The Princess’ Shadow Guard – Chapter 42
by Little PandaIf There is No Resentment, If There is No Indignation, Then Let It Be
The horse-drawn carriage stopped at the home she had been away from for many years. Above the imposing gate, the four large characters for “Prince of Yu’s Manor”1 were written in clerical script2.
Since returning to the capital at the age of sixteen, she had experienced all sorts of storms in these thirteen years. Returning here now, Murong Yan felt as if a lifetime had passed.
At the entrance, a handsome young man dressed in armor and a red robe was frowning and pacing back and forth. Seeing the carriage arriving from afar, he finally let go of his anxious expression and broke into a hearty smile.
Calling out Murong Yan’s milk name4, the man, who had spent years in military camps, disregarded propriety5. He directly opened the carriage door and reached out to help the woman inside, only to be startled by a small tiger that rolled out of the carriage.
“Brother.” Murong Yan held her skirt, silently placed her hand on Murong Can’s6 outstretched one, and slowly dragged her feet as she alighted from the carriage.
“The journey was long, you’ve had a hard time, Yue’er.” Murong Can looked for the first time at his injured, frail, and limping full-blooded sister7. Her hair was already half-white, and she was so thin she resembled a willow branch that could be toppled by a single gust of wind.
Aside from the initial surprise, his eyes were filled with unstoppable heartache.
Murong Yan’s expression remained as placid as ever. She just silently entered the manor with the man. The little tiger followed behind, its paws pattering on the ground, curiously sniffing this and that in the new environment.
They passed through a vast garden and a fish pond. Every blade of grass and every tree here was no longer familiar to the woman. As she was about to enter the main hall, Murong Yan gestured for the little tiger to stay outside and play, then stepped into the building with her brother.
Seated in the place of honor8 was the Prince of Yu, dressed in a red python robe9 and sporting a very long beard. Although he had reached the age of knowing his destiny10, his body was robust from long years of martial practice, and his complexion still looked ruddy.
Although the Princess of Yu was deceased, the seat beside the man was not empty. A woman in an exquisite dress sat there with the full bearing of a principal wife11. Seated below her was another young man, slightly older than Murong Can. This young man wore a green shirt and had a thin, weak frame, showing no sign of having been born into a family of martial tradition12.
Murong Yan slowly walked before the Prince of Yu. Ignoring the concubine-mother13 and older half-brother14 to the side, she simply gave a calm bow15 to her father.
“The journey must have been tiring. You’ve had a hard time, Yue’er.” The Prince of Yu spoke first, looking at the daughter he had not seen for a long time, whose appearance had changed so drastically. Then, he asked with some hesitation, “In the capital… is everything alright?”
“The Crown Prince has rebelled, and His Majesty has passed away. I imagine Father-King16 has already received the news.”
Murong Yan had no intention of engaging in false pleasantries. She pulled an oilcloth-wrapped bundle from her sleeve, handed the imperial edict and the tiger tally to Murong Can who was standing to the side, and said, “Before his passing, the late Emperor decreed that the throne be passed to the Eleventh Prince. He entrusted your daughter to inform Father-King, and to ask Father-King to help the Eleventh Prince ascend the throne.”
Without any delay, she knew she had to persuade the man before her.
The Prince of Yu frowned as he took the items from Murong Can’s hands and examined them, after which he remained silent for a long time.
“Father-King.” Seeing that her father did not reply, Murong Yan spoke up to remind him, “This is the late Emperor’s final wish.”
The Prince of Yu sat high in the main seat. He gave his daughter a slight glance, then put away the edict and said with a hesitant expression, “This matter… is extremely perilous. His Highness the Crown Prince resides in the Eastern Palace17; it would have been proper for him to ascend the throne. This King18 does not know…”
Hearing his father’s words, Murong Can, who was at the side, frowned in confusion. He cupped his hands and said in a clear voice, “Father-King, since we have the tiger tally to command troops and also the late Emperor’s final edict declaring the legitimate line of succession, your child19 believes that assisting the Eleventh Prince in his ascension is entirely reasonable.”
The older half-brother Murong Wen20, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly spoke up, “Younger brother, this matter is for Father-King to decide. Do not interrupt!”
Murong Wen was about to say more, but his eyes met those of Murong Yan, who had raised her gaze.
The woman’s expression was cold and contemptuous. She merely gazed at him quietly, causing Murong Wen, who had been somewhat afraid of his legitimate younger sister since childhood, to involuntarily fall silent.
After thinking for a moment, Murong Can spoke again to persuade him. “If Father-King does not enter the capital, the Eleventh Prince will surely have no path to survival. Furthermore, if the Crown Prince is allowed to ascend the Dragon Throne, with Zhang Chi21 leading that band of corrupt civil officials to govern the nation and fill their own purses from it, it won’t be long before the grain and fodder sent to the northern border are delayed yet again. I’m afraid that no matter how we resist the barbarian tribes22, the imperial court will only leave us to live or die on our own.”
“But… this”
The Prince of Yu looked at the edict, then at his daughter, still unable to make up his mind. He began hesitantly, “Yue’er, this matter concerns the great succession. We must be cautious. Although the Crown Prince is a bit arrogant, his mother’s clan is powerful, and his claim is legitimate23, I’m afraid…”
Although Murong Yan had long anticipated her father’s reaction, she still felt vexed watching this farce unfold before her.
At the thought of Ming Qin, whose fate was unknown after protecting her, the woman’s heart was suddenly filled with a sense of pathetic absurdity about everything that was happening.
The corners of her lips lifted in a cold smile as she said, “Why is it that Father can so easily chop off the heads of barbarians, yet cannot eliminate the bandits and filth for the imperial court and carry out the last command of his own blood brother?”
“Does Father feel no resentment?”
Her tone was sonorous.
“Fighting and dying for the country on the border, only to have the lifeline of grain and fodder used to have our necks locked and throats throttled by the Crown Prince—do you not feel resentment for that?”
Murong Yan took a step forward, her footing firm. She paused, then continued, “Does Father feel no indignation?”
She lifted her skirt to reveal the prosthetic limb gleaming with a cold light and gave a mocking smile. “Your own daughter was schemed against and had her leg amputated, coveted by the Crown Prince and imprisoned in a high tower as a political hostage24 for six years—do you not feel indignation for that?”
“If you resent, if you are indignant.” The curve of her lips vanished.
Murong Yan raised her head to stare directly at her high-and-mighty father, asking with impassioned fervor, “To raise troops for the great cause, to protect the Eleventh Prince’s ascension, to fulfill your loyalty and duty, to avenge our family, and to eliminate the Crown Prince’s faction—what is so difficult about that?
“What is it that Father cannot do?!”
The woman’s heart-rending cries echoed through the vast main hall. Other than that, no one dared to make a sound.
Including the Prince of Yu.
“If there is no resentment, if there is no indignation.”
Staring fixedly at the man before her who was still unable to speak, Murong Yan felt her already cold heart grow numb, inch by inch.
She lowered her skirt and exhaled, her voice hoarse as she said, “Then let it be.”
After speaking, Murong Yan turned to leave, as if she did not care whether she had successfully persuaded her father or not.
She did not want to remain in this suffocating place for another moment. The longing for Ming Qin filled her chest, sustaining the last vestiges of warmth in her heart.
Only Ah Qin, only Ah Qin.
She would be unconditionally indignant about my suffering, she would cry for the injustice I faced.
Murong Yan couldn’t help but clutch the hair rope wrapped around her wrist.
It was as if only by holding it tightly could she breathe.
“Yue’er! Yue’er!”
After the evening meal, Murong Can hurried to Murong Yan’s courtyard and knocked on her door.
Once the woman inside responded, he strode into the room with a smile on his lips.
“Yue’er, Father-King has agreed! After the New Year, once the snow melts in early spring, he will assemble the troops and set out.”
Murong Yan, sitting quietly on a wooden chair with a soft cushion, had no reaction to the news Murong Can brought. She merely poured the man a cup of steeped tea.
Taking a seat naturally on a wooden chair, Murong Can took a sip of tea. Drinking the tea brewed by his sister after so long warmed his heart. The last time he had seen his full-blooded sister was eleven years ago, when their mother passed away.
“Yue’er, don’t be angry with Father-King, he has his difficulties too.” The man said consolingly, looking at his full-blooded sister who resembled him and whom he doted on immensely.
“What difficulties does Father-King have?”
Murong Yan drained the tea in her cup and said indifferently, “What kind of difficulties could make a husband not personally see to his first wife’s burial, make a father ignore a daughter who was imprisoned for many years, and make a subject disregard his sovereign’s command.”
“The barbarian tribes?”
The woman sneered. “It’s only because they’re far away at the edge of the horizon that he chooses to pretend not to see.” She set her teacup down heavily, the ceramic striking the tea table with a piercing sound.
Then, Murong Yan looked at her brother with a hint of melancholy. “Brother, don’t make any more excuses.”
“Yue’er …” Murong Can was unable to refute her. Looking at the greatly changed Murong Yan before him, he only felt heartache. “I have missed you dearly.”
In her youth, his sister had ridden horses with him across the vast grasslands. Even the morning sun piercing through the clouds could not compare to the brilliance of her bright laughter.
When she and their mother left for the capital at sixteen, he, who was on the battlefield killing enemies with his spear, heard that his sister had stunned everyone at the Spring Festival poetry gathering, captivating a host of young gentlemen. He wasn’t the least bit surprised, thinking it was only natural.
And when he heard that at twenty-one, his sister had fought one against three during the autumn hunt25 to fend off assassins attempting to kill the emperor, he was both regretful that she lost her right leg because of it, and proud of her loyalty and bravery.
But after so many years without seeing her, to now look upon the sister he had held in the palm of his hand, once as bright and beautiful as a spring flower, and see her so thin and withered, with no light in her eyes, as if she had been wantonly trampled by someone.
Father-King’s helpless sigh, 『Yue’er is a political hostage in the capital』
Those few short words were so heavy.
What on earth had happened?
Could it really be as the rumors said, that it was because that damned Crown Prince’s love for her went unrequited?
“…Yue’er, can you tell me, about what you’ve been through?” the man asked, his throat dry. Even though he was nearly thirty and known as the Ever-Victorious General26, he was still at a loss when facing the sister he so adored.
“Anything at all… as long as you want to tell me.”
Murong Yan looked at Murong Can, the only person in the Prince’s Manor for whom she still felt some attachment. Her expression warmed, and she began to explain faintly how she had escaped from Cangyue Tower, taken a roundabout route, and thrown off her pursuers.
When she mentioned Ming Qin, she only suppressed a sob and passed over the topic hastily, as if revealing even a sliver of emotion would cause the dam of her piled-up grief to break.
But the dangers of the journey, even described in just a few brief sentences, were enough to make Murong Can’s heart pound with fear as he listened.
Just as the man was about to speak, the low growl of a young beast and the arrogant, angry shouts of a child came from the porch.
“Ah! You little beast, you dare to injure me? Someone, beat it, beat it to death!”
In the corridor of Murong Yan’s courtyard, the chaotic footsteps of several servants sounded, followed by the tender howls of a small, young beast.
“Beat that beast that dared to bite this young master to death! Hurry up and beat it to death!”
Her expression changed in an instant. Ignoring Murong Can’s outstretched hand to support her, Murong Yan rushed out of the room.
LP: Re-translated on August 08, 2025
Footnotes
- 豫親王府 | Yù Qīnwáng Fǔ | The official residence of a Qīnwáng (亲王), a Prince of the First Rank, which was the highest rank of nobility, typically reserved for the Emperor’s sons or brothers. The “Yu” (豫) is the specific, inheritable title bestowed upon this particular princely lineage, distinguishing it from other princely houses.
- 隸書 | lìshū | An archaic style of Chinese calligraphy that developed during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). It is known for its squarish, formal, and angular appearance, often used for official inscriptions and titles to convey a sense of gravity, tradition, and authority.
- 月兒 | Yuè’er | A common and affectionate nickname. 月 (yuè) means “moon,” and 兒 (-er) is a diminutive suffix. This name evokes imagery of beauty, serenity, and gentleness.
- 乳名 | rǔmíng | Literally “milk name.” A pet name given to a child in infancy and used by close family members and loved ones throughout their life. It conveys a strong sense of intimacy and affection.
- 禮防 | lǐfáng | A term referring to the rules of etiquette and social propriety, especially the strict separation and decorum required between men and women to maintain honor and prevent scandal.
- 慕容澯 | Mùróng Càn | The name of Murong Yan’s older brother. Càn (澯) means “clear water.” The shared water radical (氵) in both his and his sister’s names is a common practice in some families to signify that they belong to the same generation.
- 胞妹 | bāomèi | A term for a younger sister born of the same parents. It specifically emphasizes a full-blood relationship, distinguishing her from a half-sister born to a concubine.
- 上首處 | shàngshǒu chù | The seat of honor, typically the centermost seat facing the entrance. It is reserved for the person of the highest status, the host, or the most respected guest.
- 蟒袍 | mǎngpáo | A python robe. A formal court garment worn by nobles, high-ranking officials, and eunuchs in imperial China. It was decorated with python-like dragons (mang), which had four claws, distinguishing them from the five-clawed dragons (long) reserved exclusively for the Emperor.
- 知命年 | zhīmìng nián | The age of knowing one’s destiny, which is fifty years old. This comes from the Analects of Confucius, where he describes his own life stages: “At fifty, I knew the command of Heaven (五十而知天命 | wǔshí ér zhī tiānmìng).”
- 正妻 | zhèngqī | The official, legal, and primary wife of a man in a polygamous household. She held the highest status among the wives, managed the household, and her children were the legitimate heirs (嫡出 | díchū).
- 武門世家 | wǔmén shìjiā | A prestigious family or clan with a long-standing, multi-generational tradition of producing skilled martial artists and high-ranking military leaders.
- 庶母 | shùmǔ | A respectful term for one’s father’s concubine. Children of the principal wife would still address concubines with a formal title, though one of lesser status than their own mother, to maintain household hierarchy.
- 庶兄 | shùxiōng | An older half-brother born to a concubine. Children born to the principal wife (嫡出 | díchū) held higher social and familial status than those born to concubines (庶出 | shùchū).
- 作揖 | zuòyī | A traditional Chinese form of greeting or salutation, made by clasping one’s hands together and raising them in front of the chest as a sign of respect.
- 父王 | Fùwáng | “Father-King.” The proper form of address used by the children of a Qīnwáng (Prince of the First Rank) when speaking to him, combining the address for a father (父) with his royal title (王).
- 東宮 | dōnggōng | Literally “Eastern Palace.” It was the official residence of the Crown Prince and, by extension, a metonym for the Crown Prince himself, his entire household, and his political faction.
- 本王 | běn wáng | “This King” or “This Prince.” A formal, third-person self-referential pronoun used by a qīnwáng (Prince of the First Rank) to assert his royal status and authority when speaking.
- 孩兒 | hái’ér | Literally “child.” A deferential and filial way for a son or daughter to refer to themselves when speaking to their parents.
- 慕容汶 | Mùróng Wèn | The name of Murong Yan’s older half-brother. Wèn (汶) is the name of a river in Shandong province. His name also contains the water radical (氵), consistent with his half-siblings.
- 章池 | Zhāng Chí
- 蠻族 | mánzú | A general, often pejorative, historical term for non-Han ethnic groups, particularly those living on the frontiers of China who were considered culturally “uncivilized” by the Han-centric imperial court.
- 名正言順 | míng zhèng yán shùn | A chengyu (four-character idiom) literally meaning “the name is correct, so the speech is in order.” It signifies that something is perfectly legitimate, justifiable, and appropriate because it has the proper title or authority. Here, it means the Crown Prince’s claim is orthodox and socially accepted.
- 質子 | zhìzǐ | A political hostage, typically a prince or a member of a noble family sent to live in another state or a powerful vassal’s domain as a guarantee of allegiance or peace. While ensuring loyalty, it also placed the hostage in a vulnerable and powerless position.
- 秋獵 | qiūliè | A large-scale, ritualized hunt led by the emperor in autumn. It served as both a grand imperial ceremony and a critical military exercise to display the martial prowess of the emperor and his armies, and to keep the troops well-drilled.
- 常勝将軍 | Cháng Shèng Jiāngjūn | A title or epithet meaning “Ever-Victorious General” or “Always-Victorious General.” It is bestowed upon a military commander with an undefeated record in battle, signifying immense skill and prestige.
Woke up every morning to read this 🥹 translator the best!
I was waiting for this! I was sitting here refreshing for a while. Wonder how it’s gonna go for Ming qin
What’s his reason though? And let the cub go, damn. Thank you for the chapter!
Queen you dropped this 👑
Woke up every morning to read this 🥹 translator the best!
I was waiting for this! I was sitting here refreshing for a while. Wonder how it’s gonna go for Ming qin
What’s his reason though? And let the cub go, damn. Thank you for the chapter!
Queen you dropped this 👑