Chapter 313 - 266: Underhanded

Jiang Yihuan was trying on newly bought jewelry when a servant came in and said to her, "Second Madam, the Marquis requests you to help the First Madam entertain the guests."

"Is this the Marquis’s idea or the First Madam’s?" Jiang Yihuan asked.

"The First Madam’s health has worsened, and the Marquis noticed she was struggling to entertain the guests, so he asked you to replace her," the servant replied.

Upon hearing that it was the Marquis Jing’an’s idea, Jiang Yihuan thought to herself that it likely wasn’t the First Madam’s scheme, and stood up, saying, "Understood, I’ll go right away."

She intentionally put on the new jewelry, dressing up beautifully and delicately, like a radiant rose.

She was determined to outshine that First Madam. Men are all lustful; even if they profess their love for you repeatedly, they forget all those sweet words and vows upon seeing a prettier woman.

She had seen many men, and how could she not know what a man like the Marquis Jing’an, who appears to be a gentleman, is thinking?

When Jiang Yihuan stepped into the First Madam’s courtyard, she saw Su Yaoguang and the others, each dressed with their own unique style. Among the radiant women, only the First Madam, in her simple elegance, seemed extraordinarily different. Most importantly, her frail appearance could evoke a man’s protective instincts.

Jiang Yihuan noticed that the atmosphere between the Marquis Jing’an and the First Madam had changed.

Since she entered the mansion, the Marquis Jing’an had not visited the First Madam’s courtyard again. The First Madam was weak and childless, and the Marquis Jing’an had long ignored her. Even when it was necessary for both of them to appear at important occasions, the Marquis Jing’an would have her rest and send Jiang Yihuan, the newly married second wife, instead.

Today, the Marquis Jing’an was attentive and caring towards her.

"Second Madam has arrived," the old matron nearby announced, "The Marquis was just worrying if the Second Madam was too busy to make time. Now, the Marquis needn’t worry. Seeing the Second Madam so elaborately dressed, it’s apparent she values the esteemed guests highly, which is why she took the time to dress up specially."

"Marquis, though both are wives, First Madam is so plain while Second Madam is so dazzlingly adorned, isn’t this somewhat unfair?" Zhang Zhaodi said.

The Marquis Jing’an frowned, "The First Madam never liked those mundane things and usually doesn’t wear them. The Second Madam is young and likes pretty things. It’s all up to their personal preferences, and I, as the Marquis, am hardly in a position to interfere with the habits of my beloved wives."

"The Marquis is right. I am ill and don’t go out, so wearing them would be for no one to see," the First Madam said. "Sister should not mind; the General’s wife is teasing us."

Jiang Yihuan’s eyes flashed with mockery.

The General’s wife?

This sickly person is indeed not as simple as she appears on the surface.

She intentionally mentioned Zhang Zhaodi’s status, causing the Marquis Jing’an to refrain from speaking due to her position.

"Second Madam, the First Madam’s condition doesn’t allow her to come into contact with ginger. I’ve reminded you before, but your mansion’s servants comply superficially. They don’t add ginger visibly but pour ginger water over the dishes, and every dish has ginger now. The First Madam’s health can’t withstand such distress. If such things keep happening, I will have to declare publicly that the inner quarters of the Jing’an Marquis Mansion are terrifying, where a healthy person is deliberately harmed to death. Who in the mansion cannot tolerate even a sick person? She has already handed over the management of the household accounts, lying in bed all day; how could she offend anyone?"

"Doctor Jiang, I will investigate this matter. If it’s true, those cooks will not be retained," Jiang Yihuan said. "It’s partly my fault too; I should have reminded my sister earlier. Sister, what you don’t know is, I already noticed before that the cook was negligent with the food in your courtyard, either intentionally making it tasteless or using spoiled ingredients. After I discovered this, I severely punished the cook. Only later did I learn that when you managed the household, you were too strict with him, and he bore a grudge. Now that you are ill and unable to manage the inner quarters, he sees this as an opportunity for revenge, so he keeps tampering with the food."

"However, since I started managing the household accounts, I have assigned people to monitor him, and he hasn’t tampered with your meals since. I suppose my assigned people thought he wouldn’t cause any more trouble after behaving for so long, so they became negligent this time."

Jiang Yihuan implied that the reason the First Madam was given ginger water by the cook was not her instigation, but because her disposition was unlikable, and she had previously offended the mansion’s servants.

By saying this, she not only distanced herself from blame but also subtly suggested to the Marquis Jing’an that the First Madam was unpopular in the past management, and the servants in the mansion did not respect her.