An Eight-year-old Princess novel Chapter 116

"What's wrong?" Qian Yin opened the door and got off the carriage.

Hearing the squabble, Yun Shang frowned and winked at Qin Yi as a sign for her to get out. Qin Yi complied with the order. The moment Qin Yi jumped off, Qian Yin returned and looked at Yun Shang seriously. She reported in a low voice, "Your Highness, a man rushed towards the carriage. The driver tried to avoid him but the man was still hurt."

Yun Shang replied, "Hum, ask Qin Yi to return. Since the carriage belongs to Prince Jing, the driver must be a smart man. He can deal with this accident."

Qian Yin frowned and said, "Your Highness, the injured man has brown eyes and an emblem on his wrist. I guess he is not a citizen of the State of Ning. Moreover, the clothes he wears are of good quality. They look expensive."

Yun Shang was worried when she heard the description. She said, "I will have a look." She then put on her veil and opened the door. As soon as she got off the carriage, she saw a man in black standing nearby. He looked pale. The driver bowed his head and defended himself, "You pounced on our horses so you are responsible for the accident. It's not my fault that I couldn't stop the horses. There are many witnesses."

The victim sneered, "Judging from the badge, I guess the carriage belongs to Prince Jing. Is he free to do as he pleases? Even kill a person recklessly? Just because he is a prince? If I had died on the spot, would anyone have been held accountable?"

From his accent it was confirmed that the man was not a citizen of the State of Ning. Yun Shang looked carefully at the man. He wore a black robe. He had a snub-nose and deep set eyes. Although he was handsome, she concluded that he was ill-tempered from his expression.

She stared at his wrist and saw a strange emblem. She squinted and thought for a while before she finally recalled his identity. She was astonished, but she hid her surprise.

With a smile she advised in a soft tone, "Be lenient whenever it is possible. It was six of one and half a dozen of the other. We were both at fault. Since you are not hurt, we are now even. What do you think?"

The man looked at the pretty tender girl. She seemed to be 14-15 years old. She had a good figure. Although the man thought highly of her, he satirized, "It's well known that Prince Jing is an upright man and never gets entangled with women. I wasn't expecting to handle an accident with a beauty as pretty as a flower and as pure as a jade. I heard the Emperor has granted Prince Jing's request to marry Princess Hui Guo. What if she saw you in his carriage? Would she be sad?"

His confusion further proved his identity. Yun Shang gave a signal to Qian Yin who understood what the Princess intended to convey. Qian Yin hastily yelled, "How dare you? Do you know who she is?"

The man laughed and casually asked, "Are you Princess Hui Guo?"

Qian Yin snorted contemptuously, "You have a good eye. But you are unforgivable. How dare you shout nonsense in the presence of Her Highness?"

"Your Highness." The onlookers were also surprised at the presence of Princess Hui Guo. They greeted her in chorus.

With a smile Yun Shang lowed her head and said, "Well, Qian Yin, he is innocent because he didn't know my identity. I wonder whether you agree with my solution. If you agree, don't stand in the middle of the street, please."

"You are Princess Hui Guo?" It seemed that the man questioned her identity. There was amazement in his eyes.

Yun Shang compressed her lips and claimed, "I am the real Princess Hui Guo." She then frowned and coughed, "Hum…"

Qian Yin stepped forward to hold Yun Shang and advised, "Your Highness, you fall ill quickly. You'd better return to the carriage."

Yun Shang waved her hand and said, "I have been in the Imperial Palace for so long. It's a pity to waste this chance of getting out by staying in a carriage."

"But your health…"

Qian Yin's chatter was interrupted by the sound of horses and riders thundering along the road. Before the riders arrived, a cry could be heard from the onlookers, "Here comes Prince Jing."

'Prince Jing?' Yun Shang raised her eyebrows and eagerly looked in the direction of the clopping.

Prince Jing frowned when he found several people standing in the middle of the street. Before he took a diversion, he heard a familiar voice saying, "Your Highness, Princess Hui Guo is here."

Surprised at the remark, Prince Jing jumped off his horse. After nudging his way through the crowd, he found Yun Shang was being held by Qian Yin. The Princess was coughing severely.

Prince Jing frowned, took her by the arm and asked, "Yun Shang, what's wrong? You are not feeling well, are you?"

Yun Shang looked up, shook her head and said with a smile, "Nothing serious. There was an accident. My carriage ran into this man…" She looked back and found that the man had left.

In the distance only a figure in a black robe could be seen. Yun Shang frowned and explained, "It's over. He has left." Yun Shang coughed and apologized, "Uncle, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. Let's go." With these words, she held Qian Yin and got in the carriage.

When she entered, she found Prince Jing followed her. Before she could say anything, the carriage began moving.

Yun Shang leaned against the side and said after consideration, "I guess the man that stopped my carriage was Cangjue Qingsu."

"Uncle, have you seen Cangjue Qingsu? Do you know what he looks like?" Yun Shang looked up and asked.

Prince Jing nodded and said, "If I see him, I can surely recognize him. I didn't see the man just now. But why did he choose to hit my carriage if he was worried that I would recognize him?"

The carriages from Prince Jing's Mansion all bore special badges. They were easy enough to identify.

Yun Shang answered with a smile, "I am afraid he already knew that Princess Hui Guo* would be in this carriage instead of Prince Jing. He intended to inform Princess Hui Guo of his arrival. He never thought he would see me, the real Princess Hui Guo. So he enraged me to ascertain my identity. When he confirmed that I am the real Princess Hui Guo, he understood that Hua Jing deceived him."

（*TN: Princess Hua Jing cheated Cangjue Qingsu by claiming that she was Princess Hui Guo.)

Prince Jing asked in surprise, "Did you tell him your identity? It was said that he departed from the State of Yelang a short while ago. How did he appear in the Imperial City so quickly?"

Yun Shang lowered her head and said after a brief pause, "Cangjue Qingsu is the third Prince of the State of Yelang. The Princes are fighting intensely for the crown. If he marries me, he would get support from the State of Ning. In my opinion, he came here alone in advance to investigate and avoid getting assassinated on the way. If he gets in touch with Hua Jing, his goal will be more easily achieved. He used the forces who set out from the State of Yelang as a cover. The assassins who are interested in his life, will be easily distracted."

Prince Jing raised his eyebrows and a crafty expression appeared in his eyes. He suggested, "The so-called third prince of the State of Yelang is still on the way. This man didn't reveal his identity, so it's our best chance to kill him. Even if the State of Yelang censure us, we could answer with a query, Isn't the Prince on the way? Why did he sneak into the Imperial City? What was his intention?"

Yun Shang raised her eyebrows and said, "Cangjue Qingsu is an unruly man, but he isn't imprudent. I believe he made some arrangements before he came into the Imperial City by himself. It will not be easy to catch or kill him."

Prince Jing didn't reply. He meditated in silence and then said, "After the spring outing, I will send you back to the Imperial Palace. You'd better stay at your palace for several days. Firstly, Cangjue Qingsu asked the Emperor to marry you to him. He doesn't know the name he mentioned in his letter has been changed to Hua Jing. I am afraid he might hurt you. Secondly, he is in the Imperial City and the State of Xia may take some action. There will be a period of serious disturbances in the Imperial City."

"It's not easy for me to get out of the Imperial Palace." Yun Shang answered and then closed her eyes, leaving Prince Jing alone with his thoughts. When speaking of Cangjue Qingsu, her attitude had become softer. However, it didn't mean she would treat him tenderly and with a smile.

After several minutes of travel, the carriage stopped. Prince Jing jumped off the carriage first. Before Yun Shang got off, Prince Jing had held out his hand to help her.

Yun Shang frowned. She didn't need his help. When she was about to jump off the carriage, a frivolous voice was heard, "Is Princess Huo Guo coming? We have been waiting for a long time."

Yun Shang looked up and saw Wang Jinhuan striding to meet her. Behind him, several girls followed.

Yun Shang sighed and held Prince Jing's hand when getting off the carriage. Yun Shang glanced at the surrounding area. An expansive slope with a smooth surface came into view. Maybe it was a special platform for the spring outing?