My Fantastic Chef Wife

359. Rumours

Translator: ChowvanLee

Ye Xiaoxian teased Mrs. State Preceptor, “How about I give you a pot of milk tea and you can take it home?”

Mrs. State Preceptor didn’t realise that Ye Xiaoxian was dismissing her. Besides, she didn’t intend to stay here for long, so she said, “Okay! Okay!”

After she finished her words, she realised that as long as Ye Xiaoxian brought her the milk tea, she could only leave.

The seat hadn’t been warmed up yet. How sad.

…

After Mrs. State Preceptor left Ye Xiaoxian’s house, she walked around outside but didn’t want to go home. Then she went to the Magistrate’s house in the capital city to meet the Magistrate’s wife.

This magistrate was equivalent to a deputy provincial governor in modern times. His wife was Madam Huang, who had also been to Ye Xiaoxian’s house not long ago. Madam Huang had been missing Ye Xiaoxian’s milk tea. She didn’t expect Mrs. State Preceptor to be here and brought a pot of milk tea from Ye Xiaoxian’s house.

Therefore, Madam Huang was very enthusiastic towards Mrs. State Preceptor. They chatted while drinking milk tea and having snacks.

Madam Huang first commented on the milk tea, “This tea is really the best thing I have ever drank in my life. Mango pomelo sago and sweet bird’s nest soup are nothing compared to the milk tea made by Madam Xiao.”

Mrs. State Preceptor said, “Right, it’s tasty. I drank a little and told her so. Then she gave a pot of it to me.”

“Madam Xiao is quite hospitable. She is good-looking as well.” Madam Huang said.

Mrs. State Preceptor nodded, “Right.”

Then she mentioned Empress Dowager. “But I realised that Madam Xiao looks more like Empress Dowager. Don’t you think so?”

“Well…” Madam Huang and the other wives had already discussed this in private. When they were in the hunting ground, they had suspected that Empress Dowager and Ye Xiaoxian might be relatives.

However, they thought it was impossible after hearing that Ye Xiaoxian was from the countryside.

Mrs. State Preceptor deliberately raised the topic today. She said, “Actually, I’ve heard of a rumour that Empress Dowager had met my husband before she entered the palace. And it was my husband’s idea to let her come in the imperial palace.”

Madam Huang had heard about the affair between State Preceptor and Empress Dowager, but she couldn’t make any comments in front of Mrs. State Preceptor. She could only say, “Oh, really?”

Mrs. State Preceptor caressed her own hair and said innocently, “I wonder what is the relationship between them before that.”

Madam Huang’s eyes lit up and she suddenly got the key point.

‘Well, maybe they already had a relationship then.’

However, she wouldn’t discuss it with others casually. If she said something wrong, her whole family will suffer.

Madam Huang kept silent.

When Mrs. State Preceptor saw that Madam Huang didn’t reply to her, she excused herself that she still got something to do at home.

After coming out of Madam Huang’s house, Mrs. State Preceptor was very depressed, so she went to a teahouse.

However, she kept drinking the remaining milk tea in the teahouse.

Due to the cold weather, the teahouse was filled with people, very noisy.

A group of itinerant labourers at the nearby table were chatting about what had happened in the world. Mrs. State Preceptor overheard that they were all talking about swordmen and bloody slaughters in some villages.

When the nearby guests heard this, they all went over to listen to the news for fun. Even Mrs. State Preceptor could not help but concentrate to listen to what they were talking about.

As she listened, Mrs. State Preceptor got an idea. ‘If I want to spread rumors, I don’t need to go to officials’ wives. They are too timid. Places like teahouses are perfect for spreading rumors.’

She thought for a moment, whispered something in a maid’s ear and then gave her ten taels of silver.

Two days later, a rumor exploded in the capital city: The newly-appointed Princess Ning Yuan is actually Empress Dowager and State Preceptor’s biological daughter. Empress Dowager gave birth to her before she entered the palace, and that is why Madam Xiao was conferred Princess Ning Yuan!

It spread everywhere in a short period of time and people were all talking about it.

Even Ye Xiaoxian, who had been at home, knew it, too.

She couldn’t help scoffing at this rumor. ‘Who is Empress Dowager and who am I? We just look alike. How could she be my mother?’

In the palace, Empress Dowager also heard about this.

Some minister had reported it to the Emperor, saying that this rumor had greatly disgraced the Imperial Family.

So, Li Chengkun told the rumor to Empress Dowager in brief.

Naturally, Empress Dowager would not admit it. She told the Emperor that it was intentional and asked him to investigate this case strictly.

It was easy for the Emperor to investigate this case. Soon, he found Mrs. State Preceptor was related to it.

…

One day, State Preceptor came to look for Empress Dowager again.

Since the hunt, State Preceptor had not seen Empress Dowager.

That day, Empress Dowager beat the old maid in public. State Preceptor felt that Empress Dowager was complacent and was a little out of his hands, so he wanted to give her a lesson by neglecting her for some time.

He had expected that Empress Dowager would feel lonely and ask servants to pass words to him, but Empress Dowager did nothing.

Empress Dowager even went out of the palace once to see Ye Xiaoxian, but she did not come to State Preceptor.

Finally, State Preceptor couldn’t hold back and went to find Empress Dowager first.

In the past, Empress Dowager always told State Preceptor that one day apart seemed like three years.

Now, when Empress Dowager saw State Preceptor, she acted a bit standoffish and only warmed herself in front of the burning coal.

State Preceptor was a little angry. He walked in front of Empress Dowager, wanting to carry her up and throw her on the bed to have great sex like what he did when they were young.

However, he was not young any more. He had just held Empress Dowager when a click sounded. He barely got a waist wrick.

“Ouch!” State Preceptor cried out painfully.

Empress Dowager shot him a disgusted look and asked, “What are you doing?”

State Preceptor looked at Empress Dowager, “You… little houri, an old fellow like me can’t punish you now.”

Empress Dowager said, “Since you call yourself old man, you know that you are not as strong as when you were young.”

Then, she asked a eunuch to give State Preceptor a waist massage.

State Preceptor couldn’t do anything but lie with his face down.

“What have you been busy with lately? You didn’t even look for me once. Is there someone else in your heart?” State Preceptor said while lying on the bed.

Empress Dowager said unhappily, “If there’s someone else, you shouldn’t be here now. In the past few years, I’ve sacrificed everything for you. I’ve become a widow at such a young age. And you? you have a wife and children at home. Now you come to say something like that to me. I’m so disappointed.”

State Preceptor asked, “What’s wrong? Are you angry at me? Why do you get angry again?”

Empress Dowager asked, “Haven’t you heard the rumors? People say that we have an affair and Madam Xiao is our daughter.”

State Preceptor looked at Empress Dowager warily, “I heard it two days ago. How does it reach the palace?”

“Someone reported it to the Emperor. Well, do you know where this rumour came from?” Empress Dowager asked.

When State Preceptor heard Empress Dowager say the word “rumour”, he became relaxed slightly.

Since she thought it was a rumor, she definitely didn’t find the truth.

“Who leaked it?” State Preceptor asked again.