Being a second wife is difficult

When Granny Ding came out of Madam Fang's room, her legs were still weak.

Zhu Ling helped her out through a small path from the back room, and only let go of her hand when they reached the end of the alley.

Granny Ding leaned against the wall for a while, her palms sweating profusely. Blood was still seeping from the wound on her forehead. She pressed it with a handkerchief, which quickly stained a small patch of dark red.

She stood at the base of the wall for a while before daring to continue walking. When the wind blew, her back felt chilly, and she realized that her clothes were soaked with cold sweat.

She leaned against the wall, her mind racing with thoughts.

When Fang's words reached her ears, she knew this time was different; Fang wasn't just bluffing, she was really going to take action.

Cui'er's affair had caused her to completely lose Fang's trust, and she knew Fang's methods better than anyone else. Who among those who had offended her had ever had a good ending?

She had lived in this mansion for decades, and for the first time, she felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, with one more step back leading to an abyss.

But she didn't want it to end like this.

She didn't want to die.

She suddenly thought of Jiang Wan.

Although this new lady had only been here a short time, she was organized and efficient. She quietly got the old lady to hand over some of the housekeeping authority to her, and even Fang Shi couldn't get the better of her.

Granny Ding had never formally pledged allegiance to her, but she had never openly opposed her either. She had inside information about personnel transfers and old accounts from various departments and courtyards in the mansion over the years, all of which were useful to Jiang Wan.

She still had cards to play, but she had never thought of passing those cards to anyone before.

But now she had no choice but to hand it over; it was her last resort.

She went back to her room, changed into clean clothes, and covered the wound on her forehead with powder in front of the mirror. It wasn't very noticeable unless you looked closely. She looked at herself in the mirror for a while, pressed the powder on her forehead again, and then turned and left.

She took a side path, bypassing the crowded courtyards, and passed through the side gate behind the artificial hill. She paused for a moment outside Jiang Wan's courtyard, took a deep breath, and had the little maid guarding the gate announce her arrival.

Jiang Wan was sitting by the window flipping through those account books when she heard Qing He announce, "Granny Ding is here," and her pen paused for a moment.

She didn't look up, her voice no different from usual: "Let her in."

After entering the room, Ding Mama did not exchange pleasantries as she had with Fang Shi. Instead, she knelt down directly. The sound of her knees hitting the blue brick floor was not loud, but it could be heard clearly in the quiet room.

Jiang Wan put down her pen and glanced at her: "What are you doing, Granny?"

"Madam, please save this old servant." Ding Mama's voice was hoarse, completely different from the smooth and proper head maid she usually was.

"I admit to what happened to Cui'er. I shouldn't have kept it a secret from Second Madam by placing my fellow villager in the household, nor should I have covered for Cui'er in front of Second Madam."

"When Madam went to Second Madam's room just now, this old servant was also there. She called this old servant into the room to question him. Later, she heard from outside that Madam and Master had arrived, so she had someone send this old servant out from the back room."

As Jiang Wan listened, her gaze inadvertently swept over Ding Mama's forehead. The powder on her forehead was thicker than usual, but upon closer inspection, one could still see faint bluish-purple marks underneath.

She realized that the bloodstains she saw on the bluestone bricks in Fang's room were probably Ding's.

Unaware of Jiang Wan's gaze, Granny Ding continued, "I only truly understood things when I came out."

"She summoned me today because she wanted to say that after settling the score with Cui'er, it would be my turn to be dealt with. She's not taking action now because she thinks I'm still useful. Once Cui'er's matter is completely resolved and she has the time, the first person she'll deal with is me."

Jiang Wan looked at her without saying anything.

"This old servant knows that Madam is now in charge of affairs in the mansion, and also knows that Madam and Second Madam are not of one mind."

Ding Mama's voice lowered even further, "This old servant is willing to tell Madam what this old servant knows and what this old servant has handled."

"I remember everything that the Second Madam instructed me to do, such as inquiring about the storeroom, changing personnel, and relaying messages for her to certain people."

"I also have something to say about Cui'er's matter. When Cui'er came to me, she said she wanted to work for the second branch of the family, saying it was a good place. I believed her then, thinking she just wanted a peaceful life... Later I found out she had those intentions, but by then it was too late."

After listening to her long speech, Jiang Wan didn't immediately respond. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then put it down again: "Granny, after saying so much, what exactly do you want me to do?"

Ding Mama's shoulders trembled slightly: "This old servant wants to beg Madam to put in a good word for me with the Old Madam. I don't ask for anything else, I just want to be able to leave the manor. Whether I'm dismissed or kicked out, I'll accept it, as long as I don't fall into the hands of the Second Madam, I can save my life."

Jiang Wan looked at her and mentally went over those words.

She couldn't tell how much of what Granny Ding said was true and how much was hastily pieced together to save her life.

But there was one thing she knew in her heart—she couldn't actually protect Granny Ding.

After the incident where Granny Ding broke into the storeroom, the old lady must have already investigated it secretly.

Granny Gui, Granny Liu, and Granny Zhou were not unaware of what Granny Ding had done over the years. They had also received some small favors, but not as much as Granny Ding had done. So, in the past, when the old lady did not manage affairs or inquire about accounts, everyone tacitly maintained that thin veneer of decorum, and no one took the initiative to break through it.

But now the situation is different. Jiang Wan has entered the house, the accounts have been turned upside down, Wang Fu's messy accounts have been exposed, and this balance has been broken.

Granny Gui and the others knew that rather than waiting for the old lady to investigate them personally, it was better to take the initiative to speak up and earn a reputation for "redeeming themselves through meritorious service".

The old lady naturally wouldn't make a big fuss about it. After all, making a scene would be tantamount to admitting that she hadn't disciplined her subordinates properly all these years and that she didn't even know they were betraying her. So she would definitely be lenient with those who confessed on their own initiative, but she would never let Ding Mama, who was caught red-handed, off the hook.

Jiang Wan went through these thoughts in her mind and already had a plan in mind.

Ding Mama came to beg her today, probably because she was desperate and grasping at straws. Because she was so anxious, she didn't realize the current situation in the mansion at all.

Jiang Wan didn't say those words aloud. She rubbed her temples, pretending to have a headache, and said in a light tone, "Granny, you should go back now. I understand what you just said. As for whether or not I should help you, I need to think about it."

Granny Ding knelt on the ground for a moment, then looked up at Jiang Wan, as if trying to read something from her face. Seeing no hope, her face paled. Just as she was about to stand up, Jiang Wan spoke again: "You just said you have a register of personnel transfers?"

Ding Mama paused, like a wick about to go out suddenly being rekindled by the wind. She raised her head, a faint light appearing in her eyes: "Yes. Every personnel transfer I've handled is recorded, from which year it started, who was transferred, to which department, and who approved it, it's all recorded."

"Send this copy of the book over here, and go back and wait for news."

Granny Ding responded repeatedly. When she stood up, her knees were still trembling, and she had to hold onto the corner of the table to stand up. Less than an hour after she left, she returned with an old booklet wrapped in blue cloth in her hand.

She stood at the door and handed the booklet to Qinghe, then bowed deeply in Jiang Wan's direction, her voice low and urgent: "Madam, this old servant has done many bad things in my life, but I really didn't mean anything by Cui'er's matter... I beg you, Madam, please save my life. I am willing to return all the money I have received over the years, I just ask to be allowed to leave this mansion alive."

As she spoke, she bent down again, as if she were about to kneel down. Jiang Wan raised her hand and said, "I understand. You can go back now."

As Granny Ding left, she turned back every few steps, lingering at the doorway before finally turning and disappearing into the corridor.

Qinghe placed the bottom book on the table, and Jiang Wan opened the first page to look at it. She turned the pages slowly, flipping through them one by one, from this year's to last year's, and then to the year before last.

The first few pages contained ordinary records of maids being assigned and old women being transferred, nothing unusual.

She stopped when she turned to page 30-something.

That page recorded a personnel transfer three years ago. A maid named Lianxin was transferred into the courtyard of the late Madam Gu as the lowest-ranking cleaning maid. The person who approved the transfer happened to be Granny Ding.

As for why Jiang Wan noticed her, it was because her experience was too bizarre.

It took her less than a month to rise from a cleaning maid to a second-class maid, and another month later she became a first-class maid. Her promotion was abnormally fast, as if she was being pushed up all the way.

two months.

From a janitor to a personal maid, who is she? Where did she come from? Why would Madam Gu promote a newly transferred janitor to her side in such a short time?

Jiang Wan stared at the two characters "Lotus Heart" for a while, but something felt off.

A cleaning maid was promoted several ranks in just two months and became the late Madam's personal maid. She was transferred in by Granny Ding, but the approval document for her promotion was signed by the mistress herself.

She suddenly remembered someone—Aunt Zhou.

Aunt Zhou was originally Gu's dowry maid. After Gu had been married for more than two years without getting pregnant, she promoted Aunt Zhou to a concubine and made her serve Lu Huaijin.

About a year after Aunt Zhou gave birth to her eldest son, Madam Gu also became pregnant and gave birth to Lu Zhao and Lu Wan in succession.

Aunt Zhou was the most trusted person by Madam Gu's side, which is why Madam Gu made her a maidservant in her dowry and offered her up when she had no children.

So, with Lianxin suddenly appearing by Gu's side in the last few months and rising several ranks, Aunt Zhou must know something about it.

Jiang Wan closed the booklet. Aunt Zhou should know more about the things happening around Madam Gu than anyone else.

She thought for a moment, then looked up at Qinghe and said, "Go and invite Aunt Zhou over." She paused, then added, "Just say I need to ask her a few questions; there's no need to bother anyone else."

Qinghe responded and turned to leave.

Jiang Wan stood by the window. The night wind blew in through the cracks, causing the lamp on the table to sway. She raised her hand to shield herself from the wind, then put it down again.