My Fantastic Chef Wife

376. Split Up

Translator: Kickassjo

“He trusts you and wants to hear your advice,” Ye Xiaoxian said.

Xiao Baoshan asked again, “What do you think I should handle this then?”

“Didn’t you just say that you would take him to a mountain villa where he can grow old or keep him in a prison?” Ye Xiaoxian asked.

“If it’s that simple, why hasn’t the Seventh King done it himself?” Xiao Baoshan asked again.

Ye Xiaoxian was stunned and felt that this matter was complicated.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t guess the mind of the people in power, it was just that she didn’t dare to guess.

Li Chengkun was once the Emperor. If he was alive safely, he would definitely be used as a example.

The only ending for him was…

Xiao Baoshan touched Ye Xiaoxian’s head and said, “I will leave Capital City for two days next. Take care of the family for me.”

Ye Xiaoxian didn’t know what Xiao Baoshan was going to do but she believed that Xiao Baoshan would handle it properly.

Besides, it wasn’t good for her to know so many things. Now that so many things have changed in her family, she couldn’t be able to help much. She had better pretend not knowing anything and just focus on taking care of her family.

……

Every wealthy and influetial family had a mother who was in charge.

Ye Xiaoxian was the mother in charge of the Xiao family.

For now, the family wasn’t complicated yet, unlike other officials’ families of which the mother not only needed to bond with the family members but also was responsible of the arrangements of different marriages or dealing with the relations of family members. If there were more people in the family, she would have to strenthen out the troubles her family member got into.

Her family was easy to manage and the most important thing right now was to keep Xiao Tieshu and Xiao Tongshu from bragging about knowing the Emperor or showing off that they had a nephew who was a general in their house.

Ye Xiaoxian actually understood Xiao Tieshu and Xiao Tongshu quite well. They had been poor for so many years and it was not easy to finally settle down in Capital City. They were acquainted with Li Chengru and had Xiao Baoshan as their nephew. In addition, Capital City was a colorful world full of temptation. People who have lived here for a long time tend to became self-centered and peacockish and thereby very easy to be manipulated by others so it was necessary to talk to them about it and establish the rules.

There had to be a meeting first to straighten out these things.

Ye Xiaoxian gathered them around and first asked Xiao Tieshu and Xiao Tongshu, then aunt, Li Hongmei and the others, “It has been a long time since we had our last family meeting, now that Baoshan asks me to be in charge of our family, I think I have to tell you about some rules. After all, I’ve lived in Capital City for some time and I’ve been a Princess of Ningyuan, I know better the rules in Capital City than all of you.”

Hearing her words, everyone listened attentively like obediant students.

Ye Xiaoxian first told them solemnly, “Capital City is nothing like the tribe where everyone is equal and we can say whatever we want and do whatever we want. However, if we are not careful enough and say the wrong words, it will be taken as leverage later.  Especially when it comes to the subjects related to the Emperor, the royal family cared about their reputation most and when you go out in the future, you can never tell anyone that you know Li Chengru and that he was once on the run with us, otherwise you will face death.”

When she mentioned about death, everyone’s face changed.

Ye Xiaoxian added, “I was living in Capital City before, right? That was how it was then. Sometimes a person you met only the day before was said to have died of illness the next day. Do you really think he really died of illness? Of course not, it usually takes a longer while for someone to die of an illness, right? In fact, they were secretly disposed of by saying the wrong words.”

Everyone was frightened to death and even their face turned pale.

Ye Xiaoxian added, “You can’t talk about Baoshan outside either. For example, you can’t take advantage by using Baoshan’s name, saying that he is your nephew or your son or your brother outside. There are many people with ulterior motives in Capital City and once they know you are connected with Baoshan, they will ask for favor which will put Baoshan in a difficult position and when Baoshao is unable to do the favor, he will owe them a favor and thereby affecting Baoshan’s reputation in Capital City.”

Xiao Tieshu raised his hands and said, “I understand. This is the same as we don’t owe others in the county. We won’t make things difficult for Baoshan.”

Ye Xiaoxian nodded and said, “There are also some people with ulterior motives who want to get close to Baoshan but are ignored by Baoshan. What will they do? They will start with Baoshan’s family which is all of you. Therefore, we should stay away from those people who have ulterior motives and avoid accepting benefits from anyone. Now that Baoshan has some weight in his words in Capital City, should you need anything, please tell me and don’t accept anything from outsiders, especially money. Otherwise, you will damage Baoshan’s reputation and Baoshan will not be able to protect you. This is the reality of Qingcheng.”

After hearing about it, everyone thought it was very reasonable.

Xiao Tongshu said, “Alright, we know now. Now that we have good food and wine in Capital City and that we have people serving us with water, which is all thanks to Baosha, we shouldn’t cause any more trouble for Baoshan and we will stay in the mansion in the future.”

Ye Xiaoxian said, “Also, Capital City is a colorful world which has very interesting places like the casino, the musical house, the theatre of the tea house and so on. However, I have to make a rule today that you will not be allowed to visit these places alone and you can only go with supervision of the family so that you won’t be addicted.”

Everyone was excited when they heard this.

They have been in the Capital City for a long time and haven’t explored the city yet and didn’t know any interesting places in the city. Now that they heard what Xiaoxian said, they wonder whether Ye Xiaoxian wanted to take them out for fun.

Wang Mudan said, “Of course we won’t go out on our own. This city is so big that we might get lost after a short walk. We don’t dare to go out.”

Chen Ju agreed right away.

Ye Xiaoxian added, “So, it’s good not to go out. In addition, we used to be so busy but now we have nothing to do and even have servants to help us, which I don’t think it’s good for you. I thought about it. I’ll let you run some small business in the near future so that you will have something to do.”

“Alright, alright,” Wang Mudan said.

Ye Xiaoxian also said, “When I figure out what business for you, I’ll find a house for Uncle and third Uncle. After all, your children are coming of age and Bao Cheng already reaches the age of marriage. In a few years’ time, Baoyang and Baoxue will marry out as well. It’s more convenient for everyone to live seperately. My mother is getting old while Baoshan is not always at home and I have two children, so it’s not appropriate for me to manage your family as well. If I say too much, you will have a problem with me so it’s best that we live seperatetly.”

They looked at each other.

Little Ye wante them to live separately?

But to give it more thoughts, it’s only right that they split.

They already lived seperately when they were in Qinghe county. It was only because they were on the run that they had to eat and live together. Now that they were in Capital City and that Xiao Baoshan was a general, they simply couldn’t live with Xiao Baoshan and rely on Xiao Baoshan forever.

It’s better to live separately and live their own lives.

Besides, Xiao Baoshan had brought them to Capital City and had even arranged a mansion for them. If it wasn’t for Xiao Baoshan, how many generations would they need to accumulate the wealth necessary for earning a place in Capital City?

Xiao Tieshu and Xiao Tongshu thought for a while then supported Ye Xiaoxian’s decision.

They lived separated in Qinghe County and it was not appropriate for them to live in the genereal’s mansion since it was Baoshan’s own home.

After she finished, Ye Xiaoxian dismissed the meeting.

……

One day later, Baoshan returned, looking a little tired.

Ye Xiaoxian didn’t ask him what happened and only told the two children to go and massage Xiao Baoshan’s feet.

Hearing the childish voices of his two children, Xiao Baoshan gradually relaxed and became gentle with the children.

Ye Xiaoxian told him about the arrangement in the house and Xiao Baoshan was satisfied with it.

It was good to have less people in the house so that Little Ye wouldn’t be that so tired.

“Baoshan, you must be very tired in these days, right?” Ye Xiaoxian asked.

Xiao Baoshan held Ye Xiaoxian in his arms and said, “Not very tired, but things are a bit complicated and we need to be decisive.”

Ye Xiaoxian said, “Then be decisive and do what you think is right.”

“Mm!” Xiao Baoshan looked at the two children in his arms and then started to play the wooden horse with them before he took them to the yard to play hide-and-seek.

Ye Xiaoxian saw the smile on Xiao Baoshan’s face and couldn’t help but smile along.

……

The Li Chengru’s crowning ceremony officially began.

Xiao Baoshan was also there that day.

After the crowning ceremony ended, Li Chengru reappointed a group of new officials and issued a few pardons, allowed every county to trade with each other.

Li Chengru wouldn’t suspect the man in his service and he wouldn’t use a suspected man. He was just in the days and didn’t like being told excuses or lies.

He also established a new rule  that every official was to advice every day. For those with objections, everyone had to express their views, and it’s not allowed to muddle through and they have to be followed through.

Or when the work was done and there was positive outcome, then there would be reward.

With these rules, the atmosphere in imperial court became positive.

After Li Chengru came to the throne, Xiao Baoshan and Qian Qi were all officially appointed as the first-class generals. Li Chengru even gave half of the commander’s seal to Xiao Baoshan in front of every officials.

In addition, the imperial guards in the city were also in Xiao Baoshan’s charge for now.

Xiao Baoshan was busy every day but he would take time to play with his two children.

……

Ye Xiaoxian also began to help Xiao Tieshu and Xiao Tongshu move.

The houses she found for Xiao Tieshu and Xiao Tongshu’s families were not luxury mansions. They were merely two connected houses in the east of the city with a garden and east and west wings of rooms.

This kind of house was enough for them to live in. Although it was not as manificent as the general’s mansion, it still worthed a fortune in the city. In the future when Baocheng and Baoyang looked for wives, they wouldn’t need to worry and even when they had children, the house would be big enough for all of them.

After she found the houses, Ye Xiaoxian helped them buy a noodle store, selling beef noodles, lamb noodles, and all kinds of steamed bread, Chinese style baked rolls and crusty pancakes.

They have been in Tianshan tribe for a long time so they were able to make very authentic food. As long as they were diligent, they would have a good business.