Being a second wife is difficult

Jiang Wan was squatting under the window, changing the soil for the orchid.

After I changed the soil, the leaves turned much greener, and two new buds sprouted a couple of days ago. However, the original soil became compacted, and the roots felt a bit stuffy.

She loosened the old soil with a small shovel, checked its moisture with her fingertips, mixed in new soil, and filled it back in little by little.

Qinghe waited beside her with a basin of water, watching as she tamped the soil down before speaking: "Madam, this orchid has been growing for a month, hasn't it? It looks much more vibrant than when it first arrived."

"Once the roots are firmly planted, everything will be fine." Jiang Wan put down the shovel, patted the mud off her hands, and said, "People are the same."

Before she could finish speaking, footsteps came from outside. Qinghe peeked out and saw that Granny Gui had already entered the courtyard and was standing under the eaves.

Granny Gui didn't bring anything today, and her face was expressionless, just like last time at the ancestral hall, neither warm nor cold.

"Madam, the old lady requests your presence," said Granny Gui. "From today onwards, the old lady will have you come to Songhe Hall for fifteen minutes every morning to learn etiquette."

Learn the rules.

Jiang Wan held those words in her mouth for a moment, making sure her expression didn't betray her feelings.

She looked down at the mud on her hands and said nothing more: "Okay, I'll wash my hands and come right away."

Granny Gui nodded, turned and left first. Qinghe quickly brought over a basin of water. Jiang Wan washed her hands twice and changed into clean clothes.

While changing clothes, Qinghe finally couldn't hold back any longer and blurted out in a low voice, "Madam, what does 'learning manners' mean? You've been here for a month, why is the old lady suddenly—"

"It wasn't sudden." Jiang Wan fastened her belt. "Everything that needs to be taught must be taught. It's not over until it's finished. It's the same whether it comes early or late."

Qinghe didn't understand, and Jiang Wan didn't say anything more.

She had a general idea in mind that once a concubine entered the household, rules had to be established, otherwise the servants wouldn't obey.

The next day at Chenshi (7-9 AM), Jiang Wan went to Songhe Hall.

Fang was already sitting on the embroidered stool at the lower end, holding a handful of melon seeds in her hand, cracking the shells with a crisp sound.

He didn't stop when he saw Jiang Wan come in. He glanced at her, smiled slightly, and said nothing.

Aunt Zhou stood behind her mother-in-law, massaging her shoulders with a rhythm that was neither too fast nor too slow, and with a force that was neither too light nor too heavy, as regular as a pendulum.

She didn't look up, nor did she stop.

Several maids were standing in the room, some wiping the table, others setting out teacups, each doing their own thing.

But Jiang Wan could feel that all the attention was on her out of the corner of her eye.

The mother-in-law leaned against the pillow with her eyes closed. She waited until Jiang Wan stood still before opening her eyes, glancing at her briefly, and then tilting her head to nod her chin at Granny Gui.

Granny Gui picked something up from the high table next to her and handed it to Jiang Wan.

Beauty Fist.

It's about the size of a fist, made of boxwood, polished smooth, with a red string wrapped around the handle.

Jiang Wan took it and held it in her hand; it felt heavy.

"Learn to serve them first."

The mother-in-law spoke, her tone indifferent, as if she were talking about something perfectly ordinary.

Without hesitation, Jiang Wan took the Beauty Fist and squatted down in front of the footstool. She placed the Beauty Fist on her mother-in-law's calf and began to pound downwards.

She's not very good at it.

I had never served anyone at home before; my stepmother, Madam Sun, was not the kind of person who would have someone massage her legs.

So the first blow was a bit too strong, and the mother-in-law's brow twitched slightly.

Granny Gui spoke up: "Madam, be gentle. The old lady's legs are thin; she can't take too much force."

Jiang Wan softened her touch a bit.

"It's lighter again."

Granny Gui said, "This force is equivalent to no massage at all. You have to follow the meridians, starting from the calf and moving upwards, pressing more on the back of the knee."

Granny Gui walked over, gestured a spot with her hand, and pressed on her wrist to demonstrate the pressure.

Jiang Wan tried several times, adjusting the pressure from light to heavy.

"Hmm, that's the right feeling," the mother-in-law said, then closed her eyes again.

After cracking open a melon seed, Fang dusted off the crumbs and said with a smile, "My new sister-in-law is really well-mannered."

Jiang Wan remained squatting on the ground without looking up or responding.

Fang's laughter drifted over, sounding like a compliment, but given the half-eaten handful of sunflower seeds in her hand and her crossed legs, nothing she said seemed well-intentioned.

Aunt Zhou didn't utter a sound from beginning to end. She continued to massage his shoulders as usual, without changing the rhythm, and didn't even glance in Jiang Wan's direction. But Jiang Wan knew that Aunt Zhou was watching.

Half an hour.

Jiang Wan estimated that it was about time. Her knees were aching from squatting, her calves were starting to tremble, her wrists were also sore and swollen, and the places where she clenched her fists were rubbed red.

The mother-in-law finally opened her eyes. "Alright."

Jiang Wan stopped and stood up. Her legs were numb and she swayed for a moment, but she steadied herself by holding onto the corner of the table next to her, so no one could tell.

"Come again tomorrow," the mother-in-law said.

"Yes," Jiang Wan replied and left Songhe Hall.

As they exited, Qinghe came to greet them, opening her mouth but then closing it again. Jiang Wan squeezed her hand: "We'll talk about it when we get back."

Back in her own courtyard, Qinghe closed the door before speaking: "Madam, what's wrong with the old lady—"

"This is just a formality we have to go through."

Jiang Wan sat down on the couch. "When a concubine enters the family, rules must be established. I will kneel and squat for a few days. After I finish kneeling, everyone will feel at ease."

Qinghe stopped talking, squatted down to help Jiang Wan roll up her trouser legs. Her knees were bruised, not serious, but it was heartbreaking to see.

She went to get the medicated oil, poured some into her palm, rubbed it to warm it, and applied it to her face. Jiang Wan hissed, but didn't flinch.

Lu Wan came again that evening.

These past few days, she'd made it a habit to come and sit for a while every evening. Jiang Wan was resting on the tatami mat, so she moved a small stool to sit beside her and flipped through picture books. After a while, she suddenly looked up and asked, "Mother, what happened to your leg?"

Jiang Wan was resting with her eyes closed when she heard this. She opened her eyes and smiled, "It's nothing, I just felt a little sore after squatting for so long."

Lu Wan put down the picture book, stood up and walked to the edge of the couch. She imitated Qing He and reached out to rub Jiang Wan's knee. Her small hands were weak and soft.

Jiang Wan's heart softened as she patted the girl's head, saying, "It doesn't hurt anymore, Wan'er is such a good girl."

Lu Wan massaged for a while before stopping, then flipped through a couple more pages of the picture book and suddenly said, "Mother, the wet nurse hasn't been talking much these past few days."

Jiang Wan paused for a moment: "Why aren't you saying anything?"

"She used to laugh a lot, but she doesn't anymore." Lu Wan thought for a moment. "She doesn't drink tea anymore either; she just stands outside."

Jiang Wan didn't respond.

Last time, the wet nurse was beaten ten times by her mother-in-law, fined a quarter's worth of wages, and made to kneel in the ancestral hall for seven days. This was a severe punishment. Not to mention the wet nurse, the other old women and maids in the courtyard have been behaving much better when they see her these past few days.

Qinghe kept this in mind. The next day, when she went to the kitchen to get some snacks, she took a detour towards the young lady's courtyard. When she returned, she told Jiang Wan, "Madam, the wet nurse has indeed become more obedient. The cleaning lady said that she gets up before dawn every day to sweep the courtyard, and she follows the young lady closely when she goes out, never leaving her side."

Jiang Wan hummed in agreement: "A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit; it's good that you can remember it."

The next day at Chenshi (7-9 AM), Jiang Wan went to Songhetang again.

Fang was not there, nor was Aunt Zhou. Only the mother-in-law, Granny Gui, and two maids were in the room.

Jiang Wan squatted down and massaged her knees for half an hour. When she came back, her knees were even more sore than the day before, and she could walk more slowly.

Qinghe boiled an egg, peeled it, and rolled it on her knee. It took two rounds to dissolve some of the bruising.

Just then, Jiang Wan heard Aunt Liu's soft voice from outside. She looked up and saw Aunt Liu standing at the door with Lu Shan in her arms, looking hesitant, as if she had come but dared not come in.

"Come in and sit down," Jiang Wan beckoned to her.

Aunt Liu then stepped over the threshold, put Lu Shan down, and stood somewhat helplessly to the side.

Lu Shan already recognized Jiang Wan, and she ran to the bedside, leaning over the edge to watch Qing He roll the eggs.

"Madam's knee..." Aunt Liu stammered, "I have some ointment here, brought from my hometown, it's for treating bruises, it works better than medicated oil, I'll have the maid bring it over later."

Jiang Wan smiled and said, "Okay, thank you very much, Aunt Liu."

Aunt Liu was content with the word "good," and after sitting for a while, she stammered out a few idle words.

He mentioned that Lu Shan had started eating porridge these past few days, and that the pomegranates in the yard had blossomed. As he spoke, he became embarrassed and picked Lu Shan up and left.

Qinghe shook her head as she watched her retreating figure: "This Aunt Liu is too soft-hearted. She's afraid of startling someone with every word she says."

"With her personality, it's not easy for her to have lived peacefully in the Earl's mansion until now." Jiang Wan pulled down her trouser leg. "Everyone has their own way of living."

On the morning of the third day, Jiang Wan went to Songhetang again.

This time, her mother-in-law didn't let her massage for the full half hour. After half an hour, she waved her hand to stop, saying, "That's enough for today. Granny Gui will teach you a few rules."

Granny Gui took a thin booklet from the side and handed it to Jiang Wan. She took it and flipped through a couple of pages. The handwriting was neat and tidy, and it was clear that she had put a lot of effort into it.

The document above specifies the order of standing when paying respects, who to offer tea to first, and how to change the names of each room and courtyard.

It was full of detailed rules, written over several pages. Jiang Wan flipped through it, memorized the general outline, and smiled at Granny Gui: "Granny, you wrote it very carefully."

Granny Gui maintained her indifferent expression: "Madam can learn at her own pace."

She took the booklet and left.

On the way back to her own courtyard, she passed through the garden and saw Fang standing under the crabapple tree, talking to Ding, the nanny in charge of purchasing.

Fang was facing away from her, her hand resting on a tree branch, a slight smile on her lips. Ding Mama was bent over listening to her speak, as if she were doing some kind of errand.

Qinghe also saw it and leaned over to whisper, "Madam, why is Second Madam getting so close to Granny Ding?"

"It's normal for her to get close to anyone." Jiang Wan looked away. "It's not unreasonable for her to chat a few words with the person in charge of purchasing."

She made it sound so easy, but back in the room she still told Qinghe to keep an eye on which way Granny Ding was going, and Qinghe nodded in agreement.

Jiang Wan flipped through the booklet again and memorized a few key points.

On the morning of the fourth day, Jiang Wan went to Songhetang again.

This time, neither Madam Fang nor Aunt Zhou were present. Only my mother-in-law, Granny Gui, and two maids were in the room.

Granny Gui handed over the Beauty Fist again, and Jiang Wan took it and squatted down. She was more comfortable with it than in the past few days, and she was more precise in controlling the force.

The room was quiet, with only the dull thud of a woman's fist hitting a leg, and occasionally the sound of her mother-in-law turning a page in an old book.

Jiang Wan pounded the teacup for a while, then glanced at the maid standing next to her.

The head maid named Chunlan stood to the side with a tea tray. The tea had been poured out long ago, but she hadn't brought it over yet.

He just stood there, glancing at Jiang Wan every now and then before looking away.

Jiang Wan didn't pay attention the first time, but when she looked again the second time, Chunlan's gaze had just left her knees.

What was she looking at? Jiang Wan's mind raced for a moment, but she didn't show it.

She continued pounding for another fifteen minutes, then her mother-in-law waved her hand, telling her to stop.

Jiang Wan stood up; her legs were still numb, but much better than a few days ago.

As she left Songhetang, she passed by Chunlan. Chunlan lowered her head, took a step back, and made way for her. Jiang Wan took two steps and then stopped.

She took a small oil paper packet out of her sleeve, turned around, and handed it to Chunlan.

"I made osmanthus cake yesterday." She smiled. "I had Qinghe steam a plate of it this morning, and there are a few pieces left. You can try them; I don't know if you like them."

Chunlan was taken aback and looked up at her. Jiang Wan's expression was very natural, without any deliberate flattery or ordering. It was just the tone of someone casually handing a piece of cake to someone else to try.

Chunlan hesitated for a moment, then accepted it: "Thank you, Madam."

Granny Gui saw this from the side, her eyebrows twitched slightly, but she didn't say anything. Jiang Wan didn't linger either, and turned to leave.

Qinghe was waiting outside Songhe Hall. When she saw her come out, she took two steps forward and said in a low voice, "Madam, I just came from the kitchen and ran into Cui'er from the Second Madam's room."

"What did you say?"

"Cui'er was talking to Granny Ding, who was in charge of purchasing, in the back of the kitchen. I asked her about it, and she didn't look too happy. She stammered that she wanted to ask for a few dishes of pickles. But why would you need to ask Granny Ding, who is in charge of purchasing, for pickles? You could just ask Granny Zhou in the kitchen."

Jiang Wan slowed her pace for a moment, then resumed her normal pace.

"Keep a close eye on the Second Madam these next few days. Tell me who she's been getting close to and what she's been saying, and make sure no one finds out."

Qinghe nodded: "Don't worry, Madam."

On the morning of the fifth day, Jiang Wan went again.

As Chunlan squatted down to massage her legs, she came over with a tea tray, as if to refill her mother-in-law's tea.

He paused for a moment as he passed by her, and in the brief moment he bent down to pour tea, he said in a very low voice, "Madam, the old lady's legs are cold. Please bring a hand warmer tomorrow."

Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible. After speaking, she straightened up, picked up the tea tray, and stepped aside as if nothing had happened.

Jiang Wan's hands didn't stop moving; she continued to pound rhythmically, but a thought flickered in her mind.

Chunlan was the head maid of Songhe Hall. She was no ordinary person who could stay by the old lady's side.

What does it mean that she took the initiative to say that?

This suggests that someone saw her squatting here for the past few days, massaging her legs and keeping her knees bruised without making a sound.

Jiang Wan remained outwardly calm, but she memorized those words in her heart.

Back in her own courtyard, Qinghe brought her hot water to soothe her knees as usual. Jiang Wan sat on the couch, letting her do as she pleased, her hands resting on her knees without moving.

While applying the ointment, Qinghe said something: "Madam, this morning when I passed by the sewing room, I heard Granny Wu complaining to someone inside. She said that the piece of autumn-colored silk that Second Madam asked for a few days ago hasn't been sewn yet. She's urged her several times, but Granny Wu is short of money and can't spare anyone."

Autumn fragrance-colored silk.

Jiang Wan remembered that it was the two bolts of cloth that Fang Shi had said she would give to her last time. She said she was giving them away, but then she urged the sewing room to finish them. She probably wanted to make clothes for herself first, and then send the rest over as a favor.

"We won't interfere in their affairs as second wives," Jiang Wan said. "Just listen."

"Madam," Qinghe asked while applying the compress, "How long exactly does the old lady expect you to stand in the proper order?"

"I'll stand there until she doesn't think I should stand anymore," Jiang Wan said. "Soon."

Qinghe looked up at her: "Soon?"

"Hmm." Jiang Wan didn't explain Chunlan's words, but instead focused her gaze on the orchid on the windowsill.

Two new leaves have sprouted, tender and green, looking much more vibrant than when they first arrived.

She looked at it for a while, then turned her gaze back to her knee, which was bruised and sore when pressed.

"Tomorrow, just one more day," she said. "It'll be about time."

Qinghe didn't understand, but seeing her determined expression, she didn't ask any more questions.

Jiang Wan pulled down her trouser legs, stood up, walked to the window, and touched the orchid leaves.

What she was thinking about wasn't how to do the pounding tomorrow, but rather Chunlan's words, "Bring a hand warmer tomorrow."

If we bring the hand warmer, Chunlan will be able to see it, and so will her mother-in-law. As for what will happen after they see it, we'll have to wait and see tomorrow.