The Little Princess's Secret Guard - Chapter 19
Chapter 19: Paying the Bill
The capital city was hazy in the early morning.
The steaming heat of breakfast enveloped the entire city, and the streets and alleys were filled with vendors’ cries. Shen Panyan woke up early.
After putting on her jacket and skirt and eating her breakfast, Shen Panyan boarded the carriage and headed towards the Dali Temple (Supreme Court).
Now that she knew who was secretly trying to harm her, and since she was unwilling to marry into the General’s Manor, her only option was to find the truth herself and present it to her Imperial Father.
However, this led to a deadlock: the key witness, Qiu Shuang, had fled, and her whereabouts were unknown. To find her, she would have to rely on the government office.
Inside the Dali Temple, the Minister of the Dali Temple (Fu Daren) was filled with confusion upon hearing that Princess Mingyue had arrived and specifically requested to see him. He rushed out immediately to greet her.
“This humble official pays his respects to Princess Mingyue.” He bowed deeply.
“Minister Fu.” Shen Panyan curtsied in return.
Her voice was gentle and soft, which deepened the Minister’s confusion.
He recalled that Princess Mingyue was supposed to be recovering from illness at the Royal Estate. Why had she returned to the capital today? And why had she come to his Dali Temple?
“May this humble official ask what important matter brings the Princess to the Dali Temple?”
“It is like this: one of my maidservants went missing a few days ago, so I would like to ask Minister Fu to help me search for her.”
Missing?
A missing maidservant required Princess Mingyue to make such a fuss and come all the way to the Dali Temple?
Minister Fu keenly sensed that something was amiss, but since the Princess wasn’t volunteering the details, he chose to act ignorant.
“That is easily done.”
The Minister nodded. “May the Princess describe what her maidservant looked like? Could the Princess draw a portrait for this humble official, so that the subordinates can use the image to search?”
“Alright.” Shen Panyan nodded. The Minister quickly had brushes and ink delivered and spread out before Shen Panyan.
Shen Panyan’s calligraphy and painting skills were excellent. With just a few simple strokes, she captured Qiu Shuang’s spirit and likeness.
In just a moment, a portrait was finished.
Qiu Shuang had left in a hurry and without a travel permit. With heavy snow blocking the roads, she couldn’t go far—she would either be sheltering with commoners in the forests or she would return to the capital. No matter where she was now, she would eventually return to the capital.
Qiu Shuang had taken many of her own jewelry pieces, including several that Shen Panyan had gifted her.
Alone outside and lacking money, she would eventually exchange the jewelry for silver. As long as they were mindful, she was sure they could find her.
Shen Panyan drew a few more patterns of hairpins and handed them all to the Minister of the Dali Temple.
“If Minister Fu finds any clues, please inform me promptly.” She told the Minister where she was currently staying.
“However, I ask Minister Fu to keep this matter confidential and not let Imperial Father or Mother know.”
After the Princess finished speaking in detail, the Minister nodded. “Princess, please rest assured. This humble official understands.”
“Thank you, Minister Fu.”
Shen Panyan curtsied again. The Minister bowed back. “The Princess flatters this humble official too much.”
He escorted Shen Panyan outside the Dali Temple.
“Minister Fu, please stop here.” Shen Panyan got into the carriage and said softly, “I shall trouble Minister Fu with this matter.”
“This humble official will do his utmost.” The Minister bowed. “Princess, travel safely.”
With the turning of the carriage wheels, the vehicle slowly left the Dali Temple and drove towards the long street.
Listening to the clamor from outside the window, Shen Panyan lifted the curtain. She saw people coming and going on the street, with many children chasing and playing. The more mischievous ones were sitting by the snow piles, rubbing together snowmen, their faces still beaming with bright smiles despite their hands being red from the cold.
Such a bustling street scene—it would be a shame to go back now.
Shen Panyan took her veiled hat and put it on. “Mu Ying, you go back with the coachman first. I want to go for a stroll.”
The Princess wandering alone in the capital?
How could this be? Mu Ying immediately became anxious. “Princess, you alone…”
Shen Panyan shook her head. “No, Lin Xiao is with me.”
Shen Panyan pointed to Lin Xiao, who was following the carriage outside.
Although Mu Ying was diligent and loyal to her, when it came to closeness, she still favored Lin Xiao more.
Since it was just a stroll, there was no need to bring too many people.
Mu Ying knew that her status in the Princess’s heart could not compare with Lin Xiao’s. She could only sigh. “Yes, Princess.”
Before leaving, Mu Ying looked at Lin Xiao and earnestly instructed, “Take good care of the Princess. There are many people on the street, do not let anyone bump into the Princess.”
Lin Xiao was slightly stunned, then nodded.
He had not expected the Princess to leave him behind and send her personal maidservant back.
“Princess.”
Lin Xiao instinctively offered his arm. Shen Panyan glanced at him, her apricot eyes curving. She delicately placed her soft hand on his arm, holding her skirt as she stepped down from the carriage.
“Shh! Lin Xiao, I don’t want anyone to discover my identity yet, or the news will reach the palace, and I’ll have to go back.” Shen Panyan placed a finger on her lips, smiling at him. “I still don’t want to return to the palace. For now, you should call me Miss when we are outside!”
“Yes.” Lin Xiao lowered his eyes, not looking at her. “Miss.”
“Let’s go.”
The carriage drove away. Shen Panyan walked gracefully along the capital streets, her eyes full of curiosity as she looked at the surrounding scenery.
From time to time, she would point a hand to the side. “Lin Xiao, look, they are selling rouge over there.”
“Would Miss like to go take a look?”
“Yes!”
Shen Panyan rarely had the opportunity to walk openly on the street like this.
In the past, even if she lingered for a while, Qiu Shuang would lecture her that as a noble lady of the Royal Family, she shouldn’t show her face in public. Thus, no matter how much she yearned for it, she could only lower the carriage curtain and regretfully return.
Now, free from restraints, Shen Panyan’s heart was filled with joy.
Along the way, there were vendors selling sachets, rouge, and jewelry. Shen Panyan watched everything wide-eyed.
Everything was completely new and fascinating to her.
Oh!
Suddenly, she saw a stall displaying many beautiful small porcelain figurines and quickly walked over.
Seeing a customer approach, the stall owner enthusiastically introduced, “Is the young lady interested in buying porcelain figurines? All my figurines are fired with high-quality glaze, guaranteed not to fade even after ten years or more…”
The little figurines included maidens playing the qin, girls holding plums and sniffing their fragrance, and young ladies turning their heads while holding a round fan… Each one was lifelike, exquisitely delicate, and very beautiful.
“They are beautiful, yes…”
Shen Panyan looked hesitant. She liked them very much, but she dared not pick them up, afraid of chipping or breaking them. The stall owner smiled. “Don’t be afraid, young lady. These figurines aren’t so fragile. Feel free to pick them up and look.”
Shen Panyan carefully picked up a small figurine she had set her eyes on. It was a small figurine holding a flower, with a round face and a twin-bun hairstyle, very adorable. She turned her head to look at Lin Xiao. “Lin Xiao, look, is it pretty?”
“It’s pretty.”
“Then I’ll take this one.” Shen Panyan handed the small figurine to the stall owner. “Please wrap it up for me.”
“Alright.” The stall owner took it, placed it in a wooden box, and said smilingly, “Three taels of silver, please.”
Shen Panyan subconsciously reached for her waist, only to suddenly realize she hadn’t brought her purse when she felt the empty area.
She didn’t have the habit of carrying a purse; when she went out in the past, her maidservants would pay for anything she wanted.
No silver—how could she buy it? Shen Panyan’s face immediately flushed red.
She stammered, “I’m sorry, I, I didn’t bring any silver, so I won’t… won’t be taking it…”
However, before she could finish, a slender hand reached past her, placed silver on the stall, and took the wooden box.
Shen Panyan was stunned for a moment, looking up at him.
“Lin Xiao.”
“Mm.” Lin Xiao held the wooden box. “Miss need not worry. This subordinate has this small amount of silver.”
Shen Panyan bit her lip with her teeth, feeling extremely embarrassed. “I, I made you pay.”
“I’ll pay you back when we get back!”
“No need.” Lin Xiao shook his head.
He wasn’t short of this small amount of silver.
The two left the stall and walked into the crowd. Shen Panyan curiously asked him, her voice extremely low, “Lin Xiao, how much stipend do you receive monthly from Imperial Father?”
He was a Secret Guard; his stipend shouldn’t be very high, should it?
He paid for the medicine last time, and the figurine this time. He probably didn’t have much silver left… Shen Panyan clutched the corner of her clothes, feeling increasingly awkward.
Lin Xiao felt that the Princess might have some misunderstanding about him.
His voice was a little helpless. “Miss doesn’t need to worry. This subordinate’s stipend is quite high.”
The stipends for the Secret Guards in the camp were calculated according to rank. He was Rank Nine, primarily responsible for intelligence and the Emperor’s safety, and his monthly stipend was eighty taels.
Moreover, he had no hobbies or places to spend silver. He hardly spent one tael of silver throughout the year.
Hearing his explanation, Shen Panyan covered her mouth in surprise, looking at him.
She muttered, “Is Imperial Father actually not stingy?”
Her monthly allowance wasn’t high either, only a hundred taels more than Lin Xiao’s. Furthermore, since she spent a lot, she might not even have as much money on hand as Lin Xiao.
As a Princess with a title, she shouldn’t be this poor by common sense, but all the farmlands and estates under her name had been taken by the Empress, and she only received a lump sum at the end of the year. The rest of the time, all she got was the monthly allowance from the Imperial Household Department.
Lin Xiao: “…”
Suddenly, Lin Xiao reached out and handed his purse to Shen Panyan. “If Miss likes anything, feel free to take it and buy it.”
At this, Shen Panyan felt even more embarrassed and dared not take his purse. “N-No need!”
“I, I don’t have anything I want to buy right now. You should keep it for yourself!”
Seeing that the Princess wouldn’t accept it, Lin Xiao didn’t insist.
If the Princess saw anything she liked, he would simply pay the bill.
Wandering along, Shen Panyan didn’t see anything else she fancied. She already had plenty of clothes, rouge, and jewelry; the palace products were far more exquisite than those sold outside, so there was no need to buy more.
Walking from the beginning to the end of the street, Shen Panyan felt a little tired.
“Lin Xiao, let’s find a place to rest!”
“Alright.”
Spotting a theater ahead, Shen Panyan walked in, asked the waiter for a private box, a pot of tea, and some pastries. She took off her veiled hat and gestured for Lin Xiao to sit down as well.
Lin Xiao hesitated.
Shen Panyan smiled brightly at him. “You paid the silver today, so I’ll consider it your treat. Since that’s the case, there are not so many rules. Sit down, Lin Xiao.”
Only then did Lin Xiao sit down.
At this moment, gongs and drums were clashing downstairs. The performance started, and the guests cheered loudly.
Shen Panyan sipped her tea and enjoyed the show with great interest.
She couldn’t watch such interesting plays while she was in the palace.
However, after watching for only a little while, Shen Panyan’s expression became strange.
Someone familiar had arrived.