Starting in Exile: Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Lucky Little Wife

Chapter 206 The Farce of Imperial Power

Beyond the bustling capital city lies a small town called Qingping. A winding official road winds through the town, and the constant flow of travelers brings it to life. In the town center, a shop called "Yuelai Inn" stands out, a popular spot for travelers to rest and eat, always bustling with activity.

On this bright and sunny day, a gentle breeze was blowing. At the inn's entrance, the innkeepers were warmly greeting their guests. A simple carriage slowly pulled up in front of the inn, and as the curtain was lifted, a distinguished couple stepped out. The man wore a moon-white robe, his posture upright, his face handsome, and his eyes exuding an air of quiet authority; the woman wore a pale pink dress, her features beautiful, her demeanor gentle, and her every gesture elegant. They were none other than the Emperor Emeritus Xiao Han and Empress Dowager Mu Qingling, who had come on an incognito journey to understand the hardships of the common people and experience the everyday life of ordinary people.

"Sir, please come in! Our shop has all kinds of delicious food, we guarantee you'll be satisfied!" The waiter, Xiao Li, with sharp eyes, immediately went up to greet him with a big smile.

Xiao Han nodded slightly and entered the inn with Mu Qingling. The inn was bustling with activity; diners were either engaged in lively conversation or engrossed in their food and drinks. The innkeeper, Wang Fu, rushed out from behind the counter to greet the guests, his face plastered with a fawning smile. However, when he saw Xiao Han and Mu Qingling's attire, he secretly thought: These two, though they possess a certain air of refinement, are dressed simply; they must be ordinary wealthy people. Perfect opportunity to rip them off.

"Please have a seat, gentlemen! What would you like to eat? Our restaurant has many signature dishes, such as steamed sea bass, braised pork knuckle, and crystal shrimp..." Wang Ze said, rattling off a long list of dishes, while his eyes kept darting between Xiao Han and Mu Qingling, plotting how to raise the price.

"A steamed sea bass, a stir-fried vegetable dish, and a pot of your best tea," Mu Qingling said softly.

"Alright! Please wait a moment, sir!" Wang Ze replied, turning and walking towards the kitchen, muttering to himself, "Only ordering two dishes? They really are stingy."

Soon, the dishes and tea were served. The sea bass looked enticing and smelled delicious; the vegetables were also stir-fried to a vibrant green, making one's appetite surge. Mu Qingling picked up her chopsticks, took a small bite of the sea bass, and frowned slightly: "Why does this fish taste a bit stale?"

Xiao Han also took a bite, and his expression darkened slightly: "Indeed, this fish is probably not fresh. Shopkeeper, come here!"

Upon hearing the greeting, Wang Ze hurried over, still smiling, "Sir, what can I do for you?"

"This fish isn't fresh. What happened?" Xiao Han asked coldly.

Wang Ze was startled, but quickly calmed down and said with a smile, "Sir, this fish is absolutely fresh. It was just caught from the river this morning. Perhaps you are a picky eater and don't quite like the taste of this fish. How about this, I'll give you a 10% discount, is that alright?"

Xiao Han looked at Wang Ze, a cold glint in his eyes: "Do you think we're easy to fool? This fish is clearly not fresh, yet you're still trying to deny it. If you don't make this clear today, don't blame us for being impolite!"

Seeing Xiao Han's firm attitude, Wang Ze was somewhat annoyed, but he didn't want to give up the business easily. So, he rolled his eyes and said, "Sir, you're exaggerating. In Qingping Town, my Yuelai Inn has one of the best reputations. If you're not satisfied, I can just give you another fish."

“No need,” Mu Qingling put down her chopsticks and said, “We don’t want to cause any more trouble. We’ll pay for the meal at the actual price, so don’t try anything funny.”

Wang Ze gritted his teeth inwardly. He had thought these two were easy to bully, but they turned out to be quite troublesome. However, he was still unwilling to give up, thinking he would try to collect more money when it came time to settle the bill.

After finishing their meal, Xiao Han and Mu Qingling got up to pay the bill. Wang Fu immediately went up to them, smiling and saying, "Sir, the total is fifty taels of silver."

"What?" Mu Qingling said in surprise, "Just two dishes and a pot of tea, how can it cost fifty taels of silver? Aren't you asking for an exorbitant price?"

Wang Ze feigned innocence: "Sir, you are unaware of the truth. All the ingredients in our shop are carefully selected. This sea bass is a rare breed imported from elsewhere. Combined with our chef's superb culinary skills, the price is naturally higher. Furthermore, our tea is made with top-quality tea leaves, so..."

"Enough!" Xiao Han interrupted Wang Fu. "Do you think we're fools? Qingping Town is just an ordinary small town, yet your prices are higher than those in restaurants in the capital. You're clearly ripping off your customers!"

Seeing that his scheme had been exposed, Wang Ze stopped pretending and his face darkened: "What? You ate the meal but don't want to pay? If you don't hand over this fifty taels of silver today, don't even think about leaving this inn!" As he spoke, he gave a wink to the waiters beside him, and they immediately surrounded Xiao Han and Mu Qingling.

Xiao Han looked at the scene before him, his heart burning with rage. He hadn't expected the innkeeper of this small inn to be so arrogant and domineering. He snorted coldly and said, "How dare you... in this..."

“Master,” Mu Qingling quickly interrupted Xiao Han, knowing that revealing her identity at this moment would likely cause unnecessary trouble, “Let’s not stoop to their level, just give them the money.” With that, she took out fifty taels of silver from her sleeve and threw it to Wang Ze.

Wang Ze took the silver and smiled smugly: "You guys know what's good for you. If you want to stay in Qingping Town in the future, don't meddle in other people's business!"

Xiao Han and Mu Qingling suppressed their anger and left the inn. As soon as they stepped out the door, they heard Wang Ze laughing loudly behind them: "Two country bumpkins, you dare to mess with me!"

"That's outrageous!" Mu Qingling exclaimed, her face flushed with anger. "Wang Fu is utterly despicable; he must be taught a lesson!"

Xiao Han nodded slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "Don't worry, he won't let this go so easily." With that, he took out a token from his robes, handed it to the guard beside him, and whispered a few instructions. The guard took the token and immediately rode off towards the capital.

It turned out that the token in Xiao Han's hand was a royal token, which allowed him to mobilize the power of the local government. He decided to make the greedy innkeeper pay the price for his actions.

Not long after, Zhao Gang, the magistrate of Qingping Town, received news that the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Dowager had been wronged in his jurisdiction. He was immediately terrified and turned pale. Without the slightest delay, he immediately led a team of yamen runners and hurried to the Yuelai Inn.

At this moment, Wang Ze was still smugly counting his silver in the inn, completely unaware of the impending danger. Suddenly, the inn's door was violently kicked open, and Zhao Gang rushed in with his constables.

"Wang Ze, do you know your crime?" Zhao Gang shouted.

Wang Ze was startled by this sudden turn of events. He stammered, "Your... Your Excellency, what crime have I committed?"

"Hmph!" Zhao Gang sneered. "How dare you deceive the Emperor Emeritus and the Empress Dowager! What is your punishment?"

"The Emperor Emeritus? The Empress Dowager?" Upon hearing these two words, Wang Ze felt his head buzz and was completely stunned. He never imagined that he had offended the Emperor's parents today.

"Men, seize him!" Zhao Gang waved his hand, and the constables immediately stepped forward and pinned Wang Fu down.

"My lord, spare my life! I was blind and didn't recognize you. I didn't know you were the Emperor Emeritus and the Empress Dowager. Please spare my life!" Wang Ze was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy.

"Now you're scared? Too late!" Zhao Gang said coldly. "As the innkeeper, you should be running your business honestly, but instead you cheated your customers and showed no respect for the law. Today, you've even offended the Emperor Emeritus and the Empress Dowager—your crimes are unforgivable! Guards, take him back to the yamen to await his punishment!"

And so, Wang Ze was escorted away from the Yuelai Inn by the constables, slinking away in disgrace. He never imagined that his momentary greed would land him in jail.

Meanwhile, Xiao Han and Mu Qingling were leisurely drinking tea in a teahouse in the small town. Looking at the street scene outside the window, they were filled with emotion.

"Although Qingping Town is small, it hides a lot of filth," Mu Qingling sighed softly.

Xiao Han nodded slightly: "Yes, the affairs of ordinary people are far more complicated than we imagine. This incognito tour has allowed us to see many things that we cannot see in the palace. This Wang Ze is just a small innkeeper, yet he is so audacious, which shows that the local administration still needs to be rectified."

"Fortunately, we taught him a lesson in time, which can be considered as ridding the people of Qingping Town of a scourge," Mu Qingling said.

“This is just the beginning,” Xiao Han said with a firm gaze. “After returning to the palace, I will definitely rectify the administration and ensure that the people can live a peaceful life.”

The two sat in the teahouse for a while longer before getting up and leaving. They continued their journey of traveling incognito.