The Princess’ Shadow Guard – Chapter 24
by Little PandaThe Dog That Rides on Its Master
“Where in the world have you been lately?” Murong Wan questioned petulantly while eating his midday meal.
“I went out of the city for a mission,” Ming Qin said indistinctly, her mouth full of a large chicken drumstick.
Seeing Murong Wan vent his frustration by stabbing at the food before him with his chopsticks, Ming Qin swallowed what was in her mouth and asked, “Did someone bully you while I was away?”
Murong Wan shook his head.
While Ming Qin was away, a man named Cao Yun had taken her place.
Cao Yun was a very competent shadow guard. He was always able to avert any danger, not only by mimicking the sound of a stray cat to drive away Zhang Yurong and his group before they could cause trouble, but also by using small pebbles to perfectly coordinate with his punches and help him strike his opponents during sparring sessions at the Martial Arts Hall.
Moreover, his attitude towards him was extremely respectful; he wouldn’t snatch his meat, nor would he crudely slap his shoulder.
But Murong Wan just really missed Ming Qin.
“Was it because Yun-ge was too quiet and didn’t chat with you?” Ming Qin guessed. “Although Yun-ge doesn’t talk much, he’s warm-hearted, doesn’t play pranks, and is a really good person.”
“I don’t need anyone to chat with me!” Murong Wan’s youthful cheeks flushed red as he tried to argue back, “Cao Yun never speaks, which is just perfect for me!”
“Is that so.”
I really am not suited to be a nobleman’s guard. In this world, probably only Murong Yan can tolerate me, Ming Qin thought as she continued to eat her chicken drumstick.
Fearing he had hurt her feelings, Murong Wan grew flustered and wanted to explain, but he was clumsy with words and couldn’t squeeze out a single sentence.
Ming Qin didn’t mind, simply patting her stomach and letting out a big yawn.
As the two were passing under a corridor on their way back to the classroom, they came face to face with the Crown Prince and Xiao He.
Murong Wan’s face turned deathly pale in an instant. He couldn’t help but glance up, wanting to see if his shadow guard was still there protecting him. He took a deep breath, his small hands hidden in his sleeves, clenched into tight fists.
“Isn’t this Eleventh Brother?” Murong Xiao, with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes on his snake-like pale face, said with feigned surprise. “What a coincidence.”
“Crown Prince Brother.” The boy cupped his hands in a salute towards his older brother, swallowed, and then asked, “Why did Crown Prince Brother think to come to the Imperial Academy today?”
“Is the Imperial Academy a place that This Prince cannot visit?” Murong Xiao was still smiling, but his tone was icy and viscous. He reached out his right hand, placed it on the hilt of the sword at Xiao He’s waist, and tapped it rhythmically.
The boy explained in a panic, “Crown Prince Brother can go wherever he pleases.” His head was bowed low, his eyes fixed on the wooden planks of the corridor.
“Indeed.”
“This Prince can go wherever This Prince pleases.” Murong Xiao’s tone was somewhat cheerful, as if he was very satisfied with the boy’s answer.
“And This Prince can do whatever This Prince wants!”
The moment the words fell, the man shua—drew the sword at his side. A flash of silver light glinted as it aimed straight for the boy’s fragile neck, about to strike.
Clang.
The masked Ming Qin flew down, holding a dagger to block the sharp weapon in Murong Xiao’s hand. Sparks seemed to fly where the blades met.
“Tsk.”
Murong Xiao clicked his tongue in annoyance, retracting his weapon and handing it to the guard beside him. He complained, though whether it was genuine or not was unclear, “You see, Xiao He? This Prince told you that Father Emperor must have assigned an shadow guard to protect my little brother. Why wouldn’t you listen?”
Xiao He sheathed the sword, bowed with cupped hands, and said respectfully, “It was this subordinate’s recklessness. I insisted on testing whether the Eleventh Prince was safe, and thus alarmed the Prince. Please punish me, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“It is good that you know your mistake. This Prince will sentence you to one hundred military beatings.”
Murong Xiao thrust his hands into his sleeves. Staring at his younger brother with cold, snake-like eyes, he said flatly, “Eleventh Brother, is this punishment to your satisfaction?”
Shielded behind Ming Qin, Murong Wan still hadn’t fully recovered from the sudden flash of blades. His lips trembled as he said, “Good… good. Thank you, Crown Prince Brother.”
Murong Xiao seemed satisfied with his brother’s tact. Just as he was about to turn and leave, his gaze was drawn to a dark red color.
The eerie smile that had been on his face vanished in an instant. Expressionless, only his eyes were filled with a grim coldness.
“You… “
Though he held no sword, his aura was even more oppressive than before. Like a snake that had locked onto its prey, he pointed at the garnet1 on Ming Qin’s right ear and asked slowly, “That… earring on your ear… how did you get it?”
Damn.
Ming Qin’s heart sank. From behind her mask, her gaze lowered as she feigned a bow, forcing herself to count the wood grains on the floor. “This subordinate official bought it from the market.”
“This Prince was unaware that such an exceptional accessory could be casually purchased at a market.” Murong Xiao’s face was dark. Resisting the urge to grab her, he growled as if he didn’t believe her, “Speak! Which market? And when did you get it?”
“Replying to Your Highness… it was the East Market. I bought it on New Year’s Eve.” Ming Qin said, forcing a calm tone.
Murong Xiao snorted coldly, staring at the person before him and roaring, “On the night of New Year’s Eve, all the markets in the capital are closed! How dare you lie to This Prince.” The man’s eyes were bloodshot, as if he would tear the woman to pieces in the next second.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince has long been in the palace and may not be aware, but even on New Year’s Eve, a small number of stalls in the East Market remain open.” Speaking of a subject she was familiar with, Ming Qin instantly found her confidence and looked up, meeting Murong Xiao’s gloomy gaze directly.
“Xiao He!”
The man stared at Ming Qin warningly and commanded the guard beside him through gritted teeth, “Stay here and guard the Eleventh Prince. Do not move a single step without This Prince’s permission.”
Before the swordsman could reply, he flicked his sleeves, turned, and left, walking briskly out of the Imperial Academy.
“To Cangyue Tower.” Once in his carriage, veins bulged on Murong Xiao’s forehead as he roared, “Someone! Go and find out if what that woman said is true!”
His vision was stained red. I absolutely will not allow it. I absolutely will not allow Elder Sister to escape my control.
When Murong Xiao burst into the room, the woman merely shot him an annoyed glance, as if displeased that someone had interrupted her quiet reading.
“Elder Sister!”
Murong Xiao rushed forward in a panic. After checking that the woman’s earlobes were bare of any pendants, he frantically began to rummage through the boxes of accessories on her dressing table.
“To think that His Highness the Crown Prince is interested in jade and jewels, how novel.” Murong Yan put down the book in her hand, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
“Impossible, this is impossible.” Unable to find what he was looking for, Murong Xiao turned to Murong Yan with reddened eyes. “Who is she? That b#tch wearing Elder Sister’s earring.”
Murong Yan’s breath caught for an instant, a sudden coldness seizing her limbs. A moment later, she resumed her normal demeanor and asked with feigned confusion, “Who is Your Highness talking about? What earring?”
The man was beyond furious. He strode forward and grabbed her slender neck with both hands, growling, “Elder Sister, do not play dumb and lie to This Prince. That garnet earring, the one Elder Sister often wore.”
The grip on her neck tightened unconsciously.
On the verge of suffocation, Murong Yan showed no intention of begging for mercy. Instead, she let out a derisive chuckle and said intermittently, “The garnet… earring… was lost… long ago…”
“Lost?” Murong Xiao seemed unconvinced, but his hands loosened their grip.
“It was lost… back when Your Highness… sent people… to search this tower…” she sneered, then recounted, “Besides the… earring, a few gold hairpins… also went missing…”
“Impossible, impossible…”
The man first muttered in disbelief, then suddenly roared, “The audacity of them, to dare steal Elder Sister’s things!”
“…Who would be afraid of… a crippled woman… held captive?” A mocking smile played on Murong Yan’s lips. She then looked directly at Murong Xiao. “Why don’t Your Highness… just grant their wish… and strangle… me to death… right here?”
As if realizing he was holding a searing hot branding iron, the man abruptly released his grip. The thin woman collapsed onto the tea table like a snapped bowstring, making a loud thud.
Murong Xiao seemed completely oblivious to this, kneeling by the couch and pleading with her as if deeply devoted, “How could This Prince dare to kill Elder Sister? It was This Prince’s mistake. Elder Sister, please forgive This Prince, alright?”
Despite the pain, Murong Yan’s expression remained cold. Unmoved by the man’s pitiful words, she merely panted and mocked, “…Why would the… noble Crown Prince… need the forgiveness… of a weak woman?”
“Elder Sister, This Prince was wrong, This Prince was wrong.” Seemingly sincere in his plea for forgiveness, the man’s pleading expression suddenly twisted with viciousness, his tone violent. “This Prince will go and punish those audacious scoundrels right now.”
He then turned and rushed downstairs, completely devoid of his usual composure.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
A waiting attendant stepped forward and reported in a low voice into the panting man’s ear, “While we have not yet found out which shop sold the Commandery Princess’ earring, it has been confirmed that the East Market was indeed not completely closed on New Year’s Eve.”
Hearing this, Murong Xiao’s anger flared even hotter. He suppressed it and ordered, “Select several chests of earrings and gold hairpins for the Commandery Princess. Remember! You must only send the most exquisite and valuable ones.” He added, “Go to the Jingzhaoyin2.”
“This Prince will personally deal with the dog that dares to ride on its master’s head3.”
The author has something to say:
Your Highness, how could a Commandery Princess with so many tricks up her sleeve possibly let you find what she’s hidden?
Actually, in some ways, the Commandery Princess is the person best suited to deal with the Crown Prince.
PS. Which little angel bookmarked my series page!?
This makes me really want to write a second book (cry-laugh)
LP: Re-translated on June 24, 2025
Footnotes
- 石榴石 | shíliúshí | The Chinese name for garnet literally means “pomegranate stone,” due to its resemblance to the fruit’s seeds. Garnets have been used as gemstones and abrasives for thousands of years.
- 京兆尹 | Jīng Zhào Yǐn | The title for the government official in charge of the capital region’s administration and public security, similar to a metropolitan prefect or mayor.
- 騎在主人身上 | qí zài zhǔrén shēnshang | An idiom meaning to bully or lord over one’s superior; to overstep one’s authority in an audacious way.
Someone needs to give that piece of shit a Prince Albert. With a greatsword. A dull and rusty one. Preferably performed by someone with Parkinsons.
When will this scumbug be ki*led 😵
When will this scumbug be ki*led 😵
That was some quick thinking from our FL. Wonder why she wasn’t wearing her earrings that day?
Probably because she’s too cautious also because there’s only one earring
That was some quick thinking from our FL. Wonder why she wasn’t wearing her earrings that day?
Probably because she’s too cautious also because there’s only one earring
Disgusting scum
Ugh this guy makes me want to vomit. I hope he has a significantly terrible ending. Something very terrible and painful
Ugh this guy makes me want to vomit. I hope he has a significantly terrible ending. Something very terrible and painful
Disgusting scum