Chapter 11
After speaking, Chu Yan turned his head to look at Crown Prince Chu Moli, who seemed frozen in place. Urging his horse forward a few steps, he raised his riding crop and, in an extremely humiliating gesture, lightly slapped Chu Moli’s face with it.
“Royal Brother Crown Prince, it’s such a pity about this guard of yours.”
He sighed dramatically.
“Royal Brother finally managed to get himself a guard, and my men accidentally killed him. You won’t run to Father Emperor and complain, will you?”
Mockery appeared on his face.
“What a shame. Royal Brother Crown Prince isn’t favored anyway.”
“The previous two crown princes both died, yet somehow you’ve managed to stay alive all these years.”
“What’s that saying again? A beast’s life is cheap.”
With that, Chu Yan swung his riding crop.
Smack!
The crop struck the folding fan in Chu Moli’s hand, sending it flying to the ground. Then Chu Yan laughed loudly and rode away.
The five guards followed closely behind him and departed together.
Standing where he was, Chu Moli showed not the slightest reaction to the insults. Instead, a trace of interest appeared in his phoenix eyes as he looked at Shen Yin lying on the ground.
After a moment, Chu Moli walked over and lightly nudged Shen Yin with his foot.
“Dead?”
The moment the words fell, Shen Yināwho was lying motionless with his eyes wide open like someone who had died with unfinished grievancesāsuddenly blinked.
Then he turned his head and glanced in the direction Chu Yan and the others had gone. Only after confirming that even their shadows were no longer visible did he slowly get to his feet.
“Your Highness, did Chu Yan hurt you?”
As he spoke, Shen Yin carefully looked Chu Moli up and down. After confirming that the Crown Prince had not been injured, he secretly let out a sigh of relief.
If the Crown Prince had gotten hurt while he was present, he would lose more than just a layer of skin when they returned.
Chapter 9: At Least You Said the Right Thing
Chu Moli did not answer Shen Yin’s question.
He slowly walked toward the Crown Prince’s residence. Suddenly, he glanced back at the wound on Shen Yin’s abdomen and asked calmly,
“You couldn’t beat them?”
Following behind him, Shen Yin shook his head.
“Even if there were ten times as many, it would still be no problem.”
At those words, Chu Moli raised an eyebrow. The golden tassels in his dark hair swayed slightly as he tilted his head.
“Oh? That capable? Then why didn’t you fight back just now?”
Shen Yin pressed a hand against his wound.
“The Third Prince is arrogant by nature and thinks too highly of himself. If I didn’t let him believe he’d taken my life, he wouldn’t have let the matter rest so easily.”
“The Third Prince’s mother is Her Majesty the Empress. If things don’t go his way, he’ll cling to the issue relentlessly.”
A dark glint flashed through Chu Moli’s eyes.
“You think I’m afraid of him?”
Hearing that, Shen Yin immediately raised his hands respectfully.
“This subordinate wouldn’t dare.”
“The Crown Prince is destined for great things. There’s no need to expose your foundations prematurely over such a trivial matter.”
Chu Moli stopped walking and turned around. A faint smile curved his lips.
“I couldn’t tell beforeāyou really know how to flatter people.”
Shen Yin lowered his head.
“This subordinate wouldn’t dare.”
If I don’t flatter you, what am I supposed to do? Tell the truth and say you’re useless?
Do I still want to live or not?
“Ha.”
Chu Moli chuckled softly and continued walking.
Shen Yin followed behind him, one hand covering his wound, resentment filling his eyes.
I say, Your Highness, couldn’t we find a carriage?
If I don’t bleed to death from the stab wound, I’m going to bleed to death from walking, damn it!
Shen Yin was busy complaining internally and failed to notice that the person ahead had already stopped.
Fortunately, his martial arts were excellent and his senses sharp. He managed to halt himself just before crashing into the Crown Prince.
Just as Shen Yin was preparing another round of complaints in his head, Chu Moli suddenly spoke.
“If Chu Yan had been after my life today, what would you have done?”
Shen Yin thought to himself:
What kind of question is that? Of course I’d run for my life!
But what he said aloud was:
“As long as this subordinate is here, no one can harm my master.”
He cupped his hands respectfully.
With his life in someone else’s hands, he had no choice but to be obedient.
For a moment, Shen Yin thought he heard the Crown Prince laugh.
Then Chu Moli’s deep, magnetic voice sounded.
“At least you said the right thing. Otherwise, you could have just bled to death.”
…
What did the Crown Prince just say?
He said I could have bled to death?
What?
WHAT?
Damn it, you crazy bastard of a Crown Prince! As expected, you’re not human!
Shen Yin raged silently in his heart.
Meanwhile, Chu Moli had already boarded a carriage. Lifting the curtain, he glanced at Shen Yin through narrowed phoenix eyes.
“You really want to die? Why aren’t you getting on?”
Only then did Shen Yin come back to his senses.
Looking at the carriage before him, he belatedly thought:
The Crown Prince actually does have some humanity after all.
Stepping onto the carriage shaft, Shen Yin was about to take the reins from the coachman when Chu Moli’s voice came from inside.
“Sit inside.”
“You’re injured. If I let you drive, we might end up with both carriage and passengers dead.”
The tiny spark of gratitude Shen Yin had just felt was instantly extinguished.
Since the Crown Prince had spoken, Shen Yin didn’t dare argue. He bent down and entered the carriage.
However, master and servant had their proper places.
Even though the Crown Prince had allowed him inside, Shen Yin could only kneel on the floor.
Why kneel?
Because he was a shadow guard. Sitting casually with his legs spread in front of his master would be disgraceful. If the Crown Prince became displeased and accused him of disrespecting his master’s dignity, the consequences would outweigh any comfort he gained.
Chu Moli lowered his gaze toward the straight-backed Shen Yin.
“Doesn’t your abdomen hurt when you kneel like that?”
Shen Yin lowered his head.
“Thank you for Your Highness’s concern. This subordinate isn’t in pain.”
Bullshit. It hurts like hell!!!!!
Chu Moli raised an eyebrow after hearing that but said nothing further.
The coachman was clearly experienced.
The carriage moved smoothly and steadily.
For Shen Yin, whose body was injured and who had already been suffering from lack of sleep, the gentle ride only made him sleepier.
He secretly glanced upward at the Crown Prince seated above him.
The Crown Prince’s eyes were closed as he leaned against the carriage wall, apparently resting.
Shen Yin’s brows lifted slightly.
As a shadow guard, he often lost sleep because of martial arts training. Over time, he had developed an impressive skill:
He could fall asleep anywhere.
As long as nobody touched him, no one would even realize he was sleeping.
