Faced with condemnation from the Ritual Hall and numerous prestigious aristocratic clans, and with their intentions already exposed, the Hall of Punishment consulted with Fang Yun and decided that, having started, they might as well see it through. They promulgated a new law in the Jing Kingdom.
It was the Inheritance Law.
If the previous clan head had other children and the succeeding clan head was not an only child, the successor could receive no more than eighty percent of the clan's wealth.
Aside from the succeeding clan head, all other sons had equal inheritance rights. The son receiving the largest share could inherit no more than three times the wealth received by the son with the smallest share. For sons who had already married, their betrothal gifts were to be counted toward their inheritance; any excess need not be returned, but any shortfall had to be made up.
Daughters also had inheritance rights and could receive residences, shops, or money. A daughter's total inheritance could not be lower than that of the son receiving the smallest share, excluding the succeeding clan head. For daughters who had already married out, their dowries were to be counted toward their inheritance; any excess need not be returned, but any shortfall had to be made up.
Literary Treasures, divine objects, relics, and other precious treasures were excluded from distribution. They would be managed by the succeeding clan head, and the other children had no right to inherit them.
Clan heads could draw up wills specifying the distribution, notarized by the authorities, but these had to comply with the legal minimums. Otherwise, children dissatisfied with the distribution could request that the authorities redistribute the estate.
Besides the principal provisions, there were additional detailed rules and explanations. Like the earlier government decrees, this law came