The First Prince was the empress’s only child, so she naturally missed him a lot.
Unfortunately, he refused to send a letter over the years.
The empress could only know from the letters sent by the soldiers from the borders that he had transformed into an outstanding and tenacious person.
While Noble Consort Qiao and the empress were talking, Gu Nuo’er stood up and ran out quietly on her short legs.
She wanted to eat pastries!
Sweet pastries that would dissolve in her mouth.
Just now, Noble Consort Qiao had asked Cailuan to go prepare some, but she did not bring it over even after so long. The child was already getting anxious from the wait.
“Pastries~ Where are Nuonuo’s pastries~” Gu Nuo’er’s small body swayed and she walked toward the side hall.
The empress had her own small kitchen that was behind the side hall.
As the empress was especially benevolent, the palace maids in Fengyi Palace would usually slip out to play whenever they had the chance to.
They didn’t keep watch in the palace.
Therefore, Gu Nuo’er passed through the spacious side hall and arrived at the backyard by herself.
This place was well kept and the door to the small kitchen closed tightly.
Gu Nuo’er hastened her small footsteps and ran to push open the door. “Want to eat pastries~”
However, the instant she pushed open the door, she saw someone dressed like a palace maid adding something to the teapot.
The palace maid did not expect someone to suddenly barge in. The teapot in her hand immediately fell to the ground and shattered!
Gu Nuo’er fluttered her long eyelashes and looked at the broken porcelain on the ground as well as the steaming tea.
She looked up and locked her innocent gaze on the palace maid.
This was not Cailuan, but the empress’s other personal maidservant, Qinghe.
When Qinghe recognized the youngest princess, her eyes were filled with panic. However, she pretended to be calm and asked, “Your Highness, why are you here? Is it that Her Majesty and Her Highness have orders for this servant?”
Gu Nuo’er looked at her for a while and said in a soft tone, “Palace maid older sister, Nuonuo wants to eat sweet pastries~”
Qinghe forced a smile and said, “This servant is almost ready with the preparations. Little Princess, you can return to the hall and wait for this servant there.
“Princess, about the matter that this servant is clumsy and broke a teapot…
“Please don’t bring this up to Noble Consort Qiao. Otherwise, this servant would have to get a scolding and won’t be able to prepare pastries for you then. Is that alright?”
Gu Nuo’er nodded docilely. She then put out one hand and shook it to gesture goodbye.
“I won’t say that you broke the teapot. You’ll have to hurry up okay?”
After saying that, the child turned and ran far away.
Qinghe heaved a sigh of relief. Her heart was still beating fast.
Cailuan heard the commotion. She walked quickly and had just arrived at the door when she saw the back view of Gu Nuo’er running away.
She was stunned and asked Qinghe, “What did Her Highness see?”
Qinghe was enraged. “It’s all your fault. Didn’t I tell you to keep watch at the door? Where did you go running off to goof off? Thank goodness the princess came alone herself.
“She’s only three years old and still doesn’t know what we’re doing. If it was Wanyin or Wanxuan who had come, the two of us would be in trouble!”
Cailuan explained, “I was slapped by the noble consort earlier at her place and my face feels prickly from the pain. Therefore, I went back to my room to get some ointment.
“But there’s no need to worry. The princess is only three years old and still doesn’t know anything. Hurry up and prepare the tea. I’ll bring it over to Her Majesty!”
Gu Nuo’er ran back to the main hall, a hint of intelligence flashing on her fair and chubby little face.
“Mother, Mother!” Gu Nuo’er grabbed onto Noble Consort Qiao’s sleeve with her small hand, tiptoed, covering her mouth.
She spoke next to Noble Consort Qiao’s ears. “Just now, Nuonuo saw a palace maid older sister putting something in Empress Mother’s teapot!
“When she saw Nuonuo, she was so scared that she dropped the teapot! Mother, that palace maid older sister must be a big baddie!”
