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

Rumors start, market conditions become difficult

"Mr. Qian is spreading rumors?!"

The gasps exploded in the air, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

Su Yunlan frowned slightly, her delicate face covered with a layer of frost.

She turned to look at the Sixth Young Master Xiao who had run over with the news, her eyes as deep as a cold pool, but her tone remained calm: "Tell me in detail, what did he say?"

Young Master Xiao was panting heavily, clearly having run all the way here. "Boss Qian is shouting all over town that our art workshop is a fraud, and that Sister Su... you don't know anything about crafts, you just talk nonsense and deceive those poor artisans."

After Su Yunlan listened,

"Let's go take a look." Su Yunlan remained calm and gripped Xiao Yuhan's hand tightly, feeling the warmth and strength in his palm.

The two walked out of the courtyard side by side and headed straight for the town's market.

The market was more bustling than usual, but a sense of oppression permeated the air.

Various hawking cries rose and fell, but they sounded somewhat jarring.

Su Yunlan pushed through the crowded people and soon heard Boss Qian's shrill voice, like a noisy crow, annoying to behold.

"Everyone, you need to be careful! That so-called art workshop is a complete scam! They pretend to buy handicrafts at high prices, but they just want to swindle the hard-earned money of honest people like us!"

Mr. Qian, a fat man, stood on a high place, waving his arms and spitting as he spoke.

His fleshy face was plastered with a fake smile.

The people around whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with suspicion.

Some artisans who initially had high hopes for the workshop are now becoming hesitant.

Su Yunlan felt an invisible pressure, as if the air itself had frozen.

She felt the scrutinizing gazes around her, like countless needles pricking her skin, making her feel uncomfortable.

She looked around; some people looked disdainful, some were full of doubt, and others were gloating.

She could sense their distrust, which cast a shadow over her heart.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

"Don't believe him, everyone! I'm registered with the government; I'm honest and trustworthy!"

Su Yunlan took a step forward, her clear, cool voice as distinct as a mountain spring amidst the bustling market.

"Mr. Qian, if you really think I'm a fraud, why don't you go to the authorities to report me? Instead, you're spreading rumors here. Are you feeling guilty?"

Boss Qian was taken aback, then his eyes darkened and a sinister smile appeared on his lips: "Hmph, I will naturally go to the yamen to report you, but now, I want everyone to see your true colors!"

He shouted to the people around him, "Don't be fooled by her! She just wants to steal our treasures at a low price!"

A louder murmur erupted from the crowd, with various speculations and discussions arising.

Su Yunlan looked at the expressions on the faces of the people around her, her heart sank, and she was about to speak when she heard a clear voice behind her: "Miss Su, don't be afraid, I believe you!"

The sound came from the crowd.

Brother Sun squeezed through the crowd, his face flushed, his eyes resolute: "Mrs. Su is a good person! She taught me new wood carving techniques and helped me sell my first wood carving. I earned more money than I used to in a month!" He held up the finely carved wooden bird in his hand. In the sunlight, the wooden bird was lifelike, as if it could spread its wings and fly away at any moment.

"If it weren't for Madam Su, I'd still be struggling to make ends meet! Boss Qian, you're slandering an innocent person!"

Miss Wu stepped forward timidly. Her voice was soft but unusually firm: "Madam Su also taught me new embroidery techniques, and my embroidery can now fetch a better price. She also encouraged me, saying that my skills are the best, which gave me a lot of confidence..." As Miss Wu spoke, she carefully took out an embroidered handkerchief from her bundle. It was embroidered with a peony, with layers of petals, lifelike and delicate stitches, clearly the work of a skilled hand.

"Madam Su has never lied to us; she is truly a good person!"

People around began to whisper among themselves, and the way they looked at Su Yunlan subtly changed.

Some people began to doubt Mr. Qian's words, while others remained hesitant and adopted a wait-and-see attitude.

Su Yunlan felt a warmth in her heart, a surge of warmth that dispelled the chill within.

She glanced gratefully at Brother Sun and Miss Wu; their trust and support made her feel warm and empowered in this unfamiliar environment.

Just then, Xiao Yuhan stepped forward and shielded Su Yunlan behind him. His tall figure was like a mountain, blocking all malicious and speculative gazes.

His gaze sharpened as he swept over the surrounding crowd, his tone icy: "Anyone who dares to spout nonsense again, don't blame me for being impolite!"

The chilling aura emanating from him caused those around him to involuntarily take a step back.

A tense atmosphere filled the air, like a taut string that could snap at any moment.

Su Yunlan felt the warmth coming from behind her, and a sense of security welled up inside her.

She gently held Xiao Yuhan's hand, feeling the warmth of his palm, and a sense of peace settled in her heart.

Seeing this scene, Boss Qian's face darkened. He sneered and strode towards Su Yunlan...

Boss Qian, his large belly protruding, sauntered up to Su Yunlan with a fake smile, his tone sharp and sarcastic: "Oh, Mrs. Su, what's this? Here to interrogate me? I'm telling the truth. No wonder your art shop can't stay afloat!" He glanced at Su Yunlan, his eyes filled with disdain and provocation. "In this town, I, Qian, call the shots. You, an outsider, think you can get a piece of the pie? Dream on!"

Su Yunlan met his gaze without fear, a cold smile playing on her lips: "Boss Qian, the market isn't your monopoly. Fair competition is about skill. Aren't you afraid of ruining your own reputation by maliciously slandering me like this?" Her tone was cold, yet firm and resolute, each word like a nail driven into Boss Qian's heart.

"Fair competition?" Boss Qian laughed loudly, as if he had heard a joke, his fat trembling as he laughed. "Lady Su, you are so naive! What fairness is there in this world? Let me tell you, I'm the one who calls the shots in this town!" He pointed at Su Yunlan's nose, his tone arrogant and domineering. "If you know what's good for you, you'd better close your art shop and get out of this town right now, otherwise, I'll make you regret it!"

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

The crowd fell silent, holding their breath as they watched the tense standoff unfold.

Just then, Young Master Xiao came running over, panting, his face beaming with undisguised excitement: "Sister Su! Good news! Good news!" He grabbed Su Yunlan's hand, so excited he was almost incoherent, "I...I've contacted some businessmen from out of town, and they...they're very interested in our art shop's products, and they want...want to cooperate with us!"

Su Yunlan's heart skipped a beat, as if a ray of dawn had pierced through the dark clouds, illuminating the road ahead.

She took a deep breath, suppressing her excitement, and turned to look at Boss Qian, her eyes filled with confidence and determination: "Boss Qian, did you hear that? This is the market's choice! Your despicable tactics are ultimately futile!"

The surrounding artisans also became excited, whispering among themselves with joyful smiles on their faces.

Brother Sun jumped up excitedly, waving the wooden carving in his hand and shouting, "Great! There's hope for our art workshop!" Miss Wu also showed a shy smile, her eyes sparkling with hope.

Mr. Qian's face turned ashen instantly. He never expected that someone would suddenly appear out of nowhere.

He glared fiercely at Su Yunlan, gritting his teeth as he said, "Don't be so smug! This is just the beginning, we'll see!" With that, he turned and left, his obese body squeezing a path through the crowd and disappearing from sight.

Su Yunlan watched Boss Qian's retreating figure and a cold smile curled at the corner of her lips.

She knew that this was just the first step and there was still a long way to go, but she was full of confidence.

She turned to Xiao Yuhan and said, "Instead of passively taking a beating, let's take the initiative." She then turned to Xiao Yuhan and said, "How about we hold a showcase of our works?"

Xiao Yuhan raised an eyebrow, a hint of admiration flashing in his deep eyes: "Lan'er, your ideas are always so unexpected." He tightened his grip on Su Yunlan's hand, offering her silent support, "What do you need me to do?"

Su Yunlan smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling with confidence: "We need everyone to work together to present the best work."

The news caused an uproar in the art gallery.

The artisans responded enthusiastically, and the previously somewhat gloomy atmosphere instantly became lively.

Master Zhao was initially hesitant, but seeing how energetic Brother Sun and Miss Wu were, he couldn't help but stroke the wood in his hands, and a look of eager anticipation appeared on his old face.

"Madam Su, I must properly showcase this carved wooden table of mine!" Master Zhao's voice was loud and clear, as if he had become decades younger.

Miss Wu carefully opened her embroidery basket, which contained all kinds of embroidery pieces, each one exquisite.

"Miss Su, I'd like to embroider a picture of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix. What do you think?" she asked softly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Brother Sun excitedly patted his chest and said, "Miss Su, I will definitely carve the best piece!" His carving knife danced, and wood chips flew everywhere, like lively elves leaping in the air.

Inside the workshop, the clanging and clattering of hammers and the soft rustling of needles intertwined, creating a symphony full of hope.

Everyone was immersed in the joy of creation, their faces beaming with happy smiles.

However, when Su Yunlan began to prepare for the exhibition venue, setup, and publicity, she discovered a thorny problem—insufficient funds.

The funds originally intended for acquiring handicrafts were almost depleted, and holding a decent exhibition would require a considerable expense.

Su Yunlan looked at the ledger in her hand, her brows furrowed.

The atmosphere in the workshop gradually became heavy, and the smiles on the artisans' faces disappeared, replaced by worry and unease.

"What should we do..." Old Mrs. Zhou murmured to herself, looking at Su Yunlan with worry.

Brother Sun also stopped carving and asked anxiously, "Madam Su,... can we still hold the exhibition?"

Su Yunlan took a deep breath, gently closed the ledger, and swept her gaze firmly over everyone.

“There’s always a way.” Her tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. “Let me first take stock of the resources we have…”