After leaving Zuixianlou and getting back into the carriage, the little double was no longer inside.

The journey from Zuixianlou to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was the part Ye Jingchen was most worried about.

He made a last-minute decision to leave the palace today. Even if the Jiang family receives the news and wants to assassinate him, they will need time to prepare.

After all, assassinating the crown prince is a major event, and it's impossible to act recklessly without considering the consequences. Therefore, Ye Jingchen wasn't too worried about the journey from the palace to Zuixianlou.

Zuixianlou should have been a good place for assassination, but it is the property of the Jiang family. A restaurant that has grown to such a scale has more than just the benefit of making money, and the Jiang family is probably reluctant to give it up.

Moreover, the guests who dine at Zuixianlou are all wealthy and powerful; what if a few more members of aristocratic families were accidentally injured?

You can tell by the restaurant owner's attentive yet cautious attitude towards them.

In fact, Ye Jingchen did not think that the Jiang family would attack him while he was with his three young companions, because the possibility of accidental injury was too high. Moreover, his three carefully selected companions all had extraordinary identities. Would the Jiang family really dare to offend the Gu family, the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion, and the Minister of Rites' mansion all at once?

Ye Jingchen didn't know if the Jiang family dared to do it, but the emperor certainly did.

Even if the Jiang family hadn't caused any trouble today and the three of them had returned home safely, if the three families knew about this, they would definitely harbor resentment towards the emperor!

His father, the emperor, had a common flaw that almost all emperors had: he didn't take his ministers seriously.

However, if emperors could truly do whatever they wanted, kill whomever they pleased, then why did the prosperity of each dynasty after the collapse of the Zhou dynasty's rites and music last no more than three hundred years?

Therefore, it's not good to take yourself too seriously, not even if you're an emperor!

"Chenxi, can you sense someone following our carriage?" Ye Jingchen asked curiously, sitting properly inside the carriage.

If it weren't for the constant fear of assassination, he could be lifting the carriage curtain right now, peering through the carved window at the bustling, vibrant imperial city, and listening to the sounds of everyday life. Instead, he's stuck here, unable to do anything but sit there.

“Yes,” Chenxi replied.

Ye Jingchen felt both excited and a little nervous. He subconsciously moved closer to Chenxi and whispered, "Is it a lot?"

“Many.” Chenxi sat motionless, her voice steady.

He would never tell the little rascal that most of these "many" people were sent by the emperor to protect him.

"Aren't you nervous at all?" Ye Jingchen looked at him. Although he didn't know Chenxi's exact age, judging from his youthful face, he couldn't be more than fourteen or fifteen years old.

In modern times, some children of this age can still snuggle in their parents' arms and act spoiled!

“Nervousness affects my judgment and reaction speed,” Chenxi said.

“He can talk too,” he added.

Ye Jingchen: ...

If you don't want to talk, then don't!

He wouldn't have made conversation if he wasn't so nervous.

Born in a peaceful and prosperous era, and living to the age of thirty, he had never even witnessed a fight in real life, yet now he could be assassinated at any moment. How could he not be nervous?

Despite his seemingly calm exterior, he was actually trembling inside.

He quietly moved a little closer to the dawn.

"I won't let you die!" Chenxi said angrily.

Lately, that little rascal has been ordering him around doing all sorts of things, and he thought it meant the other person was starting to trust him. But now it seems they still don't trust him.

"Of course I trust you, that's why I want to get closer to you." Ye Jingchen smiled at Chenxi.

"If you're afraid of death, why did you leave the palace? Wouldn't it have been better to just have a stand-in do it according to the Emperor's plan?" Chenxi asked疑惑地.

"As the crown prince, I can't stay cooped up in the palace forever. Besides, there are dangers even in the palace. I'll have to adapt sooner or later," Ye Jingchen said calmly.

"If there's any danger, don't run around. Stay by my side, and I'll protect you," Chenxi said in a deep voice.

After saying that, he closed his eyes, looking like he didn't want to say anything more.

Ye Jingchen felt embarrassed to make any more moves, after all, if he distracted Chenxi, he would be the one in danger.

The journey from Zuixianlou to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion became exceptionally long, but fortunately, Ye Jingchen's gamble paid off, and the people secretly following them did not make a move.

Four carriages stopped in front of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

Ye Jingchen got off the carriage first, and after the three companions also got off the carriage, he led them up the steps.

The two gatekeepers, who had a deep impression of Ye Jingchen, quickly came forward to greet him.

It was indeed impolite to visit someone in the afternoon, especially not to visit a sick person, as there were many taboos involved. Therefore, Ye Jingchen solemnly told the servants that they had come to find Xie Chang'an to review their lessons together.

Although Xie Chang'an was sick, he could not fall behind in his studies.

Fu Ding:......

Their young master has been sick for three days and hasn't left his residence in Chang'an. Does he still want to study? His Highness the Crown Prince is far too studious!

"We're just here to see Xie Chang'an, and it's nothing important, so there's no need to disturb the elders in the manor," Ye Jingchen specifically instructed.

Although he said that, he was, after all, of noble status, so the servant hesitated for a moment before going to inform the Crown Princess.

Before long, the Crown Princess came out like a whirlwind, walking swiftly.

The visitors were four children, which was absolutely unprecedented in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

Because of his poor health, Xie Chang'an rarely left his residence. There were no children of his age in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, and Xie Chang'an couldn't get along with the younger generation of the Wang family, so he didn't have any friends.

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