23 Hidden Dragon

Following meticulous planning, the Hidden Dragon Stronghold swept through its arch-rival, the Crouching Tiger Stronghold, and returned in triumph. That evening, the stronghold held a celebratory banquet. Torches illuminated the mountains and plains, and a feast stretching over ten meters was laid out in the square. The vice-chief led the crowd in a toast, shouting, "It is all thanks to the Chief’s peerless brilliance that our Hidden Dragon Stronghold has reached this day! I toast to the Chief!"

The bandits joined in unison: "The Chief is brilliant! We toast to the Chief!"

In the seat of honor, the man smiled lazily, raised a bowl of wine, and drank it down.

The vice-chief sat back down, his heart still racing. In truth, the Hidden Dragon Stronghold originally had a different leader, but half a month ago, this young man had suddenly appeared, soundly defeated their former chief, and seized the throne in one fell swoop. They had been reluctant to accept him and had even tried to trip him up, but after today, no one dared to utter a word of dissent.

He had actually taken down Zhang Hu!

The Hidden Dragon Stronghold was one of the largest factions in Northern Zhili, and for over a decade, they had been locked in a stalemate with the Crouching Tiger Stronghold on the opposite mountain, neither able to best the other. Now, with their new chief, they had conquered the Crouching Tiger Stronghold—the entire five-hundred-mile radius was now their domain!

The vice-chief’s thoughts were shared by all the bandits; they were stirred with excitement and came forward one after another to offer toasts. The Chief seemed to be in a good mood as well, refusing no one. After about a dozen bowls, he finally waved his hand and said, "That’s enough. Any more, and I won't have the energy for other matters tonight."

The crowd caught his drift. The vice-chief spoke first: "That’s right, our Chief has captured a beautiful woman to be his bride; he can’t afford to drink himself into a stupor!"

Laughter erupted, and the men exchanged suggestive looks. The Chief was not bothered by their teasing; he simply stood up and said, "That makes sense. I won't keep you company any longer. Drink at your leisure—I have important business to attend to!"

He left the table, abandoning the boisterous crowd. Upon rounding a corridor, he noticed someone following him—his only attendant brought to the stronghold, the same man who had beaten Zhang Hu earlier that day.

The man closed his eyes, his expression pleasant, as if still relishing the day’s victory. "How about that? I’m quite talented at being a bandit, aren't I?"

The attendant bowed and said, "Of course. Your Excellency is blessed with heaven-sent talent; is there anything you cannot do? Let alone a bandit, even if you wished to be a general, you would surely be a magnificent and awe-inspiring one!"

The man was amused. "Not bad, not bad. That’s a good suggestion. I’ll be a general next time!"

After the flattery, the attendant cautiously added, "However, considering the commotion we’ve caused, should we perhaps consider an exit strategy? I fear the authorities might..."

In the past, the Hidden Dragon and Crouching Tiger strongholds had checked each other, neither becoming a significant threat, which allowed the imperial court to turn a blind eye. Now that the Crouching Tiger Stronghold was gone and the Hidden Dragon Stronghold stood alone in power, it was possible they would be targeted.

The man asked, "Are you saying the imperial troops might come to suppress the bandits?"

The attendant nodded. "I am worried..."

The man clapped his hands, full of interest. "Good, let them come. I’d like to see if I can defeat the imperial troops just as I defeated the bandits!"

The attendant’s heart tightened. "But, sir, swords have no eyes, and the authorities have many men. If something were to go wrong... Perhaps we have had enough fun; why not return to..."

Before he could finish, he met the man’s gaze. It was calm, not particularly severe, yet it sent a chill straight up his spine. His knees instantly went weak. "This lowly one deserves death... I deserve death..."

"This is not a place for you to kneel. Get up," the man said coolly. In the distance, the sounds of gambling and toasts could still be heard—the vibrant, rowdy atmosphere he loved. He patted the attendant’s face and warned, "Qian Ning, the reason I brought you along is that you are more sensible than the others. If you speak such words again, get out of my sight!"

"Yes, this lowly one will remember..." Qian Ning secretly wiped away his sweat, inwardly regretting his momentary lapse in judgment.

After reprimanding him, the man stood with his hands behind his back, surveying his surroundings. He said with satisfaction, "Hidden Dragon Stronghold—the name suits me well, and the people here suit me, especially the beauty..."

"Is Your Excellency going to see our new lady?" Qian Ning, struck by a sudden inspiration, leaned in and added, "That young lady is indeed quite something. What’s rare is that she is clever, quite different from those ladies in the palace... or at home."

The man recalled the girl's tricks at the Crouching Tiger Stronghold that afternoon, and her fierce demand for clothes at the end, and he couldn't help but smile. "She is clever. However, she does not seem very willing to be my woman..."

Qian Ning said, "Whether she is willing or not, once she has fallen into your hands, she is yours. Are you worried she might fly away?"

The man stroked his chin. The terrain of the Hidden Dragon Stronghold was complex. A girl like her, lost in a den of thieves, would find her small wits useless, especially since he had assigned men to watch her.

He felt reassured. "You are right. Once she is in my hands, she is mine. I doubt she can fly away!"

Qian Ning added suggestively, "Still, I noticed that young lady is very delicate. Your Excellency should be gentle tonight..."

The man glanced at him lazily with a smile. "Do I need you to teach me?"

***

A life-altering crisis!

Shi Nian stood up abruptly, pacing the room three times before stopping, her chest heaving. Only one thought filled her mind: she was truly facing the crisis of her life!

This was a side chamber at the back of the Hidden Dragon Stronghold. After being brought here from the Crouching Tiger Stronghold that afternoon, she had been settled here. Unlike the bandit den she had imagined, the room was tidy and even contained a bronze mirror and a vanity set; it had likely belonged to a female resident before. Perhaps, the previous bride of the chief...

At the thought of those four words, Shi Nian’s scalp tingled. What kind of curse was she under? She had gone twenty-some years in the modern world without a boyfriend, and now, in the ancient era, one man after another wanted to marry her. Could it be that all her romantic luck had bloomed in the wrong timeline? Furthermore, Liu Che was at least an emperor well-versed in poetry and books, and he possessed a certain grace. This "Chief," however, looked like someone accustomed to lawlessness. Shi Nian was certain he wouldn't be as disciplined as Liu Che, and who knew what he might do tonight...

Must run! Must run right now!

Shi Nian scanned the room. Her luggage was with Nie Cheng, which made her want to complain again. What was going on? They had been holding hands when they hit the wall, so why was he nowhere to be seen now?!

As expected, one had to do the work oneself. Since Nie Cheng had her luggage, she couldn't reach her secret weapons. Fortunately, there was one thing she carried on her person.

Reaching into her clothes, she pulled out a black rod—her anti-wolf stun gun. Ever since her return from the Han Dynasty, Shi Nian had treated it like a treasure, and she had specifically brought it along before leaving last night.

Clutching it, Shi Nian felt a bit more secure. After a moment of thought, she picked up a porcelain cup, retreated to one side of the room, and threw it with all her might. With a "clack," the cup shattered into pieces.

"My Lady?" A voice came from outside. Shi Nian knew these were the two bandits ordered to guard her.

She remained silent. Sure enough, the door was pushed open a few seconds later, and one of the bandits walked in, scanning the room as he asked, "My Lady, what happened?"

Now!

Shi Nian lunged forward and pressed the stun gun against his neck. After the familiar crackling sound, the man collapsed to the floor.

Shi Nian congratulated herself; her mastery of hidden weapons was now truly unparalleled!

She then hid back in her original spot. The sound of the electric discharge wasn't loud, and those outside hadn't heard it. After a while, the second bandit, seeing his companion hadn't returned, pushed the door open to check.

"What is going on with you... Old Six? What happened, Old Six?!"

He rushed over to shake his unconscious companion. Shi Nian seized the opportunity to slip behind him. The bandit turned around, but it was too late—the stun gun was already pressed against him—

"Crack—"

...Where was the snap?

The crackling noise cut off halfway. The bandit’s body trembled, but he did not fall. He clutched his neck in terror and roared, "What did you do?"

Damn it! Out of power?!

Shi Nian’s eyes widened, unable to believe her misfortune could get any worse. Seeing the bandit lunging at her, she didn't hesitate; she used the stun gun as a club and struck him hard on the head!

*Bang!*

The bandit swayed. Before he could steady himself, she struck him again, then once more, until he finally rolled his eyes and collapsed to the ground.

Shi Nian gripped the stun gun, looking at the blood trickling from the bandit’s head, and swallowed hard. "You, you, you... don't blame me! I didn't want to be this rough, it’s all the fault of this stun gun for running out of power right now! Take care, I’m off, goodbye!"

The young man was humming a tune, pushing the door open with the anticipation of a secret meeting with a beauty, only to see this scene. The two bandits who should have been guarding the door were unconscious, one of them covered in blood. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked back to find Qian Ning standing behind him, equally stunned. The man said nothing and scanned the room. Sure enough, his newly captured bride was nowhere to be seen.

Qian Ning was flustered. "Sir, th-this, what is going on..."

The man patted his shoulder and sighed. "Old Qian, it seems you were wrong. The one who was supposed to fly away has indeed flown."

Qian Ning’s legs began to give out, but the corner of the young man’s mouth curled up. He whispered, "But this is just right. Only like this do I find it interesting."

The snow had stopped, but it was still very cold outside. Shi Nian sprinted until she finally reached the edge of the stronghold. She had secretly observed it when she arrived; this area was unguarded, but the wall was very high, likely because they assumed no one could climb it.

However, she was no longer an ordinary person.

Shi Nian took a deep breath and began looking for a foothold. She had to thank her coach for this; those fifteen days of devilish training, though brutal, had taught her many useful things. If it had been the old her, she wouldn't even have dared to attempt such a high wall!

It took Shi Nian twenty minutes and three falls before she finally reached the top. She sat astride the wall, but before she could rejoice, she realized the problem.

Oh my god, she had made it up, but how was she supposed to get down?

She looked out to see the deep, dark mountain forest. The outer side of the wall was slick and smooth, with nowhere to step, and the ground below was covered in sharp, jagged rocks—one wrong move and it would be fatal.

Damn! No wonder they didn't bother to station guards here!

Shi Nian felt a wave of darkness. She wanted to give up and go back to find another way, but her legs were trembling so violently that she didn't even dare to climb back down the way she came.

...Heaven was trying to finish her off!

Just as she was falling into despair, she heard a clear, bright voice. "Hey, do you need some help?"

Shi Nian looked down to see that the Chief had arrived at the foot of the wall, looking up at her with a smiling face.

Shi Nian was silent for three seconds before nodding. "Yes, help me get down."

To be caught escaping and yet remain so calm—a flicker of surprise crossed the man's eyes. He didn't know that Shi Nian was simply resigned to her fate. She had resorted to violence and escaped all the way here, only to fall short at the last moment; she was so discouraged that she had no thoughts left.

The man thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I can help you, but first answer me a question."

"Go ahead," Shi Nian said, looking like someone resigned to the slaughter.

"Why are you running away?"

"If I don't run away, am I supposed to stay and be a bandit's wife?"

The man was puzzled. "What’s wrong with being a bandit's wife? It’s so free-spirited! I’ve wanted to be a bandit's wife since I was a child!"

Shi Nian: "..."

Seeing she didn't respond, the man was suddenly seized by a sense of mischief. He said leisurely, "You don't want to be a bandit's wife, surely you don't mean to say you want to be an emperor's wife?"

He wore a look of mocking amusement. Shi Nian felt nothing but sarcasm in his gaze. Thinking of how this person had kept her in fear all day and was now watching her struggle on the high wall, she finally flared up in anger. "What’s so great about being an emperor's wife? Do you think I haven't been one before!"

The man: "..."

He thought he had misheard and pressed, "What did you say?!"

Shi Nian sat on the wall, looking down at him with great intensity. "I said, I have been an emperor's wife! If I hadn't left him and run away, I might even be the Empress by now!"

A gust of wind blew by. The man stared at her, his expression suddenly turning very strange.

Shi Nian was confused. She met his gaze; his eyes were so dark, like a whirlpool, threatening to pull her in.

The next second, her body trembled, and a scene flashed before her eyes.

The makeshift stronghold vanished, and she saw a magnificent palace. In an open courtyard, a leopard with black spots roared in a cage, its fur sleek and its movements powerful and beautiful. The young man stood wearing a golden dragon robe, surrounded by palace maids and eunuchs, saying with great excitement: "Beautiful, beautiful! Bring me my whip, I shall tame this leopard myself!"

A man beside him in a flying-fish robe hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, this leopard is not like a horse; it is too fierce. It would be bad if you were to injure your imperial body!"

He thought for a moment, likely agreeing that the man made sense and realizing he truly lacked the courage, and ordered: "Fine, then you go tame it for me."

...

Shi Nian shuddered and jolted back to reality.

Everything around her remained freezing cold. Her gaze fell upon that face, and suddenly, she wanted to flee as if startled. But she had forgotten where she was, and losing her balance, she slipped and fell from the wall!

"Ah—"

Seeing the girl falling, the man’s expression didn't change; he leapt up and caught her.

Shi Nian felt herself hit the ground. A moment later, she slowly opened her eyes. In the cold wind, the man was pale, smiling lazily. "I told you I would help you. Why is a young lady learning to use a 'bitter meat' ruse?"

She was held in his arms, unable to speak, her mind still filled with the image she had just seen.

If the string of time and space hadn't failed her, she should have arrived in the Zhengde era of the Great Ming, and in that image, the man before her was wearing the imperial robes of a Ming Emperor.

So, he was the Zhengde Emperor, Zhu Houzhao?

Could someone tell her why an emperor, instead of staying in the palace, was running around in the mountains playing bandit?!