Being a second wife is difficult

When Jiang Wan and her group arrived at Songhe Hall, the main hall was crowded with people, and Fang Shi's voice could be heard from afar.

The moment she stepped across the threshold, Jiang Wan's gaze swept around the hall.

The old lady sat in the main seat, her face as dark as if it had been covered in ink, her brows and eyes radiating barely suppressed anger.

Fang stood in the center of the room, half her hair disheveled, tears streaming down her face, her eyes red and swollen, sobbing as she covered her mouth with a handkerchief. Lu Huaiyu stood beside her, head bowed, his knuckles white.

Several maids were still standing inside, all with their heads down, not daring to move.

There was a moment of silence in the main hall; no one spoke.

Fang's sobs were exceptionally clear in the quiet.

Jiang Wan's gaze lingered on Fang Shi for a moment, then glanced at the old lady's face, knowing that the situation couldn't remain tense indefinitely.

As the eldest daughter-in-law and Fang's sister-in-law, she couldn't just stand there and not say anything at this moment.

She walked over to Fang's side, gently patted her back, and took a handkerchief to wipe away her tears. Her voice was very gentle: "Sister-in-law, what's wrong? Tell me what's wrong. It's better to talk it out than to get upset. Everyone is here listening."

Fang's sobs paused for a moment. She raised her swollen, red eyes and glanced at Jiang Wan, her voice trembling with tears, but each word was enunciated clearly: "Sister-in-law...you've come at the right time. Please speak up for me—"

As she spoke, she suddenly pointed at Lu Huaiyu, who was looking down, "He can't even control what's going on in his own room, and he's even taken my head maid as his concubine!" As she spoke, her tone became urgent again.

"I've been married into the Lu family for nine years. Although my family isn't a wealthy or powerful one, we're still a respectable family. Now that he's done something like this, how can I possibly stay in this household? It's better to go back to my parents' home than to suffer this humiliation here!"

As she spoke, she covered her face and started crying again, her shoulders heaving, her sobs accompanied by gasps.

Hongxiu, standing to the side, knelt down as well, seeing Fang's appearance. "Old Madam, I saw what happened between Cui'er and the Second Master with my own eyes. That night, Sister Cui'er came out of the Second Master's study with her clothes and hair all disheveled... I dared not hide it, so I told you, Madam, and that's how you found out."

The old lady sat in the main seat without saying a word, but Jiang Wan noticed that her knuckles were white as she gripped the armrest. Only when Fang's sobs subsided slightly did she say in a deep voice, "Enough. What good will crying do?"

She turned to Granny Gui and said, "Go and call Cui'er here. Also—call the people from the Second Master's courtyard over and explain things to them face to face."

Granny Gui responded and left. The main hall fell silent again. Fang's crying turned into low sobs, which continued, but lessened somewhat.

Jiang Wan noticed that the old lady's gaze lingered on Lu Huaiyu for a moment, and that look contained a coldness that sent chills down one's spine.

She reached out and stood up, using her cane as a support. She picked up the sandalwood cane beside her and took two steps toward Lu Huaiyu.

The cane finally landed on the ground with a dull thud.

"Raise your head." The old lady's voice wasn't loud, but every word seemed polished, making it exceptionally clear in the quiet hall.

Lu Huaiyu's shoulders twitched slightly, and he slowly raised his head. His face was as white as a sheet of paper, his lips were tightly pressed together, and his gaze was unfocused, refusing to meet anyone's eyes.

The old woman raised her cane and brought it down on his shoulder, striking his shoulder bone with a dull thud.

Lu Huaiyu didn't dodge, but just hunched his shoulders slightly.

"How old are you?" The old lady's voice rose a notch, then fell back down. "If you want a concubine, just tell me, and I'll pick a clean and innocent maid for you."

"You've got your eyes on your wife's room now, even her head maid. What were you doing when your brother wasn't home? Now you're acting like a big shot, you're really getting worse as you get older!"

Lu Huaiyu remained silent, standing there with his head down.

The old woman's cane struck again: "Say something! Where did all that energy you had for messing around the other day go?"

She added another curse, "Who are you trying to impress with this pathetic state? Your wife has been crying here for almost half an hour, and you can't even say a kind word?"

Lu Huaiyu's shoulders trembled slightly before she finally spoke, her voice so low it was almost inaudible: "This is our son's fault. He will accept whatever punishment or scolding he deserves."

The old lady clutched her chest, as if she was choked with anger by his words.

Fang choked on her sobs, her voice suddenly rising: "You think one apology is enough? You think one apology is all it takes to restore my dignity?" She then covered her face again.

Jiang Wan had been standing to the side without saying a word, but at this moment she took half a step forward and softened her voice: "Grandma is worried about getting sick."

She glanced at Lu Huaijin, who then continued, "Mother, Huaiyu deserves punishment for her mistake, but we can't ignore my sister-in-law's grievances. Why don't we let Huaiyu kneel first and then discuss things after things are cleared up? It's not worth it for you to upset yourself."

The old woman glanced at him, finally putting down her cane with a dull thud. She rubbed her forehead. "What are you still standing there for? Didn't you hear what your older brother said? Go kneel over there."

Lu Huaiyu didn't say much, walked to the wall, lowered his head and knelt down.

Fang was still sobbing, but she didn't cry out loud like before. She lowered her head, clutching the handkerchief in her hand, unfolding it, then clutching it again, as if she was struggling with herself.

The main hall was quiet for a short while before Cui'er was led in by Granny Gui. She was wearing a light purple jacket, her hair was loose, and her face was pale.

She entered without looking up, then knelt down in the center of the room with a thud, her voice trembling: "Grandma, spare me... This servant knows she was wrong..." As she spoke, she began to kowtow, her forehead hitting the ground with a dull thud, again and again, as if she felt no pain.

The old lady neither told her to stop nor to continue. She glanced at Cui'er, then at Fang Shi, and remained silent for a while before speaking: "You are a member of the second branch of the family. Today's matter is a matter of right and wrong, and you should seek help from the second madam."

Cui'er paused in her kowtowing. She turned to Madam Fang, her voice trembling even more violently: "Madam... this servant deserves to die, Madam, please spare my life..."

Fang took the handkerchief off her face, stepped forward abruptly, and grabbed Cui'er's hair.

Cui'er was pulled back and her head was tilted back. Before she could even cry out, she was slapped across the face. The sound was particularly crisp in the quiet hall.

Fang's hand didn't stop; another slap landed, her voice shrill and sharp: "Haven't I treated you well? I promoted you from a second-class maid to my head maid, and I've never shortchanged you in terms of food or clothing. And you—you've climbed over me? You seduced my husband? Don't you have a heart?!"

She cursed and slapped her, one slap after another, and Cui'er's face quickly swelled up, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. She wanted to dodge but dared not, and could only hunch her shoulders and endure the blows.

Fang's hair was even more disheveled, and her eyes were bloodshot, as if she wanted to unleash all the resentment she had accumulated over the years on this person at once.

She finally got tired of hitting him, her hand stopped in mid-air without falling, her chest heaving violently.

Cui'er knelt on the ground, her face swollen high, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth down her chin.

She lowered her head, as if to say something, but suddenly bent over, covered her mouth, and gagged. The sound of gagging was particularly clear in the quiet hall.

Fang's hand froze in mid-air, and Lu Huaiyu's back stiffened for a moment.

Madam Fang paused, her icy gaze sweeping over Cui'er, her throat already hoarse: "You...you wretched servant, how dare you put on airs here, aren't you afraid of soiling the old lady's floor!"

As she spoke, she raised her hand again, but before the palm could fall, the old lady's heavy voice descended from the head of the table, "Mrs. Fang, stop."

Those two words weren't heavy, but Fang's hand seemed to be gripped by something, hanging in mid-air, unable to fall or be pulled back.

Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but something seemed to be stuck in her throat, and she ultimately didn't speak.

The old lady shifted her gaze from her to Cui'er, looked at her for a moment, and then turned to Granny Gui and said, "Go and invite Physician Liu over."

Granny Gui responded and left, and the main hall fell silent again; no one spoke.

Cui'er stopped gagging. She knelt on the ground, one hand supporting her on the ground, the other hand covering her lower abdomen, as if it were an unconscious movement.

The female physician Liu arrived quickly. When she entered, she glanced around the hall without asking any questions. She then knelt down in front of Cui'er and took her wrist.

He examined her with both hands, then looked at her tongue and eyes. He stood up, walked to the old lady, and bowed: "Your Majesty, Miss Cui'er has a slippery pulse, and it's been about a month."

The room fell silent for a moment.

The old lady's gaze didn't fall on Cui'er, but instead landed on Lu Huaiyu. Her voice was neither loud nor soft: "Huaiyu, when was the last time you..."

Lu Huaiyu knelt in the corner, his head lowered even further. After a long while, he finally spoke, his voice dry as if it had been sanded: "In the middle of last month, around... the night of the seventeenth."

The old lady didn't press for details, but asked Liu, the female doctor, "Does a month make up for it?"

The female physician, Liu, replied, "Based on the pulse diagnosis, it's estimated to be around one month, which roughly matches the date the second master mentioned."

She paused, then added, "This young lady is in poor health and has been frightened. This pregnancy may not be very stable. It would be best for her to rest and avoid any further complications."

The old lady's fingers lingered on the armrest for a moment. She closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, her gaze fell on Cui'er. Her voice carried a tone that was hard to define, whether it was weariness or resignation.

"Keep her under control, find her a clean house to live in, feed her well, and don't let anyone touch her. We'll talk about it after the baby is born."

Cui'er knelt on the ground, as if she hadn't understood the words, or as if she understood but couldn't believe it, her body still trembling.

Granny Gui went over and helped her up from the ground. She didn't struggle and steadied herself by holding onto Granny Gui's arm. She lowered her head and was helped out.

Fang stood still, watching Cui'er being helped away, then glancing at Lu Huaiyu kneeling in the corner. A sudden wave of inexplicable weariness washed over her.

She hadn't expected Cui'er to get pregnant so quickly, which wasn't part of her plan. She had only intended to cause a scene to drive Cui'er away, to present herself as a "wronged daughter-in-law" in front of the old lady, and to use this opportunity to get what she wanted.

But Cui'er is pregnant, and the old lady said, "Let's talk about it after the baby is born." If she keeps making a fuss, she will only seem ungrateful.

She blinked, trying to suppress the dampness in her heart. When she spoke, her voice was steady, but still a little hoarse: "Grandma, I'm tired. I'll go back and rest now."

The old lady glanced at her, paused for a moment, and then her tone softened slightly: "I'm sorry to have troubled you tonight. Go back and rest. Huaiyu is the one who wronged you in this matter. Don't worry, I won't let him get away with it."

Fang nodded, sobbing, and Hongxiu stepped forward to support her.

Fang took a couple of steps and then paused at the doorway, glancing sideways at a corner of the hall.

Ding Mama stood in the corner without moving. She could feel Fang Shi's gaze linger on her face for a moment before moving away.

Today is the day the stewards of the manor report to the old lady on the affairs of the manor. Ding Mama, Liu Mama, Zhou Mama, Wang Fu and others are present. Fang Shi made a scene today so that everyone would be there.

So when Cui'er knelt there begging for mercy, Granny Ding stood in the corner.

When Madam Fang's gaze fell upon her, Granny Ding felt as if something had gripped her heart, and she even stopped breathing for a moment.

She saw a very faint smile appear at the corner of Fang's mouth, cold and sharp like a blade, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Fang didn't mention her name just now.

Ding Mama stood in the corner, thinking, but she knew that Fang Shi was not silent not because she did not know, but because the time was not yet right.

She was like a fish on a chopping board, with a knife hanging over her, the handle held by someone. When it would fall depended entirely on when the person holding the knife would let go.

Ding Mama looked down at the tips of her shoes, and a sudden, inexplicable sadness welled up in her heart.

Cui'er was someone she personally selected from her hometown and sent to the Earl's mansion. She taught her how to serve her master and how to make a living in the cracks. She thought this girl was obedient, tight-lipped, and useful.

In the end, all that usefulness turned out to be a knife that plunged back into itself.

She thought that at most she would be suspended from her job, and out of consideration for the old lady's past relationship, she might only be expelled from the mansion. The money she had saved over the years was enough for her to buy a small courtyard outside the city and live out the rest of her life in peace.

But as she glanced at Fang's departing figure, a thought suddenly occurred to her: Fang had let her go today, but not truly let her go, because something even bigger was waiting for her.

Her back was pressed against the wall, the thin layer of sweat on her forehead glistening faintly in the lamplight, her fingernails digging into her palms, never letting go.

Fang withdrew her gaze and glanced again at Lu Huaiyu, who was kneeling by the wall.

Lu Huaiyu kept his head down, his back bent, like a tree that had been broken by the wind and never straightened up again. Even his shadow was shrunken, and he dared not meet anyone's gaze.

Fang glanced at him, said nothing, and turned to leave.

Fang's figure disappeared outside the door, and the main hall became quiet again. Jiang Wan and Lu Huaijin had not left yet.

The old lady sat for a while, supporting her forehead, then closed her eyes, as if she had released all the energy she had accumulated throughout the day onto the back of the chair.

When she opened her eyes again, her gaze fell on Lu Huaiyu, who was kneeling in the corner. Her voice was not loud, but every word seemed to have been sanded through before it came out of her throat: "Go kneel in the ancestral hall. Have someone bring you three meals a day. You can come out when your wife has calmed down."

Lu Huaiyu remained kneeling on the ground without moving. After a long while, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse: "Yes, son understands."

When he stood up, his knees bent slightly, and he reached out to hold onto the wall before straightening up. He then walked towards the door with his head down.

The old lady watched his figure disappear through the door, remained silent for a long time, and then turned her face to Jiang Wan and Lu Huaijin: "Tomorrow, after Fang has rested, go and see her. She is feeling unwell, so go and comfort her."

Jiang Wan replied, "Don't worry, Grandma, I'll go over first thing tomorrow morning." Lu Huaijin also nodded in agreement.

The old lady waved her hand: "Go back, it's getting late."

She stood up, supporting herself on the back of the chair, and walked more slowly than usual into the inner room. The curtains fell, blocking out the light inside, and the main hall gradually quieted down. The shadows on the blue brick floor stretched very long in the sunlight.

Jiang Wan turned and walked out.

A breeze blew in from the courtyard, carrying the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms under the eaves for a while before dissipating.

She took a few steps and then heard footsteps behind her. It was Lu Huaijin who had followed her out. She turned her head and glanced at him. He didn't say anything, and the two of them quietly walked through the corridor.