Chapter 128: Ji Yun An is Leaving

Lu Lin kept the silkworm eggs and silkworms in one of the side rooms and he would check them from time to time. One day, Lu Lin found a few silkworms in his quilt, he jumped back and screamed like a startled rabbit.

The people in the county Yamen flocked to his room to see whether he is all right, they were so confused when they found their Magistrate Lu made a scene over a few silkworms. They found that behavior rather inexplicable.

Although they thought that Lu Lin was being a bit over dramatic, none of them said anything considering Lu Lin was their magistrate. They kept all the ridicules to themselves.

However, even if the crowd did not say anything, Lu Lin could still sense their ridicule from observing their countenance.

In fact, Lu Lin did not hate silkworms, but it gave him chills when he touched a few worms when he was half asleep.

Although raising silkworms was a profitable business, they were still worms.

It was Yuan Bao who had put the silkworms in Lu Lin's quilt for fun.

Lu Lin wandered around in the house with a pale face, searching for Yuan Bao.

"Yuan Bao has run away in advance, this little brat has gone too far this time. Some pranks are not funny, he needs to learn that! How dare he put worms in my quilt!"

Chen Xiao Mi smiled helplessly and said, "Kids are like this, that's why they are kids. Besides, Yuan Bao might think you like the worms as much as he does, I'm sure he means no harm."

Lu Lin puffed up his cheeks with anger.

"Yuan Bao needs some punishment, he is getting a bit unruly recently."

Chen Xiao Mi looked at Lu Lin and said, "It's just a few silkworms. No need to blow this out of proportion, besides, people may laugh at you if they hear you punish your child because of a prank."

Lu Lin pouted, 'This is so wrong! How can they laugh at me when I'm the victim! Have they laughed at me before?'

Chen Xiao Mi tilted his head and looked at Lu Lin, "What are you thinking, you look so serious."

Lu Lin looked at Chen Xiao Mi sullenly, "Do you think I'm cowardly and useless?"

Chen Xiao Mi smiled and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? How could it be? You're a tough and fierce man!"

Lu Lin looked at Chen Xiao Mi and asked suspiciously, "Really? Do you really think so?"

Chen Xiao Mi nodded, "It can't be more real."

Lu Lin shook his head and said, "With that being said, I still need to discipline Yuan Bao and Mai, it's all right they are running wild at home, but they need to learn to behave themselves when necessary."

......

In the yard.

Chen Xiao Mai and Yuan Bao were feeding the silkworms, each holding a basket full of white mulberry leaves. They were both beaming with pleasure.

"Little Uncle, let me tell you a funny story about Father Lin. " Yuan Bao said in a depressed manner.

Chen Xiao Mai blinked and asked casually, "Funny how?"

Yuan Bao blinked and said, " Father Lin flew into a temper when he saw the silkworms I put in his quilt, he told me that he would punish me if I don't behave myself. How strange. It's a prank!"

Chen Xiao Mai narrowed his eyes, "I'm not surprised at all. You Father Lin now is all prudent and dignified, he is actually very timid. When I was younger, I showed him a snake that Qin Ming Ge caught for me, but you know what, your father turned pale immediately! I didn't even ask him to touch the snake, he just turned pale and stammered."

Ji Yun An who was standing behind Chen Xiao Mai had overheard that, he glanced at Chen Xiao Mai and thought to himself, 'Isn't that a normal reaction? Maybe you shouldn't be saying Magistrate Lu being too timid, maybe you are being too unruly.'

Yuan Bao blinked and said, "Snakes are very scary though! I heard that after being bitten by a venomous snake, you might not be able to live. However, the silkworms don't bite and they are not venomous, but father still makes a scene."

Chen Xiao Mai held his chin as if absorbed in thought, "Hmm, you have a point, I guess some people are scared of snakes, but why the silkworms!"

Ji Yun An listened to the conversation between Chen Xiao Mai and Yuan Bao with great interest, he just found Lu Lin very funny.

Ji Yun An didn't want to cause any attention from Mai and Yuan Bao, so he pretended he was busy transcribing the stories Lu Lin had told him.

Chen Xiao Mi suddenly glanced at Ji Yun An and said, "I heard that scholars are all as timid as a mouse, is that true?"

Ji Yun An frowned on hearing that.

"I'm not timid, thank you very much," said Ji Yun An.

Chen Xiao Mai made a face, obviously he didn't believe it, "Really?"

Ji Yun An looked at Chen Xiao Mai and said excitedly, "I went to the battlefield." Although he was young, he indeed had fought on the battlefield, well, he had entered the field. Liu Yun protected him really well, so he didn't actually fight the battle, he was still proud of himself.

Chen Xiao Mai exclaimed, "You've been on the battlefield! Really? You actually went to the battlefield?"

Ji Yun An nodded and said, "Yeah!"

Chen Xiao Mai looked at Ji Yun An and couldn't help but regard him with special respect.

......

The stores that Chen Xiao Cai bought were already running one after another. Although they hadn't made a lot of money yet, they had definitely made a picture of prosperity.

The number of people on the street had increased drastically. A high flow meant more customer and more business.

Summer was just around the corner. Chen Xiao Mi's belly was getting bigger and bigger with their second child.

There were many farmers in Sha County who planted watermelons. Watermelon was what Chen Xiao Mai's favorite, and Chen Xiao Mi always craved for watermelons after he got pregnant. However, watermelons were cold in nature and Lu Lin always stopped them from eating too much on one go.

"Big Brother, your stomach is getting so round."

Chen Xiao Mi smiled, "Yeah! Soon you are going to have another nephew or niece."

Chen Xiao Mi thought to himself, 'How I wish I could give birth now, Lu Lin doesn't let me eat watermelons because of the baby! I can't wait to give birth and eat at my own will!'

When Lu Lin entered the house, he saw Chen Xiao Mai looking at Chen Xiao Mi's belly with sparkly eyes.

Lu Lin always felt that the way Chen Xiao Mai looked at Chen Xiao Mi's belly was a little strange. Chen Xiao Mai was looking at Chen Xiao Mi's belly like it were a giant watermelon.

Lu Lin shook his head and threw away the strange thoughts in his mind.

Sha County had recently developed quite well. Perhaps it was because of the benefits, it had attracted many people from other counties to settle down. Some people who had left Sha County before had returned, and the villages all look more lively.

Lu Lin invested a lot of money in road repairing. According to what he had heard in his previous life, infrastructure was the key to development.

Lu Lin didn't know if it would work in this time and space, but he didn't mind giving that a try now that he had money.

Lu Lin took out a large sum of money to repair the road. Although many villagers thought Lu Lin was out of his mind, they still joined in the road repairing team. Lu Lin paid them 30 cents per day, that was such a generous pay, so they all worked very hard.

......

Lu Lin went back home in a good mood after work, he saw Chen Xiao Mi playing chess with Chen Xiao Mai.

Chen Xiao Mai saw Lu Lin coming, he greeted Lu Lin and walked out.

Lu Lin looked at Chen Xiao Mai and thought to himself, 'Our Mai is a big boy now, he even knows to give me and Mi privacy!'

Chen Xiao Mi looked at Lu Lin and said, "Mai has been moping all day."

Lu Lin found that rather odd, "Mai? Moping? What happened?"

Chen Xiao Mi sighed and said, "Ji Yun An is leaving in a few days."

Lu Lin couldn't help frowning. "Is he in a bad mood because of Ji Yun An?"

Lu Lin's heart sank as he thought what this might mean. 'Mai might end up getting hurt!'

Ji Yun An was a young master from the Ji family and his family background was extraordinary. In the next few days, Ji Cheng Kang would go back to the capital city to report on his work. After that, he would come back, but Ji Yun An would stay in the capital city.

Ji Yun An was from the Ji family, of course he would pursue an official career.

As far as Lu Lin knew, Ji Cheng Kang seemed to want Ji Yun An to enter the academy in the capital city for further study.

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "It must be about Ji Yun An, I know Mai."

Lu Lin rolled his eyes and an unspeakable thought flashed through his mind.

Mai had reached marriageable age in this time and space, but he had never thought betrothing with Ji Yun An due to the huge gap between the two families. Family status mattered a great deal in this time and space, and Mai was such a special kid, all those practical problems were hard to overlook. Plus Lu Lin wouldn't be counted as wealthy in the capital city.

Lu Lin took a deep breath, deep in thought.

"I heard from those soldiers that Ji Yun An was not doing well in the Ji family."

Ji Cheng Kang was a member of the Ji family, but he had many cousins, some of them didn't like Ji Cheng Kang. Ji Yun An's father seemed to have entered the camp of opposing forces with the Ji family, which caused tension between Ji Yun An and the Ji family.

Moreover, Ji Yun An was not an actual Ji. Of course the younger Jis didn't appreciate the fact that they had such a competitor in the family now eyeing for the resources.

Ji Cheng Kang was the legitimate son in the Ji family, but he had several brothers born of concubines.

Lu Lin trusted and appreciated Ji Cheng Kang, but it worried him that why Ji Cheng Kang insisted taking Ji Yun An to Sha County when the boy was young, there must be some unmentionable drama going on in the Ji family.

The more Lu Lin thought about it, the gloomier he got.

Lu Lin thought for a while and called Chen Xiao Cai in.

"Lin Ge, are you looking for me?" Chen Xiao Cai asked.

Lu Lin nodded, "Yeah! How's the business in the shops recently?"

"The business is good, but the profit is average. However, the development prospects are still good."

Lu Lin nodded and said, "Sounds good. Like I've told you before, this is long term investment, it takes time."

Chen Xiao Cai nodded.

"Actually, I want you to go to the capital city to make a fortune."

Chen Xiao Cai asked curiously, "Going to the capital city? The capital city is far!"

Lu Lin nodded and said, "I know, you know that General Ji will return to the capital city in a few days. If you can go along with him, you don't have to worry about safety along the way."

Chen Xiao Cai rolled his eyes and nodded.

"Lin Ge, what business can I do in the capital?" asked Chen Xiao Cai with excitement.

Lu Lin threw the book in his hand to Chen Xiao Cai and said, "I want you to sell books there."

Chen Xiao Cai flipped through the book and hesitated, "This book?"

Lu Lin nodded and said, "Yes, Ji Cheng Kang and I are done talking, all I need you to do is..."

Chen Xiao Cai's eyes sparkled as he heard Lu Lin's plan.

"Lin Ge, can we make a lot of money just like this?"

Lu Lin nodded and said, "Yes."

Chen Xiao Cai's heart was brimming over with excitement, he owned a commercial street in Sha County, but he always aspired to do something even bigger! And now he had an opportunity to display his talent int he capital city, and that made his blood boil.