TL.
Hey, everyone! I apologize for my absence this past few days. The previous site got permanently suspended and so has been busy moving everything to this new site and fixing links. I have already requested for Novelupdates to fix the affected links because of this. I apologize for the inconvenience caused, and happy reading!
Senior Sister and the Foolish Lovers
When Master entrusted Ming Qin to deliver a letter out of the city, she willingly accepted the month-long mission.
More accurately, Ming Qin was tearfully grateful as she took on the task, hastily fleeing the city without hesitation.
In the scorching summer heat, the Shadow Guard, dressed in a black robe, was sweating profusely on horseback, her mind in disarray.
Since that kiss, Ming Qin’s rarely tangled and pondering mind hasn’t stopped working.
She had never heard that the completion of a courtesan’s makeup required a kiss to test it.
Even after asking all the junior sisters in the Shadow Guard Camp, including Qin Shimei, who was skilled in rouge and often went undercover in brothels, she hadn’t heard of such a royal secret technique.
Since that day, whenever Ming Qin saw Murong Yan, she would think of that silky touch and uncontrollably lick her lips.
The young Shadow Guard couldn’t help but hold her head, realizing that her audacity and recklessness were no different from those frivolous flower thieves.
When bidding farewell to Murong Yan before leaving the capital, even though the woman heard that she would be away for a month, she remained indifferent, showing no reaction. She simply handed her a jade jar before leaving silently. Inside was a fragrance balm she had personally prepared.
Touching the jar hidden in her sleeve, the person on horseback felt utterly puzzled, unable to understand why Murong Yan suddenly presented her with this item.
Ming Qin never used fragrance balm.
Shadow Guards must act discreetly, blending into the crowd, leaving no trace or scent behind.
But Murong Yan’s fragrance balm emitted a seductive peony scent, as enchanting as she herself. Its bold aroma seemed to announce its presence to those nearby, making it unfit for someone like Ming Qin, who worked as a Shadow Guard.
Ming Qin was troubled, feeling the need to vent her frustrations.
A sharp sound broke through the air.
Ming Qin, unsurprised, looked up and swiftly reached out to catch the arrow flying towards her.
Behind her, over a dozen masked figures stood, each holding a weapon, their eyes filled with a deadly seriousness. She couldn’t help but sigh.
“What a pity.”
Dismounting, she swiftly moved forward.
(Originally translated on littlepandatranslations.com, let's go!)
With a sword in hand, Ming Qin suddenly appeared before the man with the bow. With a smile on her face, before he could react, she swiftly sliced his chest from bottom to top.
The people surrounding her immediately reacted when they saw the woman swiftly launching an attack. They raised their weapons and charged towards her with loud shouts.
Amidst the flashes of blades and splatters of blood, Ming Qin casually kicked up some dust, instantly obscuring the once clear view. A dark silhouette danced within the crowd, freely wielding her sword, accompanied by cries of pain.
In less than a moment, only she stood amidst a pool of blood.
Ming Qin shrugged her shoulders, making a cracking sound, and let out a long sigh of relief.
“What a pity you all turned out to be.” Ming Qin wiped her sword on the sleeve of one of the corpses. “I was feeling quite conflicted just now and happened to be in dire need of a good fight.”
Her face was splattered with crimson blood, and though her tone sounded apologetic, her expression remained calm, as if she didn’t care, revealing an innocent smile.
“I’m truly sorry about that.”
Murong Yan boredly looked out the window, the book in her hand untouched for half an hour without a page turned.
It had been nearly half a month since Ah Qin had left the city, and Murong Yan missed her dearly.
Thinking about the last time she saw Ming Qin, Murong Yan couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
She was still as flustered and unable to meet her gaze, her eyes wandering and her fingers tightly gripping her sleeves.
But it seemed like she was worried that she would be concerned if she stayed away for too long. She rambled on about how the mission was simple and nervously reminded herself to eat and sleep well.
Occasionally, she would stare at her own lips, but her gaze would quickly slip away when Murong Yan looked at her.
It was adorable, as if she was up to some mischievous act.
Murong Yan recalled the image of Ming Qin unconsciously licking her lips after averting her gaze, and it brought her joy.
Although her mind was slow, her body remained honest.
A soft, low laughter filled the air.
After coming back to her senses, Murong Yan found herself unable to continue reading the book in her hand. She was about to extinguish the candle and go to sleep when she heard some unfamiliar noises outside the window.
It couldn’t be Ah Qin, Murong Yan thought.
Not only because Ah Qin was on a mission, but also because Ah Qin always moved silently, leaving no trace of sound.
Who else would come to climb the Cangyue Tower in the middle of the night?
The number of people in the capital who could climb the Cangyue Tower was few and far between. Who could it be?
Could it be a thief?
Murong Yan firmly grasped the hairpin on her head, holding her breath and focusing, ready to strike at the intruder at the slightest movement.
As the window was pushed open, just as Murong Yan was about to pierce the intruder with her sharp hairpin, she heard a woman urgently protecting her neck and saying, “I am Qinqin’s senior sister. Princess, please spare me!”
The sharp object in her hand remained pressed against the skin of the person who climbed up, not moving away.
After a few breaths, Murong Yan calmly asked in a low voice, “Under which tree in the Shadow Guard Camp did Senior Brother Li hide his wine?”
“Qinqin doesn’t have a senior brother named Li. If you’re referring to Senior Brother Lin, his privately brewed plum wine is buried beneath the third tree to the right of the west gate of the Shadow Guard Camp. Although Qinqin found it, I’ve almost finished drinking it,” the woman spoke urgently.
Pausing for a moment, Murong Yan, with a fierce expression holding the weapon, said, “So, you are indeed Ah Qin’s senior sister.”
Glancing back and forth at the woman before her, Song Shuqing, Murong Yan withdrew the hairpin and loosened her hair. Her body, strained to the limit, was on the verge of falling to the side. Song Shuqing was about to reach out to help, but Murong Yan spoke sternly.
“Don’t touch!”
Then, with a forceful movement, she slowly shifted herself onto the bed. Even so, she maintained the dignified bearing of a princess.
Only then did Murong Yan look up and ask Song Shuqing, “What urgent matter brings you to me in the middle of the night?”
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Seeing that Murong Yan’s attitude was firm and not angry, Song Shuqing offered a respectful bow and calmly said, “I am Song Shuqing, a senior sister of Ming Qin. I apologize for the inconvenience caused tonight, but I have a sealed letter that must be delivered to Chongwen Princess.”
She reached into her sleeve and took out a bamboo tube containing a secret letter, which she handed to the princess.
Taking the letter, Murong Yan carefully read it, furrowing her brows slightly.
After the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, she used the flame from the oil lamp to ignite the letter and extended her arm out of the window. She held onto the letter until it was almost burned to ashes before finally letting go, allowing the remaining embers to be carried away by the evening breeze.
After brewing a pot of tea for herself, Murong Yan suddenly spoke up.
“It seems that the Fifth Prince passed away today?”
Song Shuqing paused for a moment, then nodded slightly.
“He passed away around the hour of Shen (3:01PM to 5:00PM), and the news has not yet leaked,” she replied. She was known for her intelligence bordering on the supernatural, enhanced by her memories from a past life. Her thoughts jumped and sparkled, earning her the title of a strange genius from her master.
Usually, it was Song Shuqing herself who impressed others with her brilliance. But now, this Chongwen Princess, who had lived her whole life in feudal traditions, trapped in a high tower, was able to assess the court situation based on the cryptic words in the letter and the urgency of the Shadow Guard Camp. Her intellect and keenness were no less impressive than Song Shuqing’s, leaving her stunned.
“No wonder,” Murong Yan whispered.
After taking a calm sip of tea, she instructed, “Tell your master not to panic. As long as we protect the Emperor’s life, the Crown Prince won’t make any reckless moves for the time being… I understand him to some extent.”
She let out a mocking snort.
“Then, on behalf of my master, may I ask about the matter the princess promised earlier?” Song Shuqing tentatively asked.
“I am not one to go back on my word. If it truly comes to the critical moment, there is no reason for me to abandon it.”
Murong Yan waved her hand impatiently, and then, as if she had thought of something, narrowed her eyes and spoke with a serious tone. “Tell your master that it would be best to believe what I say and not let his thoughts stray towards Ah Qin.”
“Thank you, Princess,” Song Shuqing bowed and cupped her hands. “Ming Qin is a member of the Shadow Guard Camp, so it’s absolutely impossible for him to have such intentions.”
A moment of silence ensued.
It lasted so long that Song Shuqing’s back began to ache, and only then did Murong Yan coldly speak again. “You are the senior sister who often takes Ah Qin to the fireworks place to listen to music, aren’t you?”
“…Currently, she is still in the Shadow Guard Camp, and there is only one person whom Ming Qin refers to as senior sister, so I believe the Princess is indeed referring to me,” Song Shuqing replied, her scalp tingling for the first time in a long while as she lowered her head and averted her eyes.
Murong Yan stared at Song Shuqing for a long time before speaking again. “So, you must be the senior sister whom Ah Qin praises for her intelligence and beauty day in and day out, right?”
Her tone seemed even more unfriendly.
Song Shuqing’s back bent lower and lower, feeling that not only her body was bending, but her life was also about to break.
With a brave front, she said, “I didn’t know that Ming Qin praised me in such a way. Her description of me is truly exaggerated.”
“Yes.”
Murong Yan furrowed her brow, seeming somewhat troubled. “Indeed, it is an exaggeration.”
Damn it!
Is this what they call a “foolish couple”?
Ignoring the feelings of others, immersed in their own world, only seeing each other.
A social nuisance.
Song Shuqing suppressed her disrespectful inner monologue and the urge to roll her eyes. She quickly pondered how to respond to the Princess without appearing impolite.
Fortunately, Murong Yan didn’t mind her silence. Suddenly, she thought of something and asked again, seemingly to herself, “So, you’re also the senior sister who sent Ah Qin to the brothel to become a courtesan?”
Alarm bells rang loudly in Song Shuqing’s mind, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead.
She stammered in explanation, “The matter of… the brothel… was necessary for a mission of the Shadow Guard.”
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“Is that so?”
Unexpectedly, Murong Yan seemed not at all annoyed, but instead revealed a slight smile. “In that case, I should thank you wholeheartedly.”
“Huh?”
Song Shuqing, who had just shown signs of panic, now wore a look of rare bewilderment.
Late at night, when Song Shuqing left Cangyue Tower to report back, she carried a heavy load of gold and silver jewelry in her arms, but she felt as if she had left at least five years of her life there.
Cangyue Tower was not only incredibly difficult to climb, but even with full preparation, she almost fell to her death.
The Princess inside was truly a formidable woman.
If it weren’t for her quick reflexes just now, her neck might have been pierced by now.
When it came to Qinqin, the protectiveness and possessiveness in Murong Yan’s eyes almost consumed her. And the sudden smile afterwards, which sent shivers down her spine, felt like a special reward.
How did Qinqin manage to get along with such an unpredictable woman as the Princess?
Master was right after all.
Even if Prince Yu had ten, no, a hundred daughters, she would still need to escape from there.
The author has something to say:
The number of favorites has exceeded a hundred?! What an unexpected surprise.
I started writing this story reluctantly in the beginning.
After all, it’s not a popular genre, and I didn’t feel like my style and pace were like those of several popular works, so I didn’t have many expectations.
But I never expected that so many people would actually like it in such a short time. It’s making me feel a little touched~
I don’t know if it’s because of the genre or the writing itself, but I always feel that the readers who are attracted to and support my work are especially mature and gentle(?). They always give me encouragement and warmth, and this kind of mutual feeling really makes me happy~ Welcome everyone to recommend it to friends who also enjoy reading!
PS. I have written drafts up to Chapter 40, and almost every chapter has some sweet moments, some subtle and some direct, so I won’t specifically label whether each chapter contains sweetness or not!
As a stickler for details, I recommend everyone to read and savor it slowly~
And I don’t know why, but the further I write, the more I find even ordinary things can be written in a stuffy manner. I worry about being punished by the green app while finding it amusing at the same time.
What kind of useless talent is this~ (wry smile)
As always, I hope you have a pleasant weekend!
LP: Re-translated on January 21, 2024
Thank you for the chapter !!
Thank you for the chapter!
Glad you’re back. I was really worried when the links to the site weren’t working and when searching on google didn’t work.
Really stark difference of treatment from the princess between Senior Sister and Junior Sister lol. No lie tho, MQ’s pretty scary having that “innocent” side whilst still having the ability to easily kill men. Her and the princess actually match each other