The Princess’ Shadow Guard – Chapter 2

Too Strange for a Shadow Guard

On the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, the streets of the capital were livelier than usual.

Just past noon, the tiny figures of people crowded the bustling streets, like ants in a busy colony.

Despite the piercing cold, the windows of the Cangyue Tower were wide open. Murong Yan, her hair neatly arranged in a bun, lay on the couch like a lifeless body, her eyes slightly sore from staring outside for a long time. She blinked, feeling a slight warmth in her eyelids.

She casually poured the chilled tea out of the window, and the sound of the porcelain teacup hitting the tea table echoed crisply in the quiet high-rise building, somewhat jarring.

Yawning out of sheer boredom, she closed her eyes to rest, and a cool breeze brushed against her cheeks.

Murong Yan opened her eyes and focused her gaze. When she recognized the person standing before her, she calmly spoke, “I don’t recall when the Cangyue Tower started accepting guests, allowing people to come and go as they please.”

Her tone was indifferent, revealing neither surprise nor anger. “What do you think? Miss Wanted Criminal.”

The woman who had been dressed in night attire a few days ago now wore a gray long robe, her waist-length black hair tied back messily. Her slender and tall figure, if seen only from behind, would be mistaken for an ordinary scholar.

The young shadow guard stood by the window and first greeted with a respectful bow. “Princess, I am called Mingqin.”

Then, as if unsure how to proceed, she scratched her head in a puzzled manner, her awkward figure appearing somewhat foolish in Murong Yan’s eyes. “Today is the Double Ninth Festival¹, so I…” Her voice trailed off, growing faint as she seemed somewhat guilty.

“So you climbed all the way up to the Cangyue Tower?” Murong Yan exhaled lightly, raising an eyebrow, feeling the situation to be somewhat absurd.

“I…” Ming Qin squeaked, finding herself more flustered than in countless moments when she had brushed shoulders with death during missions.

Carefully retrieving a bundle of chestnut cakes² wrapped in hemp rope from her pocket, she quickly unwrapped the delicately woven package. Ming Qin explained anxiously and uneasily, “These are chestnut cakes from the Eastern Market. They are delicious and freshly baked.”

She extended the bundle of chestnut cakes to Murong Yan. “This is a token of gratitude from a few days ago.”

As they looked at the neatly arranged pair of cakes, the petite chestnut cakes bore simple patterns and had a glossy surface. The rich aroma of chestnuts made them even more enticing, adorned with a chrysanthemum flower as a decoration, adding a touch of uniqueness.

Noting Ming Qin’s uneasy and anxious expression, Murong Yan lowered her eyes and silently gestured for the shadow guard to place the bundle of chestnut cakes on the tea table. She then turned her head and added some charcoal to the burning water.

Once the water boiled, Murong Yan opened a hidden compartment in the tea table, revealing porcelain jars filled with various types of tea leaves. She casually selected one and proceeded to make a pot of tea.

As the tea steeped to the desired color, Murong Yan poured herself a cup of the fragrant tea. With deliberate ease, she picked up one chestnut cake and slowly placed it in her mouth, taking a bite to savor.

The soft outer layer and the dense and delicious chestnut filling blended perfectly, sweet but not cloying, with a faint hint of bamboo leaf fragrance. Paired with freshly brewed oolong tea, it impressed even a woman accustomed to the exquisite culinary skills of the palace.

Rarely, a hint of warmth appeared on her face as she carefully examined the chestnut cake in her hand.

As Murong Yan finished eating and turned her head, she saw Ming Qin standing by the side, nervously twisting her fingers and cautiously observing her reaction.

After a brief pause, Murong Yan responded, “Not bad.”

Seeing the woman’s complexion looking good, Ming Qin couldn’t help but relax, and a smile formed on her lips. “The cakes made by Aunt Li are the best in the entire capital. If you don’t get in line early, you’ll have to wait for nothing.”

Observing the confident expression of the shadow guard, Murong Yan couldn’t help but smile. “Calling it the best in the capital might be a bit of an exaggeration.”

Ming Qin disagreed, as if wanting to prove something, she straightened her chest. “I’ve tried all the delicacies in the capital, and I’ve tried every single cake from Aunt Li’s shop. If you don’t like chestnut, I can bring mung bean cakes³ next time. Those are their signature specialty.”

Her tone was somewhat anxious.

“I thought the palace’s Shadow Guards were always busy with their duties.”

Watching Ming Qin’s anxious demeanor, Murong Yan slowly picked up the second chestnut cake and spoke leisurely, “I didn’t expect it to be so leisurely that you have time to roam around the capital eating cakes.”

The image of the dreaded Emperor’s dogs obediently queuing up and scouring the streets for various cake shops, engaging in lively discussions about them, made Murong Yan sip her tea, suppressing the smile at the corner of her mouth.

“I…”

Whether Ming Qin intended to justify that the Shadow Guards were not neglectful of their duties or to openly admit that she did indeed travel around the capital collecting delicacies whenever she had time off, Ming Qin awkwardly scratched her head, thinking of a proper explanation.

As if to divert attention, she threw the bamboo leaves on the tea table into the brazier, obliterating any evidence. Silently crouching down, Ming Qin stirred the ashes with an iron rod.

The despondency on Ming Qin’s face seemed to bring some mischievous delight to the other person. Murong Yan wiped her fingers carefully with a handkerchief, blinked her eyes, and then spoke in a faint tone, “As a token of gratitude, it’s acceptable.”

Raising her head, Ming Qin’s face lit up with a childish smile. “Really? That’s great! Then I’ll bring something else next time.”

Murong Yan looked at Ming Qin’s radiant smile and couldn’t help but find it fascinating.

Having interacted with many Shadow Guards in the palace before, Murong Yan, with her keen eyes, could tell that even among the elite guards who possessed extraordinary skills, Ming Qin’s martial arts ability to climb the Cangyue Tower was exceptional. However, she couldn’t help but feel that Ming Qin, who appeared to be in her twenties, was unusually young.

Indeed, the work of a shadow guard was always immersed in dirty and secretive affairs, but Ming Qin, on the contrary, was straightforward like a child, allowing Murong Yan to see through her thoughts at a glance.

She was truly a strange person.

Lost in her own complex thoughts, Murong Yan unconsciously nodded in response to the person in front of her, not snapping back to reality until Ming Qin had left.

So, the next day, after finishing lunch, when she saw the young shadow guard once again appearing outside her window, holding a wrapped package of mung bean cakes and wearing a wide smile on her face, Murong Yan couldn’t help but feel surprised deep down.

In hindsight, it was indeed inappropriate. Ming Qin traversed the rooftops with her qinggong⁴. If the first time was out of absolute necessity, then the second time was truly improper.

If she were a man, her actions would be no different from those of a common peeping tom. Moreover, the other party was the esteemed Princess, the most respected woman outside the Imperial City.

Ming Qin reminisced.

On that night, she swiftly returned to the Capital with a secret letter, using her qinggong all the way. Before entering the Imperial City, she was chased by the Crown Prince’s men who had received the information.

Exhausted from the journey and the injuries sustained during the mission, she could barely defend herself. However, she was unwilling to cause chaos in the Capital and endanger innocent people.

Thinking of Prince Yu, who had always been loyal to the Emperor and distanced himself from conflicts, Ming Qin sought the protection of Murong Yan, the Princess closest to her. It was the best decision she could make at the time.

With internal injuries, she had even risked her life to avoid falling to her death while climbing the tower.

However, the Princess’s calm reaction was truly unexpected, and her appearance and demeanor were completely different from when Ming Qin first saw her. Ming Qin pondered for a moment.

She still remembered ten years ago when she, as a young girl, underwent training in the Night Mist Courtyard. In addition to daily practice, there were regular beatings to discipline her willpower and days of enduring hunger.

Even though her peers around her constantly complained, she still gritted her teeth and persevered.

These pains and training were beneficial to her. Only by becoming stronger could she survive.

It was this belief that sustained her and prevented her from collapsing during arduous training.

When she was twelve years old, on the verge of graduation, she was fed poison daily by her Mistress in order to cultivate resistance. Her body felt as if thousands of scorpions and venomous snakes were wriggling inside her, and her bones, which had grown numb to pain, endured the agonizing sensation day after day.

On that day, her tense nerves snapped like an over-tuned string, and disharmonious buzzing filled her mind, screaming loudly. Overwhelmed by pain, she reached her limit. Taking advantage of the night, she exerted all her strength to shatter the handcuffs and escaped from the Night Mist Courtyard for the first and only time.

Her emaciated and battered body collapsed at the outskirts of the Imperial City, akin to a rat in a ditch on the brink of death. Just as her consciousness was about to fade away, under the moonlight, a vibrant red sleeve paused on her wrist, and then she felt herself being lifted onto a horse.

Accompanied by the sound of horse hooves, she faintly heard a male voice beside her, 『Princess, let me handle it. Don’t dirty your clothes.』

The woman didn’t respond, and the man suggested, 『She is probably from the Night Mist Courtyard. Shall I send someone to inform and pick her up?』

After a moment of silence, only the woman’s light sigh could be heard. 『Let’s discuss it tomorrow. She’s just a pitiful child.』

As a young girl, she didn’t know how long she stayed in that warm embrace, but she felt as though the grating voices in her mind had been completely erased.

When she struggled to open her eyes and tried to see clearly with the remaining strength she had, she vaguely saw what seemed like a celestial being who descended to the mortal realm. The woman before her bloomed like a vibrant red peony, exuding an enchanting beauty.

Feeling the movement in her embrace, she pulled back the reins and lowered her head. Her eyes sparkled, a smile gracing her lips. From somewhere, she produced a candy and placed it in the child’s mouth.

Lying docilely in the woman’s embrace, Ming Qin obediently opened her mouth, savoring the sweet melting sensation of the rice candy.

It was the most delicious thing she had eaten in the past twelve years.

Before slipping into unconsciousness once again, the girl only have that thought in her mind.

Waking up from her memories, Ming Qin pondered.

Thinking that the beauty in splendid attire and on a spirited horse would still be flourishing, but now it seemed like a precious pearl covered in dust, and the peony had withered, its petals scattered on the ground, leaving only barren branches.

If it weren’t for the stirring in her heart, she wouldn’t have found herself perched on a treetop, inadvertently witnessing the sorrowful and desolate expression on her face during the Double Ninth Festival. She wouldn’t have felt so reluctant, mustering the courage to ascend the tower, awkwardly fumbling with the chestnut cakes she had just bought, desperately seeking an excuse for her uncontrollable impertinence.

Ming Qin’s body sank, silently appearing at the intersection of the marketplace, naturally blending in with the passing pedestrians.

“Aunt Li!” Ming Qin called out from amidst the crowd, towards the shop.

“Miss Ming!”

A kindly-looking woman quickly wiped her hands and made her way through the crowd of people waiting in line, carrying a hemp rope bag towards Ming Qin.

Passing over a copper coin, Ming Qin took what the woman held out to her and then solemnly bowed in gratitude.

“Oh, no need for formalities! Miss Ming, you’re the one who helped me scare away those ruffians,” Aunt Li chuckled. “You’re always welcome here. I specially saved this mung bean cake for you. If I hadn’t discreetly wrapped it up, someone might have started a fight over it.”

“With your culinary skills, it wouldn’t be surprising if things escalated,” Ming Qin sincerely replied.

“You have such a sweet tongue.” Waving her hand, Aunt Li turned around cheerfully. “Alright then! I’m heading back to the shop.”

Ming Qin nodded her head and hurriedly protected the lotus leaf-wrapped package in her hand.

If that person also found it delicious, that would be great.

If she hit her, Ming Qin promised herself that she would never retaliate.

Yes, I promise.

LP: Re-translated on November 29, 2023

1. The Double Ninth Festival, also known as Chongyang Festival, is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. It is a day to pay homage to ancestors, appreciate the autumn scenery, and engage in activities that promote good health and ward off evil spirits.

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4. ching-kung. The use of qinggong has been exaggerated in wuxia fiction, in which martial artists have the ability to move swiftly and lightly at superhuman speed, and perform gravity-defying moves such as running on water surfaces, traversing across rooftops, and even balancing on a stalk of grass