The Princess’ Shadow Guard – Chapter 11

It Doesn’t Hurt If I Press Gently

The next evening, Ming Qin patiently waited perched on a treetop. She watched until the maid who cleaned and delivered meals left the room before finally making her way up.

Murong Yan, who had been expressionless until then, placed her book aside and lightly smiled as she extended her hand towards Ming Qin. “Ah Qin.”

Ming Qin reached forward and grasped the outstretched hand, half embracing Murong Yan as she helped her sit up straight.

Then, while opening a bamboo tube in her hand and muttering, she said, “So many people went to Brother Jiang’s place today. I almost couldn’t get in line! Luckily, I woke up early.”

Yesterday’s cold chicken soup had all ended up in Ming Qin’s stomach, and today, while the soup was still warm, she quickly filled a bowl and placed it in front of Murong Yan.

Watching Murong Yan scoop the soup in small sips, her lips glistening with a hint of oil, Ming Qin used her chopsticks to remove the bones and placed tender shreds of chicken into Murong Yan’s bowl.

Satisfied with the sight of the woman eating, Ming Qin turned to the delicately untouched meal box that had been delivered for Murong Yan by the maid and began picking at it.

“Slow down, take it easy,” Murong Yan said, watching Ming Qin devour her food as if afraid she might choke. She reached out and scooped the remaining soup from the bamboo tube, giving it all to her.

“No, that’s for you,” Ming Qin mumbled with chopsticks in her hand, her words somewhat muffled.

“I can’t drink any more,” Murong Yan licked her lips and placed the bowl in front of Ming Qin, as if pacifying her.

The two of them silently enjoyed their meal, and only when their eyes met could they see the relaxed joy in each other’s gazes.

After tidying up the bowls and chopsticks, Ming Qin let Murong Yan lean against her, warming her icy fingertips with her warm palms.

“Today, Master went into the palace, and when he came out, he had a smile on his face. I suppose he had a chance to talk with the Mistress,” Ming Qin rambled on. “Tomorrow, until the third day of the new year, I have to stay by the Emperor’s side on behalf of the Mistress. It’s rare for the Mistress to be able to return to the camp and spend New Year’s Eve with Master. It’s a pity I won’t be able to accompany you.”

“That’s alright,” Murong Yan’s voice paused. “How is the Emperor doing?”

Ming Qin furrowed her brows and shook her head. “The Mistress said that the Emperor’s health suffered in his early years, and the accumulated toxicity in his body from day and night labor is a cause for concern. It seems rather pessimistic.”

Murong Yan lowered her gaze and tightly clasped Ming Qin’s fingers in silence.

Gently brushing Murong Yan’s temple as if to soothe her, Ming Qin noticed a slight weariness beneath her eyelids. She extinguished the oil lamp by the window and led Murong Yan to the water basin for washing. Afterwards, she placed her on the bed.

Ming Qin helped Murong Yan loosen her hair and then skillfully removed her prosthetic limb from her embrace. From her pocket, she took out a jar of ointment and scooped some to apply on the wound where Murong Yan’s right leg had been cut and scraped.

The cool ointment caused Murong Yan to involuntarily flinch.

Ming Qin lifted the hem of Murong Yan’s dress and pressed her hands against the remaining upper portion of her right leg, gently massaging it back and forth.

A tingling sensation spread from Murong Yan’s tailbone to her neck, and the arm hidden under her sleeve broke out in goosebumps.

Seeing the slightly trembling woman, Ming Qin thought she might have caused her pain and reassured her with a gentler touch. “Relax a bit. I asked Uncle Wang and the senior martial uncles in the camp, and they said that gentle massages like this can help. If you’re less in pain at night, you’ll be able to sleep better.”

She changed her hand position. “Look, it’s a bit swollen here, but if I press lightly, it won’t hurt.”

Murong Yan looked at Ming Qin, who had a serious expression, feeling a sense of embarrassment with nowhere to vent. Her chest felt tight, and she tightly gripped the blanket with her fingers, trying to ignore the unfamiliar sensations in her body.

Fortunately, Ming Qin’s technique was indeed unique. Feeling the warmth spreading through her legs, Murong Yan gradually relaxed, and her body softly leaned against the pillow, supporting herself.

After approximately the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Ming Qin heard Murong Yan’s regular breathing, and only then did she stop.

Lowering the lifted hem of Murong Yan’s dress, Ming Qin quietly covered her with a blanket. “Sleep now.”

She added more charcoal to the stove and gazed at Murong Yan’s peaceful sleeping face for a while.

“Sweet dreams.”

Ming Qin quietly squatted on a tile in the Emperor’s sleeping chamber, feeling a bit bored as she rubbed her eyes.

She really wanted to snack on melon seeds.

It had just passed three in the morning, and the surroundings were eerily quiet, with only the distant figures of patrolling soldiers outside the palace walls, swaying their lanterns.

Having been motionless for a long time, a layer of white snow had accumulated on her shoulders. As the cold wind blew, Ming Qin suppressed a sneeze.

Clang! A faint sound came from inside the sleeping chamber. Ming Qin perked up her ears and nervously leaped from the rooftop, flipping through the window into the room.

An old man, with half-white hair and dressed in a single-layered garment, gestured for silence upon seeing the person entering. He didn’t call for any palace attendants and intended to lift the overturned candlestick himself.

Ming Qin silently approached and offered assistance, then quietly bowed to the old man, preparing to leave.

“Wait,” the old man spoke, his voice somewhat weak.

Ming Qin dared not move and respectfully bowed, keeping her hands lowered, avoiding looking at the snack box on the table.

“I heard that you are acquainted with the Princess of Chongwen?” The Emperor slowly sat down and inquired of Ming Qin.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I am acquainted with the Princess,” Ming Qin obediently replied.

The Emperor, upon hearing this, seemed somewhat incredulous. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded and hesitated, asking, “How is the Princess doing? Is she alright?”

Considering recent events, Ming Qin tilted her head and honestly replied, “The Princess is not doing well.”

“Yes, yes, how could she be doing well?” The Emperor shook his head with a sigh. “It is my fault for failing her, and I have also let down Prince Yu.”

Upon hearing this, Ming Qin became somewhat displeased.

Facing the Emperor, Ming Qin stubbornly said, “The Princess will be fine.”

Although her health was poor, and she had almost been angered to the point of coughing up blood before, the Princess seemed to be in good spirits when they were together in the past few days.

“She will get better!”

Upon hearing the straightforward words from the shadow guard, the Emperor was momentarily stunned. Instead of becoming angry, he gestured for Ming Qin to sit on the wooden chair opposite him.

He then smiled faintly and said, “I have heard from your master that you are a kind and pure-hearted child, and today’s meeting confirms it.”

Ming Qin didn’t expect that the revered Emperor would have heard of her before, and it caught her by surprise.

“Good child, would you do me a favor?” The Emperor opened the snack box and pushed it towards Ming Qin. His tone was gentle, yet there was an undeniable expectation that made Ming Qin feel somewhat uneasy as she nodded.

“If one day, I am no longer here, could you protect the Princess for me? Safely bring her back to the North?”

Upon hearing these words from the Emperor, Ming Qin breathed a sigh of relief.

“Of course! I will protect the Princess. I won’t let any harm come to her,” Ming Qin clenched her right fist, her voice resolute. “Even if it means sacrificing my own life, I will do whatever it takes.”

After Ming Qin finished speaking, she suddenly remembered the countless reminders her master had given her about the rules within the palace. She stiffly added, “…However, Your Majesty, please refrain from speaking such inauspicious words. Your Majesty… Your Majesty… as the esteemed Dragon Emperor, you should enjoy eternal longevity. How… how could there be a day when you are not here?”

The Emperor looked at the flushed and stuttering Ming Qin, scratching his head in amusement. He waved his hand dismissively, saying, “Enough, enough. Don’t play along with that. It doesn’t suit you.”

Upon hearing the Emperor’s words, Ming Qin finally breathed a sigh of relief. She swallowed nervously and began selecting snacks from the box.

The author has something to say:

It’s amazing! My collection has surpassed forty.

There are also some adorable friends who leave me encouraging messages, which truly makes me happy~

There’s a sense of happiness when something I like is also enjoyed by others.

Thank you to everyone who has had the fate to read these words. I wish you all a happy week.

LP: Re-translated on December 21, 2023