Chapter 78 Bloody Money!
"Uncle Lizheng, I can't take care of this matter." Feng Lan spoke in a very light voice.
The village head was stunned and said anxiously, "Mr. Kang Bo, I know you've been wronged, but human life is at stake!"
"Human life is at stake?" Feng Lan asked back, "How many sons did she have? Four! And an old man! Are all five of them dead? How could it be my turn, an outsider who long ago separated from the family, to take care of her in her old age and see her to the end?"
"If I take charge today, will I have to take care of everything that happens in the West Courtyard from now on? Her sons are just happy to have some free time, so they just dump all the responsibilities on us in the East Courtyard! How can this be justified?"
Feng Lan's words left the village head speechless.
Yes, Old Mrs. Chen has a son, so it is not the East Courtyard’s turn to take care of this matter.
"But...but her sons are all like dead people, we can't rely on them!" The village head stamped his feet in anxiety.
Feng Lan looked at him and suddenly smiled.
"Uncle Lizheng, it's easy to get her sons moving, isn't it?"
"What do you have in mind?" The village head's eyes lit up.
Feng Lan leaned close to his ear and whispered a few words.
After hearing this, the village head was stunned at first, then he suddenly realized what was going on. Finally, he gave Feng Lan a thumbs up, his face full of admiration.
"Brilliant! Really brilliant! Mr. Comber, you have a really stupid brain... I'll do it right away!"
After saying this, the headman ran away, his steps were even faster than when he came.
That afternoon, shocking news spread like wildfire in Pingjiang Village.
"Have you heard? A treasure has been unearthed in the Chen family's West Courtyard!"
"What treasure?"
"I heard from the village head! It seems that when Old Man Chen was young, he secretly buried a jar of silver ingots under the old locust tree in the yard. He originally wanted to keep it as coffin money. Now there is a severe drought, and the ground has cracked, revealing the jar!"
"Is this true? No wonder the sons and daughters-in-law in the west courtyard all ran back to their parents' homes. It turns out they were going back to report the news and discuss how to divide the money!"
This news spread like wildfire, especially in the village where Qian and Liu's parents lived.
In less than two days, a miracle happened.
First, Qian was pushed back by her brother on a wheelbarrow.
As soon as her brother entered the west courtyard, he began to ask about the health of Old Man Chen and Old Mrs. Chen who was lying on the sickbed, calling them "father and mother in-law" all the time, and was extremely affectionate.
Soon after, Chen Kangji's wife was also sent back by her parents, who also brought two old hens, saying that they were to nourish the old lady.
Finally, even Liu, who had stolen rice and returned to her mother's home, came back with her gambling-addicted brother. Her brother had changed his usual fierce and ferocious demeanor and bowed to Old Man Chen, almost kneeling down to call him "Dad."
For a moment, the originally lifeless West Courtyard became extremely lively.
With the help of their wives' families, the sons finally came to their senses.
They rushed to stay by Old Lady Chen's bedside, serving her tea and water, feeding her medicine and food, and each of them was so filial that it seemed like they were acting.
"Mom, have some chicken soup. I specially asked your daughter-in-law to make it for you!"
"Mom, where do you feel uncomfortable? Your son will rub it for you!"
Old Mrs. Chen lay in bed, dazed by this sudden display of "filial piety." Though she was starving, her mind was still sharp. She knew these bastards wouldn't come to her house without a reason.
But since food was delivered to her door, she was not stupid. She opened her mouth and drank the chicken soup.
With food and someone to take care of her, Mrs. Chen's illness was miraculously almost cured.
She was able to sit up again and curse at people with full energy.
Old Mrs. Chen's illness came and went quickly.
In other words, it was never a disease, it was just hunger.
After drinking a bowl of steaming hot chicken soup, the weakness she felt from hunger immediately disappeared, replaced by a long-lost feeling of fullness.
She leaned against the head of the bed, squinting her eyes, looking at her sons and daughters-in-law gathered around the bed, as well as their attentive family members, her heart as clear as a mirror.
If someone shows you kindness without any reason, he is either a traitor or a thief.
These little bastards, each with eyes like wolves, were glancing around in and out of her room, their thoughts almost written on their faces.
"Mom, please have some more soup. This is the old hen I specially asked your daughter-in-law's family to send. I stewed it for the whole morning!" Chen Kangzhong held the bowl with a flattering smile on his face.
Qian's brother also chimed in: "Yes, mother-in-law, you must take good care of yourself. A healthy body is better than anything else!"
As he spoke, his eyes glanced under the bed inconspicuously.
Old Mrs. Chen snorted coldly and ignored him. Instead, she turned her head to the other side. Chen Kangji's daughter-in-law immediately handed her a peeled apple.
"Mom, eat some fruit to moisten your throat."
For a moment, the dilapidated house in the west courtyard was filled with hypocritical care and temptation.
The sons pretended to be filial, the daughters-in-law pretended to be virtuous, and the in-laws pretended to be generous. They took turns to ask about the family's well-being, and their words, intentionally or unintentionally, always brought up the family assets, old items, and treasures buried underground.
Old man Chen sat on the threshold of the yard with his hands in his pockets, watching the farce in the house. For the first time, he felt so happy in his heart.
He finally understood that only money could make these beasts move.
The idea that Feng Lan came up with was so vicious and cruel, but it also worked very well!
He took two puffs of his pipe, enjoying the fine tobacco his son had just given him, and was thinking about how to make the scene more realistic.
Two days later, Chen Kangbo came back from the town and went around to the west courtyard gate. He stuffed something wrapped in cloth into the hands of old man Chen who was keeping watch at the door.
"Old man, Lan Zi asked me to bring this to you."
Chen Kangbo had no expression on his face and spoke in a cold, hard voice, "It's said to be for your mother's health. You can do whatever you want."
After saying that, he turned and left without bothering to say another word.
Old man Chen weighed the thing in his hand, which was heavy. He curiously opened a corner of the cloth bag, and a strong medicinal fragrance mixed with the smell of earth hit his face.
With the help of sunlight, he could see clearly what was inside. It was a root that looked like a little man and was covered with fibrous roots. It looked very much like the legendary wild ginseng that could sustain life!
Old man Chen's breathing suddenly became rapid!
Like a thief, he quickly put the cloth bag into his arms, looked around vigilantly, and then ran back into the house.
"Get out of here!" He yelled at the group of people in the room and slammed the door.
He and Old Mrs. Chen were the only ones left in the room.
With trembling hands, he opened the cloth bag.
"Old woman, look! What is this?"
Old Mrs. Chen leaned over to take a look, her eyes widening. Although she had never seen real wild ginseng, just by looking at the appearance and age of the ginseng, she knew it was definitely good stuff!
"Is...was it sent by that bitch Feng Lan?" Old Mrs. Chen couldn't believe it.
"Who else but her!" Old Man Chen lowered his voice, his face showing unconcealed excitement and calculation. "She must be afraid that you'd die and be branded as a mother-in-law who kills you, so she's spending so much money!"
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