Old Master Jian was a reasonable man. Though he harbored deep resentment toward the Main Family, and the child in Mingmei’s belly was not his own grandson, a bond existed between him and Jianshu after all; even without blood ties, there was kinship. At such a crucial juncture, sending Mingmei back to her parents' home, where she would face nothing but cold shoulders and scorn, was absolutely out of the question. Thus, Mingmei stayed at the Jian residence to await the birth.

Seven months later, a healthy baby boy was born, named Jian Xin, derived from Ban Gu’s line in the Memorial to the King of Dongping Cang: “White and black, Jian Xin, ever seeking good without end.” During the confinement period, Old Master Jian, magnanimous in heart, ensured that Mingmei and the infant lacked nothing in terms of food, clothing, or amenities. He also ceased blaming Mingmei for Jianshu’s suicide, allowing Mingmei to settle comfortably in the Jian home with the baby. The young daughter-in-law observed this with bitterness in her heart. She had originally thought that with Jianshu dead, she and the child would have no further ties to this household, but seeing Jian Xin born and Old Master Jian treating Mingmei and Jian Xin like family, she began to fear that as the boy grew, he would contend with her own flesh and blood for inheritance. Therefore, she racked her brains to find a way to drive Mingmei and her son out of the Jian home.

One day, the Main Family received a letter from Mingmei sending her regards to her parents, prompting a house servant to arrive at the Jian residence bearing gifts galore to inquire after Mingmei and the child. It turned out that ever since Mingmei had left without a word with Jianshu, the Master had deeply regretted the humiliation he had heaped upon Jianshu that day in court. Upon reflection, although Jianshu was six years younger than Mingmei, he was handsome and remarkably well-mannered, having returned home accomplished at such a young age. He was destined for greatness. Forcing him into an in-law position, he might not have even agreed to it himself. Truly, there was no need to trouble himself over baseless matters. Consequently, upon receiving Mingmei’s letter conveying her well-wishes and the happy news (in which Mingmei conveniently omitted any mention of Jianshu’s passing), the Master immediately dispatched a servant to visit the Jian residence, hoping to arrange for his daughter, son-in-law, and grandson to come stay with them for a few days soon.

When the servant entered the Jian residence, he felt both joy and sorrow. The joy came when Mingmei personally emerged to greet him, holding the barely month-old Jian Xin. The sorrow struck when he saw a stark, black-and-white mourning hall set up in the main hall of the Jian house. Upon closer inspection, he saw a memorial tablet set out for the son-in-law, Jianshu. Mingmei briefly recounted Jianshu’s passing to the servant, telling him only that Jianshu had succumbed to a severe, incurable illness, deliberately omitting any mention of the hanging suicide or the half-siblings. She believed this secret would be buried with Jianshu, never to be known by anyone. But human affairs are unpredictable; who can truly know what the future holds?

Upon learning of Jianshu’s death, the Main Family decisively sent emissaries to pay their respects, using the opportunity to invite Mingmei and the child to stay at the main house for a few days. Seeing the Main Family’s enthusiastic attitude toward her and the infant, the young daughter-in-law rejoiced internally, believing the moment had finally arrived to enact the long-planned scheme she harbored.

On the third day after Mingmei and the child returned to her family’s home, while the entire Main Family was still immersed in the joy brought by the newborn infant, the Master unexpectedly received a letter from the Jian residence. The contents of the letter struck like a bolt from the blue, laying bare the relationship between Jianshu, Mingmei, Jian Xin, and the Master, and including the final testament Jianshu had written to Mingmei before his death. It turned out that after Mingmei left, the young daughter-in-law had stealthily entered her room, rummaged through everything, and found the suicide note Jianshu had penned before his death. She then forged a letter purportedly from Old Master Jian, hoping the Main Family would resolve the issue of Mingmei and her child properly and refrain from sending them back to the Jian residence.

Upon reading the letter, the Master was consumed by rage and immediately sought counsel from his trusted confidants. They unanimously agreed that this family scandal must not be exposed to the public. They needed to sever ties with Mingmei and her child as quickly as possible and appropriately settle the matter with the Jian family to leave no future trouble. Thus, the steward took action, bribing assassins from the underworld overnight to silence all twelve people present, including Old Master Jian and the young daughter-in-law. This was the very definition of scheming too cleverly, only to have one's own life cut short by one's own machinations.

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