Ning Shu walked over and dropped to one knee as she cupped her fist. “Master.”


  Shangguan Qingrou looked at Ning Shu. Her gaze swept across Ning Shu’s face, then moved away.

  “Qingrou, this hidden guard is for you. She’ll protect you,” said Xuan Hongyu.

  Shangguan Qingrou didn’t seem to like Ning Shu. “I don’t need a hidden guard. It’ll feel like someone’s always following me. It’s uncomfortable.”


  “She’ll just protect you from the shadows. If you encounter any danger, she’ll appear to save you. You like going different places to play, so you might encounter danger. She……” Xuan Hongyu turned towards Ning Shu to ask coldly, “What’s your name?”


  Ning Shu: ……

  “Eleven,” replied Ning Shu.

  “Eleven will be able to protect you when you encounter danger and it’ll also be convenient for you to have a female hidden guard around.” Xuan Hongyu rubbed the jade pendant at his waist as he said this.

  Shangguan Qingrou pouted without speaking.

  A light flashed through Xuan Hongyu’s narrow eyes. Ning Shu got the feeling that he was getting angry, so she greeted Shangguan Qingrou, “Miss Shangguan.”


  “From now on, she’s your master. Protect her properly and obey all her orders, understood?” Xuan Hongyu spoke to Ning Shu sternly.

  “This subordinate understands,” said Ning Shu, lowering her head slightly.

  Shangguan Qingrou had no choice but to accept Ning Shu.

  Shangguan Qingrou was depressed, but Ning Shu was even more depressed. For better or for worse, she was here to guarantee Shangguan Qingrou’s safety. Why was she this unwelcomed?

  When Shangguan Qingrou left, she was a bit unhappy, but Xuan Hongyu didn’t say anything. He looked at Ning Shu meaningfully.

  This look completely baffled Ning Shu. What did this mean?

  Ning Shu saw that Shangguan Qingrou was leaving, so she hastily followed. Once they left the prince’s residence, Shangguan Qingrou stopped walking and turned around to say to Ning Shu, “You need to guarantee my safety, so thank you, but I don’t like having someone following next to me.”


  Ning Shu took several steps back, then said, “Miss Shangguan, you can go first. I definitely won’t appear in front of you.”


  Look at her! An unmarried girl of the ancient era was heading out without even a maid. Heading out like this was really dangerous. Shangguan Qingrou didn’t know any martial arts. What if someone grabbed her and dragged her away?

  Perhaps the next time Xuan Hongyu saw Shangguan Qingrou, it would be in the pleasure quarters.

  Having a maid with you was a way of announcing your status to discourage others from doing anything presumptuous. It also served to avoid arousing suspicion.

  Shangguan Qingrou stomped her foot angrily, but her manner was very cute.

  Ning Shu followed Shangguan Qingrou to the director of the Board of Rites’ residence, then jumped over the wall and moved to crouch on a tree in front of Shangguan Qingrou’s quarters. The tree leaves were very thick so it covered her figure.

  As Ning Shu looked at the caterpillar on the leaf next to her, she felt very depressed. Why were the lives of hidden guards so hard?

  She flicked the caterpillar off, then sat on the branch to start practicing the Unsurpassable Martial Arts. She had to practice it. The original host’s current skills weren’t good enough.

  In the original storyline, she had run to the imperial palace to save the prince, but not only did she fail, she ended up being shot full of arrows.

  As Ning Shu trained, she observed the entire residence. Shangguan Qingrou was very favored in this residence. She was the main daughter and very likeable, so even the director of the Board of Rites treated her very well.

  Ning Shu felt that the director was willing to have his daughter interact with the third prince. Even if the third prince didn’t become emperor in the end, he was still a very powerful prince.

  Since there was already an heir apparent, it wouldn’t be easy for the third prince or the fifth prince, these full-grown princes to become emperor.

  However, Ning Shu was aware that the crown prince was just cannon fodder. In the original storyline, he had also been very interested in Shangguan Qingrou. He had people kidnap Shangguan Qingrou in preparation to force himself on her.

  Alright, Shangguan Qingrou’s charm truly was strong.

  In the end, the crown prince ended up being knocked off the stage. Following that was the start of the third prince and fifth prince’s struggle.

  The fifth prince, Xuan Xiaotian, had luck bestowed by the heavens, so there was no way Xuan Hongyu could beat him. Furthermore, Xuan Hongyu had hurt Shangguan Qingrou so much.

  After hurting the female lead, you still hoped for success? Just go back to sleep to keep dreaming.

  Ning Shu could only sigh silently.