My Fantastic Chef Wife

344. Princess Ning Yuan

Translator: ChowvanLee

State Preceptor said, “I’m just feeling unpeaceful. Your Majesty, you know that I’ve been very cautious. I won’t make any conclusion if I’m uncertain.”

Li Chengkun ordered Eunuch Li without hesitation, “Go to the Imperial Hospital and ask who diagnosed Madam Xiao. Call him over.”

Eunuch Li went out and brought the doctor over very soon.

It was the very physician who had checked on Ye Xiaoxian two hours ago.

State Preceptor asked, “You are responsible for the diagnosis of Madam Xiao’s injury. Report the details of her current condition.”

The physician couldn’t figure out what happened so he reported accurately, “Madam Xiao is badly hurt, especially her internal organs. If she doesn’t nurse her health properly, she probably won’t be able to survive this month. Furthermore, she wants to die and is unwilling to have the medicine.”

Li Chengkun didn’t care about this but asked, “That means, she can’t walk?”

“Of course not.” The physician did not dare to look up at the Emperor. He thought, ‘You’re not an idiot, are you? I’ve told you that she is seriously injured, so how could she walk?’

Then, if the Emperor wanted to let her go out of the palace now, she could only be carried out.

If so, Xiao Baoshan would not be satisfied, and the whispering of the people in the city would not fade away.

Li Chengkun knew what to do after figuring things out.

He said to State Preceptor, “State Preceptor, I’m afraid we really have to listen to Empress Dowager this time.”

State Preceptor didn’t reply to the Emperor but asked the physician again, “Is Empress Dowager present when you went to check on Madam Xiao today?”

“Yes, yes.” said the physician.

“What did Empress Dowager look like at that time? Was she sad or angry?”

The physician was stunned. He thought about it carefully and said, “No, Empress Dowager was very calm all the time. She only asked me to try my best to treat her.”

State Preceptor let out a sigh of relief and let the physician leave.

“Why do you care about Empress Dowager’s reaction, State Preceptor?” The Emperor Li Chengkun was confused.

State Preceptor said, “Nothing. I just want to confirm whether Empress Dowager really wants Madam Xiao to be her adopted daughter or she is doing this for our business. Now I’m sure she is the old her and is as indifferent as she used to be. She might really be here for our business.”

Li Chengkun asked again, “Do Madam Xiao and Empress Dowager really look alike?”

“They’re a little alike in spirit.” State Preceptor said.

Li Chengkun said, “Alright, then as Empress Dowager said, I’ll confer her the title of Princess Ning Yuan!”

…

Not long after Empress Dowager returned to her palace, a maid came to report.

“Your Majesty, as expected, State Preceptor asked for the physician!”

Empress Dowager paused before her lips slightly curled.

As she expected, the moment she left, State Preceptor called the physician over right away.

Then the smile died away and a trace of hatred appeared inside her eyes.

‘Humph, I could forgive him no matter how he lies to me on other things, and I’ll do whatever he asks me to do. But on this, I can’t forgive him.’

‘He could even make use of and kill his own daughter. How could I forgive a person like this?’

‘If I hadn’t seen the red mole on the back of Little Ye before it’s too late, I would have been blinded by him until now.’

‘Has he ever loved me? Probably not.’

‘I’ve been expressing my concern for our daughter in front of him. Our daughter is right in front of me and he is actually able to tolerate our daughter being abused, scolded, starved…’

She grasped the armrest of the chair tightly.

The restlessness and uneasiness in his chest dissipated, leaving only hatred.

…

At the gate of the government office of the capital city.

Xiao Baoshan had hit the drum for a long time and someone finally made a response from the government office.

With the decree in hand, Eunuch Li shouted, “The Emperor who according to the God’s order, obeys the heaven’s will and follows the heaven’s arrangement issue this imperial edict: Ye Xiaoxian, Assistant Minister Xiao’s wife, is virtuous, modest, sensible as well as a talented chef. Also, Empress Dowager adores her… From this day forward, Ye Xiaoxian will be Empress Dowager’s adopted daughter, in the title of Princess Ning Yuan…”

Outside the government office, the crowd was stunned.

‘Empress Dowager’s adopted daughter?’

‘That means that Madam Xiao becomes the Emperor’s sister? Her title now is as privileged as a second rank minister, and the ministers below her rank have to bow to her when they see her.’

‘In other words, the Emperor did not punish Madam Xiao. Instead, he even recognized Madam Xiao as his sister.’

‘Empress Dowager might really pity and like Madam Xiao, so she kept her in the palace.’

‘Or maybe Madam Xiao likes the luxurious life in the palace and she doesn’t want to leave.’

However, some people thought something might have happened to Madam Xiao.

In short, everyone had to wait.

Xiao Baoshan was beating the drum and at the moment he heard such a message.

He knew Little Ye wasn’t that sort of person who was longing for luxury. She must have been detained.

After Eunuch Li finished reading the decree, he said to Xiao Baoshan, “Assistant Minister Xiao, you should go back now. Madam Xiao is good in the palace, so you don’t need to worry too much. She is currently in Empress Dowager’s Palace. Empress Dowager has recently been feeling unwell, and your wife is good at cooking, so Empress Dowager let her stay. As it will make things difficult for you, the Emperor especially titles your wife as the Princess to comfort you. This brings honor to your ancestors and it can be written on your genealogical record.”

Xiao Baoshan was at a loss at that moment.

Eunuch Li left after finishing reading the decree.

Xiao Baoshan walked towards his manor in a daze.

The people next to him started to whisper.

“Assistant Minister Xiao treats his wife very well.”

“That’s right. But you have to abide by the rules in the Palace. Did you hear it just now? It’s Empress Dowager who wants Madam Xiao to cook medicinal cuisines for her in the palace.”

“But, they couldn’t let them see each other for once?”

“Maybe Empress Dowager is really unwell? Alas.”

“Let’s wait and see when Madam Xiao will get out of the palace.”

“…”

…

Once again, Ye Xiaoxian woke up and found a few more maids waiting around her.

Someone rubbed her back. Some massaged her. Some gently turned her over and after a while made her stomach on the bed. They were probably worried that her body would go numb after maintaining the same position for a long time.

It seemed a little different from what she had been treated.

‘Could it be that Empress Dowager saves me and plans to kill me again?’

An old maid saw her eyes open and asked at once, “Princess, are you awake? How do you feel?”

‘Princess?’

Ye Xiaoxian’s first thought was, ‘Have I transmigrated to another world again?’

‘No, it can’t be. It’s not a book about transmigrating among different worlds. How can I transmigrate non-stop?’

The old maid said, “You are not only Madam Xiao, but also Princess Ning Yuan now. It is Empress Dowager who asks the title for you. Empress Dowager let you rest and recuperate at ease here. When you recover, you can go home for your husband.”

Ye Xiaoxian was startled, ‘Am I dreaming?’

‘Since when does Empress Dowager become so kind? And why do I become the Princess?’

‘But could I really see Xiao Baoshan?’

Someone was rubbing cool ointment on her wound and she felt comfortable.

‘Have they changed the ointment?’

The old maid said, “This is a special ointment prepared by the Imperial Physician, made of precious medicinal materials and dews. You’ll recover quickly with this. Princess, after this, you still need to drink some medicine, which is also precious, so you can’t spit it out anymore, or you won’t be able to see your husband.”

Ye Xiaoxian still felt like she was dreaming.