Sweetheart, My Shadow Guard - Chapter 4

“Where?!”

“At… at Lingyue Tower.”

Luo Yixuan frowned. “Isn’t that the brothel owned by Third Prince Shangguan Rongqian?”

Shangguan Yunhan’s expression darkened, his voice laced with barely suppressed anger. “Xuan Yi, prepare the carriage. We’re going to Lingyue Tower!”

“Yes!”

With that, Xuan Yi swiftly vanished from the study.

Suppressing his fury, Shangguan Yunhan carefully stored the painting on his desk before striding toward the palace gates.

Luo Yixuan hurried after him, speaking as they walked. “I should remind you—the drug from last night was planted by that shameless Third Prince. And now you’ve been slept with by someone from his establishment. This could all be his scheme. It was just a one-night stand—better to kill her now and be done with it!”

The hidden guards listening in couldn’t help but twitch their lips at Luo Yixuan’s bluntness. Young Marquis Luo, you really have no filter, do you?

Shangguan Yunhan stopped abruptly, his icy gaze piercing Luo Yixuan as he snapped, “Shut up!”

“Okay.”

Adaptability (or more accurately, knowing when to back down) had always been one of Luo Yixuan’s virtues.

At the palace gates, Xuan Yi stood beside the carriage. Seeing Shangguan Yunhan approach, he quickly lifted the curtain.

“My lord, Young Marquis Luo, please board.”

Once the two were seated, Xuan Yi took his place near the carriage entrance and instructed the driver, “To Lingyue Tower.”

The driver nodded and urged the horses forward.

…

“Whoa—”

The carriage gradually came to a stop.

“My lord, we’ve arrived.”

Shangguan Yunhan and Luo Yixuan stepped out one after the other. The moment their feet touched the ground, the madam of Lingyue Tower approached with a practiced smile.

“Why, if it isn’t Prince Han and Young Marquis Luo! Please, come inside. Qingyuan, Hongye—hurry and welcome our esteemed guests!”

“Coming~”

Two stunning women, one in a revealing green dance dress and the other in red, swayed their hips as they approached, fans fluttering.

Xuan Yi immediately stepped forward, blocking them from getting too close to his lord.

Luo Yixuan tossed a pouch of silver to the madam and grinned. “We’re here to find someone. Be so kind as to arrange a private room for us.”

The madam peeked inside the pouch, and her smile grew noticeably more genuine. “You two, go back to entertaining other guests. Esteemed sirs and this young brother, please follow me.”

Though Qingyuan and Hongye were reluctant, they dared not disobey the madam. With a sigh, they turned away from the two extraordinarily handsome nobles to attend to the less appealing patrons.

The madam led the trio to the fourth floor, chatting along the way.

“Might I ask which young lady you’re looking for?”

When guests came to Lingyue Tower asking for someone, it was always for a girl. But… since when did anyone here have ties to these two?

Xuan Yi answered, “Ning Yao.”

The madam’s eyes darkened. That little wench again.

“Please wait in this room for a moment. I’ll fetch Ning Yao right away.”

Once the madam left, Shangguan Yunhan sat in a chair and fixed his gaze on Xuan Yi. “Tell me what you’ve uncovered.”

“Reporting to my lord, Ning Yao was sold to Lingyue Tower by her own mother at the age of seven. At fifteen, the madam arranged for her to receive clients, and… and… her first night was bought by… the Third Prince…”

Crack!

The cup in Shangguan Yunhan’s hand shattered. His entire body radiated murderous intent, his eyes swirling with violent fury.

“Continue!”

“After Ning Yao spent some time with the Third Prince, he took a new favorite and abandoned her. The madam wasted no time in arranging clients for her. Recently, she was taken by Chen Wei…”

“Gentlemen, I’ve brought the girl. May we come in now?”

The madam’s voice from outside interrupted Xuan Yi’s words.

“Enter.”

All three men in the room turned toward the door as it opened, revealing a stunningly beautiful woman who walked in.

Shangguan Yunhan frowned: “No, this isn’t her.”

“Wow~ Master Xuan Yi, your information was wrong.”

Not only did the appearance not match, but even the gender was incorrect.

Chapter 5: Cooperation

“The humble Ning Yao greets our esteemed guests. May I inquire as to the purpose of your visit?”

Luo Yixuan noticed a figure outside the door and replied with a roguish tone, “We’ve heard of Lady Ning’s enchanting grace and came specifically to admire it.”

Ning Yao blushed coyly and said softly, “You flatter me, noble guest.”

Luo Yixuan stepped forward, pretending to embrace her, and laughed. “I mean every word. Lady Ning is like a lotus emerging from water—your skin so fair it seems to glisten, and your beauty truly peerless.”

“That silver tongue of yours must have charmed many young ladies.”

“How could that be? I’ve only ever praised you.”

Well, it’s not a lie if I’ve only praised her today…

Shangguan Yunhan had no patience for their flirtation and said to Xuan Yi, “Stand guard outside.”

“As you command.”

Once Xuan Yi had left, Luo Yixuan immediately distanced himself from Ning Yao and took a seat beside Shangguan Yunhan.

Shangguan Yunhan’s slender, pale fingers tapped rhythmically on the table before he suddenly asked, “Where were you last night, Lady Ning?”

Ning Yao’s eyes flickered. “Why, entertaining guests at Lingyue Pavilion, of course.”

“Is that so?”

“Ning Yao wouldn’t dare deceive you, noble guest.”

“Tch, troublesome. Speak the truth, and you’ll be rewarded.”

As he spoke, Luo Yixuan pulled out a pouch of silver from his sleeve and tossed it to her.

Ning Yao glanced down at the pouch, weighed it in her hand, and then smiled ingratiatingly. “Ah, my apologies, noble guest. My memory must be failing me—last night, I was knocked unconscious and left in the pavilion’s woodshed.”

“Anything else?”

Ning Yao glanced at the door and countered, “Might I ask if the two noble guests are Prince Han and Young Marquis Luo?”

Luo Yixuan raised an eyebrow. “Did the madam not tell you our identities?”

“That old hag wouldn’t do me such a kindness.”

“You have a grudge against her?”

No sooner had Luo Yixuan asked than he recalled Xuan Yi’s earlier words, realizing he’d posed a rather foolish question.

Shangguan Yunhan also gave him a look as if he were an idiot before turning back to Ning Yao. “How did you recognize us?”

“This humble one noticed the character ‘Luo’ embroidered on the pouch. And you, noble guest, possess an extraordinary, almost celestial bearing—such refinement could only belong to His Highness Prince Han. As for the surname Luo, the only prominent family in Lin’an City bearing it is the Marquis of Luoyang’s household. Thus, the generous guest who gave me the pouch must be Young Marquis Luo.”

Must you praise Shangguan Yunhan so extravagantly? I’m not bad-looking either, you know. How about some compliments for me?

“And what kind of deal do you wish to strike with this prince?”

“To demonstrate my sincerity, I can tell Your Highness that the person you seek is investigating Chen Wei.”

Shangguan Yunhan took a sip of tea and replied indifferently, “Go on.”

“Chen Wei is my father.”

“What?! Chen Wei is your father? He’s a third-rank official—how could he possibly allow his own daughter to end up in a brothel?!”

Luo Yixuan was utterly stunned, unable to stop himself from exclaiming in disbelief.

Ning Yao knew some wouldn’t believe her, so she continued explaining: “My mother was also a prostitute. Back then, that beast Chen Wei secretly bought her and kept her in a separate residence behind everyone’s backs. Later, when my mother became pregnant with me, she thought she could make that beast take her as a concubine. Who would have imagined that beast would demand she abort me? My mother refused and ran away. She raised me alone until I was seven, then sold me to Lingyue Tower to get revenge on that beast. A few days ago, I finally met that beast again. Even after learning I was his daughter, he still…”

Luo Yixuan cursed angrily: “What a despicable creature worse than pigs or dogs!”

“So you want this prince to help you take revenge?”

“Yes, and Your Highness won’t lose out either. I can obtain the list of corrupt officials under that beast’s command, and I’m willing to serve as Your Highness’s pawn by the Third Prince’s side to gather information. I swear I’ll never betray Your Highness, and the Third Prince won’t discover me.”

“Oh? But as someone he despises, who’s been touched by others—knowing my third brother as I do—he’d never touch you again.”

“Today I met with both of you alone. He’ll definitely question me about it, and I have my own way to stay by his side when that happens.”

“Very well. Then I wish us a pleasant cooperation.”