But one had to admit, he and the Niohuru clan were truly blessed.
The mother and son not only had the highest lifespans but also lived through a prosperous era, enjoying all the blessings of wealth, status, and longevity. History offered few, if any, mother-son pairs happier than them.
These white jade mother-son rings, having belonged to Niohuru and Qianlong, must be imbued with endless fortune, prosperity, and joy. They would be perfect gifts for his sister-in-law and his soon-to-be-born niece.
Ever since Jian Fan and Jiang Yu Shuang's secret marriage was exposed, Jiang Yu Shuang had been hounded by unscrupulous paparazzi, who were eager to dig up scandalous dramas about the wealthy elite that the public so loved to gossip about.
The moment Jiang Yu Shuang's pregnancy was confirmed, these detestable media outlets leaked the news.
As if that weren't enough, they also spewed baseless rumors and conspiracy theories in their reports.
One narrative claimed that Jian Fan's mother and Jiang Yu Shuang had a strained mother-in-law-daughter-in-law relationship. The mother-in-law, unwilling to let Jiang Yu Shuang bear the Jian family's bloodline, had secretly drugged her, intending to prevent her from having children and pave the way for another woman to replace her.
Another story suggested that Jiang Yu Shuang's sudden pregnancy would undoubtedly bring tremendous upheaval to the Jian family, hinting at the inevitable scheming and plotting surrounding the third generation.
Several other media outlets, while not directly mentioning mother-in-law disputes, were rife with the foul ideology of patriarchal traditions: the importance of the eldest grandson, having a child to legitimize a marriage, gaining status through offspring, receiving stock bonuses for bearing children, and the eldest son and grandson receiving the lion's share of the family fortune. Their choice of words was undeniably disgusting.
However, disgusting as it was, it served as the most coveted gossip material for the onlookers.
"I knew it! Jiang Yu Shuang and Jian Fan have been married for ten years without a child. Turns out it was a wicked mother-in-law poisoning her!"
"Mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law are natural enemies. I heard that when Jian Fan was dating Jiang Yu Shuang, his mother explicitly opposed the match. Jian Fan, however, acted first and reported later, getting married at the Civil Affairs Bureau behind his parents' backs without having Jiang Yu Shuang sign any prenuptial agreement. This must have infuriated his mother!"
"A mother's greatest fear is her son forgetting her after marrying a wife, especially a wealthy mother-in-law. They are notoriously petty and surely want to find a daughter-in-law to their liking. If Jiang Yu Shuang had no children for years, she would have a reason to kick her out!"
"Jiang Yu Shuang must have seen through her mother-in-law's scheme, quietly gotten pregnant, but was afraid of being targeted. That's why she hesitated to let anyone know. Now that it's exposed, a mother-in-law versus daughter-in-law war is likely to begin!"
"The mother-in-law hates the daughter-in-law for stealing her son, and the daughter-in-law also hates the mother-in-law for causing her years of childlessness. They're bound to clash. Tsk, this is going to be good to watch again!"
"I heard that the richer the family, the more feudal they are, and the more they emphasize traditions. Jian Fan is the eldest son. If Jiang Yu Shuang's baby is a boy, won't he become the noble eldest grandson?"
"Of course. Although the Jian family has two sons, according to traditional feudal inheritance laws, the eldest grandson's inheritance share is much higher than that of the second son. If Jiang Yu Shuang has a son this time, a large portion of the family assets will go to the main branch."
The onlookers chattered amongst themselves, misled by the news, and directly painted Jian Fan's mother as a terrifying, feudal, wicked mother-in-law, fueling various conspiracy theories.
"What? Doesn't the Jian family only have Jian Fan as a son? How did it become two?"
"It is indeed two. Mrs. Jian gave birth to two sons. One is named Jian Fan, and the other... well, not many people know his name, but this younger son does exist. He is a full nine years younger than his elder brother."