The Crown Princess’s Loyal Guard Dog - CPLGD Chapter 7

The cold autumn wind came rushing, bringing with it the desolation of late October, sharp as a knife. The grass turned yellow, signaling the season related to death; autumn is a time that speaks closely to demise. In this month filled with a deathly aura, a luxurious carriage slowly drove out of the city gate, traveling over ten miles.

About half an hour later, an unusual change occurred in the sky. Dense clouds stacked up, obscuring the sunlight, and suddenly, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky followed by thunder that boomed loudly, making one involuntarily shrink their neck.

“What kind of weather is this, just great!” Not having checked the weather before setting out could be problematic—if anything happened to the master inside the carriage, what would become of those accompanying him?

“It looks like it’s going to rain heavily.” On the carriage shaft, two men in military uniforms whispered, adorned with golden badges and Qilin emblems. The speaker was the carriage captain Xu Qu. Just as Xu Qu finished speaking, rain began pouring down, and his deputy hurriedly handed him a raincoat and a bamboo hat.

“We need to hurry.” The carriage sped up through the rain, its design meticulous enough to ensure stability even on forest paths.

“Let’s stop at the villa to take shelter from the rain.” The carriage was now halfway up the mountain, a truly awkward place to be in during a heavy downpour on such a rugged, winding road.

Inside the carriage, a delicate little girl sat upright, her apricot eyes like grapes washed over by clear spring water, bright and lively. A high nose outlined her lovely features, and her cherry-like lips curved up slightly in a sweet smile. She appeared to be about seven or eight years old, wearing a beautiful twin hair bun and clothes that, both in material and embroidery, revealed her wealthy or noble status.

Boom! Boom!

The loud thunderclaps continued, but the little girl sat still, unflinching, quite unlike other girls of her age, truly showing extraordinary courage.

Sitting opposite the little girl was an exceptionally handsome man. One glance at him and one would see his deep, dark eyes that seemed devoid of life’s sparkle.

“Dian Dian, come here to daddy.” The man watched the little girl intently with a penetrating gaze.

The man wore a plain black uniform embroidered with twelve patterns in gold thread, signifying his imperial status. He was Xie Yun, the monarch of the Suichao kingdom.

Dian Dian, the little girl’s nickname, was given by her maternal grandfather, while her real name, Xie Sicun, was chosen by her father to honor her mother. Xie Sicun met her father’s gaze and then obediently sat in his lap, a posture she was very accustomed to. Sometimes, her father would look at her and reminisce about another little girl, very unlike her. That girl was Xie Sicun’s biological mother, who had died on the day she was born. Since then, it seemed there had never been joy in her father’s life again. Sometimes, Dian Dian felt that just a stronger gust of wind could extinguish her father’s will to live.

She wasn’t sure what normal father-daughter relationships felt like, but emotionally, she was undoubtedly her father’s support. She wasn’t actually afraid of thunder, but she still obediently sat in her father’s arms. Not because she needed his protection, but because she needed to protect her father’s wounded heart.

The father and daughter sat quietly together, both not very talkative, the carriage filled only with the sound of rain falling outside.

After a jolt, the father and daughter maintained their calm composure.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, the left front wheel of the carriage is stuck in a pit, and we are temporarily unable to move forward. Estimated time for the Hidden Guards to clear the path is within a quarter of an hour. Please, Your Majesty and the Crown Princess, wait a moment,” the voice of the carriage captain was a bit tense. For an imperial outing, every pit and bump should have been cleared in advance. It was the unexpected rain that had disrupted everything, potentially inviting punishment from their unpredictable master.

Inside the carriage, there was silence, and Xu Qu’s heart was in his throat.

“Mmm.”

Xie Yun finally made a sound through his nose, indicating he had heard. Sitting in his lap, Xie Sicun finally behaved like a child her age should. She got up, went to the window, and pushed it open. The windows were cleverly designed to prevent rain from entering the carriage, but a few stray drops still managed to splash on her face. She didn’t mind at all and instead smiled, turning her face to look outside.

Outside the carriage, several figures in black moved about in the pouring rain. They were dressed in fitted, black outfits with their faces covered, the Hidden Guards of the emperor. They moved like shadows, as elusive as mist, known only to the monarch. Mostly men, these guards were skilled protectors of the monarch’s safety and also performed tasks too dark for the public eye.

Xie Sicun’s eyes widened with curiosity as she watched these Hidden Guards bustling in the heavy rain. Dozens of robust figures quietly tried to pull the carriage with ropes, attempting not to disturb the nobles inside. The carriage captain had spoken, and within fifteen minutes, they aimed to get the carriage moving.

As the carriage was deeply stuck, more and more people appeared outside the window, from tall men to small children, some of whom looked not much older than Xie Sicun herself.

A quarter hour passed, and the carriage moved. The heavy rain stopped as if it was all a jest. The sky cleared, and a rainbow arched across the sky. Xie Sicun, who had seen few rainbows in her young life, had her little face flush with excitement.

“Daddy! Look, a rainbow!” Xie Sicun pushed the window to its limit, pointing at the rainbow in the sky, her eyes sparkling with light.

A rare warmth flickered in Xie Yun’s cool eyes as his large hand rested on his daughter’s head. Just as Xie Sicun was about to turn and smile at her father, her gaze met another pair of eyes.

Because Xie Sicun had the window open, all the Hidden Guards were kneeling in the mud, nearly sinking into it. A young teenager looked up, and their eyes met unexpectedly.

The Hidden Guards were all masked, and Xie Sicun only had time to feel that those were distrustful eyes, similar to the fierce beasts she had seen at the autumn examinations, only… those eyes were particularly beautiful.