Zhao Shu didn't even think of asking, and just hurried back to the palace.

After looking at the shop, the two hurriedly boarded the carriage and headed back. Zhihai was still the driver. Although Zhao Shu treated him the same as Uncle Fu, he still drove the carriage for Zhao Shu himself and hardly asked anyone else to help.

Zhao Shu watched silently, saying nothing.

"Sigh"

With a whoosh, Zhao Shu and Sun Yun fell to the ground as the carriage suddenly stopped. Green Ivy and Half-Bundle tried to help them up, but it was too late.

"Eunuch Hai, what happened? The princess has fallen." Green Luo said things she usually dared not say to Zhi Hai, and hurriedly helped Zhao Shu up, checking her over from all sides, afraid that Zhao Shu had bumped or hurt herself somewhere.

Zhao Shu hissed and helped Sun Yun up. Luckily, she wasn't hurt, just a little sore. Sun Yun was pinned down by Zhao Shu, and she was wincing in pain.

"How are you? Are you alright?" Zhao Shu asked.

Sun Yun shook her head; Banxia was already protecting her.

After confirming that Sun Yun and she had only fallen and were not injured, Zhao Shucai asked Zhihai, who was driving the carriage, "Old Hai, what happened?"

Upon hearing Zhao Shu's question, Zhi Hai replied, "There's a carriage blocking the way."

As soon as Zhao Shu finished speaking, she lifted the carriage curtain. Just then, Xiao Guozi came over and said, "Princess, the carriage of the Dowager Lady is ahead. She refuses to cross the bridge and insists that you cross first."

Zhao Shu looked up and saw a carriage parked at the entrance of the suspension bridge, followed by two other carriages that had come from the other side of the street.

In Dayong, the ranks of women of noble birth were very clearly defined. However, the law is not without human sentiment, and sometimes the ranks of women of noble birth can be ignored.

For example, daughters-in-law of noble families, especially those from the main branch, even if they do not have an imperial title, would not dare to act like a titled lady in front of the wives of officials whose husbands came from ordinary families.

For example, even if someone is older and of lower rank, others will often show them more respect and give way to them.

Zhao Shu's gaze fell on the black-brimmed carriage of the second-rank official lady opposite her. There were two horses pulling the carriage, and the servants on both sides of the carriage stood quietly without making a move. Only the horses occasionally kicked up their heels.

"Do you know who's sitting in the carriage behind?" Zhao Shu asked Xiao Guozi, turning her gaze away from him.

"The person coming from the other side said that the Lady of the County had taken her granddaughter to visit guests in the north of the city and had just returned. Although we only had one horse pulling the carriage, the Lady of the County knew that we were Princess. She said that the rules cannot be overstepped. You are a princess of the highest rank, and she is only a lady of the second rank. Please cross the bridge first." Xiao Guozi said indignantly. The old woman on the other side was really good at scheming.

If the princess crosses the bridge first, people will say that she has no respect for her elders and does not know how to respect the elderly at such a young age. If the princess lets the matriarch cross the bridge first, people will say that the princess is a pushover and that many people will bully her in the future.

Upon hearing Xiao Guozi's description, Zhao Shu sneered. One horse pulling a carriage? Indeed, she was currently only being pulled by one horse. According to the regulations of Dayong, although she was a county princess, she could be pulled by four horses, just like a princess.

The old woman on the other side was probably going to seek justice for Zhao Wanshi and the others. First, she accused Zhao Wanshi of not knowing the rules by mentioning the number of horses, and then she made things difficult for her by mentioning the order in which they crossed the bridge.

That's a brilliant plan.

The suspension bridge across the river was quite spacious, after all, it was the location of the royal family and clan, and everything was done to the best of their ability, even the suspension bridge was wider than in other places.

Otherwise, let alone a carriage pulled by two horses, even a cart pulled by people wouldn't be able to get through.

On the Qingshui River, there are not only suspension bridges but also pontoon bridges. Compared to suspension bridges, pontoon bridges are more suitable for horse-drawn carriages, especially two-horse carriages. When the Empress Dowager first arrived in Guanzhou, her imperial carriage traveled on a pontoon bridge.

Zhao Shu thought for a moment, "The Empress is younger than her, does she expect the Empress to give way to her? His Highness the Crown Prince is still seriously injured and has not yet recovered. I, the Princess, am traveling light and simply, hoping that the Bodhisattva can see my sincerity and help my brother the Crown Prince recover quickly. As an elder of the royal family, she is so extravagant when the Crown Prince is seriously ill. Who is she trying to impress? Go and convey her words. If there are any objections, send her a few copies of 'Rules for Women' and 'Admonitions for Women' to teach her what it means to be a woman."

A woman's virtue is not simply about not cheating on her husband.

After saying this, he lowered the carriage curtain and instructed Zhihai to continue driving.

Having received his orders, Zhihai continued driving the carriage, while Xiao Guozi, carrying a whisk, arrogantly approached the carriage of the only second-rank old lady in Guanzhou and called out, "Madam, the princess asks you, the crown prince is not yet fully recovered, yet you are so extravagant, not knowing to travel light and simply. Who are you trying to impress? Would the princess like to give you two copies of 'Rules for Women' and 'Admonitions for Women' to teach you how to be a proper daughter-in-law?"

The wives of imperial relatives are not like the wives of noble families. Their wealth, honor, and disgrace depend entirely on the palace. If they are involved with the crown prince, a single careless move can be considered a crime of disrespect.

Upon hearing Xiao Guozi's words, the old lady inside the carriage clenched her fists, her face as cold as frost, her aged eyes blazing with anger. This arrogant princess, who had no respect for her elders and made her granddaughter do the laundry and clean the chamber pot, was utterly immoral and incompetent, yet she dared to openly slap her in the face!

After her granddaughters were humiliated, they dared not complain to her because of the tyrannical power of this unruly princess. But if the younger generation doesn't complain, can the elders just turn a blind eye? She's not even dead yet, and she's already bullying her granddaughters like this. Does she even respect her?

What she didn't know was that the reason Zhao Wanru and the others dared not complain was because Sun Yun silenced them with the phrase "a lady from a respectable family." Naturally, she had no way of knowing what was happening inside the palace.

The more the old lady thought about it, the angrier she became. This unruly princess was fine in the palace, and she couldn't do anything about her, but once she left the palace, it was her own world. If she wasn't taught a lesson today, what prestige would she have left in Guanzhou?

"Your Highness is right. It was my oversight. In that case, Guixiang, help me down." The old lady, as expected of the matriarch of the Guanzhou clan, had already come up with a solution in the blink of an eye. After having her personal maid help her down from the carriage, she said, "Have Wan'er and Shi'er also get out of the carriage. If Your Highness can travel light and simply to sincerely comfort the Bodhisattva, how can we travel in rich clothes and light robes?"

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