Being a second wife is difficult: I'm busy raising children in the Earl's mansion.

Jiang Wan raised her eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing in them.

The lingering fragrance of the floor tiles had been haunting me for days, and finally, there was a breakthrough in this long-standing mystery.

She nodded slightly, her tone calm: "Let her in."

A moment later, footsteps steadily approached.

Mrs. Wang was dressed in a dark blue plain jacket, her clothes were neat and clean, and she moved with propriety.

She lowered her eyes, her posture was respectful and humble, and she looked like she was dutiful, docile and steady, without the slightest hint of arrogance.

But Jiang Wan knew that this seemingly gentle and compliant personnel manager was by no means as cowardly and useless as he appeared.

Granny Ding had been in power for many years, monopolizing personnel matters in the mansion. Her henchmen were spread throughout the various courtyards, and the servants below had long been accustomed to currying favor and being undisciplined.

The fact that Wang Mama was able to maintain her position as the second-in-command in personnel matters for many years despite the overwhelming pressure from Granny Ding is enough to show that she is shrewd and knows how to advance and retreat.

Jiang Wan saw things clearly.

After Granny Ding's downfall, Granny Wang seemed unable to control the servants or manage the chaotic personnel situation, appearing hesitant and restrained in everything she did. However, this was not due to incompetence, but rather a deliberate act of lying low to protect herself.

She was perfectly clear-headed. At that time, she had no official title or real power; she was merely an old deputy.

If one lacks the authority to enforce rules and establish authority, one will be accused of overstepping one's bounds, which will arouse the master's suspicion and make others suspicious, ultimately leading to being purged.

Therefore, she deliberately feigned weakness, allowed people's hearts to waver, exposed all the chaos, and quietly waited for the higher-ups to make a statement and for real power to be transferred to her.

Only after he handed over the personnel list and title to her did she reveal her true abilities, calming down the group of old servants with just a few words and stabilizing the chaotic personnel situation.

Those who understand how to assess the situation, are flexible and adaptable, and are adept at self-preservation and waiting for the right opportunity are the most insightful and the most useful.

When Wang's mother approached the table, she knelt down and bowed respectfully.

"This servant greets Madam."

"Get up." Jiang Wan gestured, her gaze falling on her. "Have you verified the records of the floor tile supervisor you mentioned earlier?"

Mother Wang straightened up, took out a neatly folded sheet of Xuan paper from her sleeve, and presented it with both hands.

"Reporting to Madam, I have spent days searching through old files on material procurement and outer courtyard storage from years ago, and have finally found the complete list of the supervisors in charge of transporting Qingzhou floor tiles and their records of entering and leaving the mansion."

"The bluestone slabs that were specially made for the old lady's former residence were all local stones from the Gu family in Qingzhou. They were escorted to the capital by a special person from the Gu family. The entire process was supervised by a steward surnamed Gu, who was responsible for the transportation and laying of the stones. His name was Gu Xiuquan."

According to old records, Gu Xiuquan escorted the stone materials into the mansion and kept a close eye on the construction process, not allowing his servants to change the paving layout at all.

"On the day the courtyard floor tiles were all laid and the inspection was completed, he immediately left Beijing and returned to Qingzhou. However, he never returned to Beijing again, completely cutting off all clues."

Jiang Wan reached out and took the Xuan paper, her fingertips tracing the old ink marks on it.

The few lines of records, seemingly ordinary material transport regulations, reveal deliberate intent upon closer examination.

Ordinary officials in charge of supplies in outlying prefectures would stay in the capital for three to five days or even half a month to rest when they came to supervise their duties.

But this steward of the Gu family left as soon as he finished the work, without leaving a trace.

Her gaze was deep, and all the scattered clues in her heart were finally connected and unified at this moment.

The musk-scented floor tiles hidden in the main courtyard, the half-piece of jade left in Lianxin's hand, and the Gu family's years of continuous covert surveillance...

Three originally independent clues are now intertwined, pointing directly to the same source.

The late Madam was the eldest daughter of Master Gu of Qingzhou. Master Gu passed away many years ago. He was kind and gentle, and doted on his only daughter. There was absolutely no reason for him to harm his own daughter or to plot against her. Moreover, the deceased is gone and has no power to manipulate the subsequent decades of his life.

The person who can mobilize the Gu family's resources, assign trusted confidants to oversee the work, spend countless resources to infiltrate the Earl's mansion year after year, and meticulously plot to harm the eldest daughter is none other than the second branch of the Gu family, who currently holds power within the Gu family.

With this thought in mind, Jiang Wan suddenly had a flash of inspiration and instantly understood the Gu family's most insidious and hidden scheme.

She had been puzzled because these floor tiles, which were perpetually scented with musk, were laid in the courtyard of her late wife. At that time, her late wife was already frail and ill, and her body was failing, so she had no chance of having children.

This time-consuming and laborious plan, which may seem to be harmful to the body, is actually completely unnecessary.

But upon closer examination, one realizes that this game of chess was not solely aimed at the ailing late wife!

After the death of the first wife, the Earl's family will definitely remarry.

According to the family's traditions, a newly married wife should take over the main courtyard and assume the dignity and responsibilities of the head mistress.

The real target of the Gu family's second wife's scheme was her future second wife!

The main courtyard is covered with musk-scented bricks, which have accumulated medicinal properties over the years. If a woman lives here for a long time, her blood and energy will be depleted, making it difficult for her to conceive.

Their intentions were extremely malicious, a classic case of killing two birds with one stone.

Firstly, it secures the direct lineage of the Earl's family.

The floor tiles in the main courtyard have a hidden musk scent, making it difficult for those who live there for a long time to conceive.

In a prominent family, when a new wife remarries, the new mistress is expected to take over the main courtyard. Once the new wife moves into the main courtyard, her ability to bear children is quietly cut off, and she will be unable to give birth to a legitimate son for the rest of her life.

In this way, Lu Zhao and Lu Hui, the brother and sister born to the late Madam, are the only legitimate direct descendants of the Earl's family.

Especially Lu Zhao, as the eldest son, his right to succession is as solid as a rock and no one can shake it.

The Gu family used this opportunity to firmly maintain the status of their maternal grandparents' children, paving the way for future control.

Secondly, they set up an unsolvable dead end, manipulating the successor concubines to disrupt the foundation of the Earl's mansion.

The second branch of the Gu family is vicious and their schemes are extremely insidious and meticulous.

The main courtyard is paved with musk-scented bricks, making it difficult for long-term residents to conceive.

However, according to the rules of aristocratic families, the second wife should rightfully take over the main courtyard.

If the Earl's family follows the rules and etiquette, the new wife will be quietly deprived of the opportunity to give birth to a legitimate son once she moves into the main courtyard, and will be unable to have an heir for the rest of her life.

However, if the Earl's family fears the power of the Gu family and knows that the current Gu family's second branch has a bad reputation, fearing that the other party might take the opportunity to cause trouble, they would not dare to let the new wife move into the main courtyard of the former wife. Instead, they would deliberately place the new wife in a remote and secluded courtyard.

Such deliberate differentiation in placement was seen as blatant humiliation and contempt by the newly arrived second wife.

If the woman who comes is from a noble family, proud and valuing dignity, she will certainly not be able to tolerate such humiliation.

If a woman is treated coldly and harshly upon marrying into a new household, she will surely feel resentful and cause trouble in the inner quarters, disrupting the peace of the Earl's mansion.

If the woman who comes is gentle, patient, and cautious, even if she appears obedient and undisturbed on the surface, she will surely harbor resentment and estrangement in her heart.

He would never forget that he was not treated as an orthodox person, and he would always feel alienated and estranged, unable to truly belong to the Earl's Mansion, let alone sincerely manage its affairs.

No matter what the Earl's family decides, in the end, the inner quarters are unstable and the people are not united.

The Gu family had calculated these two points and laid a deadly trap years in advance, all to completely control the inner quarters of the Earl's mansion and pave the way for them to strip the Earl's family of their power and control the Earl's offspring in the future.

Jiang Wan suddenly recalled the trivial old stories she had overheard from the old lady and Aunt Zhou.

For many years, the second branch of the Gu family has never stopped writing letters to Lu Zhao and Lu Hui to send their greetings.

Lu Zhao, in particular, wrote a letter almost every seven days, each word gentle and caring, each sentence tender and affectionate, seemingly concerned for his maternal grandson and grandparents, and showing concern for the younger generation's daily life and studies.

People praise him for his family values, loyalty, and concern for orphans and children.

Looking back now, it was all a pretense to win people over!

The second branch of the Gu family showed affection and made their presence felt year after year, all in an effort to win over young Lu Zhao's heart.

They waited for Lu Zhao to grow up and take power, and for the Earl's Mansion to have no successor and be in chaos. At that time, they could take advantage of the relationship between the maternal grandfather and close relatives to subtly undermine the Earl's Mansion's power and completely control the inner and outer affairs of the Yongchang Earl's Mansion!

Such meticulous thinking, such insidious scheming.

Through meticulous planning and long-term strategy, they harmed others invisibly and seized power years later.

Jiang Wan sighed softly in her heart.

Despite their meticulous planning and scheming throughout their lives, the Gu family ultimately made a fatal mistake.