My Fantastic Chef Wife

328. Empress Dowager Summoned Ye Xiaoxian

Translator: ChowvanLee

This shop not only sold cloth, but also sold ready-made clothes. Ye Xiaoxian came from a modern era and was not used to buying cloth to tailor clothes. So she was picking out among ready-made clothes, and would buy some if she liked them.

When she was ready to check out, she met Madam Li again and other madams.

She rushed over to greet them.

Madam Li and the others were confused when they saw Ye Xiaoxian here.

This shop sold expensive cloth, and their ready-made clothes were even more expensive, equivalent to modern luxury goods, which was not something that ordinary people could afford. Although Xiao Baoshan was called “General Xiao”, his current rank was not high and he didn’t have that much salary.

Therefore, his wife shouldn’t be able to afford the clothes here.

However, Ye Xiaoxian and Jin Xiaoyu had already bought a couple of clothes in their hands, each of which was more than ten taels of silver. They had had a meal at the restaurant, and it would cost at least a hundred taels of silver in total.

One hundred taels of silver was the amount of salary of a fourth rank minister for half a year.

Madam Li said, “Madam Xiao runs up quite a bill and has bought a lot today.”

Ye Xiaoxian said, “Yes, I like these.”

“Madam Xiao usually buys so many clothes?” Madam Li asked in surprise.

“No, it’s just today. I barely go out shopping!” Ye Xiaoxian said.

Ye Xiaoxian got to know the other ladies again and chatted with them for a while. Then she bid them farewell to leave them for going shopping.

…

Ye Xiaoxian was so generous and a few ladies couldn’t help but talk about her again.

“Madam Xiao is so generous. Even we don’t dare to spend so much on food, drink, and clothes. Not to mention there are just two of them. I took a look at what she bought just now. It’s all-new arrived ready-made clothes. I, as the wife of the prefectural magistrate, don’t dare to buy things like this. We would only buy some cloth and then tailor it.”

“It shouldn’t be General Xiao who has given her so much money, right?”

“Of course not. I just saw a banknote. It seems like there is a State Preceptor’s mark on it. General Xiao is a military official. How could he have so much money for her to spend like this?”

“Then it’s State Preceptor?”

“…”

At this point, everyone suddenly showed a smile of “I got it”.

It was said that Madam Xiao was under house arrest, but she could go out shopping with so much money from State Preceptor’s residence. These women all thought she must have an affair with State Preceptor.

‘Her husband is fighting on the front lines, but she is rather close to State Preceptor.’

‘State Preceptor likes Empress Dowager, and Ye Xiaoxian looks like Empress Dowager. When State Preceptor is not in the palace, is she a substitute of Empress Dowager?’

‘Tsk tsk, it’s chaotic just thinking about it.’

The ladies no longer dared to discuss it anymore. They only chatted for a while before leaving.

…

Ye Xiaoxian didn’t know that she was being criticized by others. She got plenty of money on her hand, so she ate and drank whatever she wanted.

After the shopping, Ye Xiaoxian and Jin Xiaoyu went to a teahouse for a few plays. Although they couldn’t understand it, Ye Xiaoxian rewarded the starring actor by throwing silver at him, experiencing the feeling of being a rich person.

They went back until it was dark. After they arrived at State Preceptor’s residence, Ye Xiaoxian lay on the bed and touched her tummy, thinking that it was so good to be a rich man.

Ye Xiaoxian sighed, “Even if I die tomorrow, I have no regrets!”

Jin Xiaoyu said, “Pah! Pah! Pah! We won’t die tomorrow. It seems that we can have fun for a few more days.”

Ye Xiaoxian smiled, “Right, we haven’t worn the newly-bought clothes. How can we die so soon?”

“However, since State Preceptor let us play like this. We can’t live longer.”

“Shut up!”

…

Even though the few ladies stopped talking about the relationship between State Preceptor and Ye Xiaoxian, rumours still spread. Plus, the ladies did talk about it with others before, so the news of Ye Xiaoxian being the lover of State Preceptor spread to the palace. Soon, Empress Dowager heard about it.

When Empress Dowager heard the news, she was furious.

‘Well, no wonder State Preceptor keeps Madam Xiao in his residence. It turned out that he wanted to find a substitute for me to enjoy his free time!’

‘No wonder he looked so happy that day when he told me that Madam Xiao had no red mole on her back.’

‘If Madam Xiao is his daughter, how could they be together?’

Men were all playboys. They would do everything they could to play women.

Empress Dowager really wanted to talk with State Preceptor at the moment and ask him if it was true.

However, if State Preceptor didn’t go into the palace, she didn’t have the right to summon him over. She could only see him secretly when he was in the palace.

Empress Dowager was so irritated. After a while, she thought, ‘I can’t call State Preceptor over but I can summon Madam Xiao over to the palace, right?’

She first called the Empress over and asked the Empress to call Ye Xiaoxian into the palace.

When the Empress heard that Empress Dowager wanted to see Ye Xiaoxian, she couldn’t help but be happy.

‘So Empress Dowager will also be jealous.’

…

After Ye Xiaoxian walked the capital city all round, she thought her days were numbered, but everything remained unchanged.

Wan Shijie was kinder to her, and he even came over to ask if she wanted to continue shopping in the city. State Preceptor could pay for anything she bought.

But Ye Xiaoxian refused.

After all, people had to pay for what they got and it was hard to live a poor life if she had been used to a rich life. She was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to control her desires and would really help State Preceptor persuade Xiao Baoshan, which would ruin Xiao Baoshan in the end.

She and Jin Xiaoyu still stayed at the State Preceptor’s residence and did embroidery.

She didn’t expect that one day, the Empress summoned her to the palace, saying that she wanted to spar with her about cooking skills.

‘Is the Empress of Great Qi Dynasty having so much idle time?’

It was the Empress’s order, so State Preceptor didn’t stop Ye Xiaoxian from going to the palace.

…

Ye Xiaoxian once again entered the palace.

When she arrived at the palace, she was first brought to the Empress. The Empress said that she was inviting Ye Xiaoxian over to spar with her about cooking skills, but after a short while, she said to Ye Xiaoxian, “Madam Xiao, when you were in the palace last time, everyone said that you look like Empress Dowager. She feels you’re predestined friends, so she wants to see you. Follow me and I will take you to meet her.”

Ye Xiaoxian was shocked again, ‘Empress Dowager?’

This time, she not only met the wives of many ministers, but also the Empress, and now she could see Empress Dowager.

Next, would she be able to see the Emperor?

After the Empress said the words, she didn’t care whether Ye Xiaoxian agreed or not, and then she brought Ye Xiaoxian to Empress Dowager’s palace.

Empress Dowager lived a little far away from the Empress, next to the back garden. After all, she was now retired. She didn’t need to deal with national affairs. What she needed to do was to take care of herself.

After sitting in a sedan for more than ten minutes, Ye Xiaoxian followed the Empress to another palace.

It was a very secluded place, and the courtyard was filled with unknown flowers, which were still fragrant even in late fall. The yard was cleaned by servants, and the clothes would not become dirty even if they were dragged to the ground.

Ye Xiaoxian followed the Empress into Empress Dowager’s palace and smelled a kind of fragrance coming from inside.

For some reason, she felt that she had smelled this fragrance before. Was it in her past life or in the original body’s childhood? She didn’t remember anymore.

In front of her was a screen and Ye Xiaoxian saw a vague shadow sitting behind it.

The Empress first bowed. “Mother, the person you want to see is here.”

The person inside heard it but didn’t say anything. Instead, she made a gesture and the screen in the middle was moved away by the servant.

And then, Ye Xiaoxian saw the person inside clearly.

Beautiful indeed.

Although she was Empress Dowager, she was only about forty years old and had been taking good care of her skin. Her fair skin looked delicate and her facial features were finely carved. Ye Xiaoxian could tell that she must be a beauty when she was young. Even now, she was prettier than many young girls.

Ye Xiaoxian vaguely remembered that someone had told her that the current Emperor was as old as Empress Dowager. It meant that she was the Emperor’s stepmother, not his biological mother.

Alas, things related to the Emperor were always messy.

Ye Xiaoxian was lost in her thoughts when the Empress reprimanded her, “You don’t kneel when you see Empress Dowager?”

Ye Xiaoxian knelt down right away.

Then she heard Empress Dowager say, “Raise your head and let me see your face.”

She hurriedly raised her head and confronted Empress Dowager in the eyes.

Empress Dowager looked up and down at Ye Xiaoxian and her eyes were full of disdain. She looked at the Empress and asked, “Empress, everyone says that she looks like me, but why do I not think so?”

The Empress hurriedly said, “At first glance, she looks quite similar to you, but when I stare at her for a long time, I think Madam Xiao is not as graceful and beautiful as you. She is nothing compared to you.”

Empress Dowager added, “Not only figure and appearance, but her temperament also is not like me at all. When I was at her age, I wasn’t as impolite as her.”

“No, I was wrong. Madam Xiao is from the countryside and it is her first time coming to the capital city. She hasn’t seen the world. How could she compare to you, Mother.”

Empress Dowager added, “But you all say we’re similar. The imperial concubines surnamed Zhang, Chen and Li have said we are similar. Even Madam Li, the wife of the prefectural magistrate in the capital city said so. So I think she must have something similar to me. Empress, go where you’re needed. I’ll have a good chat with her. I might be able to find our similarity.”

“Yes!” The Empress glanced at Ye Xiaoxian and wanted to tell her something, but in front of Empress Dowager, she couldn’t say anything. She just gave her a glance and left.

…

After the Empress left, Empress Dowager saw that Ye Xiaoxian was still kneeling on the ground. She ordered the maids beside her, “Why are you all standing there like statues? Go and bring a chair for Madam Xiao.”

The old maid hurriedly asked a maid to move a chair for Ye Xiaoxian.

Ye Xiaoxian sat down.

At this moment, she felt really uncomfortable. She felt like she was being trampled underfoot and despised.

However, there was no other way. She was in a feudal society and Empress Dowager’s status was much higher than hers.

Empress Dowager scanned Ye Xiaoxian up and down and asked, “How old are you?”

“Probably twenty.” Ye Xiaoxian said.

“Probably?” Empress Dowager sneered, “You don’t even know how old you are?”

“My parents passed away early, so they didn’t have the chance to tell me my birth date.” Ye Xiaoxian answered courteously.