Spring Courtyard Forbidden Pet

"Stop the sedan."

Ye Zhen had spoken, and the four sedan bearers exchanged glances and continued to move forward.

"The princess has ordered us to serve the young lady well. If we fail to catch up, the princess will blame us. We can't afford it."

Ye Zhen was holding onto the side of the sedan chair when she bumped her shoulder again, causing her to feel an immediate surge of pain.

Liuxia started arguing with them outside, saying that it was not okay to walk slower, and it was not okay to stop to rest either. Wasn't she just trying to make them suffer?

There was another bump, and half of the sedan hit the stone steps. Ye Zhen took the opportunity to lift the curtain and get out of the sedan, but accidentally sprained her ankle.

The sedan bearer was anxious when he saw her coming out, "Oh, it's all my fault. But, the mountain road is really difficult to walk on."

Liuxia helped Ye Zhen steady herself and quickly looked at the gauze on her left cheek, fearing that it would touch the wound. She couldn't help but complain, "The sedan chairs of the Imperial Master and the Princess also traveled on the same mountain road, so why weren't they bumpy?"

The sedan bearer seemed to be bowing to apologize, but his words were not respectful at all. "Look at what you said, young lady. They are the state teacher and the princess, well-known benevolent people in the Great Zhou. How can your young lady compare with them?"

Liuxia became even angrier when she heard this, but luckily Ye Zhen stopped her in time and she didn't start cursing.

Ye Zhen endured the discomfort in her ankle and said calmly, "The princess must have recognized your ability to carry the sedan chair by inviting you. She also gave you more silver than others."

The sedan bearer stopped laughing when he heard her, and then he heard her say, "The mountain road is indeed difficult to walk on, so it's not your fault."

Seeing that she didn't dare to really blame them, the four sedan bearers winked at each other and looked very proud.

"Of course, I can't be compared with the princess and the national teacher, so there is no need to take a sedan chair. I can just walk down the mountain by myself."

Ye Zhen left this sentence and pulled Liuxia down the mountain wall step by step.

By the time they came to their senses, the two men had already gone down more than a dozen stairs. The four of them looked at each other, and all felt that something was wrong.

Although Ye Zhen walked slowly, she walked steadily, and Liuxia did not notice that her ankle was injured. Only the back of her clothes was soaked with sweat.

"Second Miss, they were chasing and shouting all the way, and they couldn't walk steadily."

"Humph, they are just trying to make trouble for us."

Liuxia saw them carrying the empty sedan in a panic and chasing after them. It was really a bumpy journey.

But it still couldn't relieve her anger, "How dare these people pretend to obey and disobey under the noses of the Imperial Master and the Princess!"

"When the Imperial Master finds out that we haven't caught up, he will definitely turn back!" Liuxia said firmly.

Ye Zhen wiped the sweat from her neck with her sleeve, looking a little lonely. After last night, she didn't think Li Xuan would come back for her, and she had said it so decisively that even if she broke her legs today, she couldn't wait for him to come and protect her again.

"Let's go."

Ye Zhen moved her right foot and felt that her ankle was so painful that she could not feel anything. It was probably swollen. After returning to Beijing, she would rest for two days and it would be fine.

The sedan bearer chased down the mountain and saw the two people resting under a tree. He was overjoyed and did not even bother to wipe the sweat from his eyes. He quickly ran over, but unexpectedly, Ye Zhen and Liu Xia had already wiped off the sweat and stood up to continue walking towards the official road.

"Miss, wait a minute! Now that we're down the mountain, get in the sedan chair and we'll carry you."

"Miss···"

No matter how they shouted or begged, Ye Zhen seemed to be deaf to them and instead quickened her pace.

Liuxia muttered several times along the way, why didn't anyone look back to look for them? Why didn't the Second Master notice that they didn't catch up?

The two walked like this for most of the day, and finally saw Li Xuan and Meng Qianru at Baili Pavilion under the scorching sun.

Liuxia opened her mouth to call out, but Ye Zhen quickly covered her mouth and said hoarsely, "Don't disturb them."

Liuxia then saw clearly that the two were very close to each other and she didn't know what they were talking about. Meng Qianru was smiling with her brows fixed on her face, and Li Xuan looked down at her with an indescribably gentle expression.

Just like...what I did to my own lady before.

Meng Qianru took out a plate of candied fruit from the food box. "It's newly made in the palace. Apricots from the Western Regions are dried and baked. They are cleaner than those in the shops outside, and the sweetest."

"The Queen gave me a box as a reward. Come and try it."

Meng Qianru handed it over personally. Her gem-like eyes flashed with a clear and gentle light, and her smile was like a crescent moon, very charming.

Especially today, Li Xuan was particularly kind and patient to her, saying that the mountain road was rugged and asked her to come down and have a rest. She couldn't believe it.

Li Xuan glanced at the candied fruit and said, "I..."

As soon as he opened his mouth, he saw Ye Zhen appear on the pipe. Even from such a long distance, he could still see her pale and disheveled appearance at a glance. She was standing there with her body slightly leaning to the left. His eyes subconsciously fell on her right foot.

The hand that was turning the rosary beads suddenly paused.

Meng Qianru followed his gaze and said calmly, "Second Miss Ye, why are you standing in the sun? Come to the pavilion and take a rest. And try the palace's candied fruits to see if they suit your taste."

She smiled gently and waved at Ye Zhen affectionately, without showing any airs.

Ye Zhen took a few steps forward and said, "Thank you for your kindness, my lady. However, I don't like sweets, and I am sorry for your kindness."

"I will just go and rest under the tree and not disturb the princess and the imperial teacher."

Meng Qianru felt a little regretful after hearing this, "Miss Ye Er doesn't like sweets, that's a pity."

Ye Zhen smiled without saying anything, then turned and walked under a tree nearby.

Because I had been walking too fast and too hasty, I just took a short break and when I took another step my ankle hurt as if it were being pricked by needles, and it felt like I was stepping on a board of nails when I landed.

She gritted her teeth and told herself not to show any clues in front of him, never!

Liuxia noticed that she was tense and had difficulty walking, so she said in a trembling voice, "Second Miss, your foot..."

Ye Zhen held her hand tightly and squeezed out three words from between her teeth, "Hold me steady."

She walked sideways to the tree, and it was difficult for her to even sit down, so she had to hold on to the trunk and whispered to Liuxia, "You block it, I'll be fine slowly. Don't, don't let them know."

Liuxia realized later that she had twisted her ankle, and her heart tightened, "Why didn't you complain to the Imperial Master? It's all the fault of those sedan bearers!"

"The princess gave them money, but they cheated and acted cunningly."

Ye Zhen panted heavily, "The princess didn't mention why we followed them only now. Do you think it would be helpful if you told us?"

Liuxia was struck by lightning and said in disbelief, "You mean the princess is interested..."

"Shh!"

Ye Zhen made a gesture to silence him, "Second Master was so nice to me before, which made people jealous. It's understandable that the princess did this."

But Ye Zhen will not admit defeat easily.

Although Liuxia didn't understand what was wrong with the Second Master being nicer to her, she saw that she was still trying to hold back, so she said with red eyes, "It's the right foot, right? I'll help you take a look."

Ye Zhen's fingers dug into the tree trunk tightly, "I can't bend down now, wait a minute."

Liuxia couldn't help but shed tears.

In the pavilion, Li Xuan said something unknown and Meng Qianru's bell-like laughter came out, making Ye Zhen look even more embarrassed.

"Liuxia, help me behind the tree."

Li Xuan watched Meng Qianru picking candied fruits, but his eyes were always on Ye Zhen. Noticing that Liuxia was deliberately blocking her, he clenched his fists and his expression darkened.

She still wants to hide behind a tree now?

I could hardly lift my right foot and could only move slowly on the ground, trying to avoid him!

Ye Zhen had only taken two steps when she suddenly heard Li Xuan'an's cold voice, "Stop!"