After Brother Guan turned one year old, Master Jian intended to take his wife and child back to his hometown in Feng County to visit his parents, and let them enjoy a few days of sweet family time.

But his wife, Lady Bai, said that Brother Guan was still young and weak, and the journey was long. What if something happened?

Additionally, Prefect Yu, along with his parents, summoned Master Jian, openly criticizing Lady Bai for not considering the feelings of her in-laws longing for their grandson.

In essence, they were also saying that the child was too young. Wouldn’t it be better to wait until the child is older and stronger before going back? The mountains are high and waters deep, the child is frail, and if something happens on the journey, they’d regret it too late and so on.

Jian Huaifeng naturally cherished his son as well, knowing the journey would be tough on the child, so he said nothing more.

Later, Prefect Yu invited him for drinks and tried to reason with him, explaining that their cousin was raised pampered by her parents, thus timid, and worried about the child’s safety, urging him not to be upset. He even patted his chest, promising that once Brother Guan was older, even if the cousin didn’t agree, he, as the elder cousin, would ensure Jian Huaifeng takes his wife and child back to their hometown.

Jian Huaifeng had nothing else to say, so he wrote a letter home, expressing the concern, asking his parents for understanding, and promising to bring Brother Guan back when he was older.

The Jian Family parents, full of love for the younger generation, had only one son and now just Brother Guan as their sole sprout, worried even more than Jian Huaifeng.

Seeing the letter, although somewhat disappointed, as long as they thought about their grandson’s safety, they let it go and instead sent a letter back, advising Jian Huaifeng not to be angry, saying Lady Bai’s concerns were right, Brother Guan’s health was most important, and they could return anytime.

Along with the letter, they sent many specialties from Feng County to Luzhou for Brother Guan.

With this incident, until Brother Guan was three or four years old, the Jian Family parents grew older, their health deteriorated, and worried they might not see their grandson before dying, they wrote to Jian Huaifeng, hoping to see Brother Guan.

This time, neither Lady Bai nor Prefect Yu’s parents could say Brother Guan was too young. With Prefect Yu speaking up, Jian Huaifeng brought his wife and child, rushing back to his hometown in Feng County.

Upon arriving at their home in Feng County, the Jian Family parents were already bedridden. Seeing their never-before-seen daughter-in-law and the chubby and healthy grandson, the last weight on their hearts dropped, passing away peacefully.

As per tradition, with both the Jian Family parents gone, Jian Huaifeng’s family should naturally observe three years of mourning, especially as Jian Huaifeng had been away from home for many years following Prefect Yu, feeling even more regret and guilt for not being by his parents’ side.

Thus, he was determined to observe the full three years of mourning in their hometown in Feng County before considering anything else. Initially, Lady Bai managed well enough, but after three months, she began to struggle.

Especially since Brother Guan, due to mourning restrictions, couldn’t eat meat and grew very thin. Lady Bai couldn’t bear it, so she discussed with Jian Huaifeng about letting the child have a little meat, fearing the child wouldn’t endure otherwise.

Jian Huaifeng already felt overwhelmed with guilt; seeing Lady Bai like this, he naturally scolded her.

Lady Bai, overwhelmed with anger, wrote a letter to Prefect Yu. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Not long after, it was said that Prefect Yu’s parents sent someone, claiming to be ill, missing Lady Bai and Brother Guan and wanting to see them.

Jian Huaifeng wanted to refuse, but Lady Bai had already packed her luggage, and relying on the influence of others, she took Brother Guan straight back to Luzhou.

Later, Prefect Yu sent a letter to apologize, saying the elders were just being muddle-headed, indeed ill, simply longing for Lady Bai, wanting to see her and Brother Guan. As juniors, what could they do but comply? He also advised Jian Huaifeng to peacefully complete the mourning and return to Luzhou afterward, continuing as before.

The letter also assured that they would undoubtedly take good care of Lady Bai and Brother Guan, treat Brother Guan as if he were his own son, telling Jian Huaifeng not to worry.

Although Jian Huaifeng felt uncomfortable in his heart, after all, observing mourning was most important, and with them gone, what could he do? He had to let it go.

Later, due to an incident, he ended up saving Lame Li, and Lame Li, seeing Jian Huaifeng as pitiful, took him in.

Although Jian Huaifeng was somewhat displeased with Lady Bai’s actions, he nevertheless missed Brother Guan, his only son, so he thought of training Jian Dan well as a companion for his son in the future.

During the three years of mourning, Lady Bai was still likely angry, rarely wrote, and Jian Huaifeng had resentment too, leading to their affection slowly fading.

Three years later, after mourning, Jian Huaifeng returned to Luzhou, finding Lady Bai and Brother Guan living in the backyard of Prefect Yu’s residence.

Brother Guan even barely recognized his own father.

However, Prefect Yu treated them quite well; Lady Bai looked good, and Brother Guan’s attire was indistinguishable from Prefect Yu’s son.

But perhaps due to the thinning of the marital relationship after three years, when the couple saw each other again, they were speechless.

Even after Lady Bai and Brother Guan moved back, they seemed distant.

Brother Guan’s heart and words were all about the Yu Family, adamant about returning there to live.

Jian Huaifeng spoke gently, but Brother Guan burst into tears, insisting on going home.

Lady Bai also argued vehemently about this, leading to another big quarrel between them, ending in a lack of reconciliation.

After a period of deadlock, Jian Huaifeng managed to pacify Brother Guan, having Jian Dan accompany him in play, and slowly things improved.

Who would have thought one day, Brother Guan took Jian Dan to the Yu Residence for schooling, Jian Dan, being unfamiliar, hid outside in a stone hole catching crickets, inadvertently overhearing some strange words.

Something about Brother Guan being an illegitimate child, adulterous, kept unaware, raising someone else’s wife and child like that.

Although Jian Dan had a pure nature, he wasn’t foolish. He dared not speak rashly or come out, but kept the words in mind, later secretly asking Lame Li.

What kind of person is Lame Li? Hearing these words, he surely knew there were stories, especially related to Jian Huaifeng.

But considering the gravity of the matter, naturally, it couldn’t be casually spoken about, hence he instructed Jian Dan, merely saying those words weren’t good, and children who hear them would get tongue ulcers and wet the bed at night.

Jian Dan, still a child, was so scared by Lame Li’s trickery that he immediately swore to forget them.

The pure heart of a child, after a few days, indeed forgot everything clean.

However, Lame Li secretly went to investigate further.

Initially, he hadn’t thought much, naturally sensing nothing, but now with suspicion, everything seemed suspicious.

Perhaps due to Jian Huaifeng observing mourning for three years, without him around, Lady Bai became bolder in her actions, naturally showing loose ends.

Furthermore, there are no impermeable walls in this world; with careful inquiry, signs can surely be found.

As it turned out, Lady Bai had long been entangled with this cousin Prefect Yu, and the gossip the servants whispered, about Brother Guan being an illegitimate child, adultery, meant Brother Guan wasn’t Jian Huaifeng’s flesh and blood but was born out of an affair between Prefect Yu and Lady Bai.

No wonder there were mocking remarks behind Jian Huaifeng’s back about him raising someone else’s wife and children unwittingly.

After Lame Li found out the truth, how could he delay? Naturally, he told Jian Huaifeng.

For Jian Huaifeng, it was like a bolt out of the blue on a sunny day, his entire world overturned.