When Su Yaoyao arrived at the flower hall, four people were already standing inside with solemn composure.
At the front stood a nanny in her forties, her face upright and serious, her eyes sharp and righteous.
Behind her stood three maids, their posture straight and their presence steady—clearly women who had undergone strict training.
When Su Yaoyao entered, a trace of excitement and pity flashed quickly through the nanny’s eyes before she bowed properly.
“This old servant, Lin, greets the eldest young lady. By order of the Old Madam and Madam, I have come to serve the young lady.”
The three maids followed:
“Your servant Jingzhe / Guyu / Bailu greets Miss.”
Su Yaoyao stepped forward and personally helped the nanny up.
“Please rise, Nanny. How is my grandmother?”
Seeing her so composed and dignified, Nanny Lin showed a hint of surprise and relief in her eyes.
Before coming, the Old Madam had repeatedly warned her that the young lady had been raised timidly and might easily suffer losses.
But the person in front of her had bright eyes and calm bearing—there was not a trace of timidity.
“The Old Madam is well. She simply thinks about you day and night. After receiving your letter and hearing from Miss Chun Tao about the situation in the residence, the Old Madam was both furious and heartbroken. She immediately ordered this servant to bring people here.”
She paused, her tone turning slightly heavier.
“The Old Madam asked me to deliver a message: Miss should have done this long ago. The Grand Tutor’s residence will always be Miss’s support. What belongs to you must not be given away—not even a single coin!”
The words were sincere. Su Yaoyao felt warmth in her heart.
Her maternal family truly cared for her.
“Thank you, Nanny. Now that I’ve awakened, I won’t let anyone bully me again.”
Nanny Lin felt greatly relieved and said seriously,
“These three girls were specially chosen by the Old Madam for Miss. Jingzhe and Guyu know some martial arts, while Bailu is meticulous and understands some medicine. Ordinary dirty tricks won’t escape her notice. With them protecting you, the Old Madam can finally feel at ease.”
She added,
“When this old servant was younger, I served by the Old Madam’s side, managing affairs and handling household matters. I have some experience. If Miss has any orders, this servant will give her life without hesitation.”
These were clearly capable aides.
Su Yaoyao felt moved. The Grand Tutor’s residence was openly declaring that she had strong backing.
Su Yaoyao nodded.
“Since Nanny has arrived, there are indeed a few things I need your help with.”
“Please give your instructions, Miss.”
Su Yaoyao sat down and rested her head on her hand with a troubled expression.
“My body constitution takes after my mother’s. My stomach is weak, and there are certain things I can’t eat… So for my daily meals, I’ll have to trouble Nanny to keep a close eye on things.”
As she spoke, she lightly tapped the table.
Nanny Lin’s heart tightened instantly—she understood at once.
“I understand.”
She already knew this Marquis residence hid many dark secrets, but she hadn’t expected that a wolf had been raised within it.
Su Yaoyao watched Nanny Lin’s expression with satisfaction. As expected from someone from a great household—she understood with just a hint.
From now on, Nanny Lin could ensure her safety and also help investigate what had happened to the original owner’s mother.
Although the Grand Tutor had retired, her uncle and cousin both served in the Court of Judicial Review.
“And another thing,” Su Yaoyao continued.
“Concubine Liu has been ‘safekeeping’ my mother’s dowry for quite some time.”
Nanny Lin’s eyes sharpened.
“Miss intends to…”
“No hurry.” Su Yaoyao smiled.
“My father… cares most about reputation. But he’s also somewhat indecisive. If I ask for it now, at most the concubine will just lose a small piece.”
She idly played with the teacup.
“What I want… is for her to personally return everything my mother left behind—principal and interest included.”
Su Yaoyao’s lips curved into a confident smile.
“And she’ll have to beg me to take it.”
In her previous life, those finance men who liked to boast around her had often bragged about various schemes over drinks. After hearing enough of them, she had picked up a few tricks.
No matter how vicious Concubine Liu was, she was still just a woman of the inner household.
How could she possibly understand something like a carefully laid trap?
Su Yaoyao beckoned Nanny Lin closer and whispered something in her ear.
At first the nanny frowned, but soon her eyes grew brighter. In the end she even smiled faintly.
“Miss has thought this through thoroughly. This servant understands what to do.”
Su Yaoyao lifted her teacup and took a sip, her tone softening.
“Nanny, did my grandmother leave any other instructions?”
Nanny Lin looked at her with a complicated expression and spoke in a low voice.
“The Old Madam said… Her Majesty the Empress’s intentions must already be clear to Miss. However… His Highness the Crown Prince has deep thoughts and dislikes being manipulated. Miss must be… extremely cautious.”
Su Yaoyao smiled slightly.
Cautious?
Of course she would be cautious.
But caution didn’t mean she wouldn’t attack.
“Don’t worry, Nanny,” she said, placing down the teacup. Light shimmered in her eyes.
“At this palace banquet, who is arranging whom… remains to be seen.”
Eastern Palace – Study
The scent of sandalwood drifted through the air.
Xiao Chenyuan sat behind his desk holding a Buddhist scripture, yet he hadn’t turned a single page for quite some time.
His trusted guard Ling Feng stood below him respectfully. After reporting several trivial court matters, he hesitated before speaking.
“Your Highness, there seems to be some movement at the Yongning Marquis residence.”
Xiao Chenyuan raised his eyes calmly.
“Speak.”
The shadow guard lowered his head.
“The eldest daughter of the Su family fell ill recently. After waking… her temperament seems to have changed. People from the Grand Tutor Shen’s residence entered the Marquis estate and went directly to her courtyard. Also, Concubine Liu seems to be secretly contacting a palace eunuch from Noble Consort Chen’s palace.”
Xiao Chenyuan sat behind his desk, turning a string of newly made purple sandalwood prayer beads in his hand.
When he heard the words “Miss Su”, his fingers paused almost imperceptibly.
“And?”
“The Second Prince has been interacting frequently with the Su family’s second young lady recently. Isn’t he afraid of offending the Grand Tutor’s residence?”
Xiao Chenyuan lifted his eyes.
On the desk lay a newly delivered letter.
It had come from the Grand Tutor’s residence.
His mentor, Grand Tutor Shen, had used an unusually personal tone in the letter. He mentioned that his granddaughter had “recently seemed to awaken,” but that her personality was “straightforward,” and if she made any inappropriate remarks or actions during the palace banquet, he hoped His Highness would show some care considering that she had lost her mother at a young age.
Lost her mother at a young age…
Suddenly, a scene from many years ago flashed through Xiao Chenyuan’s mind.
He had been ten years old then, accompanying the Grand Tutor to the Marquis residence.
In the back garden, there was a little girl about five or six years old, delicate as a jade doll, clumsily trying to pick a crabapple fruit from a tree. She stood on tiptoe but still couldn’t reach it.
He happened to pass by and casually picked one for her.
The little girl looked at him with sparkling eyes and said in a soft childish voice:
“Thank you, Crown Prince brother!”
Later the Grand Tutor told him she was his granddaughter—her mother had just passed away.
After that… he occasionally saw her at palace banquets. She always kept her head down, shoulders hunched, following behind his second brother like a flower that had withered before it even bloomed.
He once asked the Grand Tutor about it.
The old man had only sighed and said matters of the inner household were difficult to interfere with.
He hadn’t expected…
“Your Highness,” the attendant said carefully, interrupting his thoughts. “Grand Tutor Shen’s letter…”
Xiao Chenyuan lowered his gaze and looked at the last line of the letter:
“Yaoyao is pure-hearted. If someone deliberately misleads her, she may stray onto the wrong path. I hope Your Highness, for the sake of our teacher-student relationship, will lend her a hand if necessary.”
He remained silent for a long time before slowly folding the letter.
“Tell the Grand Tutor,” he said at last, his voice unreadable.
“I understand.”
After the attendant withdrew, Xiao Chenyuan stood and walked to the window.
Several pear trees grew in the courtyard of the Eastern Palace. It was their flowering season, and white petals drifted down with the wind.
The prayer beads rolled once between his fingers.