Love Lock

Chapter 116 How heartbroken he must be!
For the sake of the stability of the Great Jing Dynasty, Zhao Zun went on expeditions time and time again, and made outstanding military achievements time and time again.

However, as the saying goes, "when the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away." When the court no longer needed him, it did not hesitate to strip him of his military power and leave him to live in retirement.

Now, the Turks have invaded the border, but the court has remembered his bravery and loyalty and has appointed him as the vanguard to resist the foreign enemy.

This is an insult and trampling on heroes!

From the North Gate of Cangzhou to the capital, and then back to Cangzhou.

In the past, bound by feudal imperial power and misunderstood by feudal customs regarding "loyalty and filial piety," she had always advised Zhao Zun to yield and be patient.

But now, she neither wants to nor is willing to endure it anymore.

Because, they had reached their limit.

She is going to find Zhao Zun now and tell him one thing, and also tell everyone in this era, that is—loyalty must be judged by whether the other person is worth it.

"Auntie, Ling'er, don't worry. I'll go find Zhao Zun right away. He'll be fine."

Han Lei clenched her fists, her hatred surging, her eyes flashing with an unprecedented determination.

"Lei'er, what are you doing?" The old lady was startled upon hearing this and quickly grabbed Han Lei's arm. "You can't go. The battlefield is a dangerous place, not a place for a young lady like you!"

"That's right! Sister Han Lei, Mother has already worried herself sick over Brother. You can't make us worry about you anymore!" Zhao Ling'er also urged anxiously.

Only Pingchuan, upon hearing that Han Lei was going to personally go to find the prince, immediately brightened up with joy and became full of energy again.

He knew exactly how capable Han Lei was.

"Miss Han, I will accompany you."

As soon as Pingchuan finished speaking, the other two guards who had stayed behind to protect the old lady also stepped forward excitedly.

"Miss Han, we'll go with you too."

"Yes, we'll join too."

They had long heard Pingchuan and Xiao Zhengfei boast about how amazing Han Lei was at saving the prince last time, but they hadn't had the chance to witness it for themselves yet, so how could they possibly miss this opportunity!

Seeing that they not only did not stop Han Lei, but also said they wanted to go with her, the old lady thought they were encouraging Han Lei, and quickly reprimanded them.

"You're all being ridiculous. None of you are allowed to go."

Is the battlefield a game?
With Zhao Zun and his companions facing an uncertain future, the old lady was already deeply grieving. This angry rebuke only made her heart ache even more, and she gently touched her chest with her hand.

Just as Han Lei was about to speak to comfort the old lady, Pingchuan cheerfully spoke first.

"Madam, please rest assured. As long as Miss Han goes, the Prince and the others will be safe."

"Why?"

The old lady looked at Pingchuan in confusion. How could he still laugh?
To avoid worrying his family, Zhao Zun never mentioned the details of his ambush after returning to the capital.

Therefore, the old lady and the others did not know exactly how Han Lei saved Zhao Zun.

Hearing Pingchuan say that, Han Lei smiled too.

"Auntie, Ling'er. I don't have time to explain to you now. But I promise you, I will bring Zhao Zun and the others back safely."

"What the hell..."

The old lady wanted to say something more, but Han Lei stopped looking at her and turned to look at the two guards.

"The situation is critical, and you two must stay here. Firstly, to protect the Prince's family here, and secondly, I have something I need you to do."

Han Lei's expression was serious. As she spoke, she took out the Love Lock from her bosom and showed it to the two guards.

She couldn't care less about anything else and could only use this emerald green ring-shaped jade pendant as a universal token once again.

"This is a token given to me by the Prince. The Prince said that seeing the token is the same as seeing the Prince. Now, Tan Tou stays behind to protect the old lady and the others. Lao Meng, you go to Qingshui County immediately and tell them it's the Prince's order. Tell Magistrate Luo to quickly send men to guard all the roads from Cangzhou to the capital, block all news from Cangzhou, and not allow any letters to be sent out. Remember, any letters, including carrier pigeons in the sky."

Han Lei quickly issued the order, but Tan Tou and Lao Meng exchanged a glance, and then looked at their personal guard deputy commander Ping Chuan.

Having served the prince for so long, they had never seen any of his tokens, so they didn't know whether they should carry out Han Lei's orders.

Pingchuan frowned. "Why are you looking at me? If you want the prince to be safe and sound, then hurry up and do as Miss Han says!"

Pingchuan knew about the Love Lock and also knew Han Lei's position in his master's heart. Seeing Han Lei's serious expression, he believed that Han Lei wouldn't speak without reason at such a crucial moment.

"Yes!"

Old Meng straightened his chest, accepted the order, and quickly turned to the stable to fetch the horse.

Han Lei said no more and turned to give instructions to Pingchuan.

"Pingchuan, time is of the essence. Go and make preparations quickly. We need to go to Yong'an City to find Zhao Zun immediately!"

"Yes! I obey my orders."

Pingchuan nodded excitedly and ran to his room, while Han Lei hurriedly went to Zhao Ling'er's room.

Soon, Pingchuan and Han Lei returned to the spacious courtyard.

The dim light of the lanterns shone on the bluestone slabs, illuminating the two resolute figures.

Pingchuan donned his armor, which gleamed with a cold, sharp light, while Han Lei changed into a camouflage combat uniform, her face now painted with face paint.

The two met in the garden, looked at each other, and smiled.

The old lady, Zhao Ling'er, and all the servants in the courtyard stared wide-eyed at Han Lei, as if they didn't know her at all.

Han Lei's demeanor changed drastically after changing into military uniform. Her usual charming and sweet appearance was instantly replaced by an indescribable heroic spirit and decisiveness.

After instructing Zhao Ling'er to make sure Li Sao and Shiwu were settled, Han Lei didn't say anything more and walked out the gate with Pingchuan.

Under the shocked gazes of everyone, Han Lei bought a three-wheeled motorcycle with a full tank of gas from the system and placed it on the open ground in front of the door.

This is Cangzhou, and Zhao Zun is its king. Therefore, Han Lei didn't intend to hide it any longer and simply took it out openly.

It is at least 600 to 700 kilometers away from Yong'an City. Ancient roads were rugged and bumpy, and some places were even narrow and difficult to travel. Riding a motorcycle was much faster than an ambulance.

To make long journeys in Pingchuan more comfortable, Han Lei's first choice was a sidecar motorcycle.

Although it was already late at night, lanterns were hanging on the gate of the mansion, and the people who came out could still clearly see that a sidecar made of fine iron had inexplicably appeared in the open space in front of the gate.

They didn't know what it was, but that didn't stop their eyes from widening even more.

The expressions on everyone's faces could no longer be described as disbelief; they were downright shocked and stunned.

Tan Tou swallowed hard and couldn't resist going forward to stroke the exquisite body of the sidecar.

At this moment, the scene that Xiao Zhengfei had been boasting about finally came to life. But he still couldn't imagine just how amazing Han Lei really was.

"Carbonhead, move aside. We'll let you touch me as much as you want when we get back."

Han Lei slapped Tan Tou's hand away and then pointed to the sidecar next to the motorcycle.

"Pingchuan, get in the car."

"Hey! Okay!"

Pingchuan stepped into the trailer, his excitement evident on his face. He even smugly gestured with his chin towards Tantou, who rolled his eyes at him. Han Lei tightened her leather gloves and simultaneously mounted the motorcycle. The moment she put on her helmet, her gaze was firm and resolute.

Han Lei instructed Pingchuan to give directions, and amidst the shocked and worried gazes of the crowd, the two sped off on their motorcycles...

………This is a lazy dividing line………

As dawn broke, the ancient city walls appeared and disappeared in the thin mist.

Yong'an City, this ancient border town, is currently shrouded in a tense and solemn atmosphere.

On the battle-scarred city walls, banners fluttered in the wind, as if telling of the impending storm.

Beneath the city walls, the soldiers of Yong'an City bustled about, sharpening their weapons and reinforcing their defenses. Every face was filled with solemnity and determination.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, a chaotic sound of hooves approached from afar, and a figure clad in silver armor suddenly appeared on horseback, drawing considerable attention.

He was tall and imposing, with a resolute face and sharp eyes. He was none other than Zhao Zun, the former Grand Marshal who had once intimidated enemy nations.

However, Zhao Zun did not appear as a marshal at this time, but as a vanguard to assist in the battle.

This news was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly causing a huge uproar in the military camp.

"Commander Zhao! How is this possible? How could you possibly be the vanguard?"

"A soldier who had followed Zhao Zun in his campaigns across the country exclaimed in surprise, his eyes filled with disbelief."

“Yes, Commander Zhao, you are our pillar of strength. How can we let you go to the front line in person?” another soldier frowned and echoed.

"Who gave this order? This is utterly absurd!"

"It's just too much of a lie."

……

Zhao Zun's arrival seemed to ignite the anger and resentment in the hearts of the soldiers.

They gathered around, expressing their dissatisfaction and indignation at Zhao Zun's plight.

Especially Zhao Zun's best friend, that playboy Hua Tianyou, was so angry that his face turned ashen and his eyes seemed to be spitting fire.

"Damn it, this is outrageous! How dare they make a marshal suffer such humiliation!"

Hua Tianyou roared, his voice echoing through the military camp like thunder.

"Don't overthink it. I came here voluntarily to help out." Zhao Zun patted Hua Tianyou on the shoulder, indicating that he was alright.

At this moment, the military doctor, Old He, squeezed forward, took Zhao Zun's hand, and looked up at him as if he were looking at his own son.

Having witnessed decades of ups and downs, the old man now had two lines of tears silently sliding down his weathered face.

"Marshal, why are you doing this to yourself? Why do you have to risk your life like this?"

Zhao Zun smiled, but his smile was bitter.

"Don't worry, Old He. I'm tough. I've survived all these years of war, and I'll be fine this time too. I'm even looking forward to having a drink with you after the war!"

Upon hearing this, Old He's heart was filled with endless sorrow and heartache.

Back then, Zhao Zun's father was also a renowned general, famous for his military exploits and whose name is etched in history. Now, Zhao Zun has also achieved remarkable military exploits, so why is His Majesty treating him this way?

"If the old marshal were alive, how heartbroken he would be to see his son, so brave, yet suffering such injustice!"

Old He muttered to himself, his voice filled with unconcealed sorrow.

He believed that with Zhao Zun's chivalrous spirit, he would definitely volunteer to help the battle as soon as he heard that 200,000 troops were pressing in. But who in the military camp didn't know the intricacies behind this?

On the battlefield, who isn't risking their life for a better future and a better reputation? To fight your way up from marshal to vanguard—if others don't know, how awful would that reputation sound if it got out?

Let alone Zhao Zun, the person involved, even they, the lowly soldiers, felt disheartened!

So, although Zhao Zun spoke lightly, he knew that Zhao Zun was also feeling wronged and helpless.

Zhao Zun gently patted Old He's shoulder.

Facing Old He, who had watched him grow up in the military camp and was like a loving father to him, he wanted to speak, but his nose tingled and he couldn't say anything. He could only blink his reddened eyes and turn his face away.

Seeing these long-lost brothers was like seeing family members with whom he had spent every day.

At that moment, his grievances intensified, but faced with his brothers' words of concern, he felt more warmth and camaraderie.

These soldiers were his brothers, his strongest support. But faced with the current predicament and crisis in Yong'an City, he could not let these emotions cloud his judgment.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and then slowly began to speak.

"Brothers, I know you're all standing up for me, and I'm very grateful for your concern and trust. But with a formidable enemy at hand, we should focus on repelling them and not let these personal emotions affect the overall situation."

Zhao Zun sniffed, then resumed his aloof and dignified demeanor. His gaze swept over everyone present, as if silently conveying a kind of power.

Zhao Zun continued, "Dajing is our home, and Cangzhou is also our home. No matter what grievances I, Zhao Zun, have suffered, we should put those aside and protect our home first."

Zhao Zun's eyes were slightly red, but no tears fell.

Through his actions and words, he demonstrated to his soldiers the responsibility and magnanimity that a true leader should possess.

This is also why, despite Cao Xiong's long tenure, the soldiers have never truly been loyal to him; he lacks Zhao Zun's magnanimity and courage.

"The Marshal is right! With a formidable enemy at hand, we should repel them first."

A soldier shouted loudly, his voice full of power.

"Yes! We must fight bravely for the sake of Dajing and our homeland!"

Another soldier echoed loudly, his eyes also gleaming with determination.

"Yes! Fight bravely against the enemy!"

"Fight bravely against the enemy."

……

The atmosphere in Yong'an City was heavy and tense. News of the Turkic army's advance had swept through the city like a whirlwind, and the people were filled with fear.

With the arrival of Marshal Zhao, whom they had always followed, they felt emboldened.

No matter how many enemy troops came, as long as Zhao Zun was there, they could see hope and remained steadfast in their resolve.

Inspired by Zhao Zun, the soldiers gradually calmed down and began to leave, focusing more intently on their preparations for battle.

As the soldiers gradually dispersed, Ma Cheng, the former garrison commander of Yong'an City who had been silently standing outside the crowd, finally walked up to Zhao Zun with a determined look in his eyes.

He knelt on one knee, his voice strong and clear.

"Your Highness, Centurion Ma Cheng requests permission to join your vanguard and fight alongside you on the front lines."

Please leave your valuable footprints.

(End of this chapter)