The Princess’ Shadow Guard – Chapter 76
by Little PandaShijie Arc, Chapter Six
The moon tonight, is too beautiful
The autumn night wind was very cool, but Song Shuqing carefully used a wide cloak to cover the woman in the crook of her arm, blocking the cold chill as she leaped with her back to the moonlight.
It was Zi Yan’s first time experiencing the feeling of treading on the wind across rooftops, but the unfamiliar weightlessness and the vast distance from the ground made the usually restrained woman cling tightly to the shadow guard’s neck.
“Very nervous?” Looking at the woman in her arms, Song Shuqing offered words of comfort, “Although my qinggong1 isn’t as good as Qinqin’s, you’re so light, I won’t lose my grip and let you fall.”
“This… is a little too high…” Zi Yan didn’t dare open her eyes in the slightest, merely burying her face deep in Song Shuqing’s neck. This rare sight made the shadow guard let out a soft, hidden laugh.
“So in your eyes, I’m this unreliable, huh? To actually make you scared. Looks like I’ll have to do some self-reflection, or else I’ll really become a disgrace to the shadow guard.” Song Shuqing’s voice was aggrieved, and if one were to ignore the thick, teasing amusement in her eyes, it was as if she were truly hurt.
“It’s not like that…” Zi Yan, her eyes still squeezed shut, hurriedly explained, “You’re not unreliable, it’s just really too high…”
The constantly moving body came to a stop. “Then, I promise you, I will absolutely not let you get hurt.” Song Shuqing’s hand around the woman’s waist tightened, her voice lower than usual and exceptionally solemn. “I will hold you tight. Do you want to try opening your eyes?”
“Of course, I won’t force you…”
Straightening their wind-tousled hair, Song Shuqing pressed her cheek against the huakui’s2 cool forehead. “The choice is yours.”
Perhaps it was because the tone of the person beside her was truly too gentle.
Or perhaps it was because the hand holding her waist so tightly was too scorching hot.
Zi Yan, who had a fear of heights, felt her eyelashes tremble.
She actually, truly, slowly opened her eyes.
Reflected in her eyes were the staggered buildings of varying heights inside the city walls. The halos of oil lamps glowed from within the windows, a field of glittering lights that echoed the stars hanging in the cloudless night sky.
The woman blinked gently, stunned by the picturesque scene before her.
The white light of the bright moon scattered down, as if sprinkling a layer of silver powder on every single roof tile.
Song Shuqing held Zi Yan and stood on the roof of a tavern that was neither too high nor too low. The city wall drew a centerline across their vision; above it was the brilliant river of stars, and below it were the candle flames of the street lamps.
A faint, cool breeze caressed her cheeks. It was as if, for the first time, the huakui was feeling the air of freedom.
Whenever night fell and she saw the bright, shining moon, her heart would always be shrouded by a dark cloud. She had never thought to open her eyes and look at the scenery outside.
She despised the bright moon to an extreme. Just the thought of it was like her stomach was churning3, lonely, small, surrounded by pitch-blackness, pathetic and disgusting, just like herself…
But today.
Today, while being embraced.
The bright moon in the sky radiated a fluorescent glow, illuminating everything. It was like a dream, like an illusion; she actually couldn’t tear her eyes away.
The woman stared blankly at the sight before her, and the shadow guard simply accompanied her in silence, a satisfied smile held between her lips as she used her fingers to tuck away the woman’s loose hair.
After a while, Zi Yan finally returned to her senses. Realizing she had made the person beside her wait for a long time, she looked up in embarrassment. “…I’m sorry. It’s just that the moon tonight, is too beautiful.”4
Hearing these words, Song Shuqing’s body stiffened. She looked at the silver light reflected in the woman’s pupils, sighed, and said in a helpless yet doting tone, “Tsk, my dear Zi Yan, you can’t just say something like that casually.”
Gently pressing the huakui’s head into the crook of her neck, she added, “We should go. Close your eyes.”
This time, as their sleeves fluttered, the beautiful huakui with a fear of heights did not close her eyes. She simply stared, transfixed, at the profile of the woman before her as she stepped forward with focus, wanting to imprint it upon her heart.
When the two arrived at the nearby Niujiao Lane5, it was, just as the shadow guard had said, still bustling with excitement.
Song Shuqing set Zi Yan down and once again discarded her earlier solemnity, lazily introducing the sights to the huakui.
“The hundun6 soup from this place is pretty good. Thin skins and lots of filling. Qinqin and I always sneak out to eat here.” With her hands behind her back, Song Shuqing deftly weaved through the crowd.
“The sun bao7 here are delicious. The last time I came with the Commandery Princess, she rarely gave a compliment, saying it was ‘shang ke’8.” She greeted the owner, looking completely at home, then added with a cheeky grin, “You have to understand, aside from when she eats the jianghu zhou9 that Qinqin makes personally and praises it like her taste buds have gone necrotic, she’s usually incredibly picky.”
“If you like noodles, the noodles here aren’t bad either. Lots of ingredients, but they’re pretty spicy. I’m afraid you might not be used to it.” Turning back to look at the woman who was about to be swallowed by the crowd, Song Shuqing stopped and plucked a bewildered Zi Yan from the throng, lacing their fingers together tightly.
“How old are you now? How come it feels like you still get lost so easily?”
Pulled back to the side of a familiar person, like a bird that had found a place to land, Zi Yan felt her heart instantly settle. “…It is just that… I have rarely had the opportunity to come to such a lively place.”
Her tone was apologetic.
“It’s fine. You’ll get used to it after coming here more often.”
Knowing the woman’s hardships, Song Shuqing just smiled, then, as if changing the subject, she looked straight at her, tilted her head, and asked, “So? You’ve had a look around. What do you want to eat?”
The various shops left the huakui, who had spent years in a qinglou10, feeling dazzled. Facing so many options at once made her feel lost. Looking at the warm and steady gaze of the person before her, Zi Yan took a deep breath.
“That hundun… it looks delicious. Is that okay?”
“Of course! That’s a great choice! You have good taste.” Squeezing their joined hands encouragingly and feeling the distinct zither calluses on the woman’s fingertips, Song Shuqing turned sideways to cut through the tide of people, shielding Zi Yan as they walked back.
She expertly found a place to sit. The shadow guard looked full of anticipation. “You must be telepathic to know I wanted to eat hundun too. Since it’s your treat, I’ll order five bowls today.”
“You’ll get a stomachache if you eat too much.” Zi Yan lowered her eyes, looking at the hand that had been released when they sat down.
“True, I’m not Qinqin. I guess I’ll let you off easy this time.” Although her words were regretful, Song Shuqing’s eyes revealed a mischievous glint. She waved a hand behind her and shouted, “Excuse me, please bring two orders of hundun soup and one order of lu niujian11 over here!”
The lady boss was swift. In less than a moment, she brought over two steaming bowls of hundun. The thin skins enveloped a generous meat filling, and the broth was sprinkled with green scallions. The sight made one’s index finger move greatly12.
Handing the chopsticks and spoon to the person beside her, Song Shuqing eagerly dug in. The warm food entered her stomach, making her let out an involuntary sigh of satisfaction.
“How is it? To your liking?” After a few bites, Song Shuqing asked, propping her head on her hand.
“It’s delicious.” Perhaps because the hot soup had warmed her entire body, Zi Yan’s face was tinged with a faint blush. “It’s more delicious than what the cooks at the house make.”
Pushing the plate of beef shank in front of the huakui, the shadow guard’s eyes held the pride of having something she liked be approved of. “Is that so? Then eat more. If it’s not enough, we can order more.”
“It’s enough… one bowl is enough.” Slowly chewing the food in her mouth and savoring its flavor, Zi Yan lowered her eyes, eating it bit by bit, cherishing every bite.
“Mm, that’s fine too. We can save some stomach space to eat something else later.” Song Shuqing rolled her wrist, and while picking up a piece of beef shank for herself, she suddenly said, “Right, are you moving? Do you have a lot of stuff? Need help?”
“Hm?” Faced with this sudden question, Zi Yan didn’t quite react. She just looked up at the person who had spoken, a confused look on her face.
“Moving house? You’re changing jobs at the end of this month, coming to the teahouse. You didn’t forget, did you?”
Her eyes widening, Song Shuqing looked at the woman’s questioning expression and clutched her head as if the sky were about to fall13. “Don’t you tell me you’re going to back out? I already told Ah Yun that we have a helper coming.”
Her face scrunched into a ball, as if she could squeeze out tears at any second.
“I was even planning on driving a horse-drawn carriage to help you move if you had a lot of things. You’re not suddenly having second thoughts about coming, are you?”
“No, it’s not… I haven’t gone back on my word, nor do I not want to go.” Swallowing, Zi Yan’s hand holding the spoon paused, and she then said in a low voice, “It’s just, can I really work at the teahouse? I… I am…”
Would anyone really be willing to hire someone like me?
“Aiya, so it’s that kind of thing.” Waving her hand, Song Shuqing let out a long, exaggerated sigh. “There’s no ‘can’ or ‘can’t.’ Ah Yun and I are so busy we’re spinning in circles14 and really need the help. The Commandery Princess, our major shareholder, has no objections either. Don’t you worry about nothing.”
“Your brother… he doesn’t have the guts… oh, no, I mean, he won’t come looking for trouble with you again. As for your family back home…”
The shadow guard shifted her gaze, pretending to stare at the sign above their heads, and said nonchalantly, “His Majesty has been widely establishing schools recently. I asked around about your younger brother and sister for you; they can go to school. And your mother… although she can’t hear it, I heard her cooking is very good. A friend of mine from Jiangnan happens to like your mother’s cooking… the wages offered are quite generous, too. So don’t you worry about things at home.”
“After half a year, if you’ve thought it through and want to go home, then go home.”
“If you don’t want to go home, then keep working at the teahouse. No one will chase you away.”
“The choice is yours. Everything is up to you.”
Staring at the woman speaking before her, who wore a look of utter indifference, Zi Yan only felt the steam rising from the remaining broth drift upward and gather in her eyes.
She blinked her hot eyes and quickly lowered her head.
The hand holding her utensil trembled slightly. As if to drive away the sourness choking her throat, Zi Yan, whose movements were always elegant, hastily opened her mouth, stuffed the remaining food from the bowl inside, chewed carelessly, and then swallowed.
A muffled sound, as if from excessive suppression, like the whimper of a small beast. Her breathing was a little ragged.
From beginning to end, Song Shuqing kept her head turned away, not looking at the person who had lost her composure, as if there were truly something novel on that ordinary wooden door sign worthy of her full attention.
The shadow guard only stood up silently to pay the bill after the person before her had finished all her food. As she turned, a clean handkerchief with the scent of tea landed in the huakui’s palm.
With her back turned, she chatted naturally with the lady boss, leaving the space at the wooden table solely for the huakui. After half a cup of tea15, she finally walked slowly to Zi Yan’s side and waited quietly.
“…We agreed that this meal was my treat.” The seated woman reached out and clutched the shadow guard’s sleeve, suddenly speaking after a long silence.
“Aiya!”
Slapping her forehead, Song Shuqing’s reaction was exaggerated, her expression one of utmost regret. “Damn it, I actually forgot.”
“Forget it. Just treat me next time. I’ll be sure to eat you out of house and home then.” Although her tone was vicious, she gently reached out to help the huakui up, lovingly wiping away the tearstain left on her chin.
“Since I’ve already treated you today, is there anything else you want to eat? I’ll buy it for you.”
“…Tanghulu16. I want to eat tanghulu.”
“Alright. Whatever Zi Yan wants to eat, is alright.”
The author has something to say:
Everyone should know the meaning of “The moon is beautiful tonight,” right?
If you’re not too sure, you can search for it, or ask for help in the comments section~
Next Monday is a day off!
LP: Re-translated on November 05, 2025
Footnotes
- Hanzi: 轻功 | Pinyin: qīnggōng | Explanation: “Lightness skill.” A martial arts technique in wuxia stories that allows practitioners to move with superhuman speed and agility, often appearing to defy gravity.
- Hanzi: 花魁 | Pinyin: huākuí | Explanation: Literally “flower queen”. The title for the most beautiful, talented, and famous courtesan in a brothel or district.
- LP: The source text contained a typo, “胃理” (wèi lǐ), which is not a standard word. The context clearly indicates the author intended “胃里” (wèi lǐ), meaning “in the stomach”. The translation reflects the corrected word.
- Hanzi: 今晚的月，太美了 | Pinyin: jīnwǎn de yuè, tài měile | Explanation: A famous literary phrase used as an indirect confession of love. It originates from the Japanese writer Natsume Sōseki, who suggested that “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” (月が綺麗ですね, tsuki ga kirei desu ne) was a more culturally appropriate way for a Japanese person to translate “I love you” than a direct declaration. This has become a well-known romantic trope in East Asian pop culture.
- Hanzi: 牛角巷 | Pinyin Niújiǎo Xiàng
- Hanzi: 馄饨 | Pinyin: húntun | Explanation: Wonton; a type of Chinese dumpling.
- Hanzi: 笋包 | Pinyin: sǔn bāo | Explanation: Bamboo shoot bun.
- Hanzi: 尚可 | Pinyin: shàng kě | Explanation: Passable; acceptable. A term often used by nobles or picky individuals to give reserved praise.
- Hanzi: 糨糊粥 | Pinyin: jiànghu zhōu | Explanation: Literally “paste congee”. Likely a playful or derogatory term for a very thick, perhaps poorly made, congee.
- Hanzi: 青楼 | Pinyin: qīnglóu | Explanation: Literally “green/blue building”. A historical term for a high-class brothel or house of courtesans. The source text uses a censorship dot (青.楼), likely to avoid platform filters.
- Hanzi: 卤牛腱 | Pinyin: lǔ niújiàn | Explanation: Braised beef shank, a common cold appetizer.
- Hanzi: 食指大动 | Pinyin: shízhǐdàdòng | Explanation: An idiom meaning “the index finger moves greatly,” used to describe a mouth-watering sight that whets one’s appetite.
- Hanzi: 天要塌下来 | Pinyin: tiān yào tā xiàlái | Explanation: A common phrase meaning “the sky is about to fall,” used to describe a feeling of utter disaster or panic.
- Hanzi: 忙得团团转 | Pinyin: máng dé tuántuánzhuàn | Explanation: An idiom meaning to be extremely busy, running around in circles.
- Hanzi: 半盏茶 | Pinyin: bàn zhǎn chá | Explanation: “Half a cup of tea.” A traditional Chinese way of measuring a short period of time, roughly 5-10 minutes.
- Hanzi: 糖葫芦 | Pinyin: tánghúlu | Explanation: A traditional Chinese snack of candied fruit, typically hawthorn berries, on a bamboo skewer.
If what I was able to find is accurate, her comment about the moon was an inadvertent confession of love
Song shu qing is the standard
Song shu qing is the standard