The Little Princess's Secret Guard - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Falling into the Water

The final stage of the martial arts test was a duel between the two victors.

The literary test had already concluded. Zhao Wen-yao failed the last question and lost. Now, everyone was watching the two men on the platform.

Zhao Yun’s attacks were straightforward and powerful, each movement carrying immense force. Lin Xiao, however, was more unpredictable and agile. His movements were extremely fast. Every time Zhao Yun thought he had struck him, it was only an afterimage. In the next moment, a surge of force would hit him from behind, sending his body flying. Zhao Yun quickly flipped in mid-air to prevent his fall from being too embarrassing.

This maneuver, while not causing serious harm, was extremely humiliating.

Zhao Yun was furious, but Lin Xiao’s movements were too quick; he simply couldn’t catch him and could only passively endure the hits. The onlookers, unable to follow the action, thought Zhao Yun was standing still like an idiot, throwing punches at thin air only to be counter-attacked. Their interest waned immediately.

This year’s martial arts test is not exciting at all.

One of the finalists is actually an idiot.

Boring.

Zhao Wen-yao, who had practiced martial arts, could clearly see her brother’s predicament: he was definitely going to lose.

“That…” Zhao Wen-yao looked placatingly at Shen Pan-yan and lowered her voice. “Princess, if my younger brother loses later, could we change the form of punishment? Anything is fine, as long as he doesn’t have to kneel and kowtow…”

If her foolish brother were forced to kneel on the ground and kowtow to a guard, the General’s Residence would be completely disgraced.

Shen Pan-yan pursed her lips. “But this wager wasn’t suggested by Lin Xiao; it was proposed by General Zhao Jr. himself.”

Zhao Wen-yao’s face flushed with shame. She wished she could beat her foolish brother a hundred times.

Telling him not to provoke anyone! Now look, he’s lost, and she feels too embarrassed to even ask the Princess for clemency.

But no matter what, this concerned the honor of the General’s Residence. No matter how formidable Lin Xiao was, he was merely a guard. Zhao Yun was a member of the General Zhen-Guo’s Residence and a Brigadier-General personally appointed by His Majesty. Even if he lost, there was no way he could kneel and kowtow to Lin Xiao.

She sighed. “Princess, it’s not that your subject is unwilling to have this foolish brother apologize, but kneeling and kowtowing is truly impossible. He is just a subordinate…”

Shen Pan-yan hadn’t originally taken the wager seriously. She knew Zhao Yun wouldn’t truly kneel and kowtow. But knowing it in her heart was one thing; having Zhao Wen-yao say it out loud was another.

“But he was the one who proposed this punishment. Lin Xiao didn’t want to compete with him in the first place, and it was he who insisted on provoking Lin Xiao. Since General Zhao Jr. made the promise, he should keep it.”

“But…”

“Miss Zhao, let me ask you: if Lin Xiao were the one to lose this match, would you say the same thing?”

Zhao Wen-yao was startled. “If he were to lose, then kneeling would be… kneeling and kowtowing…”

“Why?” Shen Pan-yan’s eyes immediately reddened. “Young Master Zhao is from the General’s Residence, but Lin Xiao is my personal guard. What do your actions imply? Have you ever considered me at all?”

“We naturally respect and cherish you, but he is only a subordinate…”

“And what if he is a subordinate? To me, he is not just a subordinate.”

A tense silence fell between them. With red-rimmed eyes, Shen Pan-yan didn’t want to argue any further and angrily stood up and left.

How dare they look down on Lin Xiao?

Lin Xiao was much more capable than they were. If only…

Suddenly, a cluster of fireworks exploded in the sky, brilliant and beautiful like silver sparks on a fiery tree, instantly capturing Shen Pan-yan’s attention.

Almost in that same instant, a sharp arrow broke through the air, flying straight towards Lin Xiao.

Shen Pan-yan’s pupils contracted. “Lin Xiao!!”

Lin Xiao spun around, drawing the soft sword from his waist to deflect the arrow.

But following quickly was a dense volley of more arrows.

Lin Xiao hurriedly deflected the arrows. The nearby Zhao Yun, without a weapon, could only frantically dodge the projectiles.

“Who have you angered so much that they dare to murder you in the street, in a crowded city!!” Zhao Yun gritted his teeth.

These arrows were clearly aimed at Lin Xiao; it was obvious they were from an enemy.

Lin Xiao’s eyes were cold and sharp. “Silence! I will block the arrows; you go save the Princess!”

As a personal guard, everyone who knew his true identity was dead. How could he have enemies?

There was only one possibility: someone wanted to attack the Princess.

These arrows were meant to stall him.

With this thought, Lin Xiao’s movements quickened.

“Pfft!”

Unprepared, an arrow struck his shoulder, momentarily halting his movement.

“Lin Xiao!!” Shen Pan-yan’s tears flowed like a fountain, and she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, preventing herself from crying out again.

The situation was already chaotic; she couldn’t cause Lin Xiao any more trouble.

But there were too many people. Shen Pan-yan was squeezed back and forth by the crowd, disoriented, and was stepped on several times. The pain brought tears to her eyes, yet she remembered not to trouble Lin Xiao, so she endured the pain silently, her face turning pale.

Lin Xiao forcefully broke through the barrage of arrows. Ignoring the fact that they were in the middle of a crowded city, he rushed towards her using his Qinggong (lightness skill)…

Shen Pan-yan saw him, and her eyes instantly lit up.

“Lin Xiao, I am…” Here!

However, before she could finish, Shen Pan-yan felt a strong push from behind. Her body uncontrollably fell backward, crashing heavily into the lake water.

Splash!

“Princess!!!”

The cold lake water surged over her, seeping into her mouth and nose, chilling her to the bone. Her body sank uncontrollably. As Shen Pan-yan tried to struggle, a strong force suddenly pressed down on her neck. Darkness overwhelmed her, and Shen Pan-yan instantly lost consciousness.

Outside the capital.

A simple carriage was traveling through the woods, leaving a clear line of wheel tracks—quiet and silent.

Cold… so cold… Shen Pan-yan’s body suddenly shivered uncontrollably.

Her eyelids fluttered. A beam of light gradually entered her vision, and Shen Pan-yan slowly opened her eyes.

So cold!

She couldn’t help but shiver. Before she could clearly see where she was, a familiar voice sounded in her ear.

“Princess, you’re awake.”

Shen Pan-yan turned her head, her eyes widening. “Qiu… Qiu Shuang?!”

Qiu Shuang nodded. “It’s me. Long time no see, Princess.”

“You…” Shen Pan-yan then realized she was in a very cramped carriage. Her hands and feet were tightly bound with hemp rope, unable to move. Her heart sank immediately.

Recalling everything that happened before, she understood completely. “Who… who ordered you to do this?”

Tears welled up in her eyes. Shen Pan-yan stared intently at her. “Why did you betray me, Qiu Shuang?”

“I always believed I never mistreated you. Why would you betray me?”

“Do I need a reason to do this?” Qiu Shuang poured herself a cup of tea, took a delicate sip, her demeanor and posture looking more like a master than Shen Pan-yan.

“Princess, you probably haven’t figured out your current status.” She pointed to the hemp rope binding Shen Pan-yan’s limbs, her voice laced with sarcasm. “Princess, you are now my captive. What right does a captive have to question me?”

Being kidnapped by the person closest to her, Shen Pan-yan felt as if a large stone was choking her heart, causing her unbearable pain and difficulty breathing.

“Is the person behind you Consort Hui? Did Consort Hui instruct you to do this?” She did not give up on questioning her.

Qiu Shuang remained silent.

Shen Pan-yan bit her lip, fighting back tears. “Since I was ten years old, Qiu Shuang, you have been by my side. All these years, didn’t we share any bond as master and servant?”

“Master and servant bond? Ha!” Qiu Shuang put down her teacup and finally looked at her directly.

“Princess, if you truly cared about our bond, why didn’t you listen to me and marry Young Master Chu Er obediently?”

Speaking of this, Qiu Shuang gnashed her teeth in hatred. “If you hadn’t suddenly changed your mind, I wouldn’t have ended up where I am today. Now I have nothing left, and it’s all because of you! You ruined me!!”

“You listened to me for so many years. Why did you suddenly stop listening when it mattered the most?!”

“Tell me, why didn’t you listen!!” Qiu Shuang grabbed her by the throat, her expression as hideous and savage as a vengeful spirit.

Shen Pan-yan’s heart pounded rapidly. She felt a wave of suffocation and coughed violently and uncontrollably.

Suddenly, the sound of wood knocking came from outside. Qiu Shuang reluctantly released Shen Pan-yan.

She wiped her hands, looking at Shen Pan-yan with an expression of disgust. “Do you know what I hate most about you? I hate your weak and incompetent demeanor the most.”

“If you were going to be weak, you should have remained weak. But inexplicably, you suddenly went crazy and grew a backbone, insisting on defying me. That forced me to take this path.”

“Your current predicament is all your fault!”

“Heh heh! Don’t worry, Princess. Next, I will entertain you properly.”

“From now on, you’d better be obedient. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee what I might do to you.”

Qiu Shuang reached out and squeezed her face tightly, leaving two very visible, bright red finger marks.

Shen Pan-yan was terrified. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she did not dare to move.

The disturbance in the busy city quickly alerted the local authorities, but the matter of Princess Ming Yue falling into the water and disappearing could not be leaked. I outsiders were to find out, her reputation would be ruined.

Everyone had been in a state of fear and panic, and no one had noticed exactly who had fallen into the water. Among those present, only Zhao Yun and Zhao Wen-yao knew Shen Pan-yan’s true identity.

The two stood by the bank, their faces anxious.

Lin Xiao searched the water again and again but could not find any trace of the Princess. The cold lake water dripped from his body, and the wounds on his shoulder had turned white from soaking.

Lin Xiao’s expression was as dark as the water.

The moment the Princess fell, he had jumped in without hesitation. But after entering the water, not only did he find no trace of her, but he also found no signs of struggle. She couldn’t have sunk to the bottom of the lake in such a short time.

There was only one possibility: she had been taken away.

From the appearance of the arrow rain to the crowd surge and the Princess’s fall, this was all a setup—a trap specifically targeting the Princess.

Seeing the officials arrive, Lin Xiao stopped obsessing over searching the water. He looked at Zhao Yun and Zhao Wen-yao, his eyes fierce. “If you dare to reveal even the slightest bit of information about the Princess, I will kill you both right now.”

Zhao Yun and Zhao Wen-yao’s expressions were also grim.

“You don’t need to remind us. We know.”

Lin Xiao was not about to let them off the hook. Had it not been for Zhao Yun’s meddling, he would never have left the Princess’s side for a moment.

This matter started because of Zhao Yun, and the General’s Residence had to exert all effort to find the Princess. Otherwise, relying on him alone, he didn’t know when he would be able to find her.

The longer the delay, the more dangerous the Princess would be.

Faced with Lin Xiao’s threat, Zhao Wen-yao and Zhao Yun could only agree. Regardless of the circumstances, the General’s Residence was implicated in the Princess’s disappearance. If His Majesty found out and held them accountable, the consequences would be unpredictable.

The General’s Residence was already prone to attracting trouble and could not afford another storm.

Zhao Yun quickly gathered a team to search for her. Lin Xiao stayed on the bank, carefully scouting for clues.

A wild goose leaves a trace. The Princess couldn’t have vanished without a reason.

He would definitely find her.