Sweetheart, My Shadow Guard - Chapter 1

“My lord… don’t… mmm…”

Shangguan Yunhan pinned the person against the door, kissing them fiercely, his hands roaming restlessly over the delicate, exposed waist.

Qing Jiu trembled, forced to endure Shanguan Yunhan’s savage kiss.

Noticing Qing Jiu was struggling to breathe, he quickly pulled away.

“Fool, breathe.”

Qing Jiu lowered his eyes, panting softly.

Shangguan Yunhan gazed at the stunning beauty before him, feeling those clear eyes were all too familiar. Before he could dwell on it, the last shred of his rationality was nearly burned away—all he wanted was to claim the person in front of him without delay.

Without warning, Shangguan Yunhan reached out, lifted Qing Jiu into his arms, and strode swiftly toward the bed. The sudden weightlessness startled Qing Jiu, who instinctively wrapped his arms around Shangguan Yunhan’s neck.

Even as he carried Qing Jiu to the bed, Shangguan Yunhan managed to summon the last of his reason to make a promise, “Miss, this prince will take responsibility.”

Qing Jiu bit his lower lip, remaining silent.

He could tell his lord was currently under the influence of some drug, his mind clouded. As for being called “miss,” it was because today’s mission required him to disguise himself as a Western dancer, complete with a string of silver bells around his ankle.

He should refuse. He should go find a woman for his lord. But… he didn’t want to. And this might be the only chance he’d ever have to be close to his lord. By morning, his lord probably wouldn’t remember any of it.

Shangguan Yunhan laid Qing Jiu on the bed, leaning down to hungrily kiss his lips.

Then… just this once, let himself indulge. Even if his lord woke up tomorrow and remembered everything—even if he killed him for it—he would accept it!

Qing Jiu parted his lips willingly, allowing Shangguan Yunhan to deepen the kiss, and wrapped his arms around his neck.

When the kiss ended, Shangguan Yunhan looked down at Qing Jiu, whose eyes were reddened, and only one thought filled his mind, to make him cry, hard.

Of course, he was quite pleased with Qing Jiu’s earlier cooperation. “So obedient. This prince will try to be gentle.”

That night, the sound of bells and choked sobs echoed in the room for hours, only fading as dawn began to break.

It was nearly noon when Shangguan Yunhan finally stirred awake. Sitting up, he rubbed his temples.

“Xuan Yi.”

Hearing his lord’s voice, Xuan Yi quickly opened the door and entered. The sight that greeted him was a mess—scarlet dancer’s robes and his lord’s clothes scattered across the floor, and near the bed, a red undergarment draped over a candleholder.

Xuan Yi immediately lowered his head and knelt. “My lord.”

“What time did you find me today?”

“We arrived at the inn a quarter of an hour ago.”

So the person had left long ago. Fragments of last night flashed through his mind, the sound of tearful pleas still lingering in his ears.

“Have someone investigate who entered this room last night.”

“Yes.”

Shangguan Yunhan wasn’t completely oblivious. Though his memories were fragmented, those clear eyes were far too familiar—now that he thought about it, wasn’t that his A-Qing? At the same time, he was relieved it had been him last night.

He just hadn’t realized that, even in his youth, he had harbored such improper thoughts about him. Nor had he expected that after leaving him, A-Qing would develop a penchant for cross-dressing.

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and his eyes turned cold—could he be in a male brothel or a pleasure house…

“Xuan Yi, prepare a set of clothes for me, then order the Dark Veil Pavilion to investigate immediately!”

“Yes.”

If it were true, he would slaughter everyone who had touched A-Qing besides himself, then lock the man in his own room, erasing the traces of others over and over again.

—————————

The Xuanming Battalion was a gift prepared by Shangguan Yunhan’s uncle upon his birth, primarily divided into the Dark Veil Pavilion and the Shadow Guard Pavilion.

The Dark Veil Pavilion was responsible for covert operations such as intelligence gathering, assassinations, and poisonings. Its members never interacted directly with Shangguan Yunhan—all communication was relayed through the Shadow Guard Pavilion. (Hence, it was perfectly normal for Shangguan Yunhan to have no impression of the current Qing Jiu.)

The Shadow Guard Pavilion, on the other hand, consisted of the top 20 members selected through rigorous combat trials, tasked with protecting Shangguan Yunhan personally.

For members of the Dark Veil Pavilion who wished to join the Shadow Guard Pavilion, there were two methods. The first: during the month of May each year, challengers could randomly select a Shadow Guard member for a duel—the winner would enter the Shadow Guard, while the loser would be relegated to the Dark Veil Pavilion. The second, and most improbable, method was for Shangguan Yunhan himself to personally appoint someone to the Shadow Guard Pavilion.