"Madam, this old servant has returned to report." Nanny Li had come back from her task, followed by two young lads carrying a heavy chest. Upon seeing Yun Zheng, all three of them hurried to bow in greeting. Yun Zheng passed the infant in his arms to his wife and waved the young men away. His gaze settled on the redwood chest resting on the floor. "What is this?" he asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice. "Husband, there is something I haven't had a chance to tell you." Lady Su recounted the story of catching Qiao Manrou stealing her bodice, concealing only the part about the premonition she’d received from her daughter’s inner voice. "My cousin was being secretive. She deliberately took the bodice my mother gave me for my coming-of-age ceremony—the one embroidered with my maiden name." "So, I suspected she harbored ill intentions. I’ve had her confined for questioning." "And since her hands clearly weren't clean, I had Nanny Li search her room to see if she had taken anything else of importance while my back was turned." [Mother did the right thing.] "Madam did the right thing." The two sentences echoed in perfect unison, startling Lady Su. She glanced from Yun Zheng to the baby in her arms. It was true—father and daughter had said the exact same thing. [Huh, Dad totally read my mind. What amazing synergy. He really is my dad.] Receiving his daughter’s silent approval, Yun Zheng’s lips curved into a faint smile, briefly dispelling the heavy gloom that had settled in his heart. His voice was calm as he spoke again. "That Qiao Manrou. I've always thought she was full of mischief. She is indeed in need of a thorough 'interrogation'. Why don't you hand her over to me? I guarantee I’ll make her talk." It was as if fate had offered him a pillow just as he was growing weary. He had been looking for a reason to deal with the woman, and now she had fallen right into his wife’s hands. Why should he hold back any longer? He might as well use this opportunity to expel the woman from the mansion and prevent any future trouble. [Exactly! Dad is right, that woman is definitely wicked.] Su Mengyao eagerly agreed in her heart. "There's no rush," Lady Su said, her voice soothing. "She's already confined. She can't escape." As father and daughter put on their harmonious performance, Lady Su couldn't help but laugh. After calming them both, she shot a look at Nanny Li, inquiring about what she had found. Nanny Li immediately opened the chest on the floor, revealing a glittering trove of gold, silver, jade, and jewelry. "By your order, Madam, this is what this old servant gathered from the rooms of Mrs. Qiao and the young lady. Please, Duke, Madam, have a look." This much? Lady Su’s lips parted in astonishment. That mother-daughter pair was always crying poverty to her, and out of compassion, she often sent them jewelry. But she had never given them this much. To think that Qiao Manrou had amassed such wealth from the Duke An's Mansion right under her nose. The greed was astounding. Even Yun Zheng was taken aback. [Wow, that’s so much money! It’s so shiny, it makes me happy just looking at it. If it were all mine, that would be even better. I want it, I want it!] Su Mengyao tilted her head, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at the box full of gleaming jewels, a string of drool nearly escaping her lips. Her parents watched her, finding her little display deeply amusing. They never expected their infant daughter to be such a little miser. Yun Zheng cleared his throat. "I haven't prepared a meeting gift for Xiao Si yet. How about this? We’ll take all the gold and silver and have it sent to the goldsmith to be made into jewelry and longevity locks for her. The rest we can set aside for now." [Oh my, Xiao Si is me! Wow, Dad wants to give me all the gold and silver? I have to say, Dad, you really get me. I love you, I love you! I love my dad the most!] The thought that his daughter loved him most made Yun Zheng’s smile deepen, his mood instantly soaring. But Lady Su shot him a resentful look. This man managed to please their daughter so precisely with just a few words, and earlier he had even echoed her thoughts. Was it really just a father-daughter rapport? "The rest should be given to Xiao Si as well. It seems she's quite fond of these things, isn't that right, Xiao Si?" Lady Su laughed softly as she tapped her daughter's soft cheek, teasing her. Su Mengyao wanted desperately to nod, but alas, her bones were still too soft for her to manage the motion. "Yiya~" She blew a little bubble, trying her best to smile as she reached out a tiny hand to grasp Lady Su’s slender, jade-like finger. [Yes, yes, I like it! Give it all to me! Mother is the best, number one in the whole world. I love my beautiful Mother the most!] Lady Su was utterly charmed. "Oh, Xiao Si grasped my finger! And she's smiling at me. My Xiao Si is truly a blessed child, knowing how to smile right from birth." The scene made Yun Zheng quite envious. He wanted to offer his own finger for the baby to hold, but seeing how delicate Lady Su’s were—and what a challenge they already were for their daughter's tiny grasp—he glanced down at his own thick, calloused hands and sighed. Better not. The baby’s skin was too tender. His rough fingers would only hurt her. "Duke, Madam, this old servant also discovered these in Mrs. Qiao’s room..." Nanny Li, her expression grave, presented a small stack of letters. Yun Zheng raised an eyebrow and took them. After a cursory glance, he nearly fainted on the spot from sheer rage. The letters, save for one signed with Lady Su's name, were all replies from Shen Zixuan. They were filled with cloying sentiment and veiled flirtations, dripping with agonizing longing. [Wow, Nanny is so reliable. She even found the letters between Qiao Manrou and Shen Zixuan, written under my mother's name. She must have searched very thoroughly. She really met my expectations.] [Dad is so wise. Now that he’s seen these letters, he’ll surely handle the hidden dangers that come with them.] [Ugh, my tummy is suddenly so hungry. That wet nurse is so unprofessional. Why isn't she here to feed me yet? Maybe I should cry a little to give Mother a hint?] The thought had barely finished forming when, before Lady Su could react, the wet nurse arrived, announcing that it was time for the young lady’s feeding. Su Mengyao was overjoyed. [Oh, the wet nurse is right on time! I guess I misjudged her. She’s a true professional. My mistake.] Lady Su was amused by her daughter's fickle thoughts. Laughing, she handed the infant to the wet nurse, reminding her to use a spoon for the feeding. Su Mengyao was even happier. [See? No one understands a daughter like her mother. Only Mother gets me. I’ll always love my Mother.] Yun Zheng fell silent. The one who understood her most was clearly him, wasn't it? He was the one who could hear her innermost thoughts. "Husband, what are in those letters? Let me see." Once Su Mengyao was carried away, Lady Su’s gaze fell on the papers in Yun Zheng’s hands. She feigned ignorance, her voice full of curiosity. She wanted to see for herself how her cousin had been corresponding with Shen Zixuan under her name. "Ah, Madam, they are… unsightly things. There's no need for you to look. They would only dirty your eyes." Yun Zheng’s expression stiffened as he quickly tucked the letters away.

Chapter 4: A Daughter's Inner Voice