling her with strength.

A slight smile played on her lips as a bold plan began to take shape in her mind.

She looked around, her gaze finally settling on Village Chief Wang, her expression carrying an undeniable authority. "Village Chief Wang, since it is fate, why don't we use this time to do something for the village?"

Village Chief Wang was taken aback by Su Yunlan's resolute gaze, and his agitated emotions calmed down slightly. He stammered, "What...what are you going to do?"

Su Yunlan did not answer directly, but turned to look at Liu the craftsman beside her, her voice carrying a hint of inquiry, "Craftsman Liu, are you proficient in water conservancy?"

When Liu, the craftsman, was suddenly called out by Su Yunlan, he was taken aback at first, then raised his head and said with a hint of arrogance, "Water conservancy? That's a small matter. I've seen the world when I was young."

Su Yunlan chuckled softly, her tone tinged with amusement, "Since that's the case, then why don't we..." She didn't finish her sentence, instead turning to Miss Xiao Si beside her, "Fourth Sister, what do you think?"

Upon hearing Su Yunlan's question, Miss Xiao's eyes lit up instantly. She excitedly ran to Su Yunlan, "Sister-in-law, I'll listen to you!" Her face beamed with a radiant smile.

Miss Xiao ran excitedly to Su Yunlan's side, affectionately took her arm, and her eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky.

"Sister-in-law, I'll listen to you! Whatever you say, I'll do!" Her tone was full of admiration and trust for Su Yunlan, as if Su Yunlan was the guiding light in her heart.

This undisguised closeness and dependence warmed Su Yunlan's heart and made her even more determined in her thoughts.

Su Yunlan gently patted Miss Xiao's hand, giving her an encouraging look, then turned to the crowd, her tone calm and firm, "Since the imperial decree has ordered us to postpone our journey here, we cannot waste our time. I've observed that although the land in this village is fertile, the irrigation facilities are very rudimentary. If we can improve the irrigation, it will definitely increase grain production and benefit the villagers." She looked around, her gaze finally settling on Craftsman Liu, "Craftsman Liu, you are experienced; would you be willing to do your part for the villagers?"

Upon hearing Su Yunlan's words, Craftsman Liu curled his lip in disdain, crossed his arms, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Hmph, this water conservancy project is not child's play. How can it be changed so easily? Besides, this is not my business, why should I bother?" He glanced at Su Yunlan sideways, his eyes full of disdain and contempt.

In his view, what did Su Yunlan, a woman, know about water conservancy projects?

Liu the craftsman's arrogant attitude aroused the dissatisfaction of the surrounding villagers, who all cast condemning glances at him.

Sun Shaonian couldn't help but stand up and retort passionately, "Craftsman Liu, how can you say that? We're all from the same village, helping each other is only right! Madam Su is doing this for everyone's good, how can you be so indifferent?"

"Exactly! Craftsman Liu, what you said is really unfair!"

"Your Madam Su meant well, yet you refuse like this; it's truly disheartening!"

The villagers' accusations rose and fell, and Liu the craftsman's face grew increasingly grim.

He hadn't expected his words to provoke such public outrage, and he was even more furious. Just as he was about to retort, Su Yunlan raised her hand to interrupt him.

Su Yunlan's gaze swept over the crowd, her tone calm yet firm, "Fellow villagers, Craftsman Liu's concerns are understandable, after all, water conservancy projects are no easy feat. But I believe that as long as we work together, there are no difficulties we cannot overcome." She paused, then turned her gaze to Craftsman Liu, "Craftsman Liu, I know you are highly skilled and experienced, and I hope you will not hesitate to offer your guidance and lend us a helping hand."

Liu, the craftsman, was speechless after Su Yunlan's words. He hadn't expected Su Yunlan to flatter him. Although he was somewhat resentful, he couldn't continue to refuse.

He snorted, turned his head away, and didn't say anything.

Seeing this, Su Yunlan's lips curled up slightly, and she had already made up her mind.

She turned to look at Xiao Yuhan, a sly glint in her eyes, "Husband, look..."

Xiao Yuhan's deep gaze fell on Su Yunlan, a hint of doting smile on his face. "I'll do whatever my wife says." His tone was firm, as if he would unconditionally support any decision Su Yunlan made.

Su Yunlan looked around at everyone and said loudly, "Since the road is impassable, instead of waiting here in vain, we might as well use this time to improve the village's water conservancy. I have observed that although there are rivers nearby, the water flow is scattered and cannot effectively irrigate the farmland. We can look for new water sources or improve the existing water conservancy projects."

Upon hearing this, the villagers unanimously expressed their agreement.

Village Chief Wang rubbed his hands excitedly, "Mrs. Su is right! If we can improve the irrigation system, our village's harvest will definitely double!"

Even the previously arrogant craftsman Liu had become somewhat more subdued, thoughtfully stroking his chin, "A new water source... that's not a bad idea."

Although Zhang Fuhu was reluctant to spend the money, he gritted his teeth and expressed his support, thinking about the potential increase in the future harvest. "As long as we can grow more grain, it's worth spending a little money!"

The villagers' enthusiasm was ignited, and a positive atmosphere spread throughout the group.

Everyone picked up their tools and, following Su Yunlan's directions, began searching for a new water source nearby.

Sunlight filters through the dense foliage, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

The group walked up the winding mountain path, their feet rustling as they stepped on the fallen leaves.

The fresh air is filled with the fragrance of soil and grass, and occasionally you can hear a few clear birdsongs.

"Sister-in-law, look over there!" Miss Xiao exclaimed excitedly, pointing to a valley not far away.

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the valley was shaded by green trees, with a clear stream faintly visible.

"Let's go take a look!" Su Yunlan perked up and strode towards the valley.

Passing through the dense bushes, a crystal-clear stream came into view.

The stream flows gently, making a pleasant tinkling sound, and the pebbles at the bottom are clearly visible.

"Great! We've found a water source!" The villagers cheered, their faces beaming with joy.

Just as everyone was getting excited, Sun Shaonian suddenly pointed to a cliff face beside the stream and exclaimed, "Look, there seems to be a cave there!"

Following the sound, everyone looked and saw a dark cave entrance on the mountain wall, surrounded by vines, making it look particularly mysterious.

A cool breeze blew out of the cave entrance, carrying a slightly damp smell.

Su Yunlan felt a chill run down her spine, and a strange premonition welled up in her heart.

“There seems to be something in this cave…” Grandpa Ma said with a serious tone, his eyes narrowed.

Su Yunlan cautiously walked to the cave entrance and carefully observed the surrounding environment.

The entrance to the cave was small, allowing only one person to pass through at a time. Inside, it was pitch black and bottomless, like a giant monster lurking silently in the darkness.

"Be careful, my wife." Xiao Yuhan walked to Su Yunlan's side, his tone tinged with worry.

Su Yunlan nodded, took out a torch from his spatial storage, lit it, and slowly extended it into the cave.

The firelight illuminated a small area near the cave entrance, where the cave walls were covered with strangely shaped rocks, and the ground was scattered with pebbles and dead branches.

“It seems like no one has been here for a long time…” Sun said, his voice trembling slightly.

Su Yunlan didn't speak, but stared intently into the depths of the cave entrance, her heart filled with doubt and curiosity.

What secrets are hidden in this cave?

"Let's go in and take a look." Su Yunlan said firmly, taking the lead and walking towards the cave entrance.