The Princess’ Shadow Guard – Chapter 43
by Little PandaFigure Out This Palace’s Identity
As soon as she stepped out, Murong Yan saw a small boy of about seven years old, his arrogance blazing, directing a group of household servants to punch and kick a small tiger cub cowering on the ground.
“Beat it to death! Beat it to death! How dare it roar at this Young Master, the little beast! Quickly, beat it to death!”
The little tiger cub, not yet weaned, staggered as it dodged the feet kicking towards it.
“All of you, stop for This Palace!”
Murong Yan shouted sharply at the crowd.
The moment the filthy little tiger cub saw a familiar person, its large eyes reflected the light with moisture, as if it had found its backbone1, and it immediately ran towards Murong Yan, even clumsily rolling over once on the way.
Murong Yan bent down and, without the slightest bit of disdain, picked up the wretched-looking little tiger cub, her eyes filled with adoration.
The little tiger cub whimpered piteously, its small, fleshy paws grabbing at the woman’s shoulder, trying to burrow into the hollow of her neck, causing Murong Yan to lower her head and gently kiss its forehead to soothe it.
When the child saw this unfamiliar woman who had suddenly appeared in the Prince’s Manor, her hair half-white like an old crone2, as the only grandchild who was used to being doted on, he immediately flew into a rage. “Who are you? How dare you tell me to stop! On what grounds should this Young Master listen to you!”
Only after the young beast in her arms had calmed down did she slowly raise her eyes to look at the ignorant child before her, and said in a cold voice, “In this manor, even the Prince must listen to a word from This Palace. What? Is This Palace not allowed to discipline you?”
The ill-tempered boy did not expect the woman to talk back and roared, “This Young Master is the eldest grandson in this Prince’s Manor! You white-haired demoness, hurry up and get lost for this Young Master!”
Several old servants stared with wide eyes, seeming to have recognized who the woman before them was. With faces full of terror, they were about to stop the insolent boy, but unexpectedly, the Prince’s Manor’s Heir Apparent3, Murong Can, also suddenly came out of his room.
“Fu’er4! Do not be disrespectful!”
On the neck of the shortcoming-protecting5 Murong Can, blue veins6 emerged as he angrily rebuked his arrogant nephew, “Where have all your etiquette and rules been learned? This is your direct paternal aunt, the Commandery Princess Chongwen, personally ennobled by the former Emperor. You must not offend her!”
He stepped forward to shield his younger sister.
The young Murong Fu was already aware of the subtle difference in status between Murong Can and his father. Seeing his usually amiable little uncle rarely speak to him so sternly, the boy couldn’t help but pout and start crying loudly.
The commotion and crying on the corridor attracted Murong Wen and Murong Wen’s biological mother, Concubine Liu8.
Seeing his father and grandmother, Murong Fu, as if he had found a mountain to lean on9, hurriedly ran towards them, and then let loose his throat and began to wail loudly.
“What is going on here?” Seeing her treasured grandson so aggrieved, Concubine Liu quickly picked up Murong Fu and wiped away the tears winding down his cheeks.
“That woman and Little Uncle were bullying me…” Murong Fu said in a low voice in Concubine Liu’s arms, as if he had suffered some great injustice.
Seeing the tip of his precious son’s nose red from crying, Murong Wen looked at the two people standing before him and, with some dissatisfaction, assumed the posture of an older brother, saying, “Fu’er is still young. If he has offended his younger uncle and younger sister in any way, you two should be tolerant. Don’t get angry with a child.”
Murong Can was left looking completely bewildered by this accusation. Seeing Murong Wen blaming his beloved younger sister made him even more displeased and he was about to retort, but Murong Yan spoke first.
“Brother Wen has always considered himself a man of letters.” Murong Yan had a faint smile that was not a smile, but her expression was incomparably icy. “But to come here and, without distinguishing green, red, soap, and white10, want to put a hat on11 This Palace and my elder brother—from which sage or worthy’s classic did Brother Wen learn this?”
As soon as Murong Wen heard this, he choked, his face flushing an unnatural red.
Then, he stiffly squatted down and asked the boy, “What happened that made Fu’er feel bulli… feel wronged?”
“I wanted that little beast, but not only was he unwilling to let me hold him, he also tried to scratch me.” Murong Fu’s face, which had been pretending to cry, was no longer shedding tears. Instead, he pointed at the little tiger in Murong Yan’s hands and said, his middle qi full12, “I wanted to beat him to death, but Little Uncle yelled at me.”
Without giving Murong Wen a chance to make excuses for his son, Murong Yan spoke directly, “This little tiger cub was playing nicely in the manor. He is not your pet. On what grounds did you want to catch him? And on what grounds did you want to punish him?”
The woman stared directly at the boy, her expression cold.
“Everything in this Prince’s Manor belongs to this Young Master! Whatever this Young Master wants to do or wants to have, it’s all up to this Young Master. What need is there for grounds?!” Murong Fu struggled out of Concubine Liu’s embrace, swinging his fists at the air and gesticulating defiantly. “Father, am I right?”
The boy tugged on the sleeve of his father standing before him, wanting to get his father’s support as usual.
But this time, the father who had always doted on his child did not answer.
Or rather, he dared not answer.
“So it turns out that you, a small child, with no merits and no status, think this entire massive Prince’s Manor is yours, ah.”
A sneer hung on the corner of her mouth. Murong Yan swept her gaze over the pale-faced Murong Wen and Concubine Liu, as if she couldn’t even be bothered to give them an extra glance, and just said sarcastically, “These principles, could it be that Brother Wen taught them all to him?”
After she finished speaking, there was no trace of a smile on the woman’s face; she merely stared at the man before her who was swallowing his saliva.
Looking at this cowardly elder half-brother who was just like their father yet was skilled in neither literature nor martial arts, and who was always self-righteously arrogant, Murong Yan seemed to not want to waste any more words. She just lowered her head and said to the noisy boy, “Your father cannot control This Palace, and your Prince grandfather similarly cannot. When you’ve figured out This Palace’s identity, then get lost.”
Holding the little tiger, Murong Yan ignored the others, turned, and went back to her room. After Murong Can came back to his senses, he also hurriedly followed his younger sister.
“Yue’er, Yue’er, don’t be angry.” Seeing Murong Yan sitting on the edge of the bed with a blank expression, Murong Can was a little nervous.
“I just didn’t expect…”
Murong Yan groomed the fur for the little tiger cub beside her and said without raising her head, “That the dignified Prince Yu’s Manor would not only raise a sour and rotten scholar13, but it seems it has also added an arrogant and domineering silk-pants son14.”
Murong Can listened to the woman’s obvious mockery and scratched his hair. “Brother Wen has never liked matters of killing. For a person who can’t even hold a sword properly, it’s fine for him to be a man of letters instead of going to the battlefield. The manor can afford to support him. As for Fu’er…” his tone became dry, “Perhaps because he’s the youngest in the family, he is a bit spoiled.”
“To learn without thinking is to be lost15. He only knows how to drone on about sour and rotten texts all day, with no understanding of flexibility, yet he dares to call himself a man of letters? No wonder he raised such a crooked lower beam16.” Murong Yan sneered, then raised her eyes. “It is precisely because there is no direct grandson in the family, and Father-King’s personality is easy to grasp and pinch17, that they dare to be so presumptuous.”
Putting the little tiger cub down, Murong Yan looked at her elder brother, whose features were seventy to eighty percent similar to her own, and suddenly asked, “Elder Brother, when are you going to marry?”
The man was caught off guard by the question. He scratched his chin and said in a sincere tone, “…The Northern Border is not like the capital city. Besides, I lead troops day and night to fight the barbarians. You know the dangers involved. I could lose my life at any time. Why would I be so cruel as to marry a woman to come and suffer with me?”
That’s right.
The lands of the Northern Border were bitter and cold. How could a body worth a thousand gold pieces18, accustomed to being nurtured by warm sun and moist earth, endure it?
Marrying a military general meant living in constant fear day after day. If the barbarian tribes invaded the passes in winter, her husband might not come home for three months, and she would wash her face with tears19 day and night.
And if one truly chose to accompany him regardless of everything, who could guarantee they would receive the man’s sole deep affection?
This position of a Prince’s Consort, aside from bitterness, what else was left?
The Dragon and Phoenix twins20 seemed to have thought of their mother at the same time, and fell into a taciturn silence.
LP: Re-translated on August 10, 2025
Footnotes
- 脊梁骨 | jǐliánggǔ | Literally “backbone” or “spine.” In a metaphorical sense, it means to have courage, moral integrity, and a source of support or confidence.
- 老妪 | lǎoyù | A literary and somewhat archaic term for an old woman, often carrying a derogatory or dismissive connotation, similar to “old crone” or “old hag”.
- 世子 | shìzǐ | The title for the officially designated heir apparent of a prince or duke in historical China. The Shizi was typically the eldest son born to the primary wife (the Di son) and was destined to inherit his father’s noble title and estate. This position carried immense prestige and authority within the family.
- 縛兒 | Fù’er | Fu (縛) means “to tie up” or “to bind.” The suffix -er (兒) is a diminutive used to show affection or familiarity, common when addressing children.
- 护短 | hùduǎn | Literally “to protect the short.” A term describing the act of covering up for someone’s faults or weaknesses, especially for a family member or subordinate, often out of blind loyalty or affection. It implies defending someone even when they are in the wrong.
- 青筋 | qīngjīn | Literally “blue/green tendons/veins.” A common descriptive phrase in Chinese literature used to vividly depict extreme anger, strain, or exertion, where the veins on the neck or forehead become prominent.
- 小叔叔 | xiǎo shūshu | Shushu (叔叔) is the term for one’s father’s younger brother. The prefix Xiao (小), meaning “little” or “young,” is often added by a child as an affectionate or familiar form of address, especially if he is the youngest uncle.
- 柳姨娘 | Liǔ Yíniáng | Liu (柳) is her family name, meaning “willow.” Yiniang (姨娘) is the title for a concubine or secondary wife in a wealthy household. She holds a lower status than the main wife, and her children are not in the primary line of succession.
- 靠山 | kàoshān | Literally “to lean on a mountain.” A common metaphor for a powerful backer, patron, or source of support. Finding a “kaoshan” means finding someone with power and influence who will protect and support you.
- 不分青红皂白 | bù fēn qīng hóng zào bái | Literally “not distinguishing green, red, soap (a black dye), and white.” | A chengyu (four-character idiom) that means to act indiscriminately, without finding out the truth or making any distinction between right and wrong. It criticizes someone for jumping to conclusions and assigning blame unfairly.
- 扣帽子 | kòu màozi | Literally “to put a hat on someone.” A metaphor that means to unfairly label a person or accuse them of something without basis. It’s akin to pinning a false charge on someone.
- 中气十足 | zhōngqì shízú | Literally “middle qi is full/sufficient.” In traditional Chinese medicine and culture, 中气 (zhōngqì) refers to the vital energy (qi) of the spleen and stomach, which governs breath and voice. The phrase describes someone speaking with a strong, clear, and resonant voice, indicating good health and vitality.
- 酸腐的书生 | suānfǔ de shūshēng | Literally “sour and rotten scholar.” A derogatory term for a pedantic, inflexible, and bookish intellectual who is out of touch with reality. “Sour” (酸) implies a kind of pretentious and overly sentimental literary air, while “rotten” (腐) suggests rigid, outdated, and impractical thinking.
- 纨绔子弟 | wánkù zǐdì | Literally “silk-pants son/disciple.” A term for a spoiled, profligate, and useless young man from a rich and powerful family. “Wanku” refers to fine silk trousers, symbolizing a life of luxury and idleness. The term describes a hedonistic wastrel who relies on his family’s wealth and status.
- 学而不思则罔 | xué ér bù sī zé wǎng | A famous quote from the Analects of Confucius (论语·为政). | The full saying is “学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆” (To learn without thinking is to be lost; to think without learning is perilous). | Murong Yan uses the first half to criticize her brother Murong Wen for blindly reciting classical texts without any real understanding or flexible application, implying his “scholarship” is hollow and has led him to raise his son poorly.
- 下梁 | xiàliáng | Literally “lower beam.” This is an allusion to the proverb “上梁不正下梁歪” (shàng liáng bù zhèng xià liáng wāi), which means “If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked.” It is a metaphor for how the moral conduct of those in authority (parents, elders, rulers) directly influences the behavior of their subordinates (children, the younger generation). She is saying Murong Wen’s flawed character is the direct cause of his son’s bad behavior.
- 好拿捏 | hǎo nániē | A colloquial phrase that literally means “easy to grasp and pinch” or “easy to handle.” It is used to describe a person who is easy to control, manipulate, or bully due to a weak or pliable personality.
- 千金之躯 | qiānjīn zhī qū | Literally “body of a thousand gold pieces.” A classical idiom used to describe the precious and delicate body of a young woman from a wealthy or noble family. It emphasizes her value and the sheltered life she has led, making her unsuited for hardship.
- 以泪洗面 | yǐ lèi xǐ miàn | A chengyu (four-character idiom) that literally means “to use tears to wash one’s face.” It is a vivid and poetic expression for extreme and constant sorrow, describing someone who cries so much that their face is perpetually covered in tears.
- 龙凤双子 | lóng fèng shuāngzǐ | Literally “dragon and phoenix twin children.” In Chinese culture, the dragon (龙, lóng) symbolizes the male (yang) and the emperor, while the phoenix (凤, fèng) symbolizes the female (yin) and the empress. A male and female twin pair is thus called “dragon and phoenix twins” and is considered an extremely auspicious and rare sign, implying a special, profound connection between them.
She has more patience than me, and that’s kinda surprising. My reaction would have been along the lines of “Since this little shit wanted to beat MY tiger to death on top of disrespecting me, and I’m too good-natured to hurt a child, adopt him off to a peasant family. In a year or two, when he’s learned some semblance of humility, he can come back.” That little shit isn’t going to learn how to be a human until he loses all of his so-called status and sees what it’s like to be on the recieving end of the feudal stick.
Qin qin where are youuu 😭😭😭
Qin qin where are youuu 😭😭😭
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you for the chapter! Enjoy with your family translator!
Noooo!!! Yo quería más mañana! Esto es lo único que me anima al final del día 😭😭 y este cap fue muy corto!!
Thank you for the chapter! Enjoy with your family translator!
Noooo!!! Yo quería más mañana! Esto es lo único que me anima al final del día 😭😭 y este cap fue muy corto!!