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

Textile technology breakthroughs, raw materials in demand

The farm women held the seeds, their faces beaming with smiles, full of anticipation for the future harvest.

When the news reached Zhao Bushang's ears, the teacup in his hand fell to the ground with a "crash" and shattered.

Tea splashed everywhere, staining his expensive silk robe like an ink wash painting, except this "painting" only fueled his rage.

His face was ashen, his teeth clenched, and he roared, "This Su Yunlan actually dared to bypass me and go directly to the countryside to buy cotton!"

At the same time, Su Yunlan led Miss Sun and several young craftsmen to a corner of the workshop.

Here sits an improved spinning machine, emitting a faint woody aroma—the unique fragrance of fresh wood mixed with the smell of machine oil.

The machine's gears and bearings gleamed, like twinkling stars in the dimly lit corner of the workshop, seemingly heralding new hope.

"Let's begin," Su Yunlan commanded, her voice clear and firm.

The machine started up, emitting a slight buzzing sound, like a busy bee flapping its wings.

Miss Sun and the craftsmen watched nervously, their hands unconsciously clenching, afraid that something might go wrong.

Their breathing became softer, and their heartbeats quickened in sync with the machine's rhythm.

As the machine operates, bolts of pure white, fine cloth are slowly woven out, like silver ribbons, gleaming with a soft luster in the dim light.

The fabric felt delicate and smooth to the touch, a world apart from the rough fabrics we had before.

"We did it!" Miss Sun exclaimed excitedly, her eyes sparkling with joy.

She couldn't help but stroke the newly woven fabric, feeling the joy it brought.

The other craftsmen cheered, their faces beaming with pride.

They high-fived each other in celebration, all the previous hard work and doubts vanishing.

Just then, a sharp sound shattered the tranquility of the workshop.

"Stop! You're not allowed to mess with my equipment!" Craftsman Qian stormed over, his face flushed red, like an angry bull.

His heavy breathing echoed in the workshop, and the veins on his forehead bulged as if they were about to explode.

Qian the craftsman's outburst caused chaos at the scene, but Su Yunlan remained calm and composed.

Her eyes were firm and her gaze piercing, exuding a powerful aura, like a towering mountain that made people hesitant to approach her.

The craftsman was intimidated by her gaze and hesitated for a moment, his steps faltering and his original imposing manner weakening.

Su Yunlan ignored the clamor of the craftsman Qian, walked to the spinning machine, picked up the tools, and cleverly made a small modification to the existing equipment.

Her movements were skillful and precise, and every step was full of confidence.

The efficiency of the equipment has been significantly improved, and the newly woven fabric is finer and more uniform.

Miss Sun cheered excitedly. When Master Zhou saw this, his tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. He picked up the newly woven cloth and examined it carefully, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Master Zhou, what do you think?" Su Yunlan's voice broke Master Zhou's reverie.

Seeing that Su Yunlan was not trapped by the raw material price trap he had set, Zhao Bushang became furious.

He slammed his hand on the table, causing the teacup to vibrate and make a buzzing sound. Tea spilled out, leaving a dark brown stain on the table.

His face was grim, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences! I'd like to see how she can still cause trouble without my cooperation!"

He immediately summoned several familiar cloth merchants in the city and conspired in a lavishly decorated teahouse.

The air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood and tea, but it couldn't mask the scheming and greed that permeated the atmosphere.

"Gentlemen, this Su Yunlan is ungrateful and has broken our rules. We should teach her a lesson!" Zhao Bushang said sinisterly, his eyes flashing with malice.

The others chimed in, each offering their own opinion and discussing how to suppress Su Yunlan.

Soon, rumors began to circulate in the market about Su Yunlan, saying that she used inferior raw materials to pass off as high-quality ones, and that she was driving up prices and disrupting market order.

In an instant, the air was thick with fear and panic.

Su Yunlan clearly felt that fewer merchants were coming to her for cooperation, and even pedestrians on the street were pointing at her and whispering about her.

An invisible pressure, like a giant net, enveloped her, making her feel somewhat suffocated.

Just then, Liu, the peasant woman, arrived, looking travel-worn, clutching a small bag tightly in her hand, her face beaming with barely suppressed joy.

She carefully handed the item to Su Yunlan: "Madam Su, look, it's done! New cotton has grown!"

Su Yunlan took the package, opened it, and found a fluffy, white cotton ball inside, emitting a faint fragrance.

She gently picked up a flower and rubbed it between her fingertips. The touch was soft and delicate, as smooth as a baby's skin.

Her eyes lit up, like twinkling stars in the night sky, dazzling and radiant.

"That's wonderful! That's really wonderful!" Su Yunlan excitedly grasped Liu Nongfu's hand, her voice trembling slightly.

With this new cotton, her plans could proceed smoothly.

The news quickly reached Zhao Bushang's ears. The teacup in his hand fell to the ground again, shattering into pieces, the fragments scattered all over the floor, just like his heart at that moment, broken and fragmented.

His face was ashen, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his flesh, almost drawing blood.

He felt a piercing jealousy, as if a venomous snake was gnawing at his heart, causing him unbearable pain.

"Su Yunlan! You're incredibly lucky!" he growled through gritted teeth, his voice filled with resentment and bitterness.

At this time, there was a knock on the door...

Smoke curls upwards, and the aroma fills the air.

In the simple workshop courtyard, a large iron pot was bubbling away, the rich aroma of meat mixed with the sweetness of vegetables, tempting everyone's taste buds.

Xiao Yuhan's tall figure was busy in front of the stove. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his strong forearms, and skillfully stir-fried the dishes in the pot.

The firewood crackled, and the firelight reflected on his angular face, adding a touch of softness.

Su Yunlan came out of the workshop, rubbing her sore shoulders, and immediately saw this heartwarming scene.

As the sun sets, golden sunlight spills into the courtyard, bathing everything in a warm hue.

The fatigue from a busy day vanishes in this moment.

She walked to Xiao Yuhan's side, and the aroma of food wafted towards her, making her feel incredibly at ease and happy.

"Are you done with your work?" Xiao Yuhan turned to look at Su Yunlan, his eyes full of tenderness.

He picked up a clean handkerchief from the side and gently wiped the fine beads of sweat from her forehead.

Su Yunlan nodded, a sweet smile appearing on her face.

The table was laden with delicious-looking dishes, including braised pork, steamed fish, and several kinds of fresh vegetables.

This was a rare delicacy on the road of fleeing famine.

Su Yunlan picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of braised pork and put it in her mouth. The meat was delicious and melted in her mouth, making her squint her eyes.

"Is it delicious?" Xiao Yuhan looked at her satisfied expression, and the corners of his mouth also turned up slightly.

"Mmm, delicious!" Su Yunlan nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with happiness.

This scene, as seen by those around them, was so heartwarming and beautiful.

Miss Sun looked at them with envy in her eyes, and whispered to her companion, "Miss Su and Young Master Xiao are so loving!"

Although Master Zhou didn't say it, he was deeply moved.

He thought of his wife who had died young.

However, this tranquility was soon broken.

Looking at the improved textile machine, Master Zhou witnessed its efficiency firsthand, but he was still filled with resistance.

He walked up to Miss Sun and said with some displeasure, "This machine looks fast, but it's just a bunch of fancy stuff and not practical at all!"

Upon hearing this, Miss Sun immediately retorted, "Master Zhou, how can you call this fancy? This is something that Madam Su painstakingly improved, and it's much more efficient than the previous machine!"

The two people's voices grew louder and louder, attracting the attention of those around them.

The atmosphere in the workshop suddenly became tense, and a sense of antagonism filled the air.

Seeing this, Su Yunlan put down her chopsticks and walked between the two...

She looked at the two of them and slowly said, "Master Zhou, Miss Sun..."

Su Yunlan carefully processed the freshly picked cotton; the fluffy, white cotton fibers were as light as clouds.

She put the processed cotton into the improved spinning machine, and the machine started running, making a light "humming" sound, like a cheerful work song.

As the machine operates, a snow-white cloth is slowly woven out, smooth and delicate, with a soft luster like the finest silk.

This cloth is so much better than the cloth woven from the coarse materials before.

Young Master Xiao watched in astonishment. He couldn't help but reach out and touch the new fabric. The silky smooth texture on his fingertips amazed him.

"This...this is simply a miracle!" He clapped his hands excitedly, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Sister Lan, you are truly amazing!"

Craftsman Qian stood to the side, a crack appearing on his previously taut face.

He looked at the new fabric, then at the improved spinning machine, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He had previously resisted Su Yunlan's improvements, thinking she was being delusional, but now that the facts were right in front of him, he had no choice but to believe them.

He secretly swallowed, his once firm resolve beginning to waver.

Su Yunlan showed the new fabric to the others in the workshop, and the workers gathered around, praising it one after another.

Their eyes shone with hope, as if they could see a bright future ahead.

Su Yunlan's textile empire is gradually reaching its zenith.

However, the good times did not last long.

Just as Su Yunlan's textile business was beginning to take off, Master Zhou suddenly fell ill.

He lay on the bed, pale-faced, breathing weakly, coughing incessantly as if he were coughing up his lungs.

Master Zhou's illness caused a great uproar in the workshop.

Rumors grew like weeds and spread rapidly.

Some say that Master Zhou's illness is a misfortune brought about by new technology, a punishment from heaven.

They began to question Su Yunlan, believing that she had disrupted traditional textile techniques and angered the gods.

"I told you long ago, these new gadgets are unreliable! Look, now you're getting your comeuppance!" an old craftsman said in a low voice, his tone tinged with fear.

“That’s right, Master Zhou is the most experienced craftsman in our workshop. If he’s fallen ill, there must be something wrong with this new technique!” another craftsman chimed in.

The rumors spread more and more wildly, and the workers' panic grew.

They began to resist the new technology, and some even suggested stopping the use of new machines and restoring traditional textile techniques.

Su Yunlan is facing a new crisis of trust, and her textile business is once again shrouded in gloom.

Miss Sun walked to Su Yunlan's side, her face filled with worry, and whispered, "Sister-in-law Lan, what should we do now?"

Su Yunlan looked at Miss Sun,