Chapter 205: Chapter 186: Oops, Something Dropped (Part 2)

The two of them finished their breakfast.

Xiao Jinghong glanced at the sky outside the window and mused, "The envoys from the Mountain Race are coming today. I need you to accompany them in my place to inspect the construction progress of the Mutual Market."

Su Zhenyue nodded in acknowledgment, then placed the booklet she was holding in front of her.

"General, these are letters that just arrived from the Garrison Commanders of the Three Towns. They all mention the status of the New Army’s training."

Xiao Jinghong opened one and glanced at it, then ordered, "Send a unified reply. Tell them to be prepared. I will inspect the New Army of the Three Towns again after the Mid-Autumn Festival."

She paused, then asked, "Has there been any reply from the Commandant’s Office?"

Su Zhenyue said, "No news yet."

Xiao Jinghong gave a slight nod, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes as she gazed at the rain-streaked window.

"It’s right for the Three Towns to pay their grain tax, but a ten percent tax is excessive."

"If the Commandant’s Office does nothing again this time, then they can’t blame me for paying them a visit."

Su Zhenyue paused, looking at her expression before saying hesitantly, "The Old Marquis sent a message before, stating that he would handle this matter."

Xiao Jinghong shot her a glance and said flatly, "Those are two separate matters."

"It’s true the Governor’s Office is pressuring the Three Towns because of the conflict between the Xiao and Liu Families. But that doesn’t mean the Commandant’s Office gets to stay out of it."

"Before, when the summer harvest hadn’t arrived and grain was scarce, the Commandant’s Office couldn’t secure an allocation from the Imperial Court. I don’t blame them for that."

"After all, that was the will of the Holy Emperor and the Nine Ministers."

"But now the storehouses of the Three Towns are full. Forcing them to spit out what’s already in their mouths is not something the Commandant’s Office can talk its way out of."

Hearing this, Su Zhenyue understood her decision and didn’t try to persuade her further.

She then took out three other booklets. Just as she was about to speak, a series of JINGLES grew louder as they approached from a distance.

The next moment, the door to their wooden cabin was pushed open.

A figure stood in the doorway. It was Pei Guanli, who had braved the wind and rain all the way from Shu State Prefecture City.

She looked at the two women inside, her round face full of smiles, and hopped into the cabin on her fair, bare feet.

"Sister Jinghong, Sister Zhenyue! It’s been so long. Did you miss me?"

Xiao Jinghong looked her over, asking with some surprise, "Why are you back?"

"I came back to see... Ah Ma and the others."

Pei Guanli, managing not to forget Chen Yi’s instructions, sat down. Her eyes darted around before she said:

"It’s almost the Mid-Autumn Festival, so I brought lots and lots... lots of things for Ah Ma and the other people in the clan."

Seeing how earnest she seemed, Xiao Jinghong didn’t think much of it and nodded. "In that case, I’ll have someone escort you back to the Mountain Race later."

Pei Guanli waved her hands. "No, no..."

"Sister Wan’er already prepared a carriage for me. I’ll just have them go back with me."

Then, pretending to have just remembered something, she reached into her top and began to rummage around.

"Oh, right! Sister Wan’er asked me to bring a letter for you, Sister Jinghong."

"And one from brother-in-law."

Xiao Jinghong saw her shameless act, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly.

"You kept the letters in your clothes?"

Pei Guanli let out a sound of affirmation. As she pulled all the letters out, she replied:

"Well, it’s been raining this whole time, hasn’t it? I was worried the letters would get wet."

The truth was, she was only worried about the letter Chen Yi had entrusted her with getting wet, so she had simply decided to carry all of them on her person.

And to make sure Xiao Jinghong would see that specific letter first, Pei Guanli had intentionally placed it on top of the pile.

After pulling them out, she didn’t just toss them on the table in front of Xiao Jinghong. Instead, she pretended to lose her grip, letting that one piece of paper fall to the floor. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Oops, what fell?"

Pei Guanli bent down to pick it up, a hint of a smile flashing in her bright eyes. Then she feigned surprise and said:

"Huh? This letter... it doesn’t look like it’s from brother-in-law and the others."

Xiao Jinghong and Su Zhenyue exchanged a glance. It was obvious from her over-the-top act that something fishy was going on.

Immediately, Xiao Jinghong held out her hand. "Give it to me."

Pei Guanli, of course, first handed over the two letters in her hand. Then she unfolded the separate piece of paper and said:

"Let me see first. Maybe it’s a poem brother-in-law wrote especially for me."

Before she could make out the familiar characters, the letter was in Xiao Jinghong’s hand.

Pei Guanli immediately pouted and whined, "Sister Jinghong, how could you?"

But while she said that, her eyes were fixed on Xiao Jinghong without blinking, and she thought to herself:

’She’s frowning. Hehe.’

’Shocked... why isn’t she shocked?’

’She’s looking over, she’s looking over! Sister Jinghong is about to ask me something.’

’Go on, ask away. Brother-in-law already told me what to do. There’s no way I’ll mess this up.’

But as well as the Tiger Girl had planned, Xiao Jinghong’s first words nearly made her jump out of her seat.

"Confess. Did you write this letter?"

"Pei Guanli, military matters are no joke. If you don’t explain yourself clearly, I’ll have you disciplined today!"

"Huh?"

Pei Guanli was so startled she almost leaped to her feet.

Fortunately, she had rehearsed this dozens of times on the way here, so she managed to appear somewhat calm in the face of the crisis.

She then looked at Xiao Jinghong with a feigned expression of confusion. "What do you mean, *I* wrote it?"

"Sister Jinghong, I’m already here in person. Why would I need to write a letter?"

"Honestly! I was just being nice and delivering a letter for you on my way, and you want to have me disciplined..."

"You just wait. I’m going to go tattle to Ah Ma later. Hmph."

Xiao Jinghong stared at her for a long time, her brow slightly furrowed. "You really didn’t write it?" she asked.

"I don’t even know what’s written on it..."

A smile spread across Pei Guanli’s face as she leaned in closer. "Let me see what’s written on it. What’s got you so tense?"

"It’s not really a poem from brother-in-law to me, is it? Is it even better than the poems he writes for you?"

Xiao Jinghong placed a hand on her head to stop her, thought for a moment, then passed the letter to Su Zhenyue beside her. "Take a look."