After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 932 Decision
Everyone was surprised when they heard this.

Xie Wenzai was the first to come to his senses and understand why Lu Bainian said that. He hurriedly said, "Old Lu, there is no need to be like this. The Sun family's case has not yet been concluded, and the extent to which the Lu family is involved is even more unknown. Even if they are all to be questioned, the family members who are not involved in the case will definitely be fine. Moreover, you have just returned to Beijing from the northwest, and you have been cut off from your family for decades, so you have nothing to do with this matter. You will be fine, and there is no need to worry about implicating others."

Hai Xiya and Cao Gengyun also understood. The former hurriedly said, "That's right. Old Lu, you have been in our family for so many years. We have been through thick and thin together. No matter how difficult the days were, we have survived. What does this matter mean now? It's not you who got into trouble. Why should you do this for the Lu family..."

"I'm not doing this for the Lu family." Lu Bainian interrupted him. "I'm afraid that the Lu family will come to your house and disturb your peace. Of course I'm not afraid. From the moment I heard about the Lu family's trouble, I knew I wouldn't be dragged into it. Even if I don't trust other people in the cabinet, can I not trust Tao Nanshan? But, you all know that I have a way to plead for the Lu family. Regardless of whether it works or not, I still have this way. After the Lu family knows about it, won't they come to me? You all know what stupid things they have done these days to get rid of the Sun family. Once they know that I have connections that can help, how can they let me go?!"

The Lu family had never taken him, a discarded child, seriously. Many of the Wu family members had returned to the court to resume their duties, and he had a long-standing friendship with the Zhou family of the Zhenguo Mansion. But when he returned to the capital, the Lu family had no intention of welcoming him back, and they were unwilling to even put in the effort to make peace with him.

The arrogant Lu family, after running into obstacles everywhere, actually knew how to contact their old acquaintances, the Cao family, hoping to use Cao Gengyun's power to coax this abandoned child back.

Once the Lu family comes up with such an idea, how can Lu Bainian guarantee that he can live a peaceful life in the future?

No matter how the Cao family responded to the Lu family, when they were desperate, no matter how much resentment Lu Bainian had towards them, they would come to him to coax him. There would be plenty of opportunities to settle accounts and expose the dark history. If he refused again and again, the Lu family might say more unpleasant things. Lu Bainian didn't mind breaking up with his family, but he didn't want to involve the Hai family and disturb their peace.

As for Jin Jiashu, many people knew that he, Xie Wenzai, and Cao Gengyun were teaching Jin Jiashu together. What if the Lu family knew about this and wanted to force him to go to Jin Jiashu to ask for mercy? Even if he firmly refused, wouldn't they take the initiative to find Jin Jiashu and force Jin Jiashu to do something in the name of his teacher? Lu Bainian really didn't want to take this risk.

He said to his old friends, "I have lived in the Hai family for these years, thanks to your care. I am unable to repay you, and I still have to rely on you in my old age. I am ashamed enough. If I cause you trouble again, how can I continue to live in the world?! Besides, it is not easy for Tao Nanshan to be where he is today, and I don't want to cause him trouble. Jin Jiashu's life is even more pitiful. He called me a teacher for a day, so I wanted to protect him for a day and didn't want to make him worry. So, I simply moved out of the Hai family temporarily and rented a house outside. If the Lu family really wants to come to my house, they will see that I am alone, just an old man with no one to rely on, and they will not expect me to do anything. When the palace's order to deal with his family comes down and no one can change it, if you don't mind me being annoying, I will move back."

Hai, Xie, and Cao knew he had made up his mind, so they didn't try to persuade him any more. Anyway, he would come back sooner or later, so they just thought he was going out to visit friends.

Hai Xiya said, "Don't worry about the house. I will send someone to find out for you tomorrow. We can just rent a small courtyard nearby and send two people to serve you. Even if the Lu family comes to trouble you, we live close by and can rush over to help in time. This is the relationship between neighbors and our friendship for many years. Don't refuse me again." Cao Gengyun said, "It's boring for you to live alone. I might as well move in and live with you. I'm not comfortable at home either. The children have spent a lot of money on me, and we don't have money to prepare for the weddings of our grandchildren. I'm afraid that if I continue to live in Xiayun, they will soon be poor and have to owe debts outside. I said I want to come and accompany you, and it's also an excuse to move out."

Lu Bainian said hurriedly: "Why bother? You are different from me. You are much more blessed than me. Your children and grandchildren are filial and willing to spend money on you."

Cao Gengyun waved his hand disapprovingly: "Where? My children have been separated from me for more than 30 years, and my grandchildren are seeing me for the first time. How filial can they be to me? They just want me to help them plan their future. I think they are well educated and their behavior is not bad, just mediocre. They won't make big mistakes. So I wrote to a few old friends, and I think there will be a reply soon. By then, they have a future, so how can they care about me?"

Lu Bainian said: "No matter what they think, since you have arranged a future for them, they should continue to be filial to you and let you enjoy your old age. There is absolutely no reason to pull the plug after you have crossed the bridge."

Cao Gengyun smiled and said, "The futures I have found for them are mostly not in Beijing. If they want to make further progress, they cannot refuse these arrangements and can only leave. But I have been away from Beijing for many years and just came back. I want to experience the local customs and people of my hometown. Why should I leave with them and live in a place where I am unfamiliar with? It is better for me to stay with you guys!"

After hearing this, Lu Bainian had no choice but to stop talking. However, thinking that he would not really live alone in the future and that he would have his old friends by his side, he felt much better. He felt as if he had returned to the life in Chang'an, and the days did not seem so difficult to endure.

Xie Wenzai said, "I will follow up on this matter with Tao Nanshan. If the Lu family really deserves the punishment, they should be punished accordingly. I will not plead for them. But there are always innocent people in the Lu family who are unaware of the crime, and these people can always keep their lives. If there are your own flesh and blood among them, I will not let those who deserve the punishment implicate them. If there are unfilial people among your children, grandchildren, and nephews, you can ignore them, but there should be ignorant children among the younger generation. Pick one or two smart ones and keep them by your side to teach them. You can also enjoy the happiness of family in the future. Isn't it a good thing?"

Lu Bainian hesitated for a moment, but still shook his head: "Forget it. If there are really good children, let them stay with their biological parents. To them, I am just a stranger that their family has never mentioned. Why should they suffer from being away from their relatives? If you want to teach students, there are plenty of good children out there. I don't expect to have children and grandchildren to support me in my old age. I have good friends like you, and Baoshun, Jiashu, Wu Ke, Tianyou and other well-behaved students, which is enough."

Xie Wenzai knew that he still had concerns in his heart, fearing that the Lu family's affairs would implicate his friends, so he stopped trying to persuade him. The Lu family's case had not yet been concluded, and it was too early to say anything. It was better to wait until the results came out.

He only made a suggestion: "We old men don't know what to do in the capital. If you have no intention of returning to the throne, why don't you all consider teaching a few students? When renting a house, shouldn't you find a more spacious place? Just like when we were in Chang'an, the three of us lived together and vacated a few rooms for teaching, so as to avoid wasting time doing nothing?"