Chapter 249: Rules Are Rules

Eunuch Cheng took the letter pouch from Meiwei's foot, hurried into the main hall and shouted, "His Majesty—! The Princess's letter!"

"Look, the Princess misses you so much! She just left Jingcheng a few days ago, and the letter has already arrived!"

Xiao Jieyun nodded with satisfaction, "Tuan Tuan still misses me the most! Quickly, bring it for me to see."

Eunuch Cheng hurriedly handed it over.

Xiao Jieyun unfolded it and was first stunned: Father, mother?

"Oh, this letter must have been sent back the wrong way."

He smiled immediately, "Very well, I shall see what you and Xiao Yuanhang have to say."

After reading the whole letter, the Emperor's complexion clearly fell.

"Qingping Town? Layered Pastry? They even sneaked off to eat it without telling me?"

"Cheng Jinyan, dispatch someone at once to Qingping Town, find Zhang's Shop, and buy me all the Layered Pastry they have."

Eunuch Cheng was startled. Layered Pastry? It must be that Little Princess ate it, liked it, and recommended it to His Majesty: "His Majesty, look, whatever fresh food the Little Princess enjoys, she keeps you in mind."

"Hmph! Misses me? She keeps it to herself!" Xiao Jieyun snorted, "Go to Prince Ning's Mansion to deliver the edict and bring back the Princess's letter for me!"

Eunuch Cheng: "..."

"Princess, together, did you send the letter the wrong way?"

"Yes, your humble servant will go at once."

At Prince Ning's Mansion.

Xiao Yuanhang and Cheng Ru'an had just finished reading the letter Tuan Tuan wrote to Xiao Jieyun.

The two exchanged a glance, and Xiao Yuanhang burst into loud laughter: "Hahaha…… "

Cheng Ru'an pursed his lips and smiled, "That child, what is he thinking!"

"Alas, I don't know either what Tuan Tuan wrote in the letter to us. I hope it's nothing the Emperor must not see."

Just as a reply to her, a servant hurriedly reported: "Prince, Princess Consort, Eunuch Cheng is at the mansion gate, saying the Emperor wants the Princess's letter taken back!"

Cheng Ru'an was startled: "Prince, perhaps we should burn the letter?"

Xiao Yuanhang suppressed his laugh, "No problem, the Emperor won't blame Tuan Tuan."

He refolded the letter, handed it to the servant: "Send it to Eunuch Cheng and tell him he must be hurrying back to the palace to report; I will not delay him."

"By the way, after the Emperor has read it, send someone to return the Princess's letter addressed to me."

"Understood."

Eunuch Cheng took the letter and raced back to Zichen Hall without stopping.

Xiao Jieyun unfolded the paper and looked down.

His expression shifted from puzzlement to astonishment, and finally he couldn't help slapping his hands and laughing: "Hahaha! How dare they call me stingy! They even tried to bring a bird onto my desk… Hahaha!"

Eunuch Cheng was startled; what did the Princess say in the letter? How did His Majesty beam with great pleasure again?

"Princess, please don't do that, you keep His Majesty alternating between delight and anger; your humble servant really can't stand it!"

Xiao Jieyun handed the letter to him: "Look, among all the officials and nobles, only little Tuan Tuan dares to speak to me like this! Truly audacious!"

He thought for a moment, a sly glint in his eye: "Go, send her the newly tribute‑brought green‑jade carved carriage, and tell her that when she returns, I will craft the finest carriage for her!"

"Doesn't she like the carriage Old Seven gave her? I want to see whether I can rank ahead of Old Seven in her heart!"

Eunuch Cheng, after reading it, couldn't help laughing: "Seventh Prince naturally cannot compare to His Majesty, but this gift truly touched the Princess's heart."

The Emperor seemed to suddenly recall something: "Cheng Jinyan."

"Your humble servant is here."

"Go to Prince Jing's Mansion to convey my verbal edict. I recall Old Seven performed his duties well, so I granted him the western city's imperial manor."

"Tell him that the first batch of fresh seasonal melons and fruits from the manor this year should not be sent to his own mansion, but delivered directly to me in the palace."

Eunuch Cheng understood tacitly, suppressed his laugh, and bowed in response.

Hearing Father Emperor's edict, Xiao Ze said, "The melons and fruits from my manor? …"

The farther one goes into the northwestern interior, the more mountain paths appear.

Tuan Tuan's carriage trudged slowly along the rugged mountain road, with dense forest on both sides, sheer cliffs, and scenery vastly different from Jingcheng.

The road grew narrower, finally slowing at a treacherous mountain pass called One-Line Heaven.

Ahead, the road was blocked by a natural fissure between massive stones, barely wide enough for a single carriage to squeeze through.

At this moment, a roadblock had been set before the fissure, with a dozen robust men either crossing their arms or hands on hips, each bearing a hostile look.

A tall, thin figure resembling a leader sat grandly on a grand master chair, legs crossed, squinting as he examined the stopped carriages.

Beside the roadblock, a peddler balancing a basket on a pole begged him, his voice choked with tears: "Lord Ma, Lord Ma, be kind! My basket of candied fruit is worth not even a few coins!"

"Twenty cash for the toll is far too much; I truly cannot afford it! The children at home are waiting for me to sell this basket of goods to buy rice for cooking, Lord Ma! Please lift a hand and give me a way to survive!"

Lord Ma didn't even raise an eyebrow, sneering, "Wang Lao Wu, this isn't your first time passing by me; why do you always claim famine?"

"Rules are rules! Whether you're selling candied fruit or ginseng, as long as you pass through One-Line Heaven you must pay the fee! No money? Fine, leave the goods, and you scramble away!"

Wang Lao Wu's face turned deathly pale; two men lazily approached him, poised to snatch his basket.

"Gentlemen! May I go sell this basket of goods first? After selling, I'll return to pay the twenty cash!"

Xiao Ningxun frowned slightly; these men were not official constables, yet they set up a toll here—how different from bandits?

Xiao Ran could no longer restrain himself; his youthful nature could not tolerate such oppression of the innocent, and he lifted the carriage curtain, ready to jump down.

Tuan Tuan perched at the carriage window and shouted, "Hey! Uncle the candied‑fruit seller! That candied fruit looks delicious, bring it over! I'll buy it all!"

Xiao Ningxun smiled faintly, while Xiao Ran, about to rush out, said: "…"

The peddler, upon hearing that, delightedly ran with his basket to the carriage window: "Miss! You really bought everything?"

Tuan Tuan looked puzzled: "Yes! So? Is it not tasty?"

The basket held bright red candied fruit dusted with snow‑white sugar glaze, looking irresistibly tempting.

The vendor hastily wrapped a few pieces in paper and handed them to the window: "Try some! If it's not tasty, I won't take money! This is our family's secret craft!"

Tuan Tuan picked up a piece and put it in his mouth; the sweet‑sour flavor instantly spread: "Really delicious! I'll take it all! How much silver in total?"

"One tael of silver is enough." The vendor hastily wrapped all the preserved fruit on his pole and handed it to Xiao Er: "Sir, take care of this; the preserved fruit will keep for a month or two, so you all can eat it slowly."

Tuan Tuan ate and nodded: "Really good! Second Uncle, give this uncle two taels of silver—he still has kids at home, so buy them more treats."

Xiao Er took out two taels of silver and gave them to the vendor, jerking his chin at the people at the checkpoint ahead: "Paid the fee—hurry home!"

The vendor thanked profusely, picked up his pole, ran forward, paid the fee, and passed through the checkpoint.

The carriage continued slowly forward and finally arrived before the Horse Master.

He had long noticed the vendor's earlier deed and gave his subordinates a glance.

A burly man stepped forward, rapped the carriage shaft loudly: "Do you understand the rules? All vehicles, horses, and goods must be weighed and fees paid accordingly!"

Xiao Er gave him a sideways glance: "What price?"

That fellow narrowed his eyes, sizing up the carriage before him—though not fancy, its materials were solid, and the horses pulling it differed from others'.

He clicked his tongue: "Tsk tsk, this carriage is two hundred wen; each horse, one hundred wen; each person in the carriage, two hundred wen per head; if there's cargo, extra."