Being a second wife is difficult

After no longer needing to go to Songhetang for leg massages, Jiang Wan's life became much easier.

She doesn't need to rush out at dawn; she can sit in the house a little longer, drink a cup of warm tea, and then slowly tidy up.

When Qinghe brought in breakfast, it was just getting light outside, and the stone slabs in the courtyard were still covered in dew.

Jiang Wan sat by the window drinking porridge. She heard the old woman sweeping outside talking, but she couldn't hear clearly through the wall, so she didn't pay any attention to it.

After finishing my meal, I changed my clothes and strolled leisurely toward Songhetang.

Upon entering the house, Chunlan was pouring tea for her mother-in-law.

Jiang Wan sat down on the embroidered stool, waiting for everyone from each room to arrive so they could all pay their respects. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Chunlan's hand.

Chunlan has a red mark on her right index finger, about the size of a soybean, on the fingertip. The skin is broken and a little clear liquid is oozing out.

It's hot.

Jiang Wan took another look.

After pouring the tea, Chunlan stepped aside and stood there, her fingertips hovering, not daring to touch anything.

After the greetings were over, Madam Fang walked in front, followed by Aunt Zhou, and the people inside the room gradually left.

Jiang Wan was the last to arrive. Chunlan was bending over to tidy up the teacups on the table. She was carrying a full tray, but her fingers couldn't grip it properly, so the tray tilted and the teacups collided, making a crisp sound.

Jiang stepped forward and reached out to help her hold the edge of the tray.

Chunlan looked up, saw it was her, and was taken aback: "Madam."

"Don't say anything," Jiang Wan whispered, gesturing with her hand. "Let me see how eager you are to accept this."

She gently took the tray and placed it on the table. Then she pulled Chunlan's right hand over and looked at the burn mark. The skin was broken, and the surrounding skin was red and looked painful.

"How did you get burned?"

"When I was pouring tea for the old lady this morning, the teapot lid slipped, and hot water splashed onto my hand." Chunlan pulled her hand back slightly. "It's alright, it'll be fine in a few days."

"What do you mean it'll be fine in a few days? Burns can easily leave scars if you don't apply medicine." Jiang Wan let go of her hand, took out a small porcelain box from her sleeve and stuffed it into her hand. "Here, this is burn ointment. Apply it once in the morning and once at night. Rinse your face with cool water before applying it."

Chunlan looked down at the porcelain box in her hand, her lips moving slightly: "Madam, what's wrong...?"

"I saw it when I was pouring tea just now." Jiang Wan said casually, "It's not nice for a young lady like you to have scars on your hands. Take good care of them and don't skimp on the treatment."

Chunlan held the porcelain box, remaining silent for a long time. When she looked up again, her eyes were red-rimmed, and her voice was hoarse: "Thank you, Madam."

"Don't thank me, it's just a box of ointment. Once your injury heals, someone will be able to take care of things around the old lady efficiently."

After saying that, Jiang Wan didn't linger and turned to leave.

Qinghe followed her out, glanced at her empty sleeve, and asked, "Madam, wasn't that tube of ointment for your own use? Your knee isn't fully healed yet."

"Let's buy another box later." Jiang Wan walked out. "She can use it first, my injury isn't urgent in a day or two."

Qinghe simply said "oh" and didn't say anything more.

A few days later, Chunlan arrived.

Qinghe came in first and said that Jiang Wan was cutting fabric by the window. Upon hearing this, she put down her scissors and said, "Let her in."

When Chunlan entered the room, she was clutching a small porcelain box and a cloth bag.

She walked up to Jiang Wan and placed the porcelain box on the table first: "Madam, I've used the ointment, and the wound on my hand has healed a lot. I've washed the box and brought it back to you."

Jiang Wan casually took the empty box and placed it on the table, then pulled Chunlan's hand and turned it over to look at it.

The burn on my fingertip has formed a thin scab, and the surrounding area is no longer red, but the new skin hasn't fully grown in yet, so it still looks pink and tender.

"It's almost healed, but not completely." Jiang Wan released her hand, turned to Qing He and said, "Go to the trunk and get my new box."

Qinghe responded and left.

Chunlan quickly waved her hand: "Madam, no need, my injuries are almost healed—"

"Not at all," Jiang Wan interrupted her. "Scabbing is one thing, but new skin hasn't grown out yet. If you don't continue applying the cream now, it's easy to leave marks."

Qinghe quickly returned with the new ointment, which Jiang Wan took and handed to Chunlan: "Take it, apply it for a few more days, don't use it sparingly."

Chunlan clutched the new box of ointment, looked down at it for a while before speaking: "Madam, I came to return something, but instead I got a new one..."

"Your hand injury has healed, so you can do things more efficiently for the old lady," Jiang Wan said earnestly. "I'm not doing this for you, but for the old lady."

Chunlan sensed that she was saying this because she was afraid she would feel bad, so she smiled slightly and carefully put the ointment into her bosom: "Then this servant will accept it."

She took the cloth bag out of her bosom and handed it over with both hands: "I made two pairs of insoles, with rough needles and thread, please don't mind, Madam."

Jiang Wan opened the cloth bag and found two pairs of insoles. They were made of plain white cotton cloth with bamboo leaves embroidered on them. The stitches weren't extremely fine, but you could tell that she had put a lot of effort into them.

"You're doing this with your hand still injured?"

"It's a minor injury, nothing serious."

Chunlan tucked her right index finger into her sleeve, then stood there, her hands clasped together, as if she had something to say but didn't know where to begin.

Jiang Wan pointed to the embroidered stool next to her: "Sit down, have a cup of tea before you leave."

Chunlan hesitated for a moment, then sat down on the embroidered stool, only occupying a small part of it.

Qinghe poured a cup of tea and handed it to her. She took it and held it in her hands, but didn't drink it; she just held it there.

The room was quiet for a while.

Chunlan stared at the burn on her finger and suddenly spoke up: "Madam, I have something to say to you, but I don't know if I should."

"you say."

Chunlan held the teacup and said softly, "The old lady... Madam, please don't blame her."

Jiang Wan didn't move her hand holding the teacup.

"The old lady isn't a bad person," Chunlan said. "She's just stubborn and sharp-tongued, but that's not how she really feels."

She paused, as if gathering her courage, and then continued, "I have been with the old lady since I was a child. My parents used to be the old lady's maids. After my parents passed away, the old lady took me in and raised me in her room. I know many things about the old lady."

She looked up at Jiang Wan, then lowered her head again: "When the old lady was a daughter-in-law, her great-grandmother made her stand in the traditional manners for a month. Every day before dawn, she had to go and serve her, and she wasn't allowed to rest even when her legs were swollen. The old lady never told anyone about this, but I know."

Jiang Wan held her teacup, waiting for her to continue.

"The old lady thinks this is good for her daughter-in-law."

Chunlan's voice grew softer and softer. "She used the same methods her great-grandmother taught her on her wife. She wasn't trying to make things difficult for her wife; she just felt that a daughter-in-law had to pass this test to be considered established."

Chunlan paused for a long time before adding, "The old lady doesn't like people, but she never beats or scolds the servants. I've been in her room for years and I've never been hit once."

After listening, Jiang Wan put down the teacup in her hand.

"What was the old lady thinking when she did that?"

Chunlan thought for a moment and said, "The old lady probably feels that the suffering she endured back then should also be experienced by you, so that you can be considered a true member of the family."

The room remained quiet for a long time.

Qinghe stood to the side, her lips moved but she didn't say anything. Jiang Wan looked at Chunlan and remembered what Lu had said that day: it's hard to be a second wife. Take a step back and wait.

She also recalled how her mother-in-law suddenly set rules for her.

She thought it was a facial at the time, but now it seems that wasn't entirely it.

"Thank you for telling me all this," Jiang Wan said. "I'll keep these insoles; they're quite nice."

Chunlan stood up: "Then this servant will go back first. The old lady will have tea this afternoon, and this servant has to watch the fire."

She walked to the door and then turned back: "Madam, I've taken the ointment with me."

"Take it with you, keep it for later use."

Chunlan's steps were lighter as she left than when she arrived. Qinghe returned after seeing the others off and stood beside Jiang Wan: "Madam, what Chunlan said—"

"The old lady is a very stubborn person."

Jiang Wan said, "She felt that the new bride should also suffer the hardships she endured back then, not because she was wicked, but because she believed it was the rule. She believed that if the rules were established, the people below would obey."

Qinghe thought for a moment: "Does Madam still resent the Old Madam?"

"I never resented her."

Jiang Wan stood up and walked to the window. "She told me to kneel, so I knelt; she told me to hit her, so I hit her. She didn't mistreat me in terms of food or clothing, nor did she make things difficult for me in any other way. Although I don't agree with her methods, since I've come to the Earl's Mansion, I have to abide by the rules here."

Qinghe nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Fang arrived in the afternoon.

She stood at the gate of the courtyard, holding a neatly folded piece of light purple fabric in her hand, and called out, "Is my sister-in-law home?"

Jiang Wan went out to greet her, and Fang handed over the fabric with a smile: "I just got a new piece of fabric, but the color is too light for me to pull off. I thought it would look good on you, so I brought it over."

Jiang Wan took it and weighed it in her hand. "Thank you, sister-in-law." She stepped aside to let her in. "I just made a plate of osmanthus cake. Please come in and have a seat."

Fang followed her into the house.

Qinghe brought out the pastries, and Fangshi picked up a piece and took a bite: "The people here are very skillful, sister-in-law. They're much softer than the ones I make in my room."

"If my sister-in-law likes the pastries here, I can have them delivered to her whenever she wants some."

Fang put down the cake and her gaze fell on the sewing basket next to Jiang Wan, which contained several half-finished purses.

Jiang Wan was sewing the hem of one of them when Fang picked it up and looked at it: "Sister-in-law, you have such good craftsmanship. Who is this embroidered for?"

"It's to return the favor to Aunt Zhou," Jiang Wan said. "She gave me two pairs of shoe uppers a few days ago, and I made a purse to return it."

Fang raised an eyebrow: "You dare accept things from Aunt Zhou's place, sister-in-law?"

Jiang Wan smiled and said, "It's such a kind gesture, I can't refuse."

Fang glanced at her and put the purse back: "Sister-in-law is a smart woman."

"What do you mean by that, sister-in-law?"

"Take her things and return them; we won't owe her anything." Madam Fang smiled. "Sister-in-law, you've got a clever plan."

Jiang Wan didn't reply, and continued sewing the purse with her head down.

Fang sat for a while longer and chatted for a while.

They said the maids on the second wife's side were going to be replaced, that this year's summer cloth was 10% more expensive than in previous years, and that Granny Zhou in the kitchen had recently become frighteningly temperamental.

It was all scattered and fragmented, like pouring out beans.

Jiang Wan would occasionally chime in with a word or two, mostly just echoing what Fang was saying, neither making the conversation awkward nor starting anything new, so that Fang wouldn't feel neglected, nor would she seem overly enthusiastic.

Finally, Madam Fang stood up and said, "Alright, I won't bother you any longer, sister-in-law. Come and sit down another day."

She took a few steps and then turned back: "By the way, sister-in-law, if you have time, could you help me cut those bolts of fabric? I can't do it all by myself."

Jiang Wan smiled and said, "Okay, have someone send it over."

Fang waved and left.

Jiang Wan stood at the door, watching her figure disappear behind the moon gate, and her mind raced.

Fang is the kind of person who gets close to whoever has a respectable reputation. She may seem opportunistic, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. People like that are actually easy to get along with.

In the evening, Aunt Liu arrived, bringing a small jar of pickled plums: "These were sent from my hometown, Madam, please have a taste."

Jiang Wan opened the lid and smelled it; the sweet and sour aroma was irresistible. She picked one up and put it in her mouth: "Delicious, better than what you buy outside."

Aunt Liu was delighted to hear this. She sat down and chatted for a while, saying that Lu Shan had learned to write "one", "two" and "three" today, and was so happy that she ran around the yard.

Jiang Wan laughed: "You can write at only three years old? You taught her well." Aunt Liu blushed again, waved her hand and said that she did not teach her. After sitting for a while, she stood up to take her leave.

Jiang Wan asked Qinghe to pack a plate of Poria cocos cake for her to take back. Aunt Liu accepted it, thanked her twice, and then left.

Zhao Tongfang also came in the afternoon, bringing several flower patterns. Jiang Wan looked at them and found the patterns to be simple and elegant, much prettier than those bought on the street.

The two talked about embroidery for a long time. Zhao Tongfang was a man of few words, but she answered all questions without holding anything back. Jiang Wan asked her to stay for a cup of tea before she left.

It was completely dark.

Qinghe tidied up the things in the cabinet, and said with emotion as she did so, "Madam's knee has finally recovered. I thought it would take several months to heal when Madam was squatting in Songhetang massaging her legs for those few days."

"It's only been a short time, it's already fine." Jiang Wan was doing needlework under the lamp. "You only feel it's slow because you're watching it every day."

Qinghe put the folded clothes into the closet, paused, and then said, "But the old lady's trick was really something. The servants' attitude towards Madam is completely different now."

Jiang Wan's needle and thread continued. "I thought it through before I married into this family. How a mother-in-law treats her daughter-in-law is her business. I just need to do my job well."

She paused, then said, "Besides, if it weren't for the rule of standing for seven days, I wouldn't have known that the old lady had cold legs, that she was only good at heavy things and not light things, and I wouldn't have known about Chunlan."

Qinghe thought for a moment and asked, "Does Madam think this trip was worth it?"

"It's worth it." Jiang Wan put down the needle and thread. "Some things can only be seen clearly when you kneel down; if you stand, she won't let you see them."

Qinghe said "oh" and continued tidying up.

Jiang Wan took out the embroidered purse and looked at it. She had embroidered one orchid and one bamboo leaf. She would send it to Aunt Zhou tomorrow. Once the social obligations were settled, she could speak more clearly in the future.

She stood up and walked to the window. The eaves hung low, and the night wind, carrying a damp scent, seeped in through the cracks in the door.