Spring Courtyard Forbidden Pet

When she got off the car, the dust raised by the horse's hooves had settled. It was the first time in Ye Zhen's two lifetimes that she saw Dong Zhang's true appearance.

At the age of twenty-two, his posture was as straight as a pine tree, his aura was as strong as the sun, his handsome face was angular, his eyes were deep, and just sitting on the horse he gave people a sense of oppression without being angry.

He was dressed in a black tight-sleeved suit. When he saw Ye Zhen coming out, he dismounted, threw the whip to the guards behind him, and said to Dong Yuan, "Nonsense! Concubine Xian let you leave the city like this, and take Miss Ye with you."

Although his expression was stern, his tone was not harsh.

Dong Yuan hugged him around the waist and started to act coquettishly, "A Yuan missed you, and I begged my second sister for several days before she agreed to let me pick you up."

Dong Yuan stepped out of his arms, turned around and pulled Ye Zhen closer, his eyes shining, "Brother, I'll bring Ah Zhen to pick you up. You'll scare people if you act so fiercely."

Ye Zhen only felt that Dong Zhang seemed to be taller than Li Xuan, and his broad figure was very oppressive. In addition, the generals on the battlefield always had a solemn murderous intent, and she was completely sober.

He bowed his head and saluted, "Greetings, General."

Dong Zhang didn't expect to meet Ye Zhen so hastily. Although his face remained calm, his tightly pursed lips revealed a bit of nervousness.

She was wearing a Yang Fei-colored silk gown with a cloud pattern. Her hair, wet with sweat, shone in the sun. Her small nose and pink lips made her look as beautiful as a piece of jade. He could never imagine how beautiful she was.

He had been gone for nearly six years, and the little girl who had not yet fully grown up had blossomed before his eyes like a flower.

Dong Zhang's Adam's apple moved, "No need to be polite."

"A Yuan is ignorant and loves to make trouble. I hope Miss Ye Er will not be offended."

Dong Zhang's voice should be the deep voice commanding the three armies, but he deliberately restrained his momentum, making it sound low and gentle.

Ye Zhen was getting more and more at a loss, "General, your words are very sincere. I'm grateful that Miss Dong doesn't mind."

Dong Zhang hummed and retracted his gaze. His eyes, which were a mixture of reproach and pampering, were fixed on Dong Yuan again. His voice sank, "Did you drink?"

Dong Yuan has never been afraid of his parents, but he is afraid of his elder brother. When he was asked, his shoulders shrank, "Ah Zhen also drank, why didn't you say anything about her, but only about me?"

Ye Zhen was unexpectedly pulled in front of her, just inches away from Dong Zhang. Fortunately, the other party quickly moved away, so she was not embarrassed.

Ye Zhen finally realized that Dong Yuan's statement of introducing herself to her eldest brother was not just a casual remark to cover for her.

Dong Zhang looked past Ye Zhen, his expression was obviously serious, but his voice was as light as a breath, "Come here! I'll count to one, two..."

Dong Yuan curled her lips and moved over, raised her head and said silently to Dong Zhang, I don’t believe you dare to be mean to me in front of her.

Don’t tell me, Dong Zhang really doesn’t know how to do it.

He grabbed Dong Yuan by the collar and tucked him under his armpit like a chicken, ignoring Dong Yuan's screams like a pig being slaughtered, and stuffed him into the carriage. His dark sleeves brushed across Ye Zhen's shoulders, and there was a faint smell of soapberry in the dusty air, not the fragrance of the nobles in the capital, nor the coarse smell of sweat that Li Chengge was proud of.

Ye Zhen moved away awkwardly, unable to do anything about Dong Yuan's cries for help.

"Brother! What are you doing! I'm not a child anymore. If you do this... don't I have any dignity?" Dong Yuan got anxious and opened his mouth to bite Dong Zhang's arm like he did when he was a child. As a result, not only did his teeth fall into nothing, he was also thrown into the carriage.

Dong Zhang said sternly, "I'll punish you when we get back."

Then he straightened his clothes, turned around and said politely to Ye Zhen, "Miss Ye Er, please get in the car."

Ye Zhen was afraid that the general would get angry, and in her haste, she didn't step firmly on the riding stool and lost her balance. Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong arms holding her right arm steady.

It didn't feel like Li Xuan's gentle force, but more like a pair of pliers, or even a solid wall.

"Be careful."

Dong Zhang's deep voice rang in his ears. Ye Zhen's body tensed up. After he stood firm, he quickly pulled his arm back and said, "Thank you, General."

Dong Zhang suddenly let go of her hand, and the delicate touch made his palms feel hot.

"Don't drink with A Yuan outside from now on." His already low voice carried a hint of displeasure, making Ye Zhen feel as if a mountain was pressing down on her.

"Remember the general's teachings." Ye Zhen said hurriedly and got into the carriage.

Dong Zhang saw her tense little body, his brows furrowed, and he looked back at his two personal guards, with a look on his face that said, "Am I too fierce and scaring people?"

The two nodded like garlic.

Dong Zhang was helpless, he really wasn't very good at communicating with girls. Although Ye Zhen was someone else in his heart, it didn't affect the fact that he was not good at talking.

Just as I was wondering whether I should say something to ease the atmosphere, I suddenly felt a cold murderous intent descending from behind me.

So before Ye Zhen even got halfway into the carriage, she heard Dong Zhang yelling, "Who are you? Get out!"

She shuddered for no apparent reason, and Dong Yuan also realized something was wrong. She reached out to pull Ye Zhen in, but how could she be faster than the flying arrow?

Ye Zhen felt a pair of arms holding her waist tightly, and her body flew out instantly, and a cold arrow flew past her neck. Dong Zhang held her firmly in his arms with one hand, and dodged another arrow from the side.

Just as the two men stood firm, another cold arrow flew straight towards their eyebrows.

Ye Zhen's limbs were cold and she had no time to think. She was held back by Dong Zhang. The wind blew from behind, making their hair flutter. Just as the arrow was about to pierce Dong Zhang's forehead, it was caught steadily by his left hand.

Dong Zhang's eyes were as sharp as a knife. He threw the arrow with his backhand, and the arrow pierced the archer hiding in the tree, and the archer fell straight to the ground.

More than twenty men in black descended from the sky and engaged in a fierce battle with the twelve guards brought back by Dong Zhang. The sound of fighting shook the sky.

These people obviously didn't know Dong Zhang, otherwise they wouldn't have taken action under his nose.

Noticing Ye Zhen trembling in his arms, Dong Zhang tried his best to suppress his murderous intent, his tone was indescribably cold, "Someone wants to kill you?"

Ye Zhen forced herself to remain calm. She was not sure if he was the mastermind behind this, and she was even less sure when she had offended such a terrible person.

"Don't be afraid, they are no match for the guards."

It took Ye Zhen a long while to find her voice again, "Thank you for your help, General."

Dong Zhang frowned when he heard this, "So many assassins appeared under the emperor's feet, you call this trouble?"

Ye Zhen was intimidated by his aura and didn't know what to say.

The guards quickly killed more than a dozen men in black, and the rest began to retreat.

"General, shall we chase after him?"

Dong Zhang's eyes were filled with solemnity. "There are villagers nearby. Chase them! If they resist, don't leave them alive."

"Yes!"

The guards received the order and sent six people to chase and kill him, but they disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Before Ye Zhen could catch her breath, a carriage came leisurely, the curtain was lifted, and Prince Yu clapped his hands with an evil and cold smile, "The general's guards are so strong, no wonder the northwest has been so impregnable for so many years."

"I am very lucky to be able to see the general before I leave the capital."

Dong Zhang clasped his fists and said, "Greetings to His Royal Highness Prince Yu."

"Father is really suspicious. I was about to leave the capital in disgrace today, yet you are summoned back."

Prince Yu stared at Ye Zhen with an increasingly sinister smile. His shell-like teeth were slowly licked by the tip of his tongue, and Ye Zhen suddenly felt her throat tighten.

Prince Yu said meaningfully, "Second Miss Ye, see you later."

These words were like a knife hanging on the back of her neck. Ye Zhen couldn't help but think of the time in her previous life when she was forced under him, and how his people later surrounded the Marquis' Mansion. The scene of blood everywhere made her internal organs tremble.

Even after Prince Yu's carriage drove away, her whole body was still cold.

Seeing her so scared, like a frightened rabbit, Dong Zhang whispered, "Miss Ye Er, what's wrong with you?"

Ye Zhen finally came back to her senses and gave a stiff smile, "No, nothing."

Liuxia and Dong Yuan helped her get on the carriage. Dong Yuan gave her some hot tea and held her in his arms to comfort her. "It's all my fault. It's all my fault."

"It's okay, don't be afraid. Big Brother will protect us!"

Ye Zhen held the teacup, absorbing the heat from it bit by bit, and finally regained her composure. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Liuxia calling from outside, "Master!"