Why would you ask that tonight?

Granny Xing smiled and said, "Lord Zhuang, you don't know this, but the Crown Princess can only eat a few bites of these exquisite dishes and snacks. She can't eat anything else. So she wanted to give this cook a bigger reward. Was it Granny Xu who made these tonight?"

The opportunity I've been waiting for has finally arrived.

Zhuang Xin was extremely excited.

Mi Rao once told him that she would secretly develop new dishes and present them to Ye Qingxue to win Ye Qingxue's favor. She would then say that she made all the dishes, so that Ye Qingxue could see her goodness and would no longer misunderstand her.

Zhuang Xin immediately knelt down and said, "Your Highness, I lied to you. The dishes and snacks we've been cooking lately have all been made by Mi Rao. She's really talented in cooking and making snacks."

"She didn't let her subordinates say it outright because she was afraid of being rejected by you. She is truly wholeheartedly dedicated to cooking and making desserts for you and His Highness the Crown Prince. She has put in a lot of effort during this time, and hopes that the Crown Princess can accept her!"

"She only wants to do her job well in the Crown Prince's residence and has absolutely no intention of coveting His Highness the Crown Prince! The meals and snacks she has provided during this period are her way of showing her sincerity to the Crown Princess!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingxue remained calm and composed: "I don't quite understand what Lord Zhuang means. When have I ever been unable to tolerate Mi Rao?"

Zhuang Xin suddenly looked up at her. That made sense. How could the Crown Princess admit that she couldn't tolerate Mi Rao?

His anger surged, almost uncontrollable, and he blurted out, "There were rumors circulating recently that His Highness the Crown Prince wanted to take Mi Rao as his concubine. The Crown Princess first slapped her, then gave her a potion to prevent her from having children..."

“Mi Rao had nowhere to go after leaving the Crown Prince’s residence. She was all alone. Although she knew that the Crown Princess would not tolerate her, she still wanted to try her best to gain the Crown Princess’s approval and continue to work in the Crown Prince’s residence!”

"So they secretly racked their brains to develop many new dishes for the Crown Princess and His Highness the Crown Prince!"

He vented his anger, but afterward, Zhuang Xin began to regret it. His words were so blunt, and he had offended Ye Qingxue in this way. Mi Rao would definitely have even less chance of staying in the Crown Prince's residence in the future.

Will Mi Rao resent him for this?

Forget it, no matter what she does, the Crown Princess will never tolerate Mi Rao. Mi Rao might as well leave and live elsewhere, lest she be plotted against and lose her life in the Crown Prince's residence!

Ye Qingxue slowly stood up and looked at him: "What if I said that I never slapped her or gave her any infertility-inducing medicine?"

Zhuang Xin, his face flushed and neck thick with anger, said, "You are the Crown Princess, and His Highness the Crown Prince protects you. If you don't acknowledge it, who can do anything to you? It's just that Mi Rao is foolish. She was almost killed by your schemes, yet she still wants your approval. She's too stupid!!"

Ye Qingxue snorted coldly, her voice as clear and cold as snow, carrying a hint of mockery: "Before the Crown Prince was deposed, Lord Zhuang followed him closely and was deeply devoted to him. The Crown Prince and I both respected Lord Zhuang. Who would have thought that Lord Zhuang was such a fool who only believed one side of the story? How could he live up to the Crown Prince's trust in you!"

Zhuang Xin froze, feeling a deep sense of humiliation.

"I once respected and appreciated the Crown Princess very much, but I never expected that after you became the Crown Princess, you would be so petty and narrow-minded, unable to tolerate even a poor and lonely cook, and trying to kill her at every turn!"

"Who put whom to death? Lord Zhuang, have you seen it clearly?" Ye Qingxue said, "Granny Xing, test for poison!"

Granny Xing immediately took out the silver needles used for testing for poison.

Zhuang Xin's eyes reddened with anger. He stood up abruptly, unable to contain his rage, and sneered, "The food my subordinates bring every day has been tested for poison, and you and His Highness the Crown Prince have eaten it for many days without any problems. Could tonight's supper be poisoned? The Crown Princess cannot take Mi Rao's good intentions for granted—"

The silver needle in Granny Xing's hand turned black.

Zhuang Xin stopped speaking, his expression changing drastically: "This is impossible!"

Granny Xing changed her silver needles again and checked all the midnight snacks; they were all black.

Granny Xing said, "Mi Rao thought our Crown Princess was suffering from severe acid reflux and was in poor spirits. In our panic, we didn't conduct a poison test tonight, so... Now, Lord Zhuang has seen the results!"

"No, I don't believe it!" Zhuang Xin rushed forward to check for himself, only to find that not a single silver needle had changed color.

"Crown Princess, you poisoned these foods to frame Mi Rao, didn't you!" Zhuang Xin shouted. It must be so!

Ye Qingxue laughed in anger. The truth was right in front of him, but he still didn't believe it. "Where's Mi Rao? Just call her over to confront me."

"She's just a lowly cook. How dare she argue with the Crown Princess? Does the Crown Princess want to bully her with her power?"

Ye Qingxue was speechless. She took a deep breath and said, "In that case, let's go to the Crown Prince's study now and see what Mi Rao, whom you trust so much, is doing!"