Being a second wife is difficult

Songhetang is unusually quiet today.

The door to the main hall was half open, and Granny Gui stood beside the old lady, holding a pot of fresh tea in her hands.

Granny Liu, Granny Zhou, and Wang Fu sat at the lower end of the table. Their tea had been refilled twice, but none of them spoke up.

The old lady leaned back on her pillow, slowly picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then recounted several important matters concerning the household recently.

Arrangements for Mid-Autumn Festival gifts, repairs to be done in several courtyards, and collection of rent from the estate.

She spoke slowly, but her voice, like a stone sinking into water, pressed each word firmly into the ears of the people sitting below.

No one dared to lose focus; they even held their breath, afraid of missing something that they wouldn't be able to explain later.

She spoke slowly and deliberately, and the people below listened quietly, with only the occasional sound of tea clinking against the cup in the room.

Wang Fu sat at the lower end, head bowed, listening occasionally and responding with "Yes" or "The old lady is right," just like any other day.

But he knew in his heart that there should have been four people sitting in this room today.

Granny Ding didn't come, and the old lady never mentioned her name from beginning to end, nor did she say why someone was missing.

This deliberate use of space was more unsettling than a direct reprimand. His hand, holding the teacup, paused slightly, but his expression remained unchanged.

Granny Liu and Granny Zhou sat opposite him, and neither of them mentioned Granny Ding's name.

They all knew in their hearts that Granny Ding was probably going to be dealt with by the old lady, and that not calling her today was just a show for the rest of them.

Wang Fu thought about his private interactions with Granny Ding over the years, and a thin layer of sweat rose on his back. He dared not think too deeply about it.

Liu, the old woman opposite, lowered her head and took a sip of tea, while Zhou, the old woman, also lowered her eyes and did not look at anyone.

Each of the three had their own thoughts, but none of them spoke.

The old lady put down her teacup, then suddenly changed the subject, her voice neither too loud nor too soft: "You all know about Granny Ding's matter, right?"

The room fell silent for a moment.

Granny Zhou nodded, while Granny Liu remained silent, simply sitting there with her eyes lowered.

Wang Fu forced a composed demeanor, a familiar smile playing on his lips: "This old servant has heard some rumors. Whatever the old lady commands, this old servant will obey."

After he finished speaking, he lowered his head, showing utmost respect and humility, with just the right degree of deference.

The old lady glanced at Wang Fu but didn't answer. She continued, "You all know better than I how many of the personnel transfers she handled were clean. But she's been with me for so many years, and I'm sentimental. I won't take her life."

"But we can't keep her here any longer. Go back and sort out the accounts related to Granny Ding. Clear them up where they need to be cleared up and cut ties where they need to be cut off."

Wang Fu added, "This old servant will go back and sort things out, and cut off what needs to be cut off cleanly."

Granny Zhou added, "This old servant will also take care of things on my end."

Granny Liu lowered her eyes to the luggage: "The storeroom has no dealings with Granny Ding."

The old lady didn't say anything more after hearing this, and waved her hand: "Go back, everyone."

The three people got up one after another to take their leave.

At this moment, Granny Ding was sitting in her room with the window half open. Her hand was on the windowsill, and her knuckles were white.

She knew that the old lady had summoned Granny Zhou, Granny Liu, and Wang Fu today, but not her. Having lived in this mansion for over twenty years, she knew better than anyone what this "not summoning" meant.

She had never missed such meetings before; among the old lady's several stewards, she was always the one standing at the very front.

Today's signal is clearer than any words: she has been excluded from that circle, and the old lady no longer considers her one of her own.

She sat by the window, trying to suppress the surge of panic that was rising within her.

The old lady wouldn't kill her. She had served the old lady for so many years, and even if she made a big mistake, the old lady would not kill her out of consideration for their past relationship.

Just because the old lady didn't want her life doesn't mean others didn't.

She knew Fang Shi better than anyone else that after Cui'er's incident, Fang Shi would never let it go. Even if she was kicked out of the mansion, Fang Shi had plenty of ways to make sure she couldn't live a peaceful life outside.

Thinking of this, Granny Ding unconsciously dug her nails into her palms.

But last night she went to beg Jiang Wan and handed over the personnel transfer record she had in her hands. It was the record she had built up over the years in this mansion, recording every personnel arrangement she had handled over the years, who came from where, why they were transferred, and whose hands they were handled, all recorded in detail.

When she handed over that booklet, she left herself no way out.

She only asked Jiang Wan to fight for her survival, even if it meant being kicked out of the manor. She was willing to do anything as long as she could walk out alive.

She wasn't sure if Jiang Wan would protect her; they didn't have a long-standing relationship, only an exchange of interests.

She gave Jiang Wan what she wanted. Whether Jiang Wan was willing to accept it or use it to deal with the Fang family depended entirely on Jiang Wan's thoughts.

Everything will be alright.

That was the only way Granny Ding could console herself.

She looked up at the window; the sunlight shone brightly on the blue brick ground in the courtyard, but she felt no warmth in her heart.

In the east courtyard, Madam Fang was sitting on a couch.

Zhu Ling brought in a cup of freshly brewed tea and placed it on the table, her movements so quiet they made no sound. Madam Fang glanced at her and asked, "Has the gathering at Songhe Hall dispersed?"

Zhu Ling lowered her head and replied, "Dismissed. The old lady summoned Granny Liu, Granny Zhou, and Steward Wang today and talked for almost half an hour before letting them leave."

Fang picked up her teacup and took a sip: "Has Granny Ding gone yet?"

"No," Zhu Ling continued, "I've inquired, and the old lady didn't call for Granny Ding."

Fang put down her teacup, a very faint smile appearing on her lips, which disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Hongxiu came in from outside, carrying a plate of freshly cut fruit. Seeing that Fang was looking in the bronze mirror, she smiled and came closer: "Madam, the old lady really didn't call for Granny Ding. I told you long ago, Granny Ding can't speak for the old lady anymore. Madam doesn't need to worry at all. Let the old lady make her move first, then Madam—"

"Alright," Madam Fang interrupted her, her tone not harsh. "What you said is true, but if the old lady doesn't take action, and I don't either, am I supposed to wait for Granny Ding to get rid of herself? Some things, you have to push them away when necessary."

Hongxiu, feeling awkward, took the plate and retreated to the side, not daring to speak again. Zhuling glanced at her, said nothing, and quietly returned to her original position.

Fang glanced at her and saw the hint of resentment on Hongxiu's face that she couldn't quite bring herself to hide.

As expected, she's an impatient person, Fang thought to herself.

After what happened with Cui'er, she no longer wanted to have a maid with fickle thoughts by her side, but Hongxiu was still useful at the moment. The old lady needed her to stand up and testify when she asked, so she couldn't touch her for the time being.

Once she has completely dealt with Granny Ding, she will have the time to personally select a few calm and steady maids to keep by her side and train them properly.

Rather than relying on the loyalty of those who joined later in life, it's better to trust those you've trained yourself.

Let's keep them for now. Once Cui'er's matter is completely resolved, she will naturally find an excuse to send them away.

Fang withdrew her gaze, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and asked, "Is there any news from Cui'er's side?"

"No, the two old women sent by the old lady are guarding the place, bringing in three meals a day, and not allowing anyone to get close," Zhu Ling answered quickly. "I have people watching from a distance outside the courtyard, and Miss Cui'er hasn't come out at all."

Fang nodded but did not reply.

Hongxiu stood to the side with a fruit plate in her hand. Her lips moved, and she wanted to speak several times, but seeing that Fang Shi did not raise her eyes, she swallowed her words back.

She wondered whether she should stay, but she didn't dare to approach the lady. The lady's attitude just now made it clear that she didn't want to hear her say anything more, and if she spoke again, she would only seem tactless.

But she was reluctant to just back out like that.

She stood there for a while, and seeing that Madam Fang still didn't spare her any attention, she finally put the plate on the corner of the table and said in a low voice, "This servant will go to the kitchen to see if the tea and snacks are ready, and bring them to Madam later."

Fang simply responded.

She paused at the door, glanced back, as if hoping that Madam Fang would call her back or say something more, but Madam Fang didn't look up at all, not even sparing her a glance.

Her hopes slowly faded, and when she finally received no word of farewell, she had no choice but to lift the curtain and leave.

After the courtyard gate closed, Zhu Ling finally spoke, asking, "Madam, regarding Miss Cui'er... should I go and inquire about her again?"

"No need." Madam Fang put down her teacup. "The old lady has sent people to keep watch. If you go to investigate, you'll only attract attention. Just wait and see. There will always be a clue."

Zhu Ling responded but didn't ask any more questions.

The door and windows of the side courtyard were closed.

Cui'er sat on the edge of the bed. She reached out and touched her lower abdomen. Through her clothes, she couldn't actually feel anything, but it felt like something was quietly throbbing there, reminding her that she was still alive.

She has been detained here for several days.

After the initial panic and fear subsided, my mind actually became clearer.

The maid who brought her food was a girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old. She didn't talk much, but her eyes were sharp. When she brought the food, her eyes would always wander, scanning the furnishings in the courtyard, then her face, and finally her eyes would always land on her stomach.

Cui'er kept an eye on her for two days. On the third day, when she brought her food, Cui'er took out a silver bracelet from her sleeve and slipped it to her. It was the bracelet she was wearing on her wrist on the day of the accident, and it hadn't been taken away when she was taken to the side courtyard.

The maid was stunned for a moment. Cui'er whispered, "Good sister, please ask around for me how Granny Ding is doing." She then pushed the hairpin into her palm.

The maidservant didn't refuse, tucked it into her sleeve, and left.

The next day, during a break between meals, the little maid came again.

She placed the food box on the threshold and spoke a string of words in a low voice.

Today, the old lady summoned all the stewards of the mansion to Songhe Hall for a meeting, which lasted for more than half an hour before they dispersed, but she did not call Ding Mama.

Rumors are circulating throughout the mansion that Granny Ding has been disliked by the old lady and her downfall is only a matter of time. Even the maids who do the cleaning are gossiping in private, saying that Granny Ding is unlikely to recover this time.

Upon hearing this, Cui'er felt as if something had twisted her heart.

Granny Ding was implicated because of her.

Cui'er lowered her head, her forehead resting on her knees, her nails digging into her palms. If she hadn't rushed to find Granny Ding that day in a panic and been caught by Hongxiu, Granny Ding wouldn't have been targeted by Madam Fang, and wouldn't have ended up in this situation today.

Granny Ding brought her from her hometown and taught her how to survive in the mansion, but in the end, she dragged Granny Ding down with her.

She leaned against the edge of the bed, closed her eyes briefly to suppress the surge of bitterness, and then opened them again.

She couldn't just wait to die.

She was pregnant, which was the only thing she had, and the only thing Fang Shi could rely on to not touch her for the time being, no matter how much she hated her. As long as this child was still alive, she still had a breath left.

She has to live, she has to find a way out of here.

As for whether to stay or leave, or whether to live or die after going out, that's another story.

"Just wait and see," she told herself.

There will always be an opportunity.