Chapter 5: A Chance Encounter

There is nothing more agonizing than being ravenously hungry yet unable to taste the delicious food before you. This was exactly how Li Po felt at that moment.

He was not a man of many passions, but his craving for good food was a habit he could never shake.

His life philosophy had long been set in stone.

Having numerous wives and concubines, living in grand mansions—these were the dreams of many seasoned soldiers.

But Li Po was different. As Commander Li Chengshun once said, this young man must be the reincarnation of a starving ghost. He could live without anything else, but when it came to food, he would never settle for less.

Since Li Po’s arrival at the military camp, the seasoned soldiers had been treated to some culinary delights. Outside of enduring rigorous physical training and practicing horseback archery and blade skills under the watchful eyes of the veterans, this half-grown boy spent most of his time experimenting with different ways to prepare food.

Imagine a young lad solemnly professing that people live to eat, and while many things could be overlooked, the food that enters the mouth must never be taken lightly—it must honor oneself. Can you picture such a scene?

Thus, the three old soldiers guessed that Li Po must have been born into a wealthy family. For ordinary folk, simply filling the belly would be a blessing; how could they possibly create such culinary variety?

Li Po paid no heed to such speculation and busied himself with tending to his own cravings.

Now, the scent of blood in the forest might soon attract wild beasts, yet he lingered stubbornly, simply because the meat roasting over the fire had not yet reached perfection.

Many had said this was Li Po’s most fatal flaw.

But he was stubborn in his belief that his passion was no different from others’: some liked music, some liked wealth, some liked sport, and he just liked good food. There was nothing wrong with that.

Like now, he had prepared for this meal for two days. Even if it cost him something, what did that matter?

Yet, in the end, he still couldn’t eat. The frustration in his heart was something few could truly understand.

The refugees had left, but the chaos was far from over, as if heaven itself were conspiring against Li Po, causing one incident after another to unfold that night.

A figure suddenly appeared in the darkness, striding boldly into the firelight.

Li Po stared at the roasting meat, helplessly stood up, gripped his knife tightly, and even angrily vowed in his heart to tear apart anyone disturbing his peace.

But as he straightened and looked at the newcomer, his pupils constricted.

He found it strange—after wandering these woods for days without seeing many people, suddenly all manner of strange creatures seemed to gather before him.

Under the firelight, the unexpected intruder revealed her face.

She was a young woman—more precisely, a young maiden.

She walked as if on a leisurely spring outing, but in the depths of the shadowy forest, she gave off an eerie, inexplicable aura.

Li Po watched her intently, growing increasingly uneasy as she casually approached the campfire, sat down without a care, picked up the golden roasted meat, wrinkled her delicate nose, and smiled with satisfaction before shamelessly beginning to feast on what had just been his.

The uninvited guest treated the host with utter disregard.

Yet Li Po, the host, gripped his knife tightly and slowly backed away, stopping only when his back touched an ancient tree.

He was certain there were others behind that tree, and he was equally sure the people surrounding him outnumbered the refugees from before.

The faint sounds told him these were agile and skilled individuals, hardly comparable to wandering refugees.

They were truly unwelcome guests.

The maiden’s attire made him want to turn and flee.

She was wrapped in thick fur, wore pointed leather boots, and a fur-lined round hat with two fluffy wolf tails hanging on either side.

Though her clothing bore the marks of trekking through the wilderness, it told Li Po she was a Turkic noblewoman—the fabled Turkic aristocracy.

Why such a noble Turkic lady would appear in this wild forest, Li Po would not ponder, for there was no use in doing so.

Those around her were likely her guards and attendants—a band of true warriors.

Li Po scanned the darkness, where many bows were surely aimed at him. He quickly calculated his chances and escape routes.

He thought this time he might truly have to pay with blood, maybe even his life, for his craving.

The maiden brought the roasted meat to her lips, delicately took a bite, appearing refined and picky, then her face lit up with joy as she devoured it heartily.

The forest was silent and still; not even the chirping of insects could be heard. Only the continuous howling of wolves echoed.

Beside the campfire, a girl with bright eyes like the moon ate with grease dripping from her mouth. Before long, she had stuffed a fat rabbit into her belly.

The maiden, still savoring the taste, licked her lips and let out a satisfied burp.

Only then did she casually beckon to Li Po as if calling a servant.

Li Po, of course, did not approach. Instead, in what he deemed the most genial tone, he smiled and said, “Full now? If you’re full, then be on your way...”

Immediately, the breathing sounds behind the tree grew heavy and rapid—a sign that an attack was imminent. Li Po tensed up.

The maiden blinked in surprise, then laughed—a truly beautiful smile, though Li Po lacked the mood to appreciate it.

“Your Chinese is quite good, and your cooking tastes fine, but your hospitality... hmm...”

Her Chinese was excellent, and her voice matched her beauty, melodious and captivating. But as she spoke, the smile faded, replaced by an eerie, imposing authority. Her tone grew cold and menacing.

“Why is it that when I come, I get a full meal, but when others come, they lose their lives? If you answer well, I might spare you; if not, hmph...”

Li Po was silent for a moment. When the maiden revealed a mocking smile, he finally said, “Wolves travel a thousand miles to eat meat. If you hadn’t brought so many with you, you wouldn’t have gotten any of this meat yourself.”

Silence returned to the forest, and the maiden’s expression flickered like the campfire’s light.

“Are you Han?”

Li Po nodded slightly. “Yes, Han.”

The maiden lazily waved her hand, and the forest rustled as many shadowy figures materialized like ghosts, gathering by the campfire. A figure also emerged from behind the tree, passing by Li Po as if he were invisible.

Li Po slowly relaxed his grip on the knife, murmuring to himself that he had narrowly escaped disaster—surviving a great calamity surely meant good fortune awaited.

With a whirl of thoughts, his movements were not slow. Like a nimble cat, he silently slipped into the darkness.

For Li Po, this was undoubtedly a strange and headless encounter in the forest. What he did not know was that the grand gates of the Guanlong aristocracy had quietly begun to open just a crack for him.