The Little Princess's Secret Guard - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: You’re an Idiot

Unknowingly, half a month had passed.

Gazing at the rare clear day outside the window, a long-forgotten sense of anxiety rose in Shen Pan-yan’s heart.

She couldn’t stay in the capital any longer. If news of her absence from the Royal Villa reached the palace, her mother would certainly send someone to reprimand her.

However, there was still no news from the Minister of Dali Temple, and she couldn’t leave. Helpless, Shen Pan-yan had to make another visit. This time, she received news that was not entirely good.

The officials at the yamen had not seen Qiu Shuang at the city gate. They had visited several pawnshops and had not found a trace of the hairpin. Only a few days ago, they had found a single loose pearl in a small pawnshop, and then, separately, they encountered various disassembled parts of the hairpin in major pawnshops.

The person who pawned the hairpin was very clever. She dismantled it into separate pieces and sold them in different pawnshops. Although this resulted in less money, it was safer and avoided the risk of being discovered by others.

Shen Pan-yan carefully examined the hairpin parts brought by the Minister of Dali Temple. After a simple assembly of some pieces, even though some parts were missing, she immediately recognized that this was the item she had given to Qiu Shuang.

The matter had reached another stalemate.

The person who came to pawn the hairpin was not her maid, but another woman.

Dali Temple needed to figure out the woman’s identity and would have to wait for her to appear and pawn more hairpin parts. Therefore, Shen Pan-yan had no choice but to return to the residence and wait.

She had originally wanted to return to the Royal Villa but was afraid that if she left, the news would not be delivered in time, and she would miss out on crucial information.

With the New Year approaching, she could only suppress her inner unease and continue to wait.

This was the first time Shen Pan-yan had spent the New Year in the capital since she was ten years old.

In previous years, she rarely stayed in the capital during the New Year, mostly residing in the Royal Villa.

She sent a message back to the Royal Villa, and Imperial Physician Lin, who lived there, returned to the capital with his medicine box.

He first examined Shen Pan-yan, prescribed a few tonic medicines, and then returned home to celebrate New Year’s Eve with his family.

In previous years, the New Year was just like any other day for Shen Pan-yan; nothing special.

She lived alone in the Royal Villa, where no news from the capital reached her. Qiu Shuang was very busy and couldn’t stay by her side all the time. The palace maids and eunuchs who accompanied her to the Royal Villa did not like her and did not care to be near her to perform tasks. So, she was always alone.

Thinking back now, her memory of the New Year was almost non-existent. The deepest memory was always the quietly burning charcoal brazier on a dark night lit by candlelight.

Staying in the capital now, she was discovering for the first time how lively the capital was during the New Year.

Today, many carriages were parked in the alley. Every New Year’s Eve, the palace held a banquet, and all officials’ families could attend.

“Sister, oh dear, stop looking! This outfit is perfectly appropriate. Hurry up, we’re going to be late!!”

As the last carriage wheel left the small alley, Shen Pan-yan looked at the empty alley. The sounds of excitement from the main street kept drifting over, inevitably sparking her interest, and she decided to go out for a walk.

She took out silver and distributed it to her staff. “Today is New Year’s Eve. You don’t all need to stay by my side. Go out and enjoy yourselves.”

Mu Ying was experiencing the New Year’s Eve atmosphere outside the palace for the first time. In previous years in the palace, although it was lively, it had nothing to do with little palace maids like them.

Later, after following Shen Pan-yan to the Royal Villa, there was even less chance of experiencing the festive atmosphere.

Despite her inner joy, she remembered her duty. “If we leave, what about you, Princess?”

“Me?” Shen Pan-yan smiled, her voice gentle and soft. “I have my own destination. Don’t worry. Go on, all of you.”

“Thank you, Princess!”

At this, everyone below cheered, took their rewards, and headed out.

Shen Pan-yan looked at Lin Xiao, who hadn’t taken the reward money and hadn’t left, and blinked. “Lin Xiao, why aren’t you going out like the others?”

Lin Xiao looked at her. “Princess, you know the answer. This subordinate will not leave.”

He was responsible for protecting the Princess’s safety, so how could he leave her side without authorization?

Shen Pan-yan’s eyes curved with a smile. “But I really meant to give you the reward money.”

As she spoke, a pale white hand stretched out in front of him, holding a round silver ingot.

The money she gave him was much more than what the others received.

Lin Xiao shook his head. “Princess, this subordinate does not need it.”

“Take it when I give it to you!!” Shen Pan-yan was instantly displeased when he refused, and she reached out and directly tucked the silver into his embrace.

Her fingertips touched his body, and even through the clothing, she could feel the warmth. Shen Pan-yan then realized that her action might have been a bit too… She didn’t know why, but in front of Lin Xiao, she was becoming increasingly casual, unlike the restraint and timidity she showed around others.

Her fingertips felt scalded. She hurriedly stuffed the silver into his clothes and rushed out, lifting her skirt. “I’m going out. It’s up to you if you want to follow or not!”

She walked quickly, and Lin Xiao had no choice but to accept the money and quickly follow.

Shen Pan-yan slightly curled her lips when she saw him following.

However, before she took two steps, she suddenly remembered something and turned back.

“Lin Xiao, do you think this outfit is suitable today?”

Lin Xiao: “Reporting to the Princess, it is suitable.”

Shen Pan-yan slightly furrowed her brows, not quite satisfied with his answer.

Today was New Year’s Eve. The color of the clothes she was wearing was too light and did not match the festive atmosphere of the day at all.

For New Year’s Eve, she should choose a beautiful dress to go out in.

It was a pity that most of her dresses were in the Royal Villa, and there was only a small selection in this residence.

Shen Pan-yan looked at her wardrobe, picked and picked, and finally selected a peach-red soft satin dress.

“Lin Xiao, wait for me outside for a moment.”

“Alright.”

Shen Pan-yan changed her dress and then opened the door.

“Lin Xiao, do you think this dress looks good on me?” She nervously held her skirt, her actions quite reserved, and her apricot eyes eagerly looked at him.

She rarely chose her own dresses. In the past, it was Qiu Shuang who prepared them, and later, it was Mu Ying.

Lin Xiao turned around and immediately saw the Princess.

Under the moonlight, the peach-red dress was bright and vibrant, making her already fair skin look like warm jade. Her hair was like crow feathers, and her apricot eyes were like rippling autumn water, reflecting his figure.

Lin Xiao suddenly looked away. “The Princess looks good in anything she wears.”

Shen Pan-yan: “……”

“You sound very insincere.”

She stamped her foot, feeling a little unhappy. “I spent a long time choosing this.”

“It’s this subordinate’s…”

“Never mind. You’re just an idiot. I won’t rely on you.”

Shen Pan-yan felt frustrated and interrupted him.

She didn’t want to hear him talk about being wrong or not.

“It’s getting late. Let’s hurry up and leave.”

As soon as she stepped out of the room, Lin Xiao’s voice rang out. “Princess, it’s cold today. You should add a cloak.”

As he spoke, the cloak that Shen Pan-yan had placed aside was already draped over her.

As the ties of the cloak were tied into a neat little knot, Shen Pan-yan blinked, looking at Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao lowered his eyes and stepped back. “Princess, let’s go.”

Although his face showed no expression, she clearly saw it when he was close just now: his ear tips seemed to be slightly red.

Shen Pan-yan curved her eyes.

“Okay.”

Lin Xiao seemed to be treating her differently than before… Was she mistaken?

Shen Pan-yan suddenly stopped.

Lin Xiao looked at her confusedly, but before he could ask, Shen Pan-yan suddenly bent over, covering her stomach, and groaned, “Ouch.”

“Lin, Lin Xiao, my stomach hurts.”

Lin Xiao’s figure froze. In an instant, he quickly stepped forward, picked her up horizontally with a forceful movement, and spoke urgently.

“Princess, this subordinate will take you to see a doctor immediately.”

With that, he leaped onto the rooftop, moving extremely fast.

“No!! Wait, Lin Xiao!!”

Shen Pan-yan hadn’t expected that her attempt to test him would provoke such a strong reaction.

“Don’t, don’t go, Lin Xiao, I’m not, not hurt. You, you quickly put me down.” She spoke too quickly, causing her to stutter a bit.

Lin Xiao didn’t listen and instead moved faster.

Helpless, Shen Pan-yan had to confess, “Lin Xiao, please put me down. I really don’t hurt. I was just, just pretending.”

Lin Xiao’s figure immediately stopped.

Shen Pan-yan clutched his clothes, her eyes tightly shut, completely daring not to look at him. “You, you quickly put me down.”

Lin Xiao landed her in a small alley and gently put her down.

Seeing his expressionless face, Shen Pan-yan’s heart skipped a beat. “Lin Xiao, are you, are you angry?”

Lin Xiao: “No.”

Shen Pan-yan gently tugged at his sleeve and looked up at him. “I’m sorry, Lin Xiao. I didn’t mean to deceive you.”

“I, I just wanted to see…”

She wanted to see if he was different now than before.

Lin Xiao’s voice was unchanged. “This subordinate hopes the Princess will take good care of her body and not do this again next time.”

“Are you worried about me?” Bright light flickered in Shen Pan-yan’s apricot eyes as she looked at him.

Lin Xiao: “This subordinate is ordered to protect the Princess. If the Princess is injured, this subordinate will naturally be worried.”

Shen Pan-yan was crestfallen. It was the same answer again.

“I know I was wrong. Will you not be angry anymore?”

Lin Xiao: “This subordinate is not angry.”

Shen Pan-yan didn’t believe him.

However, since he wouldn’t say it, Shen Pan-yan had no choice but to lower her head and walk beside him.

The two walked towards the outside.

The alley was dark, with no lights, and Shen Pan-yan was very uncomfortable in such a quiet, dark environment.

She cautiously moved closer to him. “Lin Xiao, where are we?”

“Why, why is it so dark…”

Lin Xiao had randomly landed in a small alley, and he didn’t know where it was.

It was his oversight.

“Princess, this subordinate will take you out.”

With that, he bent down, intending to use his lightness skill to take her out, but Shen Pan-yan was too embarrassed. She stepped back two paces. “No, no need. I’ll walk myself.”

Lin Xiao hesitated. “But…”

“It’s, it’s nothing.” Shen Pan-yan reached out and took his hand.

“Like this, you, you hold my hand, and then, I won’t be scared…”

Lin Xiao pursed his lips, his expression hesitant.

After a moment, he replied, “……Alright.”

In the darkness, he lightly held her hand in return, leading her step by step toward the outside.

His hand was large, his knuckles strong, and his palm had thin calluses, but they weren’t rough.

Shen Pan-yan followed beside him and secretly curved her eyes.