My Fantastic Chef Wife

380. Xiao Baozhu Gets Married

Translator: Tracycbj

Ye Xiaoxian smiled, “Baozhu, your brother went to ask A’biao, who said he likes you and wants to marry you.”

Xiao Baozhu couldn’t believe it, “Xiaoxian, please don’t make fun of me. I’m a spinster, don’t make fun of me. I’m a spinster from the countryside, and I’m plain. Why does he want to marry me?”

“It’s true. He always wants to find a girl like you. He thinks he is an uncouth man and fears that he can’t get on well with refined ladies.”

Yi Baozhu thought for a while and said sulkily, “So he wants me to do the house chores for him because I’m uncouth too?”

Ye Xiaoxian smiled. “That’s not what he means. He thinks he’s uncouth and can’t get along with the young ladies from the capital city. Soldiers are usually careless and casual, and they sometimes don’t like to wash their feet. How could a lady bear with them? We are different. We can remind them to wash their feet or scold them. For instance, your brother doesn’t have table manners, nor does he know how to appreciate tea. When he drinks water, he looks like a big bull. If he marries a lady, he can’t get along with her.”

Yi Baozhu thought about it for a while and agreed with Ye Xiaoxian.

When she thought of her past, she muttered, “But I was with Scholar Wong before.”

Ye Xiaoxian immediately interrupted her, “You never entered a relationship with Scholar Wong. You stayed at his home for a while, and he never announced that you were together. Besides, it has passed. Who hasn’t made any mistakes when he is young? Forget about the past. You only need to remember that you are a good girl, and you will treat your beloved wholeheartedly. You likes A’biao, and he likes you. It’s rare to meet someone like that. If you don’t get hold of him, you will regret it for the rest of your life.”

“What if A’biao knows about my past?”

“It doesn’t matter if he knows. It’s been many years, and you have changed. When your relationship stabilizes, he won’t mind it. Perhaps he doesn’t mind it now. You can ask him if you don’t believe me.”

“No!” Baozhu did not want to mention it herself.

“If you don’t want to mention it, keep it to yourself. Remember, live for the moment instead of getting obsessed with the past. It’s foolish to live in the past.”

Baozhu pondered for a moment before nodding.

…

Since A’biao and Xiao Baozhu agreed to the marriage, it was settled.

Coincidentally, there was be a good day next month. Ye Xiaoxian and Xiao Baoshan decided the wedding day.

A’biao had a high status, and Xiao Baozhu was Xiao Baoshan’s sister. Most of the officials in the capital city came to congratulate the couple when they learned of the wedding. Emperor Li Chengru also gave them a generous gift.

The wedding ceremony was grand and solemn. It was utterly different from that day when Xiao Baozhu packed up and went to Scholar Wong’s home.

The wedding ended, and the newlywed couple went to their bedroom.

A’biao pitied Xiao Baozhu. When he saw that she had waited long for him in the bedroom, he asked her if she felt hungry and wanted some food.

Xiao Baozhu put on makeup and wore red robes, looking gorgeous in the candlelight.

She shook her head, indicating that she didn’t want to eat.

After they drank “cross-cupped wine” from one another’s glasses, they went to bed and had a wonderful night.

Xiao Baozhu held A’biao tightly when she experienced the pain, thinking it was the happiest moment of her life.

…

It had been over a month since Li Chengru chose his concubines.

He was vexed about this, thinking the women in the palace were more difficult than the government affairs. When it got dark, the eunuch would ask him to choose a woman to spend the night with.

He was awed by the task. The two dozens of women waited for him every night, naked in bed, and he had to sleep with them like a stallion.

He didn’t love them, but it was his responsibility to sleep with them.

Other men might like this task, but he didn’t like it at all.

He envied the deep affection between the Sixth Brother and his wife, and he longed to have an everlasting relationship like Xiao Baoshan and Ye Xiaoxian.

However, he was the emperor, who couldn’t make his own decision in his marriage.

This night, the eunuch came with the name tablets to him after dinner, asking in a high-pitched voice, “Your Majesty, which hall would you like to spend the night? Or who shall I invite to your hall?”

Li Chengru didn’t answer, feeling irritated.

The eunuch would not give up and asked again, “Your Majesty, which hall are you going to tonight?”

Li Chengru glanced at the tablets and took one out. It was Concubine Chen.

He didn’t remember her.

Li Chengru asked, “Have I slept with her?”

The eunuch said, “Yes, on the eighth day of this month.”

Li Chengru took out another tablet. It was Concubine Zhang.

He asked again, “What about this one?”

“She served you in bed on the sixth day of the month.”

Li Chengru said directly, “Find someone I haven’t slept with before.”

He had to evenly divide his attention among the women in the palace if he didn’t want anything bad to happen. He couldn’t favor any of them. Otherwise, the palace would be stirred.

His mother didn’t win the affection of his father, who only slept with her once. Thankfully, she got pregnant. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been brought to the world.

Therefore, Li Chengru didn’t want to favor any of his women after he became the emperor. He wanted to be an emperor without any feelings.

The eunuch looked at the tablets and replied, “Your Majesty, Concubine Shu hasn’t been chosen this month.”

Li Chengru said without hesitation, “Then I will choose her.”

“Your Majesty, would you like to go to her hall? Shall I invite her here?”

Li Chengru said, “I’ll go.”

He always went to the concubines’ halls. After he had sex with them, he returned to his hall and slept in his bed. He didn’t like to sleep with a woman until daybreak.

The eunuch said, “Your Majesty, please let me help you get changed.”

Li Chengru put down the file in his hand and let the servants tend to him.

Following that, he got into the carriage and went to Concubine Shu’s hall.

On the way, Li Chengru thought of asking the eunuch who Concubine Shu was, but he thought about it himself. The concubine was named Shu, and her rank was not low. He thought she should be the daughter of an important minister named Shu.

After a while, Li Chengru arrived at the hall where Concubine Shu lived.

With the announcement that the emperor had arrived, people came out of the hall to greet the emperor.

Concubine Shu bowed at the front. She had received the news that the emperor would arrive tonight, so she dressed herself up. She wore simple but elegant clothes with a plain hairpin in her hair. Her collar was loosened a bit, looking attractive.