Being a second wife is difficult

After those words were spoken, the room became so quiet that even the birdsong outside the window could not be heard.

Ding Mama's mind went blank, and she almost collapsed to the ground.

She opened her mouth, her lips trembling, before she finally managed to squeeze out, "This old servant wouldn't dare! Grandmother, you are wise enough to know, how could this old servant... that girl, how could she..."

"You didn't know?" The old lady sneered. "When you transferred her to the Gu family's courtyard, did you investigate her background?"

"This old servant has investigated!" Granny Ding almost shouted these three words, then realized she had lost her composure and quickly bowed her head, "Please allow me, Madam, when Lianxin first entered the manor, a woman entrusted this old servant to handle it."

"This old servant thought that person was her mother. I figured it wasn't a big deal for a little girl to come in as a servant, so... I took a few taels of silver from her and brought her in. But this old servant had no idea she would do those things later!"

"A few taels of silver?" The old lady's voice was as cold as ice. "You'd transfer someone of unknown origin into your household, even placing them beside the ailing Madam Gu, just for a few taels of silver?"

Ding Mama's lips trembled, and she bowed her head: "Old Madam, please understand, that person gave this old servant a lot of silver... a lot, a lot. This old servant was confused at the time and agreed without thinking much. This old servant was greedy, this old servant deserves to die."

As she spoke, her voice grew softer and softer: "But this old servant didn't know she would do such a thing later, this old servant really didn't know. This old servant thought that family just wanted to curry favor with the Earl's family and send their daughter in to gain some prestige. I thought that Madam Gu was kind to her servants, so sending her to her side wouldn't be harming that girl..."

As she finished speaking, it seemed as if she herself realized that her words were not convincing, and her voice dropped completely.

"You didn't know?" The old lady finally lost her temper, slamming her hand on the table, making the teacup clatter twice. "You didn't know and you still sent a girl of unknown origin into my manor? You didn't know and you just transferred her directly to Madam Gu's quarters? How dare you!"

"This old servant didn't directly transfer them!" Granny Ding argued almost instinctively. "This old servant had a ulterior motive. That family offered too much money, and this old servant was afraid of getting into trouble."

"It's true that I officially transferred Lianxin to Madam Gu's courtyard, but I only assigned her chores like sweeping, so she wouldn't get to see her mistress. Who would have thought that this girl was so capable? She caught the late Madam's eye not long after she arrived and climbed all the way up herself. This... this has nothing to do with me!"

"This old servant truly has no idea how she poisoned the late Madam; this old servant is completely unaware!"

Jiang Wan sat to the side, listening to every word Ding Mama said.

She saw Granny Ding lying on the ground, trembling all over. The panic in her voice didn't seem fake, and Jiang Wan knew what was going on.

Judging from Ding Mama's expression, she really didn't know how Lianxin had poisoned her.

She didn't plan to explain the medicine residue and Dr. Li's matter to Granny Ding. The fewer people who knew those minor details, the better. The old lady probably didn't want more people to know the specifics either.

She then recalled the woman Ding Mama had mentioned earlier, the one who had given her a large sum of money; this woman was very suspicious.

Granny Ding was paid a large sum of money to get Lianxin into the mansion. Who gave her the money? What was her purpose?

Jiang Wan frowned slightly and turned to the old lady, saying, "Grandma, please don't be angry. Just now, Granny Ding said that someone gave her a large sum of money, which is why she agreed to let Lianxin in."

"The key is who gave her the money; the important thing is to find out who that person is and why she did it."

The old lady agreed, then looked at Granny Ding and lowered her voice: "Granny Ding, have you ever seen the person who gave you the silver? Who is she?"

Granny Ding nodded hurriedly, as if she had grasped at a lifeline, and said hastily, "Yes, yes, I've seen her. That day, someone passed a message to this old servant, saying that someone wanted to see me. After I left the manor, a waiter from a teahouse led me to Tingyu Tower on the street. That's where I met the woman who called herself Lianxin's mother."

"The man looked to be in his forties, dressed quite well, with a white jade hairpin in his hair, and spoke fluently."

Jiang Wan suddenly spoke up: "I had someone investigate Lianxin's background. She came from Lijia Village. That village is very poor. Ordinary families can't even afford to make a new piece of clothing all year round."

"I've also investigated her family situation. Her mother passed away a long time ago, and her family was dirt poor. Since her mother died a long time ago, the woman you met who claimed to be her mother, dressed well, and wore a silver bracelet, is probably a fake."

Granny Ding was stunned for a moment, then gasped.

She suddenly remembered the woman she had seen in the teahouse that day. Although she wasn't dressed in fine silk or satin, the material was still quite good, and there were subtle patterns on the cuffs. When she raised her hand to hold the teacup while speaking, a pair of silver bracelets on her wrists dazzled her.

At the time, she was only thinking about getting the money and didn't think about anything else. Now, looking back, how could someone from a place like Lijia Village afford such things?

Now that Jiang Wan had pointed it out, she belatedly realized something was wrong; that woman really wasn't her biological mother.

"This old servant...this old servant was confused at the time!" She finally realized how big a mess she had made.

"This old servant assumed that the woman was Lianxin's biological mother. He thought that since she was dressed well, perhaps Lianxin's father had earned money outside, so he didn't investigate further."

"But just now I realized that the woman never mentioned Lianxin's name from beginning to end. She only said that she wanted to send a girl in. To this day, I still don't know who that woman is!"

The old lady closed her eyes.

Jiang Wan saw her fingers, which were resting on the table, clench and unclench repeatedly, as if a breath was stuck in her chest, unable to be exhaled or swallowed.

"Do you still remember what that woman looked like?" When the old lady opened her eyes again, her voice had returned to calm, but the chill beneath that calmness made Granny Ding feel cold even from three steps away.

Granny Ding nodded vigorously: "I remember! This old servant remembers! That person had a black mole at the end of his right eyebrow, liked to squint when he spoke, and had a slightly high-pitched voice. At the time, this old servant thought that this person did not look like he came from a peasant family, but I did not dare to ask any more questions."

The old lady glanced at Jiang Wan, who understood and nodded slightly.

The trail went cold.

Granny Ding described some of the woman's features, but they still didn't know her exact appearance. In a vast sea of ​​people, searching for someone based solely on a mole at the end of their eyebrow was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Moreover, several years have passed, and the woman seems to have planned this all along; she may have changed her appearance long ago after the deed was done.

Lianxin's inconsistent behavior, the two mismatched medicine dregs, and her mysterious death less than half a year after leaving the manor—all these things, when put together, seem to suggest that she was deliberately framed and then silenced.

Finding someone who plans everything so meticulously is probably going to be difficult.

However, this at least proves one thing: Lianxin's entry into the mansion was a carefully orchestrated affair from beginning to end.

The woman who claimed to be the mother sent Lianxin to the Gu family and to Gu Shi. Then Lianxin tampered with things, and Gu Shi died.

The executor was Lianxin, but Lianxin is already dead, and the mastermind has yet to be found.

Granny Ding is the only person in the whole affair who can still be investigated, and also the only one who has seen the woman's face.

Granny Ding had clearly considered this as well. She kowtowed frantically, her forehead thumping against the blue bricks: "Grandma, have mercy! Grandma, allow this old servant to atone for my sins! This old servant recognizes that woman's face. If only Grandma would spare my life, this old servant is willing to find that person for you!"

"This old servant has served in this household for forty-three years. I dare not say anything else, but I do have the ability to recognize people. If I were to see that person again, I would definitely recognize her!"

The old lady didn't reply.

Jiang Wan lowered her eyes, several thoughts racing through her mind. Ding Mama's words sounded like she was making amends for her mistakes, but upon closer examination, she might have been planning to leave herself a way out.

She said she wanted to "find someone," but everyone knew that this person was hard to find. If the old lady granted her request, she would have a reason to live. She could delay as long as possible, and it was very likely that she would never find the truth or the woman in her lifetime. Ding Mama would also never see her execution.

But if they didn't agree and Ding Mama was punished, then the only clue would be completely cut off, and no one would know what the woman looked like anymore.

The only person I might remember is the waiter at the teahouse, but he sees so many different kinds of people every day that he probably can't remember that meeting three years ago.

The room remained silent for a long time.

So long that Ding Mama's forehead was bruised and bleeding from hitting the blue bricks, so long that Gui Mama stood at the door, her sleeves crumpled into a ball from twisting them.

"Get up," the old lady finally said.

Granny Ding was stunned for a moment, almost unable to believe her ears. She raised her head, and blood was flowing down her brow bone. She didn't dare to wipe it away, and just stared blankly at the old lady.

Looking at her disheveled appearance, the old lady finally sighed: "The matter has not yet been investigated, and I can't very well make you kneel and die in front of me, but you have done so many wrong things that the manor can no longer tolerate you."

"You'll set off first thing tomorrow morning to rest at the manor outside the city. Once you get there, someone will be watching over you. Just stay put and don't think about running away or sending any messages out."

"If you really want to atone for your sins, then live well and remember that face. If I can find out who it is, fine. If not, there will always be a time when I need you."

Granny Ding understood.

The old lady's meaning was clear: her life was spared for the time being, but only temporarily. She was spared because she was the only witness. When this clue was used, whether she lived or died would depend entirely on fate.

She kowtowed, her voice hoarse: "This old servant thanks the old lady for sparing my life."

The old lady waved her hand and gave a wink to Granny Gui at the door.

Granny Gui hurried in and reached out to help Granny Ding up. Granny Ding had been kneeling for too long, and her knees were no longer behaving properly. She could only stand up with difficulty with Granny Gui's help.

The two left Songhetang one after the other.

A breeze picked up in the courtyard. Granny Gui helped Granny Ding walk slowly forward in silence until they passed the screen wall and reached a secluded spot. Only then did Granny Ding turn her head and glance at her.

Granny Gui's eyes were a little red.

When Granny Ding saw this, the corner of her mouth twitched, and she tried to laugh but couldn't: "You silly girl, you're still as soft-hearted as ever."

Granny Gui sniffed but didn't respond.

She and Granny Ding were much older. When she first entered the mansion, she knew nothing. It was Granny Ding who taught her step by step how to serve the old lady, how to serve people, and how to speak and act.

As she rose through the ranks, Granny Ding continued to support her. Even when news of Granny Ding's embezzlement came to light, the two maintained a facade of harmony.

She never imagined things would come to this.

"I was confused," Granny Ding said in a low voice, her steps slow and her voice gentle. "You've always been upright since you were little, and the old lady has genuinely trusted you all these years. Don't follow my example, don't go down my old path."

Granny Gui's lips moved, and after a long while, she managed to utter, "Granny Ding, once you arrive at the estate... take good care of yourself."

Granny Ding scoffed, a half-smile playing on her lips: "All right? Gui girl, you know better than I do. The old lady spared my life because she'll need me. Once this matter is over, I don't even know if I'll be able to come back unscathed."

Granny Gui turned her face away and quickly wiped the corner of her eye with her hand.

"Let's go," Granny Ding patted the back of her hand. "Don't let people laugh at us. You see me out; the old lady will be busy with you later."

Granny Gui nodded and helped her continue walking outside. She knew in her heart that Granny Ding was telling the truth.

The old lady spared Ding Mama's life not because she was soft-hearted, but because Ding Mama was still useful. But once that usefulness was over, no one could say for sure what would happen to her then.

As the two walked through the corridor, they happened to run by a maid from the Fang family's courtyard, carrying a plate of pastries, as if she were delivering them to one of her masters' rooms.

When the young maid saw Granny Ding and Granny Gui, she paused for a moment, her eyes lingering on the bloodstain on Granny Ding's forehead, before quickly lowering her head and running away.

Granny Ding watched her retreating figure, a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth, but said nothing.

Granny Gui's heart skipped a beat. If the people on Fang's side saw Granny Ding's appearance now and went back to spread the word, how could Fang not guess what had happened?

She knew the old lady's plan. She was afraid that after tomorrow, the only thing that would be said in the mansion was that "Granny Ding made a mistake, but out of consideration for past relationships, she was expelled from the mansion."

But Fang is cunning and might not believe everything.

Granny Gui tightened her grip on Granny Ding's hand, said nothing, and simply quickened her pace.

She knew that Ding Mama's fate was sealed, but the real trouble in the mansion was probably only just beginning to brew.

The peace in the manor will likely be short-lived.

After Granny Gui led Granny Ding out of Songhe Hall, the old lady closed her eyes for a while.

Jiang Wan sat next to her without moving or making a sound, just waiting quietly.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the old lady opened her eyes and looked at Jiang Wan with a much gentler gaze than when she was looking at Granny Ding.

"I will continue to investigate the Gu family's matter privately." The old lady's voice was a little tired, as if she had been talking too much in one breath and had lost her strength.

"Let's leave Ding Mama's fate for now. Keep her alive for the time being. Lianxin is already dead. Don't mention these things to Zhao'er and Wan'er."

Jiang Wan nodded: "I know, my wife."

"Granny Ding is gone. Now you can take over the personnel reshuffle in the manor. These things should have been your responsibility."

The old lady took out a string of tokens from the cabinet under the table and handed them to Jiang Wan: "These are tokens used for the monthly allowances from various places. Keep them for now. Tomorrow I will send someone to search Granny Ding's room, and those records in her room will be sent to you at the same time."

"Take your time to look at those things. There's no need to rush to finish sorting them out. It will probably take you some time. If you encounter anything you're unsure about, feel free to ask me."

Jiang Wan looked at the pair of cards, hesitated for a moment, and did not accept it immediately.

The old lady noticed her thoughts and slightly raised her chin: "What, you're afraid to accept?"

"It's not that I'm afraid," Jiang Wan said. "I just feel that after my mother-in-law took charge of the household for so many years, and after Madam Gu passed away, the management of the household was divided among the various stewards, and personnel matters have always been handled by Granny Ding. Now that Granny Ding has fallen from power so suddenly, the stewards in the courtyard may not be obedient, and I'm afraid I won't be able to keep them in check for a while."

After listening, the old lady didn't rush to speak, but first chuckled: "Are you afraid those managers will make things difficult for you?"

Jiang Wan lowered her head, offering no explanation, and simply replied softly, "Yes."

Seeing her like this, the old lady was amused and laughed. "You don't know how cunning those stewards in the manor are. Rumors of Granny Ding's impending downfall have been circulating everywhere. They know it better than anyone, they're just waiting for today's outcome. Among these people, there are plenty who would love to see Granny Ding fall. Once she's gone, they can get a piece of the pie in the vacant position and the lucrative profits." As she spoke, she glanced at Jiang Wan with a hint of amusement. "Believe it or not, when you leave here, someone will bring gifts to your courtyard gate. These people in the manor are always the best at reading the winds. Even if it's not yet decided who will ultimately have the power to appoint people, the wind is currently pointing towards you, so naturally they'll flock to you first."

After the old lady finished laughing, her tone softened a bit: "But don't be fooled by their enthusiastic manner. Those people are like fish; power is their water. They can't live without it. They may greet you with smiles today, but they can turn on you for their own gain tomorrow."

She paused, her gaze falling on Jiang Wan, her voice deepening, "That's why I entrusted this pair of cards to you. I believe you can hold onto this right."

Jiang Wan sensed the weight of those words and didn't refuse any longer. She stepped forward and accepted the pair of tiles.

The plaque is made of copper and has the words "Monthly Allowance" engraved on it. It is a plaque for managing monthly allowances.

Besides personnel transfers, Granny Ding was also in charge of the monthly allowance distribution. Now, this string of plaques weighed heavily on her palm.

She accepted the gifts and bowed to the old lady, saying, "Your daughter-in-law will do her best to handle this."

The old lady waved her hand: "Go back and rest. You've been working hard all day. This matter with Granny Ding has only just begun; there's still a lot to do later."

Jiang Wan responded and left Songhe Hall. When she reached the courtyard gate, Granny Gui had just returned after seeing Granny Ding off, and their eyes met.

Granny Gui's eyes were still red. Jiang Wan didn't ask any more questions, just nodded slightly, and then turned to walk back to her own courtyard.

On her way back to the courtyard, she clutched the pair of tiles in her hand, the cool copper plates pressing painfully against her palm.

She knew the weight of this thing.

Granny Ding had managed things in the mansion for decades. When the old lady took her away, it was as if she had uprooted the most crucial pillar in the mansion's personnel system.

The fact that this stake has now been handed to her may seem respectable and prestigious to outsiders, but in reality, it's a hot potato.

The stewards in each courtyard mostly served the elderly people in the mansion. Ding Mama knew in her heart who had a good relationship with whom and who had a grudge against whom.

Now that she's in charge, those managers are outwardly respectful, but behind her back they have to think twice about how capable she is.

As she pondered these thoughts, her pace unconsciously slowed. Qinghe, following behind her, noticed her preoccupation and whispered, "Is the young mistress troubled by matters concerning personnel?"

Jiang Wan nodded: "Granny Ding has deep roots in the mansion. With her downfall, it's certain that the people below will be unsettled."

Qinghe thought for a moment and said, "This servant thinks that young mistress doesn't need to rush to win over all these people. The old lady has given you the token, so you have a legitimate status. No matter how disobedient those people are, they will still have to show you some respect. As for the intricacies involved, you can figure them out slowly."

Jiang Wan glanced at her but didn't respond, though she felt that what she said made sense.

As she approached the courtyard gate, she saw Qiu Tang hurrying towards her. She walked quickly and bowed when she reached her, her face beaming with joy: "Young Madam is back! While you were at Songhe Hall, several managers sent over congratulatory gifts, which I have already put into the storeroom."

Jiang Wan paused slightly: "A congratulatory gift?"

"Yes," Qiu Tang said as she followed her inside.

"First, the old woman from Steward Wang's office delivered a bolt of silk, congratulating the young mistress on receiving the marriage certificate. Then, Steward Li from the storeroom had his son deliver a set of writing implements, also offering congratulations. And then there were those from the flower room, the kitchen..."

She counted four or five on her fingers, then lowered her voice and said, "Even the old women from the Fang family's courtyard came over and brought a box of bird's nest, saying it was to help the young mistress recover."

After hearing this, Jiang Wan's lips curved slightly, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

She had barely left Songhe Hall when these people received the news and sent their congratulatory gifts faster than anyone else.

While ostensibly offering congratulations, wasn't he also there to test her true intentions?

Especially on Fang's side, sending bird's nest was a pretense; the real purpose was to test how she would deal with Granny Ding—she wanted to know if Jiang Wan was protecting Granny Ding, so she could weigh whether she should add insult to injury.

"Keep them," Jiang Wan said as she entered the courtyard and stood on the veranda. "Make a list of everything that was delivered; I need to reconcile the accounts later."

Qiu Tang agreed and was about to leave when Jiang Wan called her back: "What did the people from the Fang family say when they came?"

Qiu Tang thought for a moment: "The person who came was an unfamiliar maid. She looked like she was a new servant in Fang's entourage."

"She said that our mistress knew that the eldest mistress had taken on an important task, so she specially sent me to congratulate her. She also said that if the eldest mistress has any orders in the future, she should just ask, and the mistress will definitely cooperate fully."

"I'll cooperate fully." Jiang Wan repeated these four words to herself and chuckled softly.

She knew in her heart that although Fang said nice things, she was probably plotting something.

With Granny Ding gone, the personnel department became vacant. Now that she has taken over that string of tokens, she has essentially seized control of the household's monthly allowances and personnel matters. Madam Fang will not be happy about this; she will only wait in the shadows, waiting for her to make a mistake and for her to reveal a flaw.

That phrase "fully cooperate" is just something to listen to and forget.

Qinghe had already brewed tea and brought it over. Jiang Wan took a sip, glanced at the sky, and realized that she had spent most of the day in Songhe Hall. When she came out, it was still bright, but now the sun was already setting, casting long shadows in the courtyard.

I don't know when the clouds came up, and the color of the sky gradually changed from light blue to grayish white, looking like it was about to rain.

"The weather is about to change," Qinghe said casually, glancing at the sky in the direction of her gaze.

Jiang Wan didn't respond.

She simply looked down at the pair of tiles she had placed on the table; the bronze tiles gleamed with a dim light in the twilight.

The world has changed, hasn't it?

From this day forward, the world in this mansion will take on a different face.

Ding Mama's system had been in place for forty-three years. Now that she's gone, the rules for personnel matters should be re-established.

Those who bring congratulatory gifts today may be all smiles and saying congratulations, but tomorrow they might be arguing with her about whose daughter's monthly salary should be increased or whose son's job should be changed.

That will be the time to truly see the results.

She tucked the pair of cards into her sleeve and turned to walk into the house.

The leaves of the old locust tree in the courtyard behind me rustled in the wind. The clouds pressed low, and the lanterns under the eaves had not yet been lit. The twilight was already as thick as ink that could not be dissolved.

Qiu Tang hurriedly went to get a tinderbox to light the lamp, and Qing He followed her into the room, casually lowering the curtain to keep the cool breeze out.

A rumble of thunder rolled past the window; the rain was finally coming.