Old Madam Lu was a decisive and strong woman all her life. She lost her husband when she was middle-aged. She supported the whole Lu family with one hand. Until the moment she fell, she was still concerned about whether the whole Lu family could get through this crisis.
Her greatest hope was Lu Lingzhi. This was the grandson that she had personally brought up. She had watched him fight on the battlefield for the Lu Clan, watched him earn the honor of a noble title for the Lu Clan. Lu Lingzhi was already the greatest support in her life.
In the past year, the Lu family has experienced too many changes.
Lu Wushuang died tragically, Lu Lingzhi was stripped of his title, and the Lu family moved out of the noble and luxurious mansion of the Marquis and became a humble merchant. Even though the old lady had experienced a lot of storms, she was still hit by these things. Before, she had Ye Zhen's spirit spring to protect her body, but when the news that Lu Lingzhi's martial arts were abolished by the emperor and his tendons were cut, she was devastated. When she learned that the Lu family's business had failed, she completely lost the will to live.
For an old lady like her, this was a fatal blow. Without Ye Zhen's spirit spring, she could no longer support herself. She was already at the end of her tether.
"Chen Tao, go and call Third Brother." Old Madam Lu held on to her last breath, finally willing to see Lu Shiming.
Lu Shixun looked at the old lady when he heard her words. "Mother, why do you still want to see Third Brother now? It's important for you to take care of yourself."
Old Madam Lu closed her eyes and did not speak. She had to conserve her last breath to pass on her last words to Third Brother. She was already disappointed with her second brother. The Lu family's business in Jinkou City failed. Instead of finding out the reason himself, he told others that it was because of Yao Yao who harmed the whole Lu family. How could such a cowardly son be expected to protect the whole Lu family?
"Mother …" Lu Shiming happened to be at home today. When he heard that the old lady was finally willing to see him, he immediately rushed straight to the upper room with Pei Shi. As soon as he entered the door, he knelt in front of Old Madam Lu. "This son is unfilial."
Old Madam Lu opened her eyes and looked at him, then looked around. Except for Liu Shi, everyone in the Lu family was here.
"Third Brother, I am already at the end of my tether. I have a few words to say to you. Everyone listen." Old Madam Lu held Lu Shiming's hand and said in a weak voice.
"Mother!"
"Grandmother!"
Everyone else knelt down, understanding what Old Madam Lu meant by those words.
Lu Shiming was sobbing uncontrollably. The guilt in his heart was indescribable.
"Firstly, after my death, the Lu Clan will be handed over to Third Daughter-in-law to be the head of the clan, and all major decisions will be made by her. Secondly, since the business in Jinkou City can no longer be saved, then we'll sell everything that can be exchanged for silver. Our Lu Clan doesn't owe anyone a single silver. Thirdly …" Before Old Madam Lu could finish, she was already panting heavily.
Lu Shixun cried out unwillingly, "Mother, our Lu family's business can't just disappear like this."
Madam Wang glared hatefully at Madam Pei. Why should the family be handed over to the third branch?
"Thirdly …" Old Madam Lu shouted with all her might. "Yaoyao is the daughter of the Lu Family. That makes her my granddaughter. None of you … are to blame her. If she wants to leave, let her leave …"
Lu Shiming cried until he was sprawled on the ground. His tears fell all over the ground. "Mother, mother …"
"Fourth!" Old Madam Lu's chest bulged, her eyes staring straight ahead. The last sentence seemed to have exhausted all her vitality. "Let Yan Zhi live well!"
After saying this, her chest sagged and her eyes slowly closed.
Lu Shiming cried out, "Mother …"
Old Madam Lu was no longer breathing.
Everyone in the room cried bitterly. No one thought that the old madam would leave such words on her deathbed, let alone that she would die so soon.
…
…
The carriage entered the city gate. Ye Zhen was very nervous. She didn't know what to say when she met Old Madam Lu in a while. The old madam must resent her in her heart. And her father … Was he already in the capital? She hadn't figured out how to tell her true identity when she met him.
"Are you nervous?" Mo Rongzhan's hand slid slowly, ready to look for an opportunity to hold her hand.
"This … What's wrong?" At some point, the carriage had arrived outside the Lu family's gate. Ye Zhen looked at the plain white outside the door and froze in her seat.
Hong Ling took a look. "Miss, it seems that someone … passed away?"
Ye Zhen felt a pang of pain in her heart. She thought of the person who was most likely to die. "No, I haven't come to ask for her forgiveness yet. She won't just leave like this."
Lu Shiming came out of the gate wearing a pickaxe. When he saw the carriage parked outside, he was slightly stunned.
"Father." When Ye Zhen saw Lu Shiming appear, she finally had the courage to speak. However, just as she opened her mouth, her tears could not stop. Lu Shiming was wearing a filial son's clothes, and the old madam had passed away …
"Yao Yao, why are you back?" Lu Shiming looked at Ye Zhen in the carriage in surprise. He thought she had gone to Dongqing.
Ye Zhen got out of the carriage and looked at Lu Shiming's mourning clothes. She cried even harder. "The old madam, she … she …"
Lu Shiming's eyes were a little red. "The old madam passed away yesterday."
"Father, is it because of me?" Ye Zhen was both sad and guilty, thinking that it was because of her life experience that stimulated the old madam.
"It's none of your business, you …" Lu Shiming still wanted to ask her how she came back, but before he finished, he saw Mo Rongzhan coming down from the carriage. He was so frightened that he forgot what to say. He just stared at the emperor who came to his daughter's side. "Emperor … Emperor, you are here too."
Mo Rongzhan reached out to hold Ye Zhen's little hand and gently squeezed it in her palm. "Yao Yao, my condolences."
Lu Shiming still had many questions to ask his daughter, but now he couldn't ask anything. He turned back and ordered the servants at home, "Go and fetch the mourning clothes for the third miss."
After a while, Lu Shixun came out with the servants. He had never seen Mo Rongzhan before, so he didn't recognize the man standing beside Ye Zhen as the emperor. He frowned and said to Lu Shiming, "Third Brother, it's your own business that you love your adopted daughter, but now the Lu family, including the clansmen, are present. Is it appropriate for you to let her wear mourning clothes and go in to salute her mother?"
"Why is it not appropriate?" Lu Shiming asked coldly. He knew that his second brother was angry and felt that the old madam was biased towards him even before her death. But he couldn't stop his daughter from wearing mourning clothes for the old madam at this time, otherwise, he would feel guilty for the rest of his life.
"The old madam was angered to death by her. Does she still have the face to go and worship her? Isn't she afraid that mother will not rest in peace? "Lu Shixun asked angrily.
Lu Shiming said angrily, "Second brother, didn't you hear what mother said before she died? She said that Yao Yao is her granddaughter. If Yao Yao comes back and does not wear mourning clothes for her, she will not rest in peace. "
(Nine-headed Bird Academy)
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