My Fantastic Chef Wife

326. The Red Mole

Translator: ChowvanLee

Later, the child was born. But at that time, State Preceptor had to offer Empress Dowager to the Emperor, so the existence of the child became a problem.

He would never let the child, who could be used against him, stay in the capital city.

He had even considered choking the child to death and throw its body to an unknown place. However, he was afraid that Empress Dowager would ask the whereabouts of the child in the future, and he couldn’t tell the truth.

So he sent the child to a human trafficker.

He didn’t care where the child would go in the end. It was best that the child never appeared in front of him again.

State Preceptor took another sip of tea and thought, ‘If Ye Xiaoxian is really the child from back then, how should I deal with her?’

Actually, Empress Dowager was right. He had many children and Ye Xiaoxian was only one more for him. It wouldn’t hurt if he had one more or one less. Even if Ye Xiaoxian was really his biological daughter, he wouldn’t love her more. He would at most be guilty.

Besides, they hadn’t known each other for so many years and how close their relations could be?

He hoped that Ye Xiaoxian would not be his biological child so he could use Ye Xiaoxian to curb Xiao Baoshan without guilt.

At best, he would compensate Ye Xiaoxian more. If Xiao Baoshan gave up on her, State Preceptor might not kill her but he wouldn’t let her go out of the residence.

At this moment, State Preceptor called Wan Shijie over and told him, “Go and tell the old maid of Madam Xiao. Let her check if Madam Xiao has a red mole on her back. If there is, come and tell me.”

Wan Shijie felt a bit strange. ‘Why does he suddenly want to check the red mole?’

But since it was State Preceptor’s command, he could only do it.

“Wait!” Wan Shijie was about to leave when State Preceptor called him back. “Don’t tell anyone about this. Let the old maid be more cautious. If Madam Xiao has a red mole on her back, then kill the old maid.”

Wan Shijie quickly replied, “Yes, my Lord.”

…

After Ye Xiaoxian attended the banquet in the palace, she returned and told Jin Xiaoyu about what happened that night.

When she heard that Ye Xiaoxian looked like Empress Dowager, she was also surprised. She even joked, “Can’t you really be her biological daughter, right?”

Ye Xiaoxian said, “How is that possible? She is Empress Dowager!”

Ye Xiaoxian had seen a lot of costume dramas. Those who could be Empress Dowager had to be selected by the loyal families first. They were from ministers’ family and had clean backgrounds. A loyal family would not choose a woman who had given birth to a child for the Emperor.

Therefore, she did not believe that Empress Dowager would have anything to do with her.

…

This night, Ye Xiaoxian asked the old maid to prepare hot water again. She was going to take a bath.

It was particularly inconvenient to take a bath in the Tianshan tribe, so after living in State Preceptor’s residence, Ye Xiaoxian would take a bath almost every night. The servants here were very considerate. They would not only give her a hot bath, but also offer her a whole set of maintenance. On Day One Ye Xiaoxian could bath among rose petals and orchid petals for Day Two.

Jin Xiaoyu could not stand Ye Xiaoxian and said that she was exaggerated. But Ye Xiaoxian didn’t care. She thought that since so many people were at her service, then she had to find them some work. Otherwise, they would lose their jobs.

At night, Ye Xiaoxian was about to take a bath again.

In the past, before she took a bath, she would ask her servants to leave, because she wasn’t used to be naked in front of other people.

But this night, the old maid didn’t leave. Instead, she said to Ye Xiaoxian, “Why not let me serve you, Madam Xiao?”

Ye Xiaoxian said, “No, I’ll call you after I’m done.”

The old maid didn’t move and stared at Ye Xiaoxian taking off her clothes.

Ye Xiaoxian laughed, “How can I take a bath when you look at me like this?”

The old maid said respectfully, “It’s my duty to serve you when you’re taking a bath, Madam Xiao. It is set by the residence. I didn’t do my best in the past few days, so now I have to serve you well.”

“No, I really don’t need it.” Ye Xiaoxian insisted on chasing her out.

The old maid had no choice but to go out.

Ye Xiaoxian took off her clothes and dropped into the bucket.

‘It’s so comfortable. The water temperature is just good, and the water is sprinkled with rose petals and special essential oil. I’ll smell good.’

Ye Xiaoxian was enjoying her time when the door opened again. The old maid came in again. Ye Xiaoxian was shocked.

“Why do you come in again?” Ye Xiaoxian asked.

The old maid looked upset. “I just went out and was blamed by Commander Wan for not serving you well.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Ye Xiaoxian asked, “A man care about what a woman does when she’s having a bath?”

“It’s not about you, Madam Xiao. He thinks that we’re resting outside. How about… let me stay in this room? I won’t look at you.”

Ye Xiaoxian felt a little unhappy.

However, since the old maid had said that she would be punished if she went out, Ye Xiaoxian wouldn’t let her go out. Ye Xiaoxian tried to ignore her.

The old maid said that she wouldn’t watch Ye Xiaoxian, but when Ye Xiaoxian glanced at her, she found that the old maid had been staring at her. After being discovered, the old maid quickly turned her face over.

Ye Xiaoxian felt weird.

This time, Ye Xiaoxian couldn’t enjoy herself in the bath. After a while, she stood to her feet to put on her clothes and the old maid immediately went to support her.

Ye Xiaoxian was not used to being supported by others. She put her hands on her private parts and said to the old maid, “Turn around and I’ll do it myself.”

The old maid turned around and Ye Xiaoxian stared at her. When she made sure that the old maid was not peeping at her, she relaxed and stepped out of the bucket to dry herself.

When Ye Xiaoxian wiped the dewdrops off her body and turned around, she found that the old maid was still staring at her back.

She yanked her clothes and put them on. Then she yelled at the old maid, “I told you not to look at me! Why are you still watching?”

The old maid hurriedly apologized to Little Ye but did nothing else.

As soon as Ye Xiaoxian dressed up, the old maid rushed out and let other maids come in to clean up.

The old maid didn’t appear again.

Ye Xiaoxian felt that the old maid was strange, as if she was planning something or had some hidden conspiracy.

This reminded her of the feeling when she was in the palace the first day. She felt that everyone around her knew something and knew how to treat her, but she was in a daze.

If they were in modern times, she would suspect that the old maid had secretly taken photos of her taking a bath and sold them to others.

But there were no cameras in this era.

After Ye Xiaoxian took a bath, she told Jin Xiaoyu about it.

Jin Xiaoyu asked, “Could it be that she heard that you look like Empress Dowager, so she want to see if you have any mark? Maybe you are truly Empress Dowager’s biological daughter or her long-lost sister.”

Ye Xiaoxian thought for a moment and said, “Maybe. It is said that I was brought to Qinghe County by a human trafficker. I don’t know who my biological parents are. It is possible that I’m really Empress Dowager’s relative.”

Jin Xiaoyu was excited. “If you are really Empress Dowager’s relative, then can we get rid of the house arrest here? You can beg Empress Dowager to let off us.”

Ye Xiaoxian tried to wake up Jin Xiaoyu. “How can such a good thing fall upon us?”

“What if something like this really happens?”

“Then I’m looking forward to it.”

“Maybe, tomorrow Empress Dowager will call you into the palace. Then she will excitedly hold your hands and say, ‘Little Ye, do you know who I am? I am your biological sister.’ It could be your biological aunt or biological mother.”

Ye Xiaoxian laughed.

…

However, the following days were quiet and no one called Ye Xiaoxian into the palace.

The old maid who had been serving her had gone nowhere, and she had never seen her again. Ye Xiaoxian asked the other maids but they all didn’t know her whereabouts and had not seen her for several days.

Ye Xiaoxian felt strange but she couldn’t figure it out.

In the end, she came to a conclusion. ‘I’m obviously not suitable for schemes. Fortunately, I’m a farmer, if I’m an imperial concubine, I would be dead in no time.’

…

State Preceptor went into the palace again. As soon as Empress Dowager saw him, she asked, “How is it? Is there a red mole on Madam Xiao’s back?”

State Preceptor said confidently, “No, I sent two people to check. There’s no red mole on her back. It’s all a coincidence. I’ve told you long ago that our daughter is probably dead.”

Empress Dowager was looking forward to the news every day that State Preceptor would bring her back. She couldn’t believe what she heard.

She couldn’t help but cry again.

It seemed that God was punishing her for having harmed many people over the years, so she couldn’t find her daughter and would die alone in this gorgeous palace.

Empress Dowager was devastated. State Preceptor quickly comforted her, “Don’t be too sad. Maybe our daughter isn’t dead and she’s still alive and we just haven’t found her for the time being.”

“Then, where is she now?” Empress Dowager wiped her tears, “Why can’t I find her for so many years?”

State Preceptor sighed. “How about this, I’ll send some more people to look for her. I’ll definitely find her, okay?”

Empress Dowager sat weakly on the chair, looking very disappointed. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to find her in my lifetime.”

Looking at Empress Dowager’s sad expression, State Preceptor felt sympathetic to her, so he sat down and comforted her sincerely, “Alright, don’t be sad anymore. How about this? Since you like girls so much, you… you can adopt one from other imperial concubines or chat with new imperial concubines more. You won’t be lonely in this way.”

“How can those people compare to my own daughter?” Empress Dowager asked.

“Then… well, then I really don’t know what to do. It’s all my fault for this. If I had taken care of her back then, you won’t be so sad.”

“…”

…

Ye Xiaoxian embroidered another pouch and this time it looked a little more delicate.

It was noon. Her belly was growling and she was about to call someone to bring food to her.

But at this time, Wan Shijie came and said, “Madam Xiao, State Preceptor asked you to have lunch at his place. He will treat you this time.”

“State Preceptor treats me?”

“Yes.”

Ye Xiaoxian smiled. State Preceptor, who was crafty, would not be so kind to her for no reason. Maybe Baoshan had some news. State Preceptor was going to guide her to the next move.