The Princess’ Shadow Guard – Chapter 9

I Don’t Pity You (Reconciliation)

Ming Qin strode swiftly through the snow. The collar of the black night-travel clothes she had hastily thrown on was disheveled, and the casually tied sash fluttered in the wind behind her. Having just bathed, the ends of her hair were still a bit damp.

An irrepressible joy bubbled in her heart. Ming Qin tapped her toes to the ground and scaled Cang Yue Tower as nimbly as a cat.

            

She threw open the tightly shut window without a second thought and vaulted inside, full of excitement.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Murong Yan’s eyes widened in shock at the intruder. One hand was lifting her skirt to reveal a pale white thigh, while the other held her prosthetic limb. She was completely petrified.

Ming Qin saw the woman on the bed with her leg exposed but, completely oblivious, strode toward her. “Commandery Princess, I have something important to tell you! I…”

            

Flustered, Murong Yan let go of the half-removed prosthesis. A blush of shame and anger colored her perpetually pale skin.

“You! You…” A tightness in Murong Yan’s chest left her unable to utter a single word. She was suddenly seized by a violent coughing fit, her body, unbalanced by the missing limb, about to topple off the bed.

“Commandery Princess!” Ming Qin knelt and leaned forward, catching Murong Yan to prevent her fall. She let the woman rest her chin on her shoulder, and the Shadow Guard’s hand gently patted her back, helping her catch her breath.

            

Once Murong Yan’s breathing had eased slightly, she looked at Ming Qin, who was holding her so tenderly. The bellyful of anger was stuck in her throat, and she didn’t know what to say. All she could do was sink her teeth hard into Ming Qin’s neck.

Ming Qin didn’t dare let go. She didn’t move an inch.

She let the woman use all her strength. After a moment, she heard Murong Yan ask through clenched teeth, her voice muffled, “What are you doing here again?”

            

“I have something important to tell you.” As if afraid the woman wouldn’t hear her out, Ming Qin tightened her arms slightly, ignoring Murong Yan’s stiff posture.

“I need to tell you. I don’t pity you! Every time I come to see you, it’s because seeing you makes me happy. I really want to see you, not for any other reason!”

Ming Qin’s words were loud and direct. Then, she lowered her head and said, like a child tattling, “It was Master who said I couldn’t come see you. I can’t disobey my master.”

            

Murong Yan lowered her eyes, her expression unreadable. She just asked in a muffled voice, “Then why have you come now?”

“I really, really wanted to see you, but Master said no. Master is so hateful! My heart ached so much I couldn’t even eat.” Ming Qin pouted, looking aggrieved. “Later, my shijie came to see me because she was worried. She told me that I actually can see you! She said she would help me talk to Master.”

“Is that so…” Murong Yan murmured.

            

Feeling a slight tremor against her shoulder, Ming Qin thought Murong Yan was cold. She quickly carried her to the bed and stirred the coals in the brazier.

Sitting quietly, Murong Yan watched the busy figure and asked, “What did your shijie tell you?”

As Ming Qin bustled around the room, fetching water and picking out charcoal, she recounted what her Master and shijie had said, one five one ten.​¹ Utterly incapable of hiding anything, the Shadow Guard honestly relayed all of He Jingshou’s concerns and Song Shuqing’s calculations.

            

Murong Yan listened with a calm expression, but inwardly, she mocked herself.

She was just a prisoner. What energy did she have to stir up trouble in the Capital…

Ming Qin came before Murong Yan and knelt on both knees. She reached out and touched the buckle on her right knee, preparing to help her completely remove the prosthesis.

            

Feeling unfamiliar fingers touch her residual limb, Murong Yan flinched and jerked back sharply.

“What are you doing?” Her voice trembled slightly as she tried desperately to hide her leg under the quilt.

“Helping you take off your prosthesis,” Ming Qin answered, her expression normal, her hands deftly unbuckling the leather straps. “You’ll be uncomfortable sleeping with it on.”

            

Ming Qin placed the removed prosthesis under the bed. She rubbed her own palms together, then gently pressed her warm hands against Murong Yan’s right leg, massaging the stump, which was slightly red and swollen from the pressure of the straps.

Murong Yan bit her lip as she watched her, a dry feeling in her mouth.

After a long while, she asked with some hesitation, “You… don’t you think it’s ugly?”

            

The person below her looked up, but Murong Yan didn’t dare meet her eyes.

“Not at all,” Ming Qin replied cheerfully, her eyes bright. “The incision is neat, and it healed beautifully. The doctor who operated on you must have been very skilled!”

“…”

            

Murong Yan opened her mouth, a little confused as to why she had been so nervous in front of the straightforward Ming Qin. With a helpless sigh, she rested her forehead in her hand and said, “I mean… don’t you think I’m very different from a normal person?”

“Of course you’re different!” Ming Qin looked at the woman, a strange expression on her face as if puzzled by the question. “You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen in my life! How could ordinary people compare to you!?”

Noticing Murong Yan’s hand subconsciously stroking her right leg, Ming Qin scratched her head and added, “Your wound is a medal from battle. If you feel your leg makes you different from others, then it’s a good kind of different. It proves that you are both brave and strong!”

            

It wasn’t uncommon for people in the Shadow Guard Camp to suffer irreversible injuries on missions. Although they were moved to the reserves because of it, they were all proud of their scars. They would always show their wounds to Ming Qin with pride, describing with sound and shadow​² the hardships of the mission and how they had narrowly survived.

A scar on the body was proof of loyalty and courage.

Murong Yan watched her earnest face as she animatedly shared how Wang-shibo had heroically defeated numerous enemy spies at the cost of his right arm, and how he had honorably received his reward upon retirement. She couldn’t help but laugh in spite of herself.

            

A warmth spread through her chest.

Oh, well. It’s not the first day I’ve known she’s a little silly.

In Ming Qin’s eyes, I’m probably just like the shibos and shixiongs she talks about—shining brightly.

            

Lost in thought, Murong Yan watched the chattering Ming Qin and extended her hands, commanding, “Carry me to the writing desk.”

The latter obediently complied, even adding several soft cushions to the stool before setting her down.

Murong Yan elegantly held a wolf-hair brush​³ and began to write, while Ming Qin simply tilted her head to stare at the inkstone, quietly supporting her as she stood by her side.

            

Once the ink was dry, Murong Yan handed the letter to Ming Qin.

“Take this back to your master.” She let out a derisive snort. “I hope he’s sensible enough to know what to do.”

For this person’s sake, I don’t mind giving a final push.

            

Ming Qin obediently tucked the letter into her sleeve, then bent down to lift Murong Yan and carry her back to the bed.

The fingers of the person in her arms traced the bite mark on her neck. “Does it still hurt?” she asked in a low voice.

“It doesn’t hurt at all. It’s like being tickled.” Ming Qin straightened the covers for Murong Yan and, as if to reassure her, casually patted her own neck. “You’re not very strong. When you hit me with that urn before, it didn’t hurt at all either.”

            

Murong Yan looked at the person before her and couldn’t help but laugh. She covered her mouth and asked, “Then shouldn’t I hit you more often in the future?”

“No, no, no, that urn was very expensive! The camp’s cook hasn’t wanted to look at me for days. If you break any more, I’ll have nothing to eat.” Ming Qin scratched her head, looking a little flustered at the slender woman in the quilt.

After a few breaths, she thought for a moment and then said with a look of self-sacrifice, “If you really want to smash things, I’ll go buy some more for you to play with. But you still need to eat more and get stronger to have more power.”

            

“I want to eat bamboo shoot buns from Tingyu Pavilion,” Murong Yan said faintly.

“Okay!” Ming Qin nodded in agreement.

A moment later, she asked again in a low voice, as if seeking confirmation, “So… I can come find you again in the future, right?”

            

After a long pause, Murong Yan spoke. “As long as you want to.”

As long as I’m here.

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The next morning, Ming Qin happily rushed to Yelan Pavilion and found He Jingshou in the middle of tormenting the Shadow Guard fledglings.

            

“Good morning, Master.” Ignoring the pained groans of the others, Ming Qin waved with exceptional energy.

He Jingshou’s expression turned a little strange when he saw her. He led Ming Qin out onto the veranda. “Qinqin, Shuqing told me everything.” He paused. “Why didn’t you tell me it was the Commandery Princess who saved you?”

“Because just as I was about to tell you, Master told me, 『Do not talk back!』” Ming Qin said honestly, even mimicking the way He Jingshou stroked his beard when he was angry.

            

The man pressed a hand to his forehead, speechless. He was annoyed at himself for having been too hasty and not asking for details at the time.

Ming Qin pulled a letter from her sleeve and handed it to him. “The Commandery Princess asked me to give this to you, Master.”

He Jingshou took the letter with some suspicion and began to read in silence. But as his eyes scanned the page, his brow furrowed tighter and tighter. After he finished, he used his internal energy to blast the letter into tiny pieces.

            

Looking at his honest disciple waiting patiently before him, He Jingshou took a deep breath and asked with some hesitation, “…Qinqin, what do you think of Commandery Princess Chongwen?”

“The Commandery Princess is wonderful! She’s very gentle and smart. I like her a lot!” Ming Qin answered without a moment’s hesitation.

Seeing that his prized student was as simple and honest as ever, He Jingshou tried another approach. “This master means, how does the Commandery Princess treat you?”

            

Ming Qin still didn’t pause. “The Commandery Princess treats me very well. We are friends.”

The man stared, speechless again. Looking at his donkey-headed disciple who had been completely coaxed over by the Commandery Princess, he tugged at his beard and sighed in resignation. “Forget it, forget it. This isn’t something this master can control anyway. From now on, Qinqin, if you don’t have a mission and want to see the Commandery Princess, then go to Cang Yue Tower and keep her company.”

Hearing these words, the simple-hearted Ming Qin looked as if she had received the greatest gift in the world. She jumped for joy and agreed profusely. Then she hurriedly bid her master farewell and went skipping off to buy bamboo shoot buns.

            

Watching Ming Qin’s jubilant figure, Song Shuqing, who had been lying on a roof beam the whole time, spoke languidly.

“How nice. I want to be friends with the beautiful Commandery Princess too.”

He Jingshou shot her a lazy glance and snorted forcefully. “That’s only because Qinqin has a sincere nature that people like, so Commandery Princess Chongwen treats her well. As for a little fox like you, even if the Prince of Yu had ten daughters, it would never be your turn.”

            

“Oh my! If I’m a little fox, then Master, you must be an old fox!” Song Shuqing giggled, then remarked with a sigh, “Qinqin is really something else.”

“Ai.” Hearing this from the rafters, He Jingshou sighed, his tone turning heavy. “But for Qinqin, who is ignorant of the ways of the world, Commandery Princess Chongwen’s favor… whether it is a blessing or a curse is yet unknown.”

“Eh, is that so?”

            

Song Shuqing couldn’t help but raise her voice, her tone cheerful. “I, on the other hand, think that having met the lovable yet simple Qinqin, the Commandery Princess is actually quite pitiful.” Her eyes held a playful glint.

Seeing He Jingshou’s look of utter confusion, Song Shuqing’s expression remained intriguing. “No wonder Master always makes Mistress angry. You really don’t understand a woman’s heart.”

Song Shuqing hopped down from the beam, humming a little tune.

            

“After all, a child who knows nothing is the cruelest of all.”

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The author has something to say:

Hi! This is Forest on the air—

            

When I first started, I only began writing because I couldn’t stand the story of Ming Qin and Murong Yan running around in my head and keeping me from sleeping. I was so annoyed that I started writing in a fit of pique. I originally thought about twenty chapters would be enough, but then my obsessive-compulsive side kicked in. I became incredibly nitpicky about the characters’ emotional development and the rationality of the plot. I wrote more and more, and I fell more and more in love with these two little paper people.

Right now, my backlog alone has reached thirty chapters, enough to maintain a stable daily update schedule. At this rate, not including extras, I estimate the story might reach around fifty to sixty chapters?

I’m now writing the middle-to-late part of the story, and I’m actually a bit sad that their story is coming to an end. But I have no intention of padding the word count to turn this book into a long, drawn-out epic. (My body is even roaring at me to finish it sooner because it wants to sleep!)

            

After saying all this, I just want to let everyone know, 『I will finish this story properly, so don’t worry.』

Also, you can look forward to future developments. After all, there are many upcoming chapters that I myself found super sweet and super spicy while writing them, making me grin foolishly or laugh like a pervert (so dumb). So, it’s to the point where you all will probably have a knowing smile when you read them.

As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy it.

            

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LP: Re-translated on June 06, 2025

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