The corridor under the city platform is either long or short.
When Danyang's carriage stopped at the inner side of Donghua Gate, Xiaohuang Gate had already prepared a carriage and was waiting for her arrival.
"Princess, please be careful."
The curtain opened and Zizhu carefully helped Danyang out of the carriage.
After only a few steps, she was already sweating so nervously.
The sharp-eyed Xiao Huangmen on the side noticed it immediately and stepped forward without any trace. While secretly sizing up the master and servant, he asked Zizhu in a low voice:
"Miss Zizhu, is there anything wrong with the princess?"
Without waiting for the words to fall to the ground, he asked in an almost breathy voice:
"Is there something wrong?"
Could it be that there was an assassin lurking in the carriage and threatening Princess Danyang and her party?
There is not a single road in Donghua Gate leading directly to the East Palace and Duanmu Palace.
In the meantime, it is not only separated by lush small gardens, but also the first is a sparkling gurgling river - Neijinshui River, meandering through.
All these arrangements, in addition to showing the majesty of the East Palace, are also to protect the personal safety of the prince.
Not only had a buffer zone been set up, but everyone from the Imperial Forest Army guarding the area to the Xiaohuangmen responsible for delivering messages were extremely vigilant. Especially those nobles like Princess Danyang who have privileges and do not need to be inspected at Donghua Gate, are particularly cautious.
"Ahem, it's nothing, it's not a big deal..."
Zizhu was trying to cover up Danyang's gaffe, but before she could finish her words, she was silenced by the clear voice of the person next to her.
"Eunuch Lao is worried. I had a few words with my mother at home in the morning, and just now I felt wronged when I thought about it, so I couldn't help but cry again. I feel a little dizzy and weak now, but it's not a big deal."
Danyang was still talking, but Zizhu, who was listening on the side, was already blushing, and Xiao Huangmen was also laughing awkwardly at this moment.
"Haha, the princess is innocent, and the eldest princess is also doing it for your own good. Princess, please don't take it to your heart."
Xiao Huangmen, who was confused, gave a few stiff words of advice, then immediately turned around, preparing to ask this great god away as soon as possible.
Zizhu was also shy for Danyang, so she unconsciously speeded up her steps.
But as the person involved, Danyang still had time to spare. He looked around and walked steadily to the side of the carriage.
When you sit on the shoulder carriage and look at a higher level, the entire scene in front of the East Palace becomes clearer.
There is a stone bridge on the Neijinshui River that flows from north to south, but unlike the extravagance outside Donghua Gate, the carvings here are simple and elegant, more stable and dignified, and they seem to be more practical.
Because the sun was shining at that time, Danyang's carriage carrying Danyang deliberately chose the path in the forest to go to Duanmu Palace. Therefore, this journey also allowed Danyang to better appreciate the various vegetation along the way.
Stone orchids, bamboos, pines and cypresses, and some other flowers and plants that she couldn't name, but knew they were very nutritious, were everywhere along the way.
While seeing this, what Danyang was thinking about was the rumors about the prince that had started to spread in his previous life.
According to rumors, Emperor Xuande doted on Empress Yuan, but he was not interested in the prince born by Empress Yuan. After the early death of Queen Yuan, apart from giving the prince due dignity because of his love for Wujiwu, there was actually not much father-son affection between the two.
Not only did he never care about the prince's daily life, he didn't even care about the supplies of the East Palace.
As a result, the prince was forced to submit a memorial shortly after his enlightenment, asking him to take charge of the East Palace so that he would not freeze to death or starve to death.
In other words, according to this rumor, the splendid Donghua Gate outside was the emperor's last nostalgia for the Empress of the Yuan Dynasty. The impoverished East Palace is the true situation of the prince at this moment - stretched thin and precarious.
Danyang sat at a high place, resting his chin on one hand, his eyes leisurely scanning the vibrant flowers and plants.
Oh, these rumors can only deceive middle- and lower-level officials who don't know the inside story and can't even enter the study room, as well as ordinary people who don't know what's going on.
At this time, a sharp sound of wind, mixed with the breeze blowing in the face, swept across in an instant.
"Princess Princess!"
Before Zizhu screamed, Danyang instinctively sensed the danger. He slid down and grabbed the bamboo pole of the shoulder bag, landing in danger.
"hiss--"
The moment he landed, although Danyang tried his best to avoid exerting force on his injured foot, he still had an impact on it.
But when she gasped in pain, her eyes were constantly looking at the seat of the bamboo woven shoulder bag where she had just sat.
At this moment, the belated servant girl and the palace maid who followed her had just reacted and followed Danyang's gaze to look at the short arrow with its tail feathers still trembling on the exquisitely woven bamboo chair. .
"Ah ah!"
"Stab, assassin! Yes, sting..."
"What are you shouting for, what are you shouting for? Just shut up and stay still! I've disturbed the Third Prince, and you'll see it well!"
Before the screams could spread, someone was already striding from the forest, shouting for everyone to be quiet.
Following closely behind him was the third prince himself, holding a short crossbow and looking high-spirited.
"Hey, isn't this Danyang? Are you looking for big brother again?"
At this moment, due to the identity of the visitor, everyone fell into silence.
Not to mention talking and blaming, few even dared to raise their heads.
Although Zizhu felt dissatisfied, she kept in mind Aunt Zhou's warning - she should not cause trouble to the princess and the princess' mansion when she was away from home. Do your best to protect the safety of the princess. That includes the safety of life, and naturally also includes reputation.
Therefore, she could only support Danyang and kept asking questions in distress.
"Princess, where are you injured? Are you frightened? I will send someone to call the imperial doctor right away. Or send someone to report the crime to His Highness the Crown Prince. Let's go back to the mansion today."
After Danyang calmed down, he waved his hand to stop Zizhu's chatter and looked coldly at the green young man in front of him.
"Your Highness, do you want to take Danyang's life?"
This sentence not only shocked the third prince and others opposite, but even Zizhu beside Danyang nervously grasped the arm of Princess Danyang that he was holding on. The strength was so strong that it could penetrate the flesh.
Did the princess say this to force the third prince to admit his mistake and apologize?
You can use such an aggressive tone, and if you have a head-on confrontation with the third prince, you will easily suffer a loss now. Even if it later spread to the ears of the third prince’s mother, Concubine Jing, it would cause even more trouble!
However, Danyang didn't even move his eyebrows from beginning to end, and just stared at the third prince opposite.
In the depths of his clear and calm eyes, there seemed to be a cluster of dancing fire burning quietly. The uncertainty of light and death is terrifying, yet so beautiful that you can't take your eyes away.
The third prince couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, but he quickly came back to his senses due to his instinctive horror, and couldn't help but secretly gasp.
Tsk, is this crazy girl really getting angry?
He had experienced this when he was a child. When this girl became bold, she could break through the sky without blinking an eye. Moreover, not only was he completely unreasonable about this matter, but it also happened in the East Palace, which was very unfavorable to him.
Thinking of this, the third prince had no choice but to temporarily hold his nose and admit that he was unlucky.
After calming down his arrogance, he chuckled and said:
"I just missed it for a moment, and it didn't do anything to you, so why bother holding on to it? Another day, I will catch a good prey, and I will give you an extra portion."
This was a rare good temper for the third prince, but Danyang didn't appreciate it and still said coldly:
"No need. If His Highness the Third Highness really feels that what he did was inappropriate, please apologize."
