The most difficult thing to find is a good partner (second half with major revisions from the perspective of the Crown Prince).
In the quiet room, there were only occasional sounds of Murong Yan flipping through the pages of a book and Ming Qin’s faint snoring.
Resting her head on Murong Yan’s leg, Ming Qin closed her eyes and slept soundly, her hands neatly placed on her belly.
Today was the one-month celebration of the eldest son of the Marquis of Changping… No, he should be called the Marquis of Changping now.
Today was the celebration for the legitimate eldest son of the Marquis of Changping, and the Eleventh Prince, representing the royal family, did not go to the Imperial Academy. Naturally, Ming Qin had the day off as well.
So the Marquis of Changping already has a child, Murong Yan thought.
If my mother hadn’t passed away and I hadn’t injured my leg, I’m afraid I would have already married the Marquis of Changping and given birth to our child.
Apart from a sigh for the passing of time and the impermanence of the world, Murong Yan’s heart remained calm and unperturbed.
As for the shy young man she met at the poetry gathering back then, she didn’t have the slightest attachment to him.
Having only met twice and having the engagement quickly called off after her leg was amputated, there was no way she could develop any special feelings for him.
It’s just human nature, but it still makes one feel cold-hearted.
I don’t blame myself. After all, the hardest thing to find in this world is a good partner.
When the royal hunt took place and the assassin’s blade aimed at the emperor, it not only severed my leg but also ended a five-year engagement.
It was clean and neat, nothing worth clinging to.
Such an indifferent person is better off without.
Bowing her head and looking at the woman who rested her head on her leg, Murong Yan’s gaze became focused.
From childhood to adulthood, I have seen countless people. Some groveled and flattered me, while others were humble and obedient, all because of my status as a county princess.
But the person who has been genuinely good to me, almost to the point of foolishness, is Ming Qin, the only one.
The person in her embrace suddenly let out a soft hum, rolling over and letting one hand dangle off the bed.
The slightly loosened collar revealed a glimpse of her snowy white chest, causing Murong Yan’s gaze to linger for a long while. Then, she reached out to straighten her clothes.
Sensing the movement on her body, Ming Qin opened her eyes.
“Did I wake you up, Ah Qin?” Murong Yan asked with a slightly apologetic frown.
“No,” Ming Qin yawned and sat up, “I had a strange dream. It’s good to wake up.”
“Oh? What happened?” Murong Yan asked curiously.
“It was about being abandoned when I was a child,” Ming Qin recalled, and she casually twisted her neck. “I felt the icy coldness of the lake, and my lungs hurt terribly.”
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Murong Yan reached out and touched Ming Qin’s face. “Ah Qin, don’t dwell on it. I won’t ask.”
She had heard Ming Qin mention it before, but she didn’t pay much attention at the time. However, listening to it again today made her feel a bit heartbroken.
“It’s alright. I was young back then, and I don’t really remember,” Ming Qin reassured as she patted Murong Yan’s hand. “After Master found me, he sent me to the Night Orchid Court and trained me with the other young recruits. I’ve been at the Night Orchid Court ever since I can remember. The Shadow Guard Camp feels like home to me, and I’m content with it.”
Murong Yan was aware of the harshness of the Shadow Guard’s work and had heard Ming Qin talk about the training. She couldn’t fully agree with Ming Qin’s view of considering the Shadow Guard Camp as home.
“But one day during training, they discovered that I disliked being in the water. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t learn to swim. It was then that Master told me how he found me,” Ming Qin continued, and then she hesitated for a moment, her thoughts drifting to the Eleventh Prince, Murong Wan, from a few days ago.
“However, sometimes I can’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have real parents.”
Ming Qin told Murong Yan the events that took place at the Imperial Academy that day. “The Eleventh Prince’s mother was insulted and he got so angry that he cried, and I didn’t know how to comfort him.”
She scratched her head and looked at Murong Yan. “Many of us in the Shadow Guard Camp don’t have parents, so I don’t know who to ask. If someone insults your parents, would you cry too?”
Murong Yan looked at her with a perplexed expression, her mouth a bit dry.
After pondering for a while, she cleared her throat and said, “My father is a formidable general who is invincible in battle, but he is a weak father and husband. So if someone insults him, I would probably feel relieved.” She smiled wryly.
“And my mother, she’s a very, very good person.”
Murong Yan paused and took a deep breath. “I still remember how she would softly and gently coax me to sleep in the night, a bit absent-minded but playing a beautiful tune on the guqin. Despite being born in the warm Jiangnan region, she was willing to move to the northern frontier for the sake of her child.”
Her voice faltered, and then she whispered, “So I think, if someone insults her, I would probably feel a murderous intent.”
“So, it turns out your mother is such a wonderful person. I think I understand now.”
Ming Qin nodded in a dazed manner and said, “In that case, I’ll teach those who insult the Eleventh Prince’s mother a lesson.”
Murong Yan looked at Ming Qin and spoke with a bitter tone, “It’s better if you don’t understand.”
Life is already bitter, and understanding would only add to the sorrow, besides…
“Ah Qin, tell me more about what happened in the capital city,” Murong Yan changed the subject.
Ming Qin trusted her without question and began chattering about various happenings in the capital city, from small matters like a lost dog from someone’s household to major events such as the recent investigations conducted by the Grand Court of Justice.
Murong Yan looked at Ming Qin’s earnest face and pondered.
You don’t need to carry too much in your heart.
Parents, princes, even the emperor, are not necessary.
As long as you have me in your heart, it’s enough.
The Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace.
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Murong Xiao rarely showed tenderness.
(The Crown Prince is preparing to do something that this green website doesn’t want me to write about. I’ve already revised it at least six times, but it keeps blocking me.)
The Crown Prince hasn’t done anything yet, and the woman in front of him is about to cry. (I almost cried deleting it too.)
Murong Xiao’s eyes were cold and fierce as he looked at the person before him, whose face bore a resemblance of seven parts to the beautiful figure in his dreams. “She never shows a timid expression.”
The woman was scared, tightly closing her mouth, trying hard to restrain the fear in her heart.
She knew that the person in the Crown Prince’s heart would never show such emotions.
Only by becoming more alike could she survive longer.
Observing the composed demeanor of the woman, Murong Xiao nodded in satisfaction.
“Sister, sister.”
(The Crown Prince is already a twenty-five-year-old adult, so he did something that this green website doesn’t want him to do.)
His gaze was fierce, and he struggled to take deep breaths to control himself.
(The Crown Prince’s lack of self-control was so severe that he used too much force and almost strangled the lady. (Look, you can even learn English from reading my articles! Please don’t block me anymore.)
Before obtaining his sister, he had to endure.
Murong Xiao’s inner turmoil was burning like a scorching fire.
He wanted to rush over now and see what expression his graceful sister would reveal before him.
Would it be as cold and ruthless as usual?
Or would it be as gentle and charming as a woman from Jiangnan?
Or perhaps as radiant and beautiful as when they first met?
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became, and Murong Xiao couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Sister is alone.”
She could only be alone.
The author has something to say:
I’ve been blocked several times because of this annoying Crown Prince, and it’s infuriating! (What’s even more frustrating is that they initially let me through, but after I fixed a typo, they stopped allowing me to proceed! I won’t fix any more typos!)
I almost cried in front of my computer.
I really didn’t write anything significant, yet they keep preventing me from posting. Now I’m starting to doubt how the interaction between the Shadow Guard and the Princess will unfold. (I feel like crying, so helpless. It was supposed to be a sweet story, but I can’t share any sweetness.)
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I don’t know how to use WB! Being blocked continuously from morning to afternoon really takes a toll on a person. I’ve been using it from 5 AM to 4 PM UK time.
I deleted some details and a long passage describing the Crown Prince’s psychology. In simple terms, the Crown Prince is someone who would be diagnosed by modern psychologists with narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and bipolar disorder.
My advice to anyone encountering such a person is to avoid them unless you have professional training.
I was considering whether to write a second book after this one because now three stories are playing simultaneously in my head, all shouting, “Choose me! Choose me! Pick me quickly!” It’s been keeping me awake for a long time.
But now I’m just incredibly sad about this situation!
Although it sounds very negative, don’t worry, I currently have a hundred thousand words in my draft. I will definitely finish this book!
I guess I just need a little love and warmth~
LP: the crown prince is disgusting… Also, the author’s struggles are funny.
Re-translated on January 13, 2024
Thank you for the chapter! And the crown prince is truly disgusting.
I just want to say, thank you for taking the time to translate the story! I’m really enjoying it so far, and I really like the main leads interactions so much!
I’m still in doubt who the crown prince is. Is he the princess’s brother? Like son of the same father? Why if he is the crown prince, wouldn’t he have to be the emperor’s son? And since the emperor is the princess’s uncle, wouldn’t the crown prince be her cousin? I’m still confused about parentage.
Basically, Murong Yan and the Crown Prince are cousins since Murong Yan’s father, Prince Yu, is the Emperor’s brother, and the Crown Prince’s father is the Emperor.
just wanted to add to TL:
if the source of the confusion is that the crown prince calls Murong Yan “Elder Sister”. I checked the original text and it seems he’s using 姐姐 which is translated to “jiejie”. This is an honorific. its often used for girls/women who are slightly older than the speaker and not a whole seniority above. its a bit more automatic between siblings though there are also other honorifics between siblings but it can also be used for relatives or close friends or even people you work with. it can be used whether blood related or not or if you consider family or not. its supposed to indicate a degree of intimacy if someone can call someone else like that.
the crown prince wants to be intimate with his cousin so instead of using the term for a cousin of her level which would indicate a certain distance he uses jiejie to show closeness and intimacy.
*my understanding is from the rough explanation of my friend on chinese honorifics I can’t read most pinyin but jiejie shows up often enough in texts
anyway thanks TL for taking this up and making it easily understandable!