Requirement 25

Shi Nian woke up the next morning to find that it had snowed again during the night.

The entire mountain forest was blanketed in white, and the green pines in the courtyard were bowed under the weight of the snow. Clad in thick winter clothes, Shi Nian made her way through the corridor to the main house where the mountain stronghold’s leader resided. Zhu Houzhao was having breakfast; although the table was spread with various delicacies, he was hunched over a bowl of noodles with a miserable expression. When he looked up and saw Shi Nian, his eyes lit up. "Oh, you're here."

Shi Nian sat down opposite him and said coldly, "Yes. May I ask what the leader needs of me?"

"Why such a tone? What could I possibly want other than for you to keep me company during breakfast?" Zhu Houzhao coughed, moved to the seat next to her, and said affectionately, "Though, the cook in this stronghold is truly lackluster. Take these noodles, for instance—they are nowhere near as good as the ones you made last night..."

Shi Nian cut him off before he could continue: "Give up. I will not make you noodles again until you fulfill your promise."

Zhu Houzhao’s smile faded. He lowered his head and muttered, "I just want a bowl of noodles; can’t you reconsider?"

Shi Nian replied, "I just want to go home; can’t you reconsider?"

The previous evening, because her "peerless culinary skills" had impressed Zhu Houzhao, he had agreed to grant her one request. Shi Nian hadn't immediately asked to return to the palace, fearing that revealing she knew his true identity might backfire. After some thought, she had claimed her home was in the capital and asked that he personally escort her there.

Her plan was simple: once she reached the capital, she could find a way to send word to the palace. Based on her observations, Zhu Houzhao had likely snuck out without anyone's knowledge. It was possible the palace was in an uproar searching for him; if they returned together, all problems would be solved.

Her scheme was sound, but the Emperor wasn't buying it. After a brief silence, he had said earnestly, "That won't do. Pick something else."

Shi Nian: "...???"

Zhu Houzhao's blatant attempt to renege on his word had infuriated her. She not only refused to make him noodles but woke up the next morning still wearing a cold expression. Holding his bowl, Zhu Houzhao studied the sullen girl and asked, puzzled, "What is so good about the capital that you want to go back so badly?"

"It is my home, so of course I want to return. Besides, the New Year is only a month away. Don't you want to go home?"

"I don't have a home."

Shi Nian was taken aback. Zhu Houzhao took a bite of his noodles and smiled, saying, "I am a man unfettered by heaven or earth. I am homeless, and there is no place worthy of being called my home."

He spoke with a cheerful, almost exuberant tone, but as Shi Nian looked at his handsome features and his thick, dark eyelashes, a strange feeling welled up in her heart.

Before she could process it, Zhu Houzhao set down his bowl and stood up. "Since you don't want to eat, I'll take you to do something fun. Consider it an apology to my lady."

Shi Nian never expected that this was his idea of "fun."

She stared at the massive white horse that stood taller than she was, her voice trembling. "What... what is the meaning of this?"

"Horseback riding!" Zhu Houzhao said enthusiastically. "I’m telling you, riding after a snowfall is a unique experience. Today, I’ll let you experience it!"

He tried to help her up, but she resisted with all her might. Joking aside, this horse was even taller than the one Lu Zhiyao had found for her; falling off would surely be the end of her!

After a brief struggle, Zhu Houzhao saw the girl's face turn pale and realized, "Don't tell me you don't know how to ride?"

Shi Nian shivered. "Is it so strange not to know how to ride? It isn't the Tang Dynasty anymore. I don't believe every woman in the Ming Dynasty knows how to ride..."

"It wouldn't be strange for others, but you can climb walls as high as that one. I am genuinely surprised you don't know how to ride a horse."

Seeing Shi Nian clutching his lapels—a rare moment of vulnerability—Zhu Houzhao laughed. "It doesn't matter if you can't ride. I have a way."

He swung onto the horse, then bent at the waist, reached out, and scooped Shi Nian into his arms. Taken by surprise, she found herself sitting in front of him. Zhu Houzhao flicked the reins, and with a sharp crack, the horse galloped off.

Shi Nian felt the scenery flashing by and screamed, "Stop! I told you to stop!"

With his arms around her, holding the reins, Zhu Houzhao’s voice came from above. "Don't be afraid, you'll be fine. Open your eyes and look properly. Isn't the scenery of Mount Canglong even better than you imagined?"

***

They had rushed out of the stronghold and were galloping through the forest. Shi Nian hesitantly opened her eyes to see the frost-covered trees and a world painted in a single color. The snow-dusted forest was magnificent, carved from ice and jade like a masterpiece of the heavens. It was quiet, as if only the two of them existed in the world. Every time the horse passed a spot, the pine branches would tremble, shaking off their burden of snow.

Shi Nian murmured, "It's beautiful."

"Right? Seeing such a view, have you changed your mind? Do you want to stay and keep me company? The position of the stronghold's mistress is still waiting for you."

Shi Nian ignored him, but Zhu Houzhao leaned in closer. "Or is it that my lady is still thinking of returning to the capital to be the Emperor's wife?"

The man wore a look that was half-smile, half-tease. When their eyes met, Shi Nian’s face flushed bright red.

She had almost forgotten her bold words from that night! She had only said them in a fit of rage; how was she to know he was the Emperor himself?

It was over. What would he think of her?

Seeing the girl’s embarrassment, Zhu Houzhao assumed she felt awkward because her secret thoughts had been exposed. He chuckled. "Why be shy? Isn't it just wanting to be an imperial consort? There are plenty of women in the world with that idea. But your taste is truly poor. What is the point of being an Emperor's wife? Let me tell you, an imperial consort is nowhere near as happy as a bandit's wife."

Shi Nian’s eyes darted around. "Is that so? But an imperial consort can live in a grand palace, wear fine silks, and eat the best food."

"If I am a bandit, I can still provide you with a grand house, fine silks, and the best food."

"But I want to live in the Forbidden City. Can you do that, sir?"

Zhu Houzhao’s smile faltered. Shi Nian felt nervous; she had just thought of this on the spot. Zhu Houzhao seemed to enjoy being a bandit so much—if a woman he was interested in told him she wanted to be the Emperor’s wife, would he remember the perks of being an Emperor? Would he want to take her back to the capital?

However, Shi Nian doubted she held that much sway over him.

Zhu Houzhao thought for a moment, then reached out and pinched her cheek like he was teaching an ignorant child. "The Forbidden City—I don't even like living in that place. You must never go there... don't suffer that misery."

Shi Nian was stunned by his gesture and couldn't recover for a long time. Zhu Houzhao, however, was already looking ahead. "Do you feel the wind? I love the feeling of the wind on my face. It’s not the wind of the capital; that wind is soft and pampered, like a woman with no spirit. I love the wind of the frontier—howling, carrying sand, blades, and the scent of blood..."

Shi Nian couldn't help but ask, "Have you been to the frontier?"

Zhu Houzhao was silent for a moment, then smiled. "I haven't, but one day, I will."

Shi Nian knew he was telling the truth. Historical records stated that in the twelfth year of the Zhengde reign, Emperor Zhu Houzhao ignored the opposition of his officials, snuck out of the palace to the front lines, personally led his troops in battle, and dealt a crushing defeat to the Mongol Prince at Yingzhou.

That was the rare glory of his life. It turned out that the seeds had been sown in his heart so long ago.

Shi Nian finally understood her strange feeling from that morning. The man before her was the young Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, who had escaped the magnificent Forbidden City to hide in these snow-covered mountains. He was rebellious, reckless, and disregarded all rules and rituals, yet he possessed a childlike innocence. He could have forced her to do anything—to be his woman or cook his meals—and no one would have dared to resist. But he hadn't. He tolerated, even indulged, her small outbursts.

Shi Nian felt that this Zhu Houzhao was not just a dissolute, mediocre emperor...

***

Although Zhu Houzhao did not force Shi Nian, the people in the stronghold generally regarded her as his woman. In most cases, this was a good thing for Shi Nian, as the bandits dared not harass her, but it brought trouble as well.

For instance, right now.

The room was deafening with the aroma of wine and the laughter of men, making her head spin. Today was the birthday of the stronghold's vice-leader, and the other leaders had gathered to celebrate, inviting Zhu Houzhao as well. Zhu Houzhao wanted to show respect to his subordinate, so he not only attended but dragged Shi Nian along. She sat at the head table with him, feeling a strong urge to remove the hand he had placed on her waist.

Zhu Houzhao noticed and said softly, "Don't make your man lose face at a time like this."

Shi Nian: "..."

As she endured, the vice-leader approached with wine. "Leader, Madam, I, Wu Laosan, offer you a toast!"

Zhu Houzhao raised his cup with a squinting smile. "Today is your birthday; I should be the one toasting you. May you be blessed with both fortune and longevity, and may your future be bright!"

The two drained their cups.

Wu Laosan held his bowl for a moment, then smiled. "With you as our leader, my future is certainly bright. It is all thanks to you that our Canglong Stronghold has become the largest gang in Northern Zhili. None of us will ever forget your great kindness!"

The words sounded strange. Zhu Houzhao raised an eyebrow to question him, but suddenly felt his hand go limp. The wine bowl clattered to the floor, shattering into pieces. He realized his entire hand was numb, and he couldn't move half of his body.

Zhu Houzhao asked in surprise, "You..."

The smile seemed to have been wiped from Wu Laosan’s face. He calmly poured himself a drink without a word. Another leader stepped forward and said, "We are grateful to you, but you are an outsider to this stronghold. After much discussion, we believe it is better if the Canglong Stronghold is returned to our hands."

Behind them stood the other leaders, some smiling, some expressionless, and others avoiding his gaze, but their stance was unified. Just moments ago, these men had been fawning over him; now, they stood against him.

Zhu Houzhao looked at the broken bowl. So, they had drugged his drink and decided to seize power today?

Zhu Houzhao found it almost comical. Such familiar tactics were common in that imperial palace, yet it seemed they were unavoidable even in this den of bandits.

His body remained numb, but he still had some strength in his hands. He calmly picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of food. The crowd was stunned. He said, "What? This dish isn't drugged, is it? Tsk, I’ve been busy drinking with you all and I’m starving."

This attitude infuriated them. A scream came from the side; Zhu Houzhao turned to see Shi Nian being dragged into the arms of a bandit, her hands twisted behind her back. She struggled, but the bandit grew impatient and slapped her across the face. "Behave yourself! Do you really think you're still the leader’s wife?!"

Zhu Houzhao dropped his chopsticks and roared, "You slave! How dare you!"

His voice carried the immense authority of someone who had long held the highest position, causing everyone to freeze. When they came to their senses, Wu Laosan was enraged. "What are you acting so majestic for! You are no longer the leader! I’ll deal with you both right now and see who you try to intimidate!"

Shi Nian’s hands ached, and her mind was in chaos. She never imagined that instead of government troops coming to wipe out the bandits, an internal mutiny would occur! She scanned the room, suddenly remembering: didn't Zhu Houzhao have someone very capable with him? Someone named Qian Ning, whom he brought from the palace...

Where was he?

"Don't bother looking. That pretty boy was dealt with long ago." As if reading her thoughts, Wu Laosan said coldly, "He had skills, but unfortunately, two fists are no match for four hands."

Shi Nian’s heart sank. Seeing that the bandits had captured Zhu Houzhao, she suddenly said, "Do you know who my master is? Are you not afraid that the entire Mount Canglong will be razed to the ground if you lay a hand on him?!"

Zhu Houzhao’s eyelashes fluttered as he looked at her.

Wu Laosan frowned. After spending time with him, he certainly realized Zhu Houzhao had some background, but the temptation of becoming the new leader was too great. After a moment of hesitation, he hardened his heart. "Young girl, don't try to scare me. No matter who he is or how many men he commands, if no one knows where he is, it’s all useless! Once I send him on his way and burn everything to the ground, who will know he ever came to our Canglong Stronghold?"

That was true. The news of Zhu Houzhao’s arrival seemed to have been kept well-hidden. If they destroyed the evidence, even if the imperial court found out, it would likely be months later...

By then, it would be too late!

Wu Laosan looked at Shi Nian and added slowly, "But don't worry, I will send you off with him so you can be a pair of ill-fated lovers..."

Shi Nian stared at the murderous intent in Wu Laosan’s eyes and at the sea of unfamiliar faces in the room. A chill ran down her spine, and her heart plummeted.