He said in a low voice, “Don’t be afraid.”
Shao Feng was just like his name, blowing in like a sudden gust of wind that summer.
The wind chimes hanging from the eaves of the Zichen Palace, the flocks of snow-white pigeons soaring across the flawless azure sky, the lotus seed pods and broad leaves gently swaying upon the lake, and the rippling bamboo sunshades fluttering inside the pavilion bore traces of the wind everywhere.
Zhou Mangzhou slumped lazily against the stone table, listening as a young eunuch recounted with animated gestures how many women had crowded along the roadside when the Heir Apparent of Northern Suppression, Shao Feng, entered the capital. The grand spectacle surpassed even the parade of the chief courtesans.
“The Heir Apparent of Northern Suppression…” Zhou Mangzhou took a sip of his iced beverage. “Is he truly that handsome?”
“Your Highness will know at a glance when you go to see him. He is truly peerless, possessing the grace of a dragon and the bearing of a phoenix!”
“The grace of a dragon and the bearing of a phoenix?” Zhou Mangzhou said, displeased. “Is that not how I am described?”
“…”
“Could it be that he is even better-looking than me?” Back then, the fifteen-year-old Zhou Mangzhou had grown up thoroughly pampered and doted on by the Emperor, the Empress, and his three older brothers, so he naturally believed that he was the best-looking person in the entire world.
If anyone dared to look better than him, it would be tantamount to plotting a rebellion right from the womb, and they deserved to be sent back to be reborn.
The young eunuch reined in his flattering expression, smiling with utmost caution. “Your Highness is naturally the number one handsome man in the Great Zhou.”
Though spoiled, Zhou Mangzhou did not possess the temper of an arrogant young scion. With a nod, he let the matter rest. “Right now, the number one handsome men of the Great Zhou are my Eldest Brother, Second Brother, and Third Brother. When I grow a bit older, the four of us brothers will share the top spot.”
“Your Highness speaks absolute truth.”
Even while admiring his own beauty, Zhou Mangzhou did not forget to include his three older brothers. This was what true brotherly affection and harmony looked like.
Once he finished his iced drink, Zhou Mangzhou tossed his silver spoon into the celadon lotus bowl with a sharp clink, stood up, and announced, “We won’t go see the Heir Apparent of Northern Suppression after all. Let us go look at the horses he presented instead.”
True to his title, the Prince of Northern Suppression guarded the northern borders and protected the peace of the realm. Yet as time passed, it was inevitable that his power would grow, leading him to disregard the imperial court.
With the emperor sitting far away in the distant capital, there was no guarantee that the prince wouldn’t rebel one day. Therefore, after reviewing reports from various officials, the Emperor and Empress devised a countermeasure: they would summon the Heir Apparent of Northern Suppression under the pretext of the Empress’s birthday banquet, and then use that opportunity to keep the heir detained within the imperial capital.
Since the Prince of Northern Suppression had only this single son, he would surely be held in check.
Being in the north, the land was vast and boundless, home to countless fine horses and noble steeds. Among the six arts of literature, propriety, music, archery, and charioteering, Zhou Mangzhou was particularly passionate about archery and horseback riding. He had long wished to gallop across the northwestern grasslands, but never had the chance.
Now that horses had been delivered, even without a wide-open prairie, he could still ride a few laps to satisfy his craving.
“I hear the journey was long and arduous. It took a full month just to escort this thousand-plus fine steeds to the imperial capital.” Bending slightly, the young eunuch held a parasol over Zhou Mangzhou to shield him from the sun.
Zhou Mangzhou remarked, “A thousand-plus horses? Then I must choose very carefully.”
“Your Highness, although there are over a thousand horses, more than nine hundred of them were sent to the horse camps outside the city. Only a dozen or so of the absolute finest were selected for the palace.”
“That works out perfectly. It saves my eyes from searching through a thousand candidates; now I only need to choose the best one out of a dozen.” Zhou Mangzhou quickened his pace.
“Your Highness, please slow down! The sun is fierce; you might get sunburned!” The young eunuch trotted closely behind with quick, short steps.
As Zhou Mangzhou entered the imperial stables, the head stable master spotted him and hurried over with a flattering smile, bowing obsequiously. “Your Highness the Prince Lin, are you here to look at horses again?”
Zhou Mangzhou asked, “Where are the horses presented by the Heir Apparent of Northern Suppression?”
Guiding the way, the stable master said, “In this scorching heat, why doesn’t Your Highness rest for a moment? His Majesty has issued an imperial decree stating that he and Her Empress Mother will come to ride horses together this evening.”
“There is no need. I will pick a fine horse first and take it for a couple of rounds,” Zhou Mangzhou replied.
“Very well.”
No matter what precious treasure it was, the Emperor and Empress always reserved the best things for the little prince first. Who would ever dare to utter a word of dissent?
The horses in the imperial stables were already selected from among ten thousand fine steeds, but upon laying eyes on a group of horses that were visibly twice as robust and tall, Zhou Mangzhou was nonetheless startled.
Such massive horses! They stood taller than he did, with their backs rising well above his chest, making him doubt whether he could even climb up onto them.
However, they were undeniably handsome. At first glance, he fell in love with a tall, magnificent, pitch-black horse with four snow-white hooves. This was the only horse outfitted with black leather saddles, thick and sturdy reins, glossy black mane, tightly muscled legs, and a tail as smooth and flowing as a maiden’s dark hair.
Finding the riding crop tucked inside the locking clasp on the side of the saddle, Zhou Mangzhou unhooked and weighed it in his hand. It was heavy, its handle wrapped in a layer of iron with a rough surface that provided a solid, firm grip.
In the past, Zhou Mangzhou preferred riding crops that were delicate, lightweight, and flexible for quick maneuvering. This was the first time he had ever held a crop with such a strong military campaign style.
“Your Highness…”
“I’ll take this one,” Zhou Mangzhou said.
The stable master gave an apologetic, awkward chuckle, his aged face wrinkling up. “Your Highness, this particular horse was not among the tribute. It belongs to the Heir Apparent of Northern Suppression.”
Zhou Mangzhou paused in surprise. “It is his?”
“Yes.”
Zhou Mangzhou’s expression darkened slightly.
The stable master hurriedly chimed in, “Your Highness, please take a look at these other horses instead. They are also top-tier mounts.”
Zhou Mangzhou swept a cool glance over the other fine steeds. To be honest, they were indeed not inferior to the prized horse of the Northern Heir Apparent. Yet perhaps because Zhou Mangzhou had set his eyes on this black horse first, preconceived notions took root, and he felt deep down that this horse was the most breathtaking of all.
Only the most stunning person matched with the most stunning horse could be considered truly fitting.
Zhou Mangzhou declared, “I want this one.”
“Your Highness, this…”
“Lead it out. I am going to ride it.”
The stable master wore an expression of utter distress.
Growing angry, Zhou Mangzhou snapped his crop through the air with a sharp crack. “I did not say I was taking the Northern Heir Apparent’s horse for good! Since it is kept in the imperial stables, can this Prince not even ride it for a couple of laps?”
Let alone riding it for two laps, even if the little prince were to ride this horse straight into the Zichen Palace right now, not a single soul would dare to block his path.
Zhou Mangzhou got his wish. He raised both arms while the young eunuch used traditional sleeve ties to secure his cuffs tightly. Meanwhile, the stable master scurried over to fetch a mounting block, bowing eagerly, “Your Highness, please mount the horse.”
Instead, Zhou Mangzhou kicked the mounting block away with a single sweep of his foot. “I can mount by myself! I do not need such things!”
As a result, Zhou Mangzhou, who refused to admit that he was still a bit short, had to expend a tremendous amount of effort just to haul himself up onto the towering steed.
Once seated atop it, he felt as though the entire world lay beneath his feet. The view was magnificent, save for the fact that the stirrups were slightly out of reach. He pouted slightly, thinking that this Heir Apparent of Northern Suppression must be taller than him and possessed much longer legs.
Zhou Mangzhou consoled himself silently: It does not matter. I am only fifteen; I am still growing.
He pressed his thighs against the horse’s flanks, gathered the reins, and turned the horse’s head toward the riding arena.
This was his first time riding such a towering beast, and an unprecedented surge of excitement gripped him. He slowly rode a single lap, and feeling that he had already mastered the controls, he let down his guard and brought his crop down sharply across the horse’s rump. “Hyah!”
Little did he expect that while this beast was reasonably docile without punishment, the moment the whip struck, its wild, untamed nature flared to life. With a piercing neigh, it kicked up its hooves and bolted into a mad gallop!
Zhou Mangzhou was not entirely unaccustomed to breaking in fierce horses, so he did not panic at first. He pulled tightly on the reins and gave low, sharp commands, attempting to rein in the massive steed hailing from the northern mountain meadows.
The young eunuch and the stable master standing nearby were instantly frightened out of their wits. “Your Highness! Little Prince!”
The horse leapt wildly from side to side, charging forward uncontrollably. Because Zhou Mangzhou’s height did not quite match the massive frame of the black steed, he could not keep his feet firmly planted in the stirrups. He began to struggle, his ears filled with the deafening chorus of cicadas and horse cries, while his forehead broke out in a sheen of cold sweat.
Before long, Zhou Mangzhou was tossed violently from side to side, leaning far back one moment and collapsing flat against the horse’s neck the next. Despite exerting every ounce of strength in his legs, he could not make the frantic beast slow down by even the slightest fraction.
The stable master’s shrill voice pierced across the entire riding arena like a crowing rooster: “Someone come quickly! Save the Imperial Family! Save His Highness!”
“My imperial child?!”
The stable master turned deathly pale in an instant and collapsed heavily onto his knees. “Your… Your…”
The Empress had no leisure to mind a lowly stable master; she hurried forward with rapid strides. “My child!”
The Emperor was likewise seized by shock and fury. “What is going on?!”
The young eunuch had already fainted from fright long ago, while the stable master braced himself to stammer out an explanation. Yet right at that moment, a figure swept past him like a gust of wind, causing him to shiver violently.
Lifting his gaze, he saw a figure clad in silver-blue court robes dart forward. Casually snatching up a brown horse, the person vaulted onto its back with the swift grace of a falling shooting star, and immediately spurred the mount into a flying gallop.
Zhou Mangzhou vaguely heard the Empress calling out to him, but the rushing wind and the rapid pounding of hooves left him no spare moment to react.
A stubborn defiance welled up inside him. When the reins slipped from his grasp in the chaos and he could no longer catch them, he reached out and grabbed hold of the stiff mane along the black horse’s neck. That action proved disastrous, driving the horse into an even more frenzied and violent sprint.
Zhou Mangzhou felt as though his entire body was about to be shaken apart. Filled with both frustration and panic, he heard the black horse emit a long, piercing neigh as its front hooves reared high into the air, throwing him violently from the saddle.
He, the proud and noble prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, had fallen from his horse.
Zhou Mangzhou tumbled across the ground, though the fall did not hurt as much as he expected. Dizzy and disoriented, he rolled several times before coming to a complete stop, only then realizing with a daze that someone had caught him.
The person who caught him possessed a broad, sturdy chest, and exuded a comforting, pleasant scent reminiscent of snow.
His head was securely shielded by a large hand, pressed gently against that solid chest as if to protect him from the slightest harm.
Zhou Mangzhou heard the steady, powerful rhythm of that person’s heartbeat, beating slightly faster than normal.
“Little… Your Highness.” The man eased his grip on Zhou Mangzhou’s head. “Are you injured?”
Zhou Mangzhou stared in a daze at the face right before him. He had to admit that there truly existed someone in this world who looked even better than he did, and whose voice sounded impossibly pleasant as well.
That was his very first encounter with Shao Feng, and just like that, his heart and soul were completely captivated.
Zhou Mangzhou was speechless, his gaze suddenly freezing in place. There was a thin scratch across Shao Feng’s cheekbone.
It was a scrape inflicted by blades of grass when they had rolled together on the ground.
Yet Zhou Mangzhou himself remained completely unhurt.
Past dreams and present reality mirrored one another seamlessly.
Shao Yijue released Zhou Mangzhou, his gaze dropping downward. A thin, prominent scratch marred his cheekbone.
It was a cut caused by a flying shard of shattered crystal.
The same protective posture, the same wound. From ancient times to the present day, it was as though they had never changed at all.
Zhou Mangzhou felt as though he had been struck hard by a massive boulder, his soul trembling to its core. Even if he wanted to speak, no voice came out.
Shao Yijue’s jawline tightened. Being struck by a crystal chandelier weighing over five hundred pounds was no small matter, even for someone as physically resilient as him, especially having just been subjected to a fifty-thousand-volt electric shock.
“Mr. Shao!” The butler and servants cried out in a flurry of overlapping shouts, rushing forward to help lift the heavy crystal light fixture.
“There is no need,” Shao Yijue commanded in a cold, stern voice to stop them. Rather than letting people clumsily lift hundreds of pounds of dead weight without coordination, he preferred handling it himself with absolute control.
He raised one arm to steady the main ring of the crystal chandelier, braced his back against it, and lifted it upward by degrees. A cascading shower of crystal fragments crashed down with a loud, chiming clatter on either side of them.
Zhou Mangzhou watched as a patch of blood slowly seeped through the collar of Shao Yijue’s pristine white shirt. He had no idea what expression was currently on his face, but Shao Yijue paused and lowered his gaze toward him.
After two seconds of silence, he spoke in a low voice: “Don’t be afraid.”
Zhou Mangzhou could not hear him, yet it felt as though a gentle breeze brushed past his ear.
The wind of that summer had finally returned.