Chapter 567 The Emperor's Grandfather, Who Changes His Mind Quickly
Seeing that the Emperor's expression was off, Consort Zhang asked tentatively in a low voice, "Your Majesty, what's wrong?"
The emperor, expressionless, picked up the teacup beside him and drank it down in one gulp, his face growing increasingly grim.
What kind of pastry is this?
Lady Zhang panicked and knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, this is the finest mint pastry from Jinzhou."
The emperor took a few more sips of water, glanced at her coldly, and said, "Don't bring such disgusting food next time. My palace doesn't need your meager meals."
Lady Zhang knelt down and bowed her head, her originally charming face turning deathly pale, and her hands trembling slightly. "Yes, Your Majesty, I will not dare to do it again."
The Emperor ignored her and immediately summoned the palace maids and eunuchs, ordering them to quickly bring up the food prepared by the imperial kitchen.
Little Mianmian sat quietly to the side, watching the show without saying a word.
The emperor even showed a look of guilt on his face. "Mianmian, I called you here for breakfast, but I didn't expect to encounter such a thing. Tell me what you want to eat, and I will have the imperial kitchen prepare it."
Little Mianmian smiled and shook her head, saying in a sweet voice that she wasn't hungry.
The more the emperor saw how sensible Xiao Mianmian was, the more disgusted he became with Consort Zhang. He waved his hand and said sternly to her, "This is none of your business. Take your things and leave now."
Consort Zhang was still kneeling on the ground when she heard the Emperor's words. She quickly got up and asked the maid beside her to hurriedly clear away the food on the table.
Little Mianmian lowered her eyes and said to the emperor, "Grandpa Emperor, when I came in just now, Consort Zhang said that I hadn't tried the pastries she brought before, and I was just about to try them. Why are they all being taken away, and even Consort Zhang has to leave?"
There was a hint of grievance in her words.
The emperor was a shrewd man and naturally understood the mockery Zhang Meiren was making towards Xiao Mianmian. Suddenly, he called out to Zhang Meiren, "Wait a minute."
Consort Zhang turned and bowed to the emperor, saying, "Your Majesty."
The emperor pointed to the pastries that were about to be cleared away and said coldly, "I have heard that the mint pastries from Jinzhou are very precious. It would be a pity to clear them away like this. Why don't you eat them here before you leave, my beauty?"
Lady Zhang knew that this was the emperor's displeasure with her. Thinking that it was just a few pastries, she did not object and obediently replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
As she finished speaking, she took out a pastry from the food box and took a bite.
Before she could even swallow that bite, Zhang Meiren's face turned green.
The originally sweet and delicious mint crisps had a sour taste, and eating them felt like chewing rotten meat.
She almost vomited, and immediately understood why the Emperor was so angry. She quickly knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I tasted the pastries when I came, and they didn't taste like this. There must have been a problem on the way here."
"Your Majesty, I did not intend to offend you."
The emperor's face darkened; he didn't want to look at her at all. "Hmm, leave after you finish eating."
His tone was calm, seemingly without intending to blame Zhang Meiren, but his gradually cooling gaze had already sealed her fate.
The concubines in the palace feared nothing more than losing favor with the emperor.
Lady Zhang arrived late and was unaware of the Emperor's true nature. Having gained his favor, she became increasingly arrogant, even disregarding the Crown Princess and the Imperial Grandson.
Before she arrived, she was still having a dream in early autumn, imagining that she would give birth to a prince and become the Empress Dowager in the future.
However, she did not know that the emperor's favor would fade even faster than fireworks, and that a mere spoiled pastry could cause her to fall from a great height.
Tears streaming down her face, Zhang Meiren ate the smelly pastries in her hand. Every few bites she felt nauseous, but she endured it to save her life.
Finally, he left, pale and with tears streaming down his face, looking utterly dejected.
Little Mianmian saw everything and glanced sideways at her grandfather, who had always been kind to her.
A look of unprecedented shock flashed across her fair face, as if the emperor's current kindness to her would vanish in an instant, just like that.
At this moment, little Mianmian gradually understood why her parents always seemed distant from this imperial grandfather.
That was originally the reason.
Not long after Consort Zhang left, the palace maids brought out new dishes.
The emperor smiled and served food to Xiao Mianmian, as if afraid she wouldn't have enough to eat.
Little Mianmian's complexion changed quickly; it was a little pale before, but now her face was flushed as she ate, and her repeated calls of "Grandpa Emperor" made the Emperor laugh heartily.
Although the emperor was ruthless, he was still a human being, and humans are driven by emotions.
Whether it's the love between a man and a woman, the love between a father and son, or the love between a grandfather and grandson, it's all love.
Don't underestimate Xiao Mianmian just because she's tiny; she knows this stuff inside and out.
Before long, Xiao Mianmian's status in the palace gradually rose to second only to the emperor. Whatever she wanted, the emperor would give it to her, and no concubine as bold as Consort Zhang appeared in the palace again.
On the contrary, many people have emerged who try to curry favor with the government.
These people fawned over Du Wanchun.
Just a month ago, they looked down on this merchant woman who had followed the Crown Prince from a small village to the palace. Now, they wish they could be waiting for Du Wanchun at the gate of the East Palace every day.
Du Wanchun originally wanted to go out of the palace, but later found it troublesome and decided to take care of Feifei and Zhouzhou in her own palace for the time being.
Surrounded by a group of eunuchs and palace maids, Xiao Mianmian played around the palace every day, enjoying a more prestigious life than her two older brothers.
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