The Princess’ Shadow Guard Cannot Be Too Clever

’s hand shattered inside the Hidden Moon Tower in the capital.

Sitting across from her was a young man with dark hair, wearing a golden crown adorned with large pearls and a jade hairpin etched with a dragon.
He donned a red Confucian robe embroidered with dark blue clouds, and the white lining was meticulously stitched with nine golden silk dragons, indicating that it was no ordinary garment.

Despite the woman’s obvious anger, the man seemed unfazed and gazed at her while resting his cheeks on his hand, his eyes slightly narrowed.
“It’s been months since we last met, yet you’re still as beautiful as ever,” he said in a pleasant tone.

With a clattering sound, the man dodged the tea cup, causing it to hit the bookshelf behind him and break into pieces.

Since Murong Yan seemed reluctant to speak, the man straightened his lapel and gazed out of the window at the distant, bare branches of the trees.
Slowly and deliberately, he spoke, “It is winter and the barbarians are invading the borders.
I must meet with the officials tomorrow to discuss the distribution of food and provisions to the north.”

She responded with a sarcastic smile, “Your Highness not only dresses vulgarly but also has a despicable character.”

Prince Murong Xiao did not seem angry, but instead he looked down at his sleeves and asked with mock innocence, “Is it really that bad? I only wore it because I thought my sister likes red the most.”

Not wanting to engage in false accusations with him, Murong Yan asked in a bored tone, “Why is Your Highness here?”

“I thought it had been a long time since I saw my sister, so I came to visit,” Murong Xiao said with a lighthearted tone.
He then added, “The other day, some people from the capital were disrespectful and bothered my sister, so I took care of them personally.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes and instead revealed a chilling shade.

’

“Is that so?”

Murong Yan showed no interest in what he said, finding the man’s presence irritating.
She impatiently said, “In that case, Your Highness, the Crown Prince, can now leave.”

Upon hearing her words, Murong Xiao’s face immediately darkened, his expression becoming cold and sullen.

Slowly approaching Murong Yan, the man kneeled down and gently placed his cheek on the couch, while his hands caressed the woman’s thighs through the fox fur.

But when his touch reached her hollow right leg, Murong Xiao’s eyes turned red with madness and obsession.

Despite the sensation in her skull, Murong Yan maintained a calm expression and said, “Let go.”

Murong Yan drew a hairpin from her hair and pressed it against her neck, causing a green silk stream to fall.
“Your Highness the Prince!” she exclaimed, hoping to get his attention.

Murong Xiao finally lifted his gaze to meet hers.

As he looked at the red scratches on Murong Yan’s neck, a grim smile formed on his lips.
“You wouldn’t dare,” he said coldly.

With beads of blood rolling down her snow-white neck, leaving a striking red mark, Murong Yan pressed her wrist hard and challenged, “Try?” She looked at the corner of the man’s tightly closed mouth and smiled coldly.

After staring at each other for a while, Murong Xiao slowly withdrew his hand and stood up.
He leisurely straightened his collar, adjusted his crown, and then smiled as if nothing had happened, “I will come to see my sister again.”

“No need,” Murong Yan said, but the man left without a word, not looking back.

The entourage waiting for him hurried to approach, but the prince’s face was now gloomy as if a blizzard was blowing, a stark contrast to his cheerful mood when he had arrived upstairs.

The leader of the prince’s inner circle approached and whispered in his ear, “Your Highness, news has arrived from the south.”

’

Upon hearing this, Murong Xiao’s expression softened slightly, “Sending someone to the East was not in vain.
Finally, good news today.” He quickly removed his outer robe and got into the waiting carriage, “I need to change my clothes.”

The young attendant was confused, “But Your Highness, these clothes were selected by you…” but stopped speaking abruptly upon noticing the warning looks from the others.

Fortunately, Murong Xiao, who remained expressionless, seemed to not have heard the young attendant’s comment.
Instead, he muttered emptily to himself, “It’s too ugly.
It’s too ugly.”

“She doesn’t like it.”

After the carriage had left and the locks on the door of the Hidden Moon Tower were reattached, Murong Yan let out a sigh of relief and dropped her forced composure.

She trembled, causing the hairpin to slip out of her hand.
She touched the goosebumps on her arm, then leaned to the side and dry-heaved.
Despite not having eaten for an entire day, she couldn’t manage to stop.

Finally, when she felt her stomach cramping and cold sweat streaming down her back, she paused.

A trickle of clear stomach fluid was still dripping from the corner of her mouth.
Murong Yan wrapped her arms around herself, her hands shaking uncontrollably.

She despised him for being repulsive.

Hated herself for it.

She loathed herself for being too overwhelmed with terror to speak up.

For lacking the bravery to even clean her own neck, and for entertaining even the slightest desire to survive.

She hated herself.

For wanting to live.