The Princess’ Shadow Guard – Chapter 26

Let’s go! I’ll take you away (out of the tower)

On the day the last leaf fell from the treetop, the sky was a dull gray.

Several crows turned into black shadows, letting out sinister caws that cut through the abnormal silence within the capital.

When Ming Qin left the Imperial Academy with Murong Wan after classes, she heard a high-pitched whistle from an alley, a code used by the Shadow Guard Camp.

Protecting Murong Wan, Ming Qin in the murky alley, saw her master’s wife, Gu Yun.

“Qinqin,” Gu Yun, who was usually friendly, now looked tense. Upon seeing them, she quickly went up to Ming Qin and whispered in her ear, “The Emperor has just breathed his last.”

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she handed a bunch of ropes to Ming Qin and pulled out a pack wrapped in oiled paper from her chest. “Give the Eleventh Prince to me. You take this and go find Chongwen Princess and take her to escape quietly, then head to Wanjia Alley. Your senior sister will meet up with you there.”

Ming Qin received the heavy oiled paper pack, her mind still trying to catch up.

There was no time for further explanation. Gu Yun embraced Murong Wan, looking directly into the eyes of her beloved disciple with a serious expression and quickly instructed, “Qinqin, this is a matter of great importance, and it’s also the late Emperor’s final wish. You must be careful!”

Solemnly bowing her head in agreement, Ming Qin turned to leave but was stopped by the boy’s wet hand tugging at the hem of her robe.

Looking at Murong Wan’s slightly panicked, trembling body and reddened eyes, Ming Qin squatted down, met his gaze, and spoke gently, “Next up, the Eleventh Prince and I will be heading to different battlefields, we’re sure to win, right?”

Watching the boy stubbornly bite his lip and nod vigorously, Ming Qin finally seemed reassured and smiled, turning to leave.

But her smile vanished as quickly as it appeared when she turned around to leave, her mind a complete mess.

With the Emperor’s recent passing, what would become of the capital’s perilous situation? The Crown Prince, with power in hand, was undoubtedly determined to secure the throne.

The situation was extraordinarily complex; only one thing was certain.

She had to take Murong Yan and escape.

She needed to take her and escape the prison built by the Crown Prince before the situation spiraled out of control.

Ming Qin sped up, and in a moment she was climbing the tower she had ascended countless times with joy; now, she hoped it was the last.

Rushing into the room, she shouted at Murong Yan, who looked calm and collected while reading a book, struggling to contain her excitement, “Let’s go! I’ll take you out!”

Murong Yan, looking up from her sea of books and seeing the sudden intruder, remained as tranquil as the first time Ming Qin climbed the tower.

“Okay.”

She nodded, her slightly hoarse voice betraying her emotion.

Time was of the essence, but Ming Qin, while slipping a wool-lined robe on her, still whispered to ask what she wanted to take with her.

Murong Yan took out another garnet earring hidden in a tea canister from a secret compartment under the coffee table, along with a black rope knot, and had Ming Qin put them on her and tie up her hair.

The rest was just worldly possessions.

She didn’t need them.

Embedding the rope’s iron hook deeply into the wooden window frame, Ming Qin held the rope with one hand while wrapping her other arm around Murong Yan’s waist as they stood on the windowsill.

In the dimming light, Murong Yan looked down at the view beneath the tower, which for six years she had longingly imagined represented freedom and the unknown.

Her body trembled slightly.

She mocked herself.

Turns out, she wasn’t as brave as she thought.

To her own surprise, she felt timid.

Ming Qin, feeling the emotion of the person in her arms, looked at her with clear eyes and asked considerately, “Afraid of heights? Don’t be scared, I won’t let go.”

With those words, she held the woman tighter, trying to make her bury her head in the crook of her neck to block her view.

“I’m fine,” Murong Yan said with an acidic tinge in her voice, reassured by the certainty in the words of the person beside her.

Stubbornly, she lifted her head to gaze at the vast expanse beneath her feet, and suddenly, she was fearless again, “Let’s go.”

She wouldn’t hide; she wanted to watch with open eyes as she freed herself from this shackles.

Taking a deep breath, Ming Qin grabbed the rope with one hand and leapt backwards off the building. The slippery bricks made it tough for her to find footing as she’s not alone.

Anxious that Murong Yan might be frightened, the shadow guard slowly loosened the rope, the cold bit into her hands, turning them red and rough rope surface chafed, drawing slight traces of blood.

Once they landed, Ming Qin quickly took out a small knife, turned around, and threw it to cut off the section of rope still swinging from the windowsill, hoping to buy some time before they were discovered.

After tightening Murong Yan’s cloak, Ming Qin scooped her up and, using her Qinggong, didn’t look back as they hurried towards Wanjia Alley.

Ming Qin moved skillfully, each step and action without a sound. Upon reaching Wanjia Alley, she saw an exquisitely small carriage, beside which stood Cao Yun and Song Shuqing, disguised as a coachman and maid respectively.

“Senior brother! Senior sister!” Ming Qin sighted them and let out a sigh of relief, setting down the person she was carrying.

She quickly bowed to the princess, and then Song Shuqing, with urgency in her voice, confirmed with Ming Qin, “Did you secure the item the master’s wife gave you?”

Ming Qin patted the cloth bag at her waist and nodded to Song Shuqing.

“We shouldn’t stay here long; let’s leave the city first and then talk in detail.”

Song Shuqing and Cao Yun exchanged glances, and the latter immediately opened the carriage door, “Please wait a moment, Princess. Let Qinqin go in first.” Song Shuqing pointed to the lifted partition beneath the carriage seat, gesturing for Ming Qin to crouch and hide there first.

Once Ming Qin was concealed, Cao Yun put the partition back in place and said, “Princess, please go ahead.”

Murong Yan, without any fuss, took Song Shuqing’s hand and slowly boarded the carriage. Despite its small size, the carriage seat was thoughtfully padded with soft cushions and covered with fox fur, making it quite comfortable.

Song Shuqing then followed, sitting opposite Murong Yan, closed the carriage door, and knocked on the carriage wall behind her to signal Cao Yun to start moving.

As the carriage began to move, Song Shuqing pulled out a brush hidden in her sleeve and said, “Excuse me.” She then started to delicately sketch Murong Yan’s face.

Beauty bloggers from her previous life always say that the most important part of makeup is the eyes and brows; eyebrows decide a person’s temperament!

So, with focus, Song Shuqing painted Murong Yan’s originally delicate brows darker and thicker, adjusting the angle of the arch to make the naturally striking woman look less sharp and a bit more simple-minded.

Luckily, there was no bronze mirror in the carriage. Otherwise, if the Princess saw what she had done to her, she might fear for her life, thought Song Shuqing.

At that moment, a commotion erupted outside the carriage, with the rough voices of soldiers checking travel permits mixing with Cao Yun’s smooth responses.

“What’s this fuss about, trying to leave just as the city gates are about to close?”

“Please officer, have mercy. There really is an urgent matter at home.”

“What kind of urgent matter? It’s already dark!”

“Our young miss heard in the afternoon that her family’s great-grandmother has fallen ill. She’s anxious to rush back for a visit, that’s why we decided to leave the city in a hurry.”

“Ah, the virtue of filial piety, isn’t it? Alright, let me take a look.” Saying this, he reached out to push aside the curtain and took a quick look at the two people inside the carriage. After not noticing anything unusual, he backed out.

Following that came the sound of Cao Yun fumbling with his purse.

“Officer, you’ve worked hard; this is a token from our miss.”

“Hey! Your miss may have thick eyebrows, but she’s a kind person. Alright already! Off you go.”

The carriage slowly started moving again, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

After a moment, Murong Yan, with no expression on her face, looked at the person dressed as a maid in front of her and silently took out a handkerchief to wipe her face.

In the cramped space, Song Shuqing felt awkward and guilty under her gaze, forcing a cheerful response, “Haha, we had no choice, absolutely no choice. Please don’t blame me, Princess, no harm meant!”

Luckily, Qinqin didn’t see the Princess like this; otherwise, she would surely take my life with her own hands.

Song Shuqing silently thought, sweating profusely.

Unseen by the group, as the carriage had not yet traveled far, the dust kicked up in a flurry when the portrait of Murong Yan was hurriedly brought to the pass.

The author has something to say:

Congratulations on your escape.

Senior Sister: I really didn’t mean to make you look ugly, I swear to heaven it wasn’t out of revenge.

Princess: If Ah Qin saw me looking this ugly, you’re really finished.

LP: Re-translated on February 04, 2024