The Princess’ Shadow Guard Cannot Be Too Clever

oung shadow guard felt flustered and looked up at the woman with a face that seemed to be on the verge of tears.
She felt ashamed and blamed herself for the mistake.

As if trying to make amends, Ming Qin took a deep breath and grabbed Murong Yan’s wrist.
She then lowered her head and gently touched the stump of the woman’s right leg, lingering over the swollen and bruised skin, trying to show her empathy.

“I didn’t,” Ming Qin repeated, her gaze lifting up from under her bangs.

Although her eyes were usually bright, they now held a hint of gloom.
Her tone remained remorseful.

“I really didn’t dislike you.
Please don’t cry.”

As Ming Qin’s lips touched the stump of Murong Yan’s amputated leg, a strange sensation shot up her spine from her right knee.
It caused her covered body to curl up involuntarily and her heart to tremble.

“Ah… Ah Qin?” Murong Yan’s voice trembled as she felt weak all over.
“Ah Qin, what are you doing?”

Ming Qin leaned against Murong Yan’s right knee once again, tilted her head, and thought for a moment.
She then let out a vague sound from her throat, “Rewarding?”

She slightly tightened her fingertips and asked again, “Don’t you like it?”

“I don’t dislike it,” Murong Yan’s pale skin turned pink, and she tightened her grip on the chain under the covers, “but…”

“That’s not the right kind of reward, is it?” Ming Qin obediently stepped back and stood up, releasing the hand that was holding hers.

“No!” Murong Yan felt the tremors throughout her body subsiding, and suddenly grasped the wrist of the shadow guard, and exclaimed, “I want you to continue, Ah Qin.”

Kneeling down once again, Ming Qin listened attentively to what the woman had to say next.

“But you cannot watch, and you cannot speak until I say so, no matter what happens, okay?”

“Okay.”

Ming Qin untied the belt fastening her outer robe and tied it tightly around her eyes, assuming a devout posture.
The iron chain around her neck made a slight clinking sound.

The person beneath her followed orders obediently.
Despite her best efforts to bite her lip, Murong Yan struggled to control herself and let out broken sounds.

She lifted her left foot and pressed it against Ming Qin’s shoulder, curling her toes tightly and causing the loose outer robe to slip off her shoulder.

With a focused and sincere expression, Murong Yan watched the kneeling figure.
Under the covers, her fingers, clad in a leather strap, couldn’t help but stroke the swollen, blood-red, and moist beads that were about to fall off.

The carriage gradually warmed up, heralding the arrival of spring after winter.
The dim light of the oil lamp flickered, suffusing the space with the scent of flowers and nectar.

The carriage swayed gently, creating the sensation of being on the high seas.
Orioles sang merrily outside, and the sound of chains clinking grew more intense.

Submerged, Murong Yan lifted her head and gasped for air, feeling as though she might drown.

As the drops of water accumulated into a river, the situation had spiraled out of control.

As the final sound echoed, Murong Yan’s feet involuntarily hooked back, pulling Ming Qin towards herself and causing a spasm to ripple through her body.

Feeling a bit of moisture on her cheek, Ming Qin instinctively licked her lips, but hesitated whether or not to remove the blindfold.

“…No!”

Gasping for air, Murong Yan stopped the movements, her body still trembling with the lingering vibrations.
She reached out for Ming Qin to catch her, then fell into her arms from the seat.

Ming Qin held Murong Yan in her arms, refraining from asking any questions despite her curiosity.
She waited silently, patiently allowing the woman to catch her breath.

The creek continued to murmur in the background.

The dampness of the wet clothes could be felt against Ming Qin’s hand as she gently stroked the thin, prominent vertebrae along Murong Yan’s slender back, offering comfort and support.

The shadow guard, accustomed to following orders and keeping a low profile, did not feel curious about the woman’s actions.

However, the trembling of Murong Yan’s body, caused by Ming Qin’s touch, and the warmth and nostalgia in her voice when she said her name, stirred a sense of excitement within Ming Qin.

If she could make Murong Yan happy, then it was a reward worth having.

After a while, the panting in Ming Qin’s ear gradually subsided, and Murong Yan spoke in a low voice, “Ah Qin, it’s okay now.”

Ming Qin replied, “That’s enough for the reward.”

Ming Qin removed the blindfold and observed the damp Murong Yan before her.
She brushed the hair off her forehead and suggested, “You’ve perspired a lot.
The water’s cold, so I’ll warm it up for you to take a bath.”

Murong Yan leaned into Ming Qin’s shoulder, still feeling weak despite having caught her breath.
“Alright,” she murmured.

“As long as it’s you, Ah Qin, everything will be fine.”