Being a second wife is difficult: I'm busy raising children in the Earl's mansion.

They had planned everything meticulously, but they never expected that the woman who would eventually take over the household and manage the inner quarters would be Jiang Wan.

She was not a noblewoman, nor did she possess the arrogance of an aristocratic family. She did not value superficial appearances, did not vie for favor in the inner quarters, and had no obsession with having offspring.

The schemes that supposedly cut off her lineage and humiliated her were all in vain for her.

Moreover, after she entered the mansion, she changed the old system and moved directly to a brand-new and well-organized courtyard, leaving the old main courtyard of the late wife vacant.

The Gu family's elaborate scheme, involving manpower, resources, and meticulously laid musk-poisoned bricks, and years of planning in their backyard, ultimately turned into a joke with no one willing to participate.

Lotus heart, poisonous brick, broken jade—each and every one of these is a carefully laid plan by the opponent.

Now that the flaws in the game are gradually being revealed and the clues are coming together, we only need to verify them one by one to piece together the complete truth of what happened back then.

The household is filled with all sorts of people, and since Granny Ding used to be in charge of the allocation of servants, it's hard to say that she might have inadvertently sent spies or planted outsiders, just like Lianxin.

The hasty cleanup earlier was ultimately too perfunctory.

The Earl's mansion appears peaceful and orderly at present, but in reality, undercurrents are surging and hidden dangers are lurking.

A thorough investigation and purge of personnel within the government is now imperative.

He will need to personally go to the estate to verify all the old people that Ding Mama had handled, eliminate all hidden spies, and sever all the roots that the Gu family had planted in the Earl's Mansion.

Once her thoughts settled, Jiang Wan looked up, her expression now calm and undisturbed.

"Thank you for your hard work in verifying this information over the past few days. This matter is confidential and must not be disclosed to anyone. Please make a proper backup of this list, keep it under strict guard, and do not allow anyone to view it."

Mrs. Wang bowed and agreed, her tone earnest and solemn.

"This servant knows what is important and will keep the secret well, and will never let it slip out."

Having witnessed many personnel changes over the years, she knows best the dangers of speaking carelessly.

A wife secretly investigating an old case is no ordinary family matter; the slightest misstep could lead to a massive upheaval.

Jiang Wan nodded slightly and gestured for her to step back.

Madam Wang bowed and took her leave, her steps steady as she departed. Once her figure was out of sight, the house returned to silence.

Jiang Wan composed herself, suppressed the turmoil in her heart, and picked up the letter from the Shen family on the table.

It was a handwritten letter from Mrs. Shen, inviting her to a tea gathering in the spring after the New Year.

The relationship between the two families should be light and gentle, without the need for expensive displays. The most important thing is to cater to each other's preferences and be tactful.

Jiang Wan had previously sent someone to investigate Mrs. Shen's hobbies. She learned that Mrs. Shen loved calligraphy and painting, disliked gold and jade, and was not attached to bamboo and wood ornaments. She was only fond of various antique paper and hand-painted landscape Xuan paper.

She has never liked ordinary white paper, but prefers special stationery with subtle textures, delicate landscapes, or small flowers and birds. She usually uses such elegant paper for copying scriptures, writing poems, and taking notes.

Several years ago, a set of hand-painted landscape poems on paper by famous artists from Jiangnan depicting the four seasons appeared on the market. The paper was warm and smooth, and each scroll depicted a small scene in light ink during different seasons. It could be rolled up for writing or collected as a treasure.

Mrs. Shen missed her chance back then, and after several unsuccessful attempts to find him, she remained deeply concerned about him for a long time. It was a small regret that no one knew about.

Upon hearing of this, Jiang Wan secretly asked her old friends in Jiangnan to search for the complete set of landscape paintings for the four seasons. After more than a month, she finally found the complete set.

The entire set of paper scrolls is elegantly designed, with four long scrolls depicting spring streams, summer lotus, autumn maples, and winter snow respectively. The ink is light and delicate, simple and refined, neither gaudy nor vulgar, which is most suitable for Mrs. Shen's taste in calligraphy and painting.

This was a special gift prepared by Jiang Wan for her as an adult. It was completely different from the handmade items made by the children. It was elegant, unique, and showed her thoughtfulness.

On the other side, the children's return gifts had already been prepared perfectly.

She called out to everyone, summoning Lu Zhao, Lu Hui, and Lu Wan into the house.

The three of them quickly went inside.

Lu Hui held the pair of finished bamboo pen holders in his hands, walking lightly and carefully protecting them, not daring to bump or knock them at all.

Lu Wan held a plain-colored soft brocade handkerchief she had sewn herself in her sleeve, her little face beaming with joy.

Lu Zhaosui was in the last position, calm and dignified, with a composed expression.

"My aunt from the Shen family wrote to us before the Lunar New Year, inviting us to a tea gathering in Huzhou this spring. I plan to accept the invitation."

Jiang Wan pushed aside the plain paper and looked at the three of them. "You had previously discussed giving gifts to thank the two young masters of the Shen family. Today is a good day to write a reply."

Lu Wan immediately tiptoed to the table, lightly tapping the pen holder with her fingertips, her voice sweet and clear: "We finished making the pen holder a long time ago! Eldest brother smoothed the body of the holder until it was round and smooth to the touch, I sewed a brocade handkerchief inside to prevent it from being bumped, and second brother even wrote some elegant calligraphy on it. It's just the right gift for the two younger brothers in the Shen family!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Hui smiled and neatly arranged a pair of pen holders.

The natural wood grain of the tube is warm and smooth, polished to a point without any splinters. The inner lining is made of soft and comfortable brocade, and the inscription on the outer wall is neat and elegant, reflecting the child's earnest intentions.

Lu Zhao picked up paper and pen and said softly, "I'll start. Big brother and little sister can add a few words as they like."

The three of them sat around the desk, craning their necks to write, each offering their own opinion.

Before long, a childlike and sincere reply was written, every word pure, inviting Shen Cheng and Shen An to visit the garden in spring, exchange writing skills, and play together.

Jiang Wan looked at the three children's lively and harmonious appearance, and a warm smile appeared in her eyes.

She carefully placed the rare set of seasonal landscape stationery scrolls into a patterned brocade box, and then neatly packed the children's pen holders and joint replies into the box.

One set consists of elegant collections of calligraphy and paintings carefully gathered by adults who understand each other's preferences; the other set represents the sincere sentiments of children who made these pieces by hand. The two sets are of different types and are perfectly balanced.

Once everything was packed up, a messenger was immediately dispatched on horseback to deliver it to the Shen family.

In less than an hour, the letter from the Earl's Mansion was delivered to the inner courtyard of the Shen residence.

As Madam Shen was grinding ink and practicing calligraphy by the window, she heard a servant report that a gift from the Yongchang Marquis's mansion had arrived. She looked up and gestured for it to be presented.

She opened the children's letters first.

A quick glance at the childish yet neat handwriting, and reading the straightforward and enthusiastic invitation from the three siblings of the Earl's Mansion, a warm smile unconsciously spread across his lips.

Looking down at the pair of bamboo pen holders in the brocade box, her fingertips gently traced the delicate bamboo grain, the elegant inscription, and the neatly folded soft brocade lining, her eyes filled with admiration.

The stitches are fine and dense, the polishing is neat and orderly, and the handwriting is upright.

It's clear that these items weren't made by servants; they were made by the three children themselves, step by step, with their own hands and care.

Mrs. Shen sighed inwardly.

The two children of the Earl's family, at such a young age, already understand the importance of reciprocity and treating others with sincerity. Their upright and pure character is truly rare.

As she was carefully examining the children's handicrafts, two figures quickly approached from her side.

The brothers Shen Cheng and Shen An were completely drawn to the pen holder and letter paper on the table, their eyes fixed on the children's replies and handmade gifts.

Young Shen An clung to the edge of the table, his eyes wide as he stared intently at the exquisite pen holder, his face beaming with excitement. "Wow! This pen holder is so beautiful! Did my younger siblings from the Earl's Mansion make it by hand? The calligraphy is so pretty too!"

He gently tapped the words on the letter with his little hand, overjoyed: "They even invited us to a spring outing to the park! Mother, we must go as soon as spring arrives! I really want to play with them and write with them!"

Children's joy is straightforward; they can't hide their anticipation at all.

Shen Cheng, standing to the side, watched even more intently and meticulously.

He read through the three-person joint reply word by word, and then carefully examined the neat polishing of the pen holder, the elegant inscription, and the thoughtful lining, a genuine appreciation appearing in his eyes.

Despite his young age, he demonstrates a good sense of division of labor, meticulousness in his work, neat handwriting, and sincerity towards others.

Shen Cheng nodded slightly, his tone sincere: "My three younger siblings are thoughtful, reliable, and sincere. When we meet again in the spring, I will certainly accompany them and learn from them, so as not to disappoint their sincerity."

The two brothers' attention was entirely focused on the gifts and letters from the children of the Earl's family, their eyes filled with the joy and recognition of their peers.

After the two children finished their joyful discussion, Mrs. Shen raised her hand and slowly opened the second brocade box.

Unfolding that complete set of rare, four-season landscape poetry scrolls, the light ink depicts the elegant and refined scenes of the four seasons, the paper is antique and lustrous, and the texture is exquisite.

Her eyes lit up slightly, and a surprised yet touching smile flickered in her eyes.

This gift precisely addresses her long-standing regret; it is thoughtful and elegant, a tacit understanding between elders that needs no words.

Mrs. Shen understood.

Jiang Wan not only protects the child's sincere friendship, but also understands the elegance and propriety of adults. She is thoughtful and insightful in every aspect.

She carefully put away the two sets of gifts, and seeing the two children still looking delighted, she picked up her pen, laid out paper, and wrote a reply carefully.

The letter first thanked the three children for their sincere handmade crafts and heartfelt invitation, then returned Jiang Wan's elegant and generous gift. Every word was earnest and every sentence was warm and sincere. The letter looked forward to the gentle spring breeze, when the two families could gather together, the children could play together, and the close friends could chat.

After sending the letter of greeting from the Shen family to the Earl's residence, Jiang Wan did not stop.

The matter of Granny Sun and Ah He, which Aunt Zhou had mentioned earlier, still lingered in her mind.

In the half month before her death, the late Madam Zhou mentioned Sun Liuxin and her daughter Ahe to Aunt Zhou several times during casual conversations about the past.

If it were just ordinary old friends and feelings, why would one need to repeatedly mention them and conceal their deeper meaning when one's life is hanging by a thread?

Given the meticulous planning of the Gu family's second branch over the years, this matter is by no means simple.

Granny Sun and her daughter are undoubtedly a key link in solving the old case.

Jiang Wan immediately summoned Xiaoman.

"Leave the city immediately and go to Juxian Teahouse. Find the manager and secretly investigate the whereabouts of the two."

"Firstly, Sun Liuxin, a former servant of the Gu family, used to serve Master Gu. Later, she returned to the Gu family to work. She lost her husband early and has a daughter named Ahe. Secondly, find out the current whereabouts, whereabouts, and final fate of the mother and daughter, and report back on everything, no matter how small."

Xiaoman knew that this matter was of great importance, so she dared not delay and immediately bowed to accept the order.

"I've noted it down. I'll go out of the city to investigate immediately. I'll make sure I find out everything clearly and don't miss a single clue."

After speaking, he turned and quickly left the city to handle some business.

There was no one else in the room, and it was completely silent.

Jiang Wan sat upright in her chair, closed her eyes for a moment, and analyzed the overall situation.

The second branch of the Gu family has been secretly plotting for many years, insidious and patient, taking every step carefully to harm others invisibly.

The undercover operation by Lianxin, the setup with poisoned bricks, the evidence left by the broken jade, the secrecy of old acquaintances, and the long-term cultivation of younger generations—each and every one of these is a complex game of chess that the other side has been planning for over a decade.

Now that the flaws in the game are gradually being revealed and the clues are coming together, we only need to verify them one by one to piece together the complete truth of what happened back then.

The process involved thorough cleaning within the government compound, verification of former employees, and investigation of outsiders—every step required meticulous attention to detail and allowed no room for error.

Just as she was secretly finalizing all the subsequent investigation plans, an old woman suddenly rushed in from outside the courtyard, bowed, and handed her a letter sent from outside the city.

"Madam, an urgent message has arrived from the post station outside the city. It's a private letter delivered by a servant from the manor."

Jiang Wan opened her eyes and reached out to take the envelope.

The handwriting on the paper is vigorous and neat; it is Lu Huaijin's handwriting.

She opened it and read it carefully; the few words were clear and concise.

Lu Huaijin was granted a day off on New Year's Eve and could set off for home within three days.

On the snowy journey home, the official is returning home after a long absence. The eldest master of the Lu family is about to return through the snow.

Jiang Wan held the letter between her fingers, her expression calm.

The fact that the second branch of the Gu family could secretly plot for so many years and act so meticulously suggests that they are very likely connected with powerful figures in the imperial court.

This case involves far more than just personal grudges; it has far-reaching implications.

Lu Huaijin will be returning to his residence soon, and this old case should be cleared up with him.

The subsequent investigation was fraught with danger, and she alone would likely find it difficult to handle everything.