Phoenix Reigns Over The Nine Heavens - Chapter 51

“No,” Yun Zishu replied. “Granny Ruan, you have served in the palace for a long time. You should be able to come up with a reasonable and justifiable explanation on my behalf.”

“Yes, yes! This old servant understands.” Granny Ruan left in a hurry, which was completely different from her imposing manner when she came. She looked embarrassed and pitiful.

Leng Yue stared at her fleeing back and snorted coldly. “The palace is full of wicked servants who bully the weak, relying on their connections, and flatter the strong.”

Yun Zishu lowered her eyes and quietly finished her cup of tea. “Si Cang.”

Si Cang responded, “Your Highness.”

“You were right.” Yun Zishu raised her eyes to look at him, with a slight smile at the corner of her mouth. “Although I don’t care how outsiders view me, I’ve found that with you by my side, many things are particularly easy to solve.”

Si Cang’s lips curled up slightly, a trace of tenderness flashing in his eyes. “Protecting Your Highness is the duty of this humble official.”

“I remember there is a rule in the royal family that all princes or princesses who leave the palace to establish their own residence can choose a shadow guard from the Shadow Pavilion for personal protection.” Yun Zishu looked at Si Cang with a smile. “How about I choose you?”

Leng Yue gasped, “But doesn’t Your Highness already have me and Leng Shuang?”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Si Cang’s icy gaze suddenly swept over her, sending a chill down Leng Yue’s spine. She quickly turned around and fled, disappearing in an instant.

Si Cang withdrew his gaze and nodded in agreement, “Alright.”

Yun Zishu raised an eyebrow. “You should think it over carefully. Once you become my shadow guard, you can’t betray me in the future, you cannot disobey my commands, and you must obey my orders unconditionally.”

“This subordinate has thought it through a long time ago.” Si Cang walked up to Yun Zishu. His deep eyes locked on her face, his voice low and resolute, “As long as Your Highness is willing to have me, I will be Your Highness’s person for the rest of my life.”

Yun Zishu fell silent. Why did she have a feeling that Si Cang had been waiting all along to be chosen by her?

After a moment of thought, she asked, “What are the rules for selecting a shadow guard?”

“There are no rules.” Si Cang decided, resolving to tell her everything once it was all settled. “I will report this matter to the Emperor.”

Yun Zishu hummed and didn’t ask what would happen if her father disagreed.

The Emperor would surely not agree, but Si Cang would definitely have a way to make him agree, so there was no need to worry about this problem at all.

Today’s visit to the princess’s mansion was not in vain.

In addition to having lunch with Yun Zishu, he also got the opportunity to stay by her side permanently. For Si Cang, this was something that made him happier than anything else.

When he left the princess’s residence, he happened to meet Leng Shuang, who was returning from Qingchen Yard. Leng Shuang respectfully saluted him and then looked at Si Cang’s thin and tall back with a thoughtful look. She keenly noticed that the commander seemed to be in a good mood.

Back in the Qifeng Hall, she glanced at Leng Yue, who seemed to understand her doubts and took the initiative to tell her what had happened. “It wasn’t until I heard the princess and the commander talking that I suddenly realized: the two of us were not the princess’s personal shadow guards in the formal sense. We were arranged by the commander, not selected by the princess herself from the Shadow Pavilion, and none of the proper procedures for selecting a shadow guard were followed.”

Leng Shuang frowned slightly. “Does the commander want to be Her Highness’s personal shadow guard?”

Leng Yue nodded. Although she thought this decision was quite good, she couldn’t help but feel nervous when she thought about having to face the commander, who was as cold as an iceberg, every day.

Leng Shuang didn’t think too much about it and walked into the hall to salute Yun Zishu.

Yun Zishu asked, “Is Xiao Yunheng locked up?”

“Yes,” Leng Shuang nodded, “He has been shackled with the black iron chains in the room. He can’t go anywhere except to get up to eat, drink, and use the toilet.”

Moreover, due to the length of the chain, Xiao Yunheng could only move around in that room from then on. That is to say, Li Xue would have to bring all his daily necessities—washing supplies, toiletries, and the like—into the room for Xiao Yunheng to use and could no longer take Xiao Yunheng to other places.

With the weather getting hotter day by day, it was only a matter of time before their so-called affection wore thin.

Yun Zishu, however, wasn’t concerned about Xiao Yunheng.

She was just thinking about how visibly pleased Si Cang had seemed to be earlier—happy to be her personal shadow guard?

However, the shadow guards in the Dark Shadow Pavilion have undergone numerous rigorous training sessions and experienced many times of escaping from death to forge a body of extraordinary martial arts. There are very few who can achieve the position of commander. Wouldn’t it be a pity to give it all up?

Commanding the Dark Shadow Pavilion not only required unparalleled martial prowess but also represented personal freedom in the future. A commander would no longer need to serve any prince or princess, nor would they have to attend to duties day and night.

By pledging loyalty to the monarch, the commander only needed to carry out the emperor’s orders, and suitable shadow guards from the Dark Shadow Pavilion would be dispatched to complete the tasks. The commander wouldn’t have to live a life constantly risking their neck.

But he was actually willing to become her personal guard, despite being a commander?

Yun Zishu sighed softly. Fine, if this could bring him a little satisfaction, then before she decided to give him formal status, she could let him gain a sense of security first.

Or perhaps, a sense of security that belonged to both of them.

Yun Zishu looked up at Leng Yue. “What are the other female shadow guards in the Dark Shadow Pavilion doing?”

Leng Yue replied, “Tang Yue has gone to Youzhou.”

“To Youzhou?”

Leng Yue nodded. “Yes, she went to treat the young master of the Ji family, Ji Changqing, and bring him to the imperial city.”

“There is another one in the brothel.” Leng Yue said with a smile. “Lian Yue is the most beautiful shadow guard.”

Yun Zishu raised her eyebrows. “Working as a courtesan in a brothel?”

“Yes.” Leng Yue said, her expression filled with admiration. “Sister Lian Yue is exceptionally beautiful. Does Your Highness want to see her? If Your Highness wishes to see her, I can take Your Highness over there or bring her over when she has time.”

Yun Zishu hummed in acknowledgement. “I’ll take out time to see her someday.”

She originally thought that the Dark Shadow Pavilion only had shadow guards, who were responsible for protecting the royal family and assassinating the people the emperor wanted to kill. She didn’t expect that the Dark Shadow Pavilion was really full of hidden talents and had cultivated masters in various fields. With its influence even extending into brothels, it was truly beyond Yun Zishu’s expectations.

“Some of the other sisters are spies, collecting information for the emperor, and some have infiltrated the fiefdoms of the princes in disguise, responsible for monitoring the princes of the Great Yong.” Leng Yue said, the smile on her face gradually disappeared. “There is actually a female shadow guard beside the crown prince, but she is not in a good situation.”

Yun Zishu frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Leng Yue lowered her gaze. “The crown prince abuses her.”

Abuse?

Yun Zishu’s frown deepened. “Did the Crown Prince choose that Shadow Guard himself?”

“Yes,” Leng Yue replied, her voice growing somber. “The Dark Shadow Pavilion has a rule: Shadow Guards personally selected by the princes are equivalent to private shadow guards recognized by their masters. They need to sign a master-servant contract, and from then on, their life and death are entirely in the hands of their master. Once the contract is signed, it’s binding for life and cannot be terminated unless they die.”