The Princess’ Shadow Guard – Chapter 41

Ah Qin did not lie to her

The horse galloped through the snowy terrain, with the bitter cold biting at every inch. Murong Yan held the little tiger cub close in her arms, her hands gripping the reins tightly to maintain just enough warmth to stave off the cold.

Her teeth chattered uncontrollably. She wasn’t sure if it was due to the severe winter or the icy chill in her heart.

Her thoughts seemed frozen, yet one voice kept echoing in her mind, relentless.

Ah Qin, Ah Qin.

I don’t want to walk this path alone!

I don’t want you to be left alone either!

I’m not afraid, I’m truly not.

I’d rather die together with you than be separated from you.

Murong Yan wanted to cry out, but the overwhelming grief was stuck in her throat, unable to make any sound.

In fact, being in Ah Qin’s arms, she didn’t fear the pursuers behind them at all.

The thought of death, which had always frightened her, didn’t even cause a ripple in Murong Yan’s heart.

It was only when she saw her hands covered in blood, and heard Ming Qin say she would stay behind to hold off the enemies, that Murong Yan felt an unprecedented fear.

Her heart seemed to shatter, agony piling up as if to break her apart.

She wanted to stop, she wanted to turn back.

If she could close her eyes in that warm embrace, she would willingly do so.

But Murong Yan’s hand gripping the reins dared not move.

Be good, Yanyan.

Be good.

The gentle yet commanding voice echoed in her head, as if knowing her reluctance, soothing her consciousness which was on the verge of collapse, over and over again.

Murong Yan could only keep moving forward.

After what felt like an eternity, the horse was too tired to run, merely managing to keep up a brisk pace through the heavy snow.

The long ride had drained what little strength Murong Yan had left. She trembled, squeezing her thighs against the horse’s flanks to maintain balance. Yet, because of her feeble state, her efforts were not entirely successful.

No matter how tightly she clung to the reins, her body kept leaning uncontrollably to the left.

I can’t do this, Ah Qin.

Look!

Without you behind me, I can’t even ride a horse properly.

Without you by my side, I’m nothing at all.

So be it, Ah Qin.

Just so.

Murong Yan’s grip on the reins stiffened, she closed her eyes, and braced for the weightlessness of falling off the horse.

But the anticipated pain and tumble never came; a pulling force on her right leg held her firmly in place, ensuring the woman wouldn’t easily fall off.

Looking down at her right leg, it was Ming Qin’s doing; using a black hair tie, she had tightly bound Murong Yan’s limb to the stirrup, making it impossible for the woman with the prosthetic to free herself from the stirrup, much less slip off easily.

Seeing her own right leg, even in such a moment, Murong Yan couldn’t help but cover her face and laugh.

It was always like this.

Ah Qin, it was always this way.

Always weaving herself into a net, catching her just as she’s about to hit rock bottom of the abyss.

So gentle, yet so damn domineering.

How could she not listen to her?

What choice did she have left?

Warm tears trickled down through her fingers.

A fuzzy big head popped out from the robes, with bright eyes gazing upward in confusion at the woman who oscillated between tears and laughter.

The rough tongue of Little Tiger licked away the tears on Murong Yan’s cheeks, his throat emitting sharp whines as if to console her, urging his beloved woman not to cry anymore.

Looking at this wild creature who bore a resemblance to her master by a good seventy percent, Murong Yan couldn’t help but lower her head to kiss the furred head.

Ah Qin hadn’t lied to her.

Ah Qin was right; she could always tell when Ah Qin was lying or not.

Whether it’s through their demeanor, tone, or body language, any slightest hint or trace, she could always discern the truth.

And this time, Ah Qin told her that she would not die.

She didn’t lie.

Murong Yan wanted to believe that.

The tears had dried, leaving only their tracks.

The woman mustered her strength to grasp the reins tightly once again, steering the horse northward.

Murong Yan, who had fainted from exhaustion on horseback, woke up in the warmth of a cozy bed.

The soft bedding and the delicate decorations in the room were sights she hadn’t seen for nearly two months.

Finding herself in unfamiliar surroundings, she touched the clothes she was wearing. The rough peasant cloth she had been wearing had been replaced with a silk dress befitting her status—it seemed someone had changed her clothes, but she noticed the items that belonged to Ming Qin were gone.

Instant clarity returned to Murong Yan as she hurriedly threw back the covers, intending to get out of bed, but the absence of her prosthetic limb led her to fall heavily to the floor.

The loud noise drew a surprised exclamation from a woman outside the door. A kindly-looking woman around sixty years of age entered the room, and seeing Murong Yan sitting on the ground, she moved forward to help her up.

“Halt!” Murong Yan looked up sharply at the newcomer, her gaze icy. “Who are you?”

The woman who had been approaching stopped immediately, bowing respectfully, “I have seen Chongwen Princess. I am the wife of the Magistrate of Qingzhou, Su Wen. My name is Hu Xianghe. I am entrusted by my husband to take care of the Princess.”

“Am I already in Qingzhou?” Murong Yan asked, propping herself up against the bed frame with difficulty, her eyes still full of wariness.

“Yes, Princess, you arrived the day before yesterday,” Hu Xianghe answered with her head still bowed in respect, “My husband has informed Prince Yu of your presence, and as soon as the Princess is ready, we will arrange for your reunion with Prince Yu.”

The information Hu Xianghe provided didn’t cause the slightest ripple in Murong Yan’s demeanor. She sat back at the head of the bed, her face still set in a frosty expression. “What about the belongings I had on me?”

The old woman fetched a wooden box from the corner of the wall and handed it to the woman on the bed. Murong Yan immediately began rummaging through it.

Upon seeing the black hair tie, she clenched it tightly, struggling to suppress emotions that threatened to overwhelm her at any moment. She then glanced at the other items in the box, finding the oiled paper package still intact, and finally let out a small sigh of relief.

“Where is my little tiger cub?” the woman suddenly raised her head to look at Hu Xianghe, who was standing by.

“…My husband was concerned that the wild beast might endanger the Princess’s safety, so he ordered that it be locked up,” Hu Xianghe hesitated before replying, seemingly caught off guard by the Princess’s inquiry about the whereabouts of the tiger. “It has bitten many people.”

When Su Wen, along with his servants, found Murong Yan unconscious, they had attempted to unbind her and bring her back to the residence for rest. However, the small beast in the princess’s arms had leapt from the horse like a creature possessed, swiping its paws and emitting a childish growl, ferociously baring its teeth and claws at the servants who dared to approach its mistress.

Seeing them carry the Princess away, the little tiger, heedless of the iron chains binding it and the whip marks on its body, furiously attempted to pounce towards Murong Yan. Left with no choice, Su Wen could only order his men to lock the small tiger in an iron cage.

“That is my tiger,” Murong Yan said quietly, yet her tone brooked no question, “Return him to me.”

Hu Xianghe bowed her head in agreement, then stepped out of the room to give the orders.

By the time the little tiger, who had been baring his teeth and snarling at everyone around, was brought in with a rope around him, Murong Yan had already attached her prosthetic limb.

Upon seeing the familiar woman on the bed, the furry little creature that had been roaring ceased and lifted its head, letting out a pitiable howl. It fiercely broke free from the servant holding it and ran towards Murong Yan.

Amidst the worried gazes of the others, Murong Yan showed a trace of tender affection as she lifted the small tiger onto her knee, removed its ropes, and gently kissed its large head.

The little beast only delicately licked Murong Yan’s cheek in return, as if to ensure the woman his master had entrusted him to protect was unharmed.

“Tell Su Wen that I am ready to meet with Prince Yu.”

Composing herself, Murong Yan looked up at Hu Xianghe with the dignified grace befitting her status as a Princess, and commanded softly, “We set off immediately.”

The author has something to say:

This section is from the princess’s point of view. It will be about six or seven chapters before Ming Qin comes back online (and by online, I mean connecting again, not meeting in person…)

I must emphasize again, despite the twists and turns (okay, I admit there’s some real torment coming up, torment that had me unable to write for several days), this book is truly a HE (Happily Ever After)!

The relationship between the two needs a catalyst, especially for someone as dense as Ming Qin…

You all will witness the deep and heart-wrenching emotions between them later on, and feel free to recommend this to other friends who love to read, maybe have them join you for the… emotional ride (?)

(As I write, it sometimes depresses me, so then I’ll escape to write sweet, campus-life stories before coming back to continue. My brain is a mess flipping back and forth.)

The story is officially moving into the second half.

Director: Ming Qin, you can log off for a bit, go and have your lunch box.

Princess: Please don’t leave, don’t go.

LP: Re-translated on February 26, 2024