The Princess’ Shadow Guard – Chapter 21

Rouge, can it be bad? (First Kiss)

Ming Qin searched through the entire Shadow Guard Camp, and only in the evening did she gather the things that Murong Yan wanted from a senior brother who was skilled in disguise.

The enthusiastic senior brother rummaged through a wooden box and pulled out various peculiar bottles and jars. Then he looked at Ming Qin’s hair and said, “Your hair is so black, why do you need some black bean paste? Are you trying to dye an old person’s hair?”

Ming Qin shook her head and said, “No, it’s for a friend of mine who is not yet thirty.”

“Really?!”

The senior brother exclaimed, then looked somewhat worried and said with a serious tone, “In that case, your friend may be overthinking and exhausting herself mentally. Little niece, you should advise her. This kind of behavior is not good for the body. If it’s a small sorrow or injury, it’s better to let it go. Excessive pondering is not conducive to longevity.”

Murong Yan’s experiences are probably not something that can be summed up with the simple words 『small sorrow or injury』, and it’s not appropriate for outsiders to speculate.

Ming Qin didn’t know how to respond, so she could only silently twitch her nose. After putting the things handed to her by the senior brother into a cloth bag, she thanked him sincerely and hurried to the Cangyue Tower.

Strangely, when she arrived at the tower, she didn’t see Murong Yan lying on the usual couch in front of the window. Instead, she found her sitting in front of a dressing table shielded by a folding screen.

“Ah Qin, give me the things.”

A fair hand stretched out from the gap in the folding screen, and Ming Qin turned her head and handed over the cloth-wrapped package in her hand. “Wait outside for a while,” Murong Yan said softly.

Ming Qin obediently sat on a stool, her eyes scanning the pastries arranged on the table, all of which she liked. Unable to resist, she licked her lips and reached out to start eating.

It wasn’t until the table was completely cleared of food that she felt a bit drowsy, but Murong Yan still hadn’t come out.

On the ninth yawn from Ming Qin, the sound of fabric rubbing came from behind the folding screen.

“Ah Qin.” Murong Yan walked out slowly from behind the screen, smiling helplessly. “Eating too many sweets will make your teeth ache.”

She raised her head, about to retort, but her whole body stiffened, entering a state of petrification.

Murong Yan had always been beautiful, and Ming Qin knew that.

Whether it was the graceful and elegant her on horseback when they first met, or the languid and charming her playing with tea sets while leaning on a couch, or even the breathless and calling-her-name-while-ill her, they were all beautiful.

But never before had they been so stunning, to the point where she almost forgot to breathe, as they were at this moment.

It made her realize clearly that 『they』 were merely remnants of the Murong Yan from all those years ago.

With just one Spring Festival poetry gathering, she had caused a sensation and was hailed as a literary prodigy, her beauty captivating the entire capital city. But now, they were just remnants of the once dazzling 『Murong Yan』.

Her skin, as fair as white jade, was not adorned with powder. Instead, she lightly applied rouge on her cheeks, adding a touch of color to her previously pale face, which had a hint of illness.

Her eyelids had a peachy hue, and the corners of her eyes were lightly accentuated with a brush, exuding a seductive charm. Her lips, usually pale, were not coated with deep red lipstick as usual. Instead, they were delicately outlined with a brush, creating a vibrant red color, with a layer of crack-resistant oil swept over them.

But it was just like this.

Even though it was just like this, it was akin to peonies blooming in the transition from winter to spring, outshining all other flowers and leaving them unable to compete.

The once slightly sunken cheeks had been nourished over the past half year and were no longer gaunt, exuding vitality. Every frown and smile was like a painting, like a poem.

When she spoke, the seductive red color between her lips made one’s heart tremble.

Her hair, with a few strands of silver, had now been dyed jet black and was simply styled in a single coiled bun, secured with a pure gold hairpin. On top of it, there were two large red peonies made of palace silk, with petals containing hidden gold threads, as if they were blooming on her dark tresses.

The white robe was embroidered with vine branches using deep ink-green silk thread. Starting from the flowing wide sleeves, the vines extended and climbed over her graceful shoulders, twining and winding behind her.

As she slightly turned, revealing the embroidery of a magnificent bright red peony on her back.

The intricate stitches depicted a lifelike image, as if the blooming flower could pierce through the slender spine of the woman at any moment, ready to burst forth with every movement she made.

A few red petals fell with the trailing hem of her skirt, making one even more inclined to carefully cherish the flower before them.

The inner skirt was a deep red color, not as elaborate as the outer robe. It was simply wrapped in white silk embroidered with red flowers, with a section hanging in front, swaying with each step she took.

There was no irritating scent of powder in the air, only the scent of peonies silently following her as she walked, causing people to automatically make way for her arrogant beauty.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, but that was all.

Ming Qin gazed at her, feeling not only the overwhelming shock but also an indescribable sorrow in her heart.

Have you all seen it?

Her beauty.

Open your eyes wide and take a good look, alright?

Isn’t she beautiful!

A beauty that can overturn the world, like a celestial being descending to earth.

She should be admired by everyone, cherished in the hearts of those around her.

This is the incomparable beauty, the number one Chongwen Princess, Murong Yan!

She should live freely and joyfully, blossoming in her prime, even more radiant.

Instead, she was bent by others, imprisoned in a high tower with shackles, cruelly depriving her of air and sunlight, slowly strangling her until she withered.

Unforgivable.

Whether it’s the mad Crown Prince, the inept Emperor, or even her own inability to save herself, the harsh world that treated her is unforgivable.

“Ah Qin, come here.”

Despite having been aware of her own appearance from a young age, when Murong Yan saw Ming Qin’s stunned face, she still felt a sense of joy, gently calling out, “Support me, my leg hurts.”

Ming Qin, who had been lost in her thoughts, quickly stepped forward and carefully lifted her, holding her high. “Don’t force yourself.”

Murong Yan lowered her head, looking at Ming Qin’s worried expression. She reached out and touched the earring that once belonged to her, enjoying the moment, and pointed to the corner where the qin was. “Carry me there.”

Ming Qin held her, supporting Murong Yan as she sat in her embrace. With one hand, Ming Qin took a cloth and wiped away the dust on the qin, while her other hand embraced Murong Yan’s waist, allowing her to sit steadily in front of the qin.

“Although it’s impossible for Ah Qin to dance to the music, I can still play the qin.”

Murong Yan plucked a few strings with one hand and then placed both hands on the strings. “But it’s been a long time since I last played, so my hands might be a bit rusty.”

Plucking the strings and producing melodies.

Ming Qin didn’t understand music.

She always felt that all the qin sounds were dry and monotonous, just a few strings bouncing back and forth.

Now she realized how wrong she was.

At this moment, she still didn’t understand music.

But she seemed to be able to hear the sadness conveyed by the qin in Murong Yan’s hands.

At first, it was just a lonely single note, and then it gradually deepened.

As the layers of musical notes piled up, it seemed to sense the strength of the player’s fingers. Resentment and sorrow accumulated incessantly.

It was as if venting one’s dissatisfaction and confiding one’s grievances, filled with grief and indignation pressing against the chest, as if about to burst forth in the next second.

Ding!

A sharp, piercing sound cut through the air, as if trying to interrupt it all.

A string snapped.

The previously impassioned melody abruptly stopped, and Murong Yan’s hands remained suspended in the air.

The broken string struck her arm like a whip, leaving behind long red marks, with only a few remaining qinxuan strings gently trembling.

As if on the verge of tears.

“Even the qin refuses to follow my heart?” Murong Yan sighed softly, her expression filled with a sense of sadness.

Suddenly, she felt a coolness on her neck. She turned her head to the side and, for the first time, saw tears streaming down Ming Qin’s cheeks.

“Ah Qin?”

Murong Yan’s face showed rare signs of panic. She rolled up her sleeves, intending to wipe Ming Qin’s tears, but Ming Qin held her tightly in her embrace. “Ah Qin? What’s wrong with you?”

Ming Qin shook her head, unwilling to speak, just remaining silent, gently touching the red marks on Murong Yan’s hand and tying a cloth around it.

“Ah Qin, why are you crying? Did I hurt you?” Murong Yan looked at the tears welling up in the eyes of the person before her, feeling inexplicably teary-eyed once again. With her free hand, she lightly touched Ming Qin’s face and asked with a somewhat amused tone.

“It hurts so much…” Ming Qin whispered.

Murong Yan felt a deep pain.

“Ah Qin, don’t cry. Actually, being struck by the string doesn’t hurt as much as it looks.”

Murong Yan spoke to comfort Ming Qin, looking at the still downcast figure, attempting to shift her attention and asked, “Now, does Ah Qin understand the value of a beautiful woman?”

Ming Qin nodded. “I think I now understand why some people would spend a fortune just to make a beauty smile.”

If it was for the sake of making Murong Yan happy, she would gladly sacrifice herself, even if it meant being broken to pieces.

Upon hearing her response, a happy smile curved Murong Yan’s lips.

She knew she was extraordinarily beautiful. In the past, if she had been willing, she could have used her appearance to make any man in the world do anything for her. But she had also resented her own face to an extreme degree, wishing to tear it apart with a hairpin in front of the mirror.

Now, just because of Ming Qin’s remark about not understanding the value of a beautiful woman, she was willing to temporarily regain her former elegance. Moreover, seeing Ming Qin’s stunned expression, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in her heart.

How childish she had been.

Murong Yan felt a bit helpless and amused by herself.

Looking at Ming Qin, whose eyes were still slightly red, Murong Yan sighed. “Ah Qin, my makeup is not yet complete.”

Ming Qin looked at her flawless face with confusion. “Not complete?”

“Not complete,” Murong Yan said firmly, placing her hand on Ming Qin’s cheek. “I need Ah Qin’s help.”

“Alright,” Ming Qin agreed immediately. “How can I help?”

“Close your eyes and don’t open them,” the woman breathed out softly, her voice slightly hoarse.

She obediently closed her eyes, and the rich fragrance of peonies wafted to her nose. She never doubted the woman’s words.

After a moment, she felt a fleeting, moist, and cool sensation on her lips.

Ming Qin didn’t understand what it was, but despite her curiosity to open her eyes, she resisted and felt as if it was silk, involuntarily licking it lightly.

The person in her arms trembled, and then relaxed, letting Ming Qin’s tongue enter, as if entering an uninhabited realm.

Her mouth and nose were filled with the scent of flowers, and she could feel hardness and another softness that was wet. Ming Qin seemed to know what she was doing.

She had seen it in the brothel.

With a loud thud, her face involuntarily burned, and she quickly opened her eyes and moved back. She looked at the person before her, who was panting lightly, with a trace of her own saliva at the corner of her mouth.

Ming Qin felt that she had taken advantage of the princess, becoming a despicable scoundrel. Anxiously, she tried to speak, “I, I, I…”

“Is my rouge smeared?”

Murong Yan calmly asked, licking her lips, but her blushing cheeks betrayed her thoughts.

Ming Qin’s gaze quickly swept over the princess’s vermilion lips, then drifted towards the window, stuttering as she spoke, “No… no…”

“Then, only like this can it be considered complete.”

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The author has something to say:

(Covering mouth, hesitant to speak)

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LP: Re-translated on January 30, 2024

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