“Second Young Madam, Second Young Master said he needs to study, so he won’t be coming.”
Hearing Qiuyue’s voice, Jiang Yunniang still felt dazed. She had truly been reborn!
The bright red wedding characters filled her sight. It should have been a day of joy, yet to Jiang Yunniang, they looked unbearably harsh. When the door creaked open, she lifted her gaze and frowned slightly.
“Second Young Madam, the First Madam sent me to teach you the household rules.”
Nanny Wang, Madam Zhang’s trusted servant, had always looked down on Jiang Yunniang. Her tone was impatient: “The First Madam knows you grew up in the countryside, without manners or refinement. If you aren’t properly taught, who knows how you’ll disgrace yourself later? From now on, you’ll spend your days learning speech and posture with me, and at night you’ll copy *The Rules for Women* and *The Admonitions for Women* ten times each. As for Second Young Master, he must prepare for the palace examination after the New Year. His future depends on his scholarly success. He’ll study in the side courtyard, and only after the exam will the matter of consummation be discussed.” She paused, then pressed her words more firmly: “Our Song family has been a scholarly house for a hundred years. Rules are everything.”
“Is that so?” Jiang Yunniang’s lips curled in mockery.
“How could it not be? What kind of expression is that? Do you mean to defy even the First Madam’s orders?” Nanny Wang’s face darkened.
In her past life, Jiang Yunniang had been moved by her mother‑in‑law’s supposed concern. She had earnestly, clumsily learned the family rules—standing in the courtyard through the bitter winter, hands frostbitten yet still copying texts, ruining her eyesight, destroying her health.
Living again, she now understood: Madam Xu’s intent was never to help her, but to wear her down until she wasted away, leaving room for another.
The Song family looked respectable on the surface, a house of scholars—but beneath, it was rotten to the core: Brothers‑in‑law and sisters‑in‑law committing adultery, men keeping mistresses outside.
Since Heaven had granted her another chance, she would not suffer humiliation again.
“Qiuyue, bring a lantern. Let’s go see these so‑called rules Nanny Wang speaks of.” Jiang Yunniang casually removed the heavy hairpin from her head. Ignoring Nanny Wang’s frozen expression, she strode straight out of the bridal chamber.
Qiuyue, who had come as her dowry maid, had been instructed to guide her mistress in the ways of noble households. But on the very first night of marriage, things were already spiraling out of control. She hurried after her, whispering anxiously, “Second Young Madam, where are you going?”
“You’ll know soon enough.” Jiang Yunniang glanced back, saw Nanny Wang chasing after them, and finally smiled with relief.
The autumn chill had just passed; the night wind cut sharply. Jiang Yunniang walked swiftly to the neighboring courtyard, where lights still burned. She silenced the gatekeeper with a glare.
When Nanny Wang caught up, Jiang Yunniang gestured for her to step forward. Together they stood at the doorway.
Inside came a soft, delicate voice: “Brother‑in‑law, if you treat me like this, how can I ever face my sister? Perhaps I should cut my hair and become a nun.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Your sister is just a rustic peasant woman. I never liked her. I’ll give you a proper place.”
“But Second Young Master, I… I don’t want to be a concubine.” The woman’s voice broke into sobs.
“Don’t worry. My mother dislikes Jiang Yun—”
Before Song Wenling could finish, Nanny Wang coughed sharply, terrified to let him speak further.
“Who’s outside?” Song Wenling barked irritably. Then came a loud *bang*—the door was kicked open.
The two on the bed hadn’t even dressed. Song Wenling, bare‑chested, shouted angrily, “Who is it?” But when he saw Jiang Yunniang in her scarlet wedding gown, he hastily pulled the quilt over the woman beside him.
“Why are you here?” Song Wenling snapped, shame and fury twisting his face. “This is outrageous! Do you have no sense of propriety?”
“Is it I who lacks propriety, or you, Second Young Master? Weren’t you supposed to be studying?” Jiang Yunniang strode forward. Seeing the bulge under the quilt, she reached to pull it away. Song Wenling clutched it tightly, but she only sneered: “Second Young Master, how tender‑hearted you are—still protecting her even now?”
She tugged harder, but Nanny Wang blocked her.
Nanny Wang had never imagined Second Young Madam would storm in to catch adultery—nor that someone would actually be in Second Young Master’s room. That voice earlier had been unmistakable: Jiang Bairou, the false daughter mistakenly raised by the Jiang family. If this scandal erupted, the Song family’s reputation would be ruined.
“Second Young Madam, please calm yourself. Second Young Master often has attendants here. Studying is tiring; he needs someone to serve him. Barging in without a word is truly against the rules.” Lowering her voice, Nanny Wang added, “Think of the Jiang family’s honor. If word spreads, people will call you crude and unruly, tarnishing your family’s name.”
“Oh.” Jiang Yunniang’s tone was careless.“Since you all call me a rustic peasant anyway, one more breach of propriety hardly matters. After all, the Jiang family has two daughters—one is me, and the other…” She deliberately paused, then yanked the quilt away. Seeing Jiang Bairou beneath, she smiled coldly: “So here she is—the good little sister who climbs onto her brother‑in‑law’s bed on her elder sister’s wedding night.”