The Princess’ Shadow Guard Cannot Be Too Clever - Chapter 14

His Majesty the Emperor is a Good Man

After the New Year, Ming Qin accompanied the Eleventh Prince to Guozi Jian every morning. She acted as his chaperone, and the escort continued until she accompanied the Prince back to the palace at the end of the lunch lesson.

As the Eleventh Prince was not allowed to enter Guozi Jian without a chaperone, apart from Ming Qin, he was always alone.

Bored, Ming Qin squatted on the roof and counted the froth she spewed out while watching an old master with a white beard and a hunched back.

She admired the Eleventh Prince, who managed to listen carefully without dozing off, and watched his straightened back.

When the morning class was over and the Eleventh Prince got up, Ming Qin, who was yawning through her tears, followed him stealthily.

As she watched the Eleventh Prince eat his imperial meal alone, Ming Qin sat at a distance and nibbled on a bun, feeling her stomach rumble.

Her thoughts were on the County Princess, and she longed to visit her as soon as possible.

Murong Yan ate very little, and half of the evening meal brought by the maidservant went into Ming Qin’s stomach. The food was cooked by the palace chef and was so delicious that Ming Qin, who was a bit particular about her food, ate it all every time.

In the distance, a group of young men in fancy clothes approached noisily.

The tall boy leading the group glanced at the lone boy eating and waved his sleeve vigorously as they passed, causing the food box to clatter to the ground and spill its contents of rice, fish, and meat.

What a waste, Ming Qin furrowed her brow in disappointment.

“Oh, is this not the Eleventh Prince Murong Wan? My apologies, I mistook you for a little mouse,” the young man exaggeratedly spoke, bowing with a smirk, causing the people behind him to snicker.

Murong Wan froze in the middle of his meal with his chopsticks hovering in the air.

His mother, a former servant girl, had passed away, leaving him to grow up alone in the harem. Despite being the heir to the throne, he had no support and the neglectful servants left him malnourished, resulting in a short and frail physique.

The haughty young man aggressively stood on Murong Wan’s coat and shouted, “Hey! Are you mute? I’m talking to you!”

Murong Wan responded in a cold tone, “Have you prepared for the teacher’s exam later, Zhang Yurong?”

Ming Qin knocked her head in realization, recognizing the youngest son of the prince’s maternal uncle, Zhang Yurong.

No wonder he acted so arrogantly. According to what she had heard from the master, he was the spoiled eldest son of the prince’s maternal uncle, Zhang Chi, and had a reputation for being domineering. She knew she had to quickly get away from him.

“It’s none of your business!” Zhang Yurong nervously retorted, knowing he would face punishment if he failed the upcoming test.

“Meet me at the martial arts school this afternoon!” Zhang Yurong declared before departing with his followers, seeking to appease his previous altercation.

Ming Qin remained fixated on the spilled rice atop the beam, while Murong Wan silently packed his belongings and returned to the academy without a word.

The upcoming exam focused on memorization of various books, and when Ming Qin witnessed Murong Wan effortlessly reciting a lengthy list of content that she didn’t even comprehend, she was almost moved to applause.

This eleventh prince was undoubtedly a prodigy!

Ming Qin couldn’t believe how effortless her job would be this time around. She wouldn’t have to endure harsh conditions or engage in battles, but could instead enjoy regular breaks from work.

Having observed him for several days, Ming Qin had come to the realization that the eleventh prince was exceptionally well-behaved, studious, and had no inclination to sneak out of the Guozi Jian, unlike the senior students she had encountered before.

This must be the coveted “plum position” that the shadow guards would compete for, but Ming Qin knew it was unlikely to fall on her lap.

“The Emperor is a good man,” she mused.

However, as they arrived at the martial arts school with the other students, Ming Qin became troubled.

As she watched the eleventh prince being beaten up, Ming Qin wondered whether or not she should intervene.

Today, Zhang Yurong’s teacher had already beaten Murong Wan three times, but it seemed to have only made him more calm and composed, which only further enraged Zhang Yurong. Taking advantage of the sparring session at the martial arts school, Zhang Yurong unleashed his fury on the frail Murong Wan.

“Do you really think you’re something? Once the prince’s cousin becomes emperor, you won’t have anywhere to go,” Zhang Yurong taunted as he continued to pummel Murong Wan.

Helpless and defenseless, Murong Wan simply covered his head in silence.

“You’re nothing but a bastard born of a lowly servant girl. How dare you even think of attending Guozi Jian?” Zhang Yurong sneered, his anger showing no signs of abating. “Your mother was nothing but a filthy, low-life woman who gave birth to a worthless creature like you.”

After falling to the ground, Murong Wan’s eyes filled with blood upon hearing Zhang Yurong’s insults. Taking advantage of Zhang Yurong’s momentary slackness, he bit down on his calf, shouting, “Don’t talk about my mother!”

“How dare you bite me!” Zhang Yurong indignantly kicked at Murong Wan in an attempt to force him to let go.

“Don’t insult my mother!” Despite his nose bleeding, Murong Wan gritted his teeth and spoke in a muffled voice, “I may be a bastard, but your beloved great prince is half related to me, so what does that make him?”

The people around Zhang Yurong came over to pull Murong Wan away, and a group of people kicked the bloodied Murong Wan.

Although some people in the distance could not bear to witness it, they didn’t dare to stop them, thinking of the power of the prince’s maternal uncle and Zhang Yurong’s domineering ways.

Ming Qin was uncertain of what to do. Her task was to protect the Eleventh Prince, which meant ensuring Murong Wan’s safety. While the Eleventh Prince being beaten up by a group of children might be painful, it was unlikely to result in his death. However, the malicious intent in their eyes suggested that they intended to harm him.

Ming Qin wondered if she should intervene to stop the attack. But, if she did, what should she do with Zhang Yurong’s group? Should she capture or kill them? If she captured them and brought them back, it might displease her master. On the other hand, if she killed them, it would likely displease her master even more.

Ming Qin felt distressed at the difficulty of the task given to her by the Emperor. She wished Senior Sister were there to help her decide what to do. Meanwhile, Zhang Yurong had already left with his group, leaving Murong Wan alone on the ground.

As Ming Qin watched the Eleventh Prince lying there in a dirty state, his hands covering his face and his muffled sobs growing louder, she felt uneasy. But she ultimately decided to forget her worries about being scolded and jumped down from the tree. She squatted beside Murong Wan, feeling unsure of how to comfort him, and handed him a handkerchief, saying, “Here you go.”

Murong Wan gazed in disbelief at the hooded, black-clad woman who had appeared out of nowhere, hastily wiping away his tears as he took a step back. “You…who are you?” he stammered.

“I am Ming Qin, a servant of His Majesty the Emperor, tasked with protecting the Eleventh Prince,” Ming Qin responded as she handed him a handkerchief.

“This can’t be real,” Murong Wan said, clutching the handkerchief tightly as tears, blood, and dust streaked down his face. “My father would never send shadow guards to protect me.”

Ming Qin cocked her head. “But I am not lying to you.”

“If you’re here to protect me, then why didn’t you intervene just now?” Murong Wan asked, still in disbelief as he wiped his face with the handkerchief.

“The Eleventh Prince’s life is not currently in danger,” Ming Qin said truthfully, noting that Murong Wan still had blood on his nose.

Murong Wan was frustrated and was about to ask when Ming Qin would consider his life to be at risk when his stomach growled loudly.

Hearing the noise, Ming Qin pulled a few steamed buns out of her arms and handed them to the somewhat embarrassed Murong Wan.

Resting her cheeks on her hands, Ming Qin observed as Murong Wan devoured his snacks and realized that she would need to buy something else to eat before finding the County Princess. Otherwise, she would have to eat her entire dinner.

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