Chapter 160: Grandma Lu's Death

In Big Stone Village.

Lu Cheng Yu once again put his heart and soul into preparing for the exam.

Two years ago, Grandma Lu fell ill. Tang originally thought about sending for a doctor, but soon she changed her mind, she was afraid the treatment fee would be a bottomless pit that could never be filled.

Grandma Lu cried bitterly and loudly in excessive grief when no one paid her any attention, she demanded to see a doctor and buy the best medicine.

Tang had locked Grandma Lu in her own room, ignoring all her requests. Grandma Lu always cried, demanding to see her favorite grandson, Lu Cheng Yu, but Lu Cheng Yu was too focused on his study to divert his attention, and deep down he was afraid what if Grandma Lu needed a large amount of treatment fee, so he chose to ignore his grandmother.

Tang was afraid that Grandma Lu would cause a ruckus in the village, incurring criticism about her and her son being unfilial, affecting Lu Cheng Yu's reputation. So Tang locked Grandma Lu in her room and only gave her a bowl of porridge every day.

Grandma Lu, who was senile and sick, didn't have the energy or strength to make a scene with only a bowl of porridge every day.

Grandma Lu hoped her sons to stand up for her, but they were all worried about the treatment fee, so they chose to ignore this 'burden' and turn a blind eye to Tang's doing.

There were villagers who had to sell their farmland to raise money to treat the elders in the family, no one in the Lu Family was willing to do that for Grandma Lu.

When Tang saw that everyone at home approved of her plan tacitly, she suddenly felt confident, She started to treat Grandma Lu in a flagrant way. She used to cook porridge for Grandma Lu, but soon she just served Grandma Lu leftovers.

Of course, the leftovers in a peasant family was very coarse. Grandma Lu felt unutterably depressed, she had been domineering her whole life, and now she was mistreated to this degree, Grandma Lu let out a bellow of tearful rage.

Grandma Lu asked Tang to bring Lu Cheng Yu to her, but Tang turned her down without even telling Lu Cheng Yu that his dying grandmother wanted to see him because a mother knew her son, Tang knew Lu Cheng Yu had no interest to see Grandma Lu.

Grandma Lu would often think about Lu Lin's after on her deathbed, she regrated for not treating her second son better when he was alive, but it was too late.

Grandma Lu succumbed to grief, no one was around when she passed away.

After Grandma Lu died, Tang made an excuse that Grandma Lu's illness might be contagious and quickly buried her for fear that the villagers might see that Grandma Lu was mistreated.

......

Lu Cheng Yu was busy preparing for his exam while the villagers were busy with autumn harvest. Big Stone Village was a busy scene.

"Butcher Zhang's son is back. I heard that Lu Lin was transferred to the Fish Cabin county."

"Really? He is transferred to another post?"

"Yeah! The travelling merchants also said the same. They are worried that the new magistrate in Sha County is difficult to get along with."

Lu Lin came from Forest Town. When the travelling merchants from Sha County arrived at Sha County, they would usually pay a visit to Lu Lin.

"Fish Cabin County? That place seems to be rather famous!"

"A few years ago, Sha County was poor and dangerous. Naturally, it was no match for the Fish Cabin county. However, in the past few years, Sha County has been in the ascendant. It's a pity that Lu Lin was transferred."

"Yeah! I heard that Chen Xiao Cai had built a hot spring resort in Sha County. Even young masters from the capital city and merchants from Liao Dynasty would go to the resort for fun!"

The travelling merchants from Forest Town had experienced the hot springs resort, they enjoyed sharing this experience with the villagers and enjoyed all the attention, and sometimes they liked to exaggerate things to get more attention, so the villagers all saw the resort as a heavenly palace.

"Although this Sha County is prosperous now, but a war will wipe out everything. The Fish Cabin county is a different story. It's close to the capital city, it will always be safe."

"Yeah! Lu Lin only picked Sha County back then because it was available."

"Lu Lin is not short of money now, his life is more important than money."

"I didn't expect that Lu Lin would be a reliable official."

When Lu Lin bought the official post, many people in the village did not think Lu Lin could handle the responsibility. In the eyes of the villagers, a good official should be profoundly learned, but they all knew Lu Lin didn't even went to school.

"Lu Lin got acquainted with His Highness Cheng when he was in Sha County, he invented a dish called Roast Whole Lamb which was added into the menu of state banquet. His Majesty has even rewarded him 1000 taels of silver, he made his name known to His Majesty! I think Lu Lin has a bright future ahead of him!"

"Amazing! This is amazing."

"Lu Cheng Yu is going to participate in the exam again this year! I wonder he can pass or not, there will be two officials in the Lu Family if he can pass."

"It's a pity that Grandma Lu and Grandpa Lu have passed away already, imagine how happy they are going to be if Lu Cheng Yu can really pass the exam."

"To be honest, I don't think Lu Cheng Yu can pass the exam, some people just don't have it in their star. But imagine it was Lu Lin who went to school, I'm afraid he would be a high-ranking official by now."

......

Not long after Chen Xiao Mi arrived at the Fish Cabin county, he prepared to build a center for aquatic products where he would build all kinds of seafood shops. Chen Xiao Cai was still in Sha County, so Chen Xiao Mi had to supervise the work personally.

Chen Xiao Mi enjoyed being busy. He would take the kids to the site and communicate with the workers on site.

"You're back?" Lu Lin glanced at Chen Xiao Mi and asked.

Chen Xiao Mi nodded, "Yeah! I just got Cai's letter, he said he would be on his way soon, he has found a perfect buyer for the commercial street, the hot springs resort is a bit tricky though."

Lu Lin nodded and said, "It's a pity to just sell the Hot Springs Resort. I know how much time and effort Cai has committed."

When the Hot Springs Resort, it caused a sensation. Over the years, the Hot Springs Resort had been expanded several times. There was a special hot springs restaurant now, people loved the restaurant.

"If Cai really feels reluctant to sell the resort, we can hire someone we trust to manage it for us," Lu Lin said.

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "That is indeed the case. But a resort like that is really hard to manage, it is a golden goose in a good manager's hand and it's going to be a burden in a mediocre manager's hand."

When Lu Lin was in Sha County, he would often launch promotions to to attract guests. Now that they had left Sha County, it was not easy to manage it.

"How about handing it over to General Ji," Lu Lin said.

Chen Xiao Mi sighed and said, "I'm afraid it's not easy! General Ji seems to be too straightforward. He doesn't like to indulge in creature comforts, and he has a problem with people who do."

Lu Lin nodded, "That's right, he is like that. This guy doesn't understand stimulating consumption is good for the economy!"

Chen Xiao Mi was confused. "What are you talking about now..."

Lu Lin blinked and said, "If you have money, you have to spend it, it's good for the economy!"

Chen Xiao Mi pouted and said, "You've found a perfect excuse to spend money."

Lu Lin laughed, "It's not an excuse though..."

"Ji Yun An is attending the exam this year, hmm, I do wish him good luck, otherwise he will become a laughingstock. I still can't believe he gave up on his results last time!" Lu Lin changed the topic.

Chen Xiao Mi said helplessly, "You! You should have faith in him, maybe he will get the title of Number One Scholar this year! And our whole family will feel honored. I wish mother were still alive, she would feel so happy. Mother used to feel sorry for us that she couldn't send us to schools, but look at us now, we turn out just fine."

Lu Lin tilted his head, "Of course, I hope that he will do great, I was just talking about all the possibilities."

"Lu Cheng Yu is also attending the exam this year, right?" Chen Xiao Mi said.

Lu Lin narrowed his eyes, "I can't care less about him, it doesn't affect me regardless."

Lu Lin used to worry that Lu Cheng Yu might hurt him and his family when he was just a common villager, but now he was an official, an experienced official, he was no longer afraid of Lu Cheng Yu even though he might pass the exam and become an official.

"I heard that Lu Cheng Yu's temperament seemed to have changed a lot, he tends to see things very extreme." Several years ago, no matter how vicious Lu Cheng Yu was, he maintained to keep the image of a gentleman on the outside. However, Lu Cheng Yu became more and more aggressive over the years.

Chen Xiao Mi thought to himself, 'Lu Cheng Yu is a spoiled kid, he can't handle failures well. Especially Lin now is an official and he is still nothing, of course he would be seized by anger and envy.'

"Grandma Lu has passed away, have you heard of it? And I heard she died of hunger!" Emotion welled up inside Lu Lin.

Even though Tang kept the Grandma Lu's matter a secret, it was difficult to completely hide it from the villagers.

The villagers knew Grandma Lu was sick, but Tang didn't bother to send for a doctor, and they also knew Grandma Lu was locked into her own room by Tang, not long after that, Grandma Lu just died mysteriously.

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "To be honest, I don't feel sorry or bad, I just think this is Grandma Lu's karma."

Lu Lin nodded and said, "I can't agree more, she abused her second daughter-in-law to death, and she was abused to death by Tang, her first daughter-in-law, that's some karma!"