Love Lock

Chapter 155 Giving Her a Big Gift

Upon hearing this, Han Lei raised an eyebrow slightly.

How come Cao Xiong wasn't punished after all this?

Generals Su and Song, both from prominent families, were reprimanded instead. Could this indicate that Emperor Jing was intentionally suppressing these powerful families?

Before Han Lei could figure it out, a low chuckle came from the other table of drinkers.

Han Lei listened intently and heard one of them say, "It's being said that Princess Chang Le will be twenty-four years old in just over ten days. I wonder if it's true."

Another person, with a gossipy glint in their eyes, chimed in, "Of course it's true. Although we don't know Princess Chang Le's exact age, she's a well-known old maid in the capital."

"She's almost twenty-four, I'm afraid even a son born out of wedlock wouldn't want to marry her now," another person chimed in, their tone laced with sarcasm.

"I heard that the Marquis of Champion's family is as anxious as ants on a hot pan. The Marquis of Champion's wife is asking around to find a husband for Princess Chang Le, but who would be willing to marry a girl who is so old?"

Another person said with a smile, which made the others at the table burst into laughter.

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Han Lei's eyes.

Princess Chang Le is the daughter of the Marquis of Champion, and has a noble status. It is unexpected that she would become the subject of gossip among these people.

This news was undoubtedly a golden opportunity for her to get closer to the champion.

She took a small sip of the wine in her glass, secretly making plans in her mind.

Tomorrow, she needs to send someone to inquire about the specific situation of Cao Xiong and Princess Chang Le, so as to plan her next steps.

After a long day of travel and some drinking, Han Lei and the others returned to the inn, washed up briefly, and fell into a deep sleep. They didn't wake up until late the next day.

Han Lei's special effects makeup was quite complicated, and by the time she finally finished, it was already noon.

As they stepped out of the inn, the blazing sun made her squint.

Han Lei went back into the inn and asked the owner behind the counter.

"Excuse me, shopkeeper, how do I get to Lao Yi Lao Hot Pot Restaurant?"

The innkeeper warmly gave them directions and couldn't help but say a few more words.

"Lao Yi Lao Hot Pot is incredibly popular now. Everyone in Beijing knows it, even Tengyunlou can't compete with it. The taste is absolutely amazing! And the price isn't expensive either. My whole family goes there all the time."

Han Lei smiled. What she provided was authentic modern Sichuan hot pot broth. How could it not taste good? The Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers, and other spices in it were things that didn't exist in this era.

However, she was very satisfied with the hot pot restaurant's reputation in Beijing.

After thanking the innkeeper, Han Lei and her group headed straight for Lao Yi Lao Hot Pot Restaurant.

Turning a corner, Han Lei could see a long queue forming in front of the hot pot restaurant from afar.

The chubby Zhang Hanlin was standing at the door with a middle-aged man who was half his size, giving numbers to the waiting customers.

Han Lei walked over and gently patted Big Fatty's shoulder.

Big Fatty turned around and saw a chubby guy a size smaller than himself. He assumed the guy was a customer who had come to eat hot pot and greeted him warmly.

"Sir, how many of you are there? There are no seats available at the moment. Please line up and take a number."

Han Lei suppressed a laugh and said in a low voice, "Big Fatty, not bad! Business is pretty good."

Big Fat Head was taken aback. He carefully examined the unfamiliar chubby girl in front of him, and then looked at the several burly men behind her, feeling very puzzled.

Even though it was a complete stranger, the voice sounded strangely familiar to him.

Han Lei couldn't help but laugh when she saw that he still looked blank.

She glanced around cautiously, and only after confirming that no one was paying attention did she lower her voice and say, "Big Fatty, it's me, Han Lei."

The chubby man stared wide-eyed, still not understanding. Helpless, Han Lei could only add, "Zhao Zun's princess."

Big Fatty suddenly realized what was happening, slapped his forehead, and almost cried out.

He quickly covered his mouth, and although he didn't call out Han Lei's name, he was amused by Han Lei's appearance and burst out laughing.

Han Lei glared at him, annoyed, before he stopped laughing and asked, "Sister-in-law! Why...why do you look like this?"

"Keep your voice down." Han Lei put on a stern face and waved her hand. "Let's go inside first."

The fat man nodded quickly, turned around and gave a few instructions to the skinny man next to him, and then led Han Lei and her group around to the back of the hot pot restaurant.

As soon as they entered the backyard, the fat man couldn't wait to ask, "Sister-in-law, why did you suddenly come to the capital? Does Zhao Zun know?"

Han Lei waved her hand casually: "I just came back to check on my business in the capital, and I'd like to ask you to help me find out a few things."

Upon hearing this, the fat man immediately patted his chest and assured her, "Sister-in-law, just tell me what you need. As long as it's within my power, I'll definitely get it done for you!"

Han Lei nodded and glanced around the backyard.

The staff were busy greeting guests in the front, while the backyard was empty, perfect for a conversation.

She pointed to the open space in the center of the yard: "Let's set up a hot pot table here and talk while we eat."

Big Fatty immediately agreed and turned to prepare the hot pot ingredients.

When he returned, he was stunned to see a quartz hot pot table that had suddenly appeared in the yard.

"Wow! This table is so beautiful!" Big Fatty's eyes widened as he circled the table several times, finally reaching out to touch its smooth stone surface. "If our hot pot restaurant used tables like this, our business would definitely double!"

Han Lei's brothers behind her couldn't help but laugh when they saw this.

Big Fatty scratched his head, a little embarrassed: "Sister-in-law, where did you get this? This table must have been expensive."

Han Lei smiled without saying a word, simply gesturing for everyone to take their seats. Although the chubby guy was full of questions, seeing that Han Lei had no intention of explaining, he didn't dare to ask any more and could only obediently sit down.

The hot pot was served quickly, its red oil bubbling and its aroma filling the air.

This time, the brothers from the Big Character Team stared wide-eyed. It was the first time they had ever seen such a novel way of eating, and the first time they had ever smelled such a rich and tempting aroma.

Han Lei demonstrated for them, and the brothers began to enjoy their meal.

While simmering the meat slices in the hot pot, the fat man couldn't help but ask, "Sister-in-law, what exactly brought you to the capital this time? Is there anything I need to find out?"

Han Lei picked up a slice of beef, dipped it in the sauce, and began to speak slowly and deliberately.

"I wanted you to help me find out what Princess Chang Le's reputation is like in the capital." "Tch!" Upon hearing this, the fat man couldn't help but roll his eyes: "What reputation could she possibly have? The Su family members are all bullies who rely on their master's power; not one of them has a good reputation."

"How so?" Han Lei asked with a gossipy expression.

Big Fatty looked around and, seeing no one was coming, put down his chopsticks, moved closer to Han Lei, and whispered something in his ear.

"The Su family relies on the fact that an empress was born into the family. Therefore, although the Su family is not as wealthy as the Wei family among the four great families, its notoriety far surpasses that of the Wei family."

"Oh!"

Han Lei nodded slightly.

She could understand that. It's said that when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs rise to heaven; this was certainly more pronounced in ancient times with its strict hierarchical system.

However, the Su family's infamy has already surpassed that of the Wei family, the head of the four great families. Han Lei wondered if Fatty was exaggerating.
Big Fatty probably couldn't resist the temptation of the food. He picked up his chopsticks again after putting them down, took a piece of mutton and stuffed it into his mouth, and continued talking.

“You haven’t spent much time in the capital, so naturally you don’t know the evil deeds the Su family has committed over the years, but rumors are everywhere.”

The fat on Big Fatty's face trembled slightly as he spoke excitedly.

"Do you know that in order to seize the land, they beat several farmers to death who refused to move? Those people were just poor folks, making a living by clinging to a few acres of meager land, but the Su family didn't care whether they lived or died. They would kill people if they wanted to seize the land, and throw their bodies into a mass grave without even leaving them a grave! Alas!"

Big Fat Head sighed, his voice low and tinged with resentment.

Han Lei's fingers tightened slightly, her knuckles turning white. She looked up at the chubby man, her soft voice trembling slightly.

"Then...is no one in charge?"

"Mind your own business?" The fat man sneered, his thick lips curling into a sneer. "What kind of status does the Su family have? They have connections in the court and power in their hands. Who dares to interfere? The lives of those poor people are less than ants in their eyes!"

Han Lei's heart sank suddenly, as if it had been gripped tightly by something.

She lowered her head, looking at the tea in the cup that had long since gone cold, her pale face reflected on the surface.

The fat man continued, "And those prime shops, the Su family would snatch them up if they wanted them. So many small business owners in the capital were driven to ruin by them, and in the end, they could only leave the capital in disgrace. There was an old man who sold sugar figurines who refused to give up his shop, and the next day his leg was broken and he was left outside the city to fend for himself."

"Is there such a thing?"

Han Lei's breathing gradually became rapid, and her chest heaved.

This suddenly reminded her of Wei Dabao from Qingshui County. In his attempt to seize some treasure, he actually led a group of henchmen to forcibly enter the county magistrate's territory. He didn't even respect the county head, let alone ordinary people!

Thinking of this, Han Lei murmured, "These powerful families are truly lawless! Is there... no law at all?"

"The law?" The fat man sneered, his fat face jiggling. "The law applies to ordinary people, but to the powerful, it's just a decoration, their henchman. Which member of the Su family isn't a hypocrite? They pretend to be benevolent and righteous on the surface, but behind the scenes they do nothing but shady things!"

Han Lei clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.

Her voice was soft yet icy: "Is there anything else?"

Big Fatty assumed she wanted to hear gossip, glanced at her, and didn't notice her strange expression, so he continued talking.

"There's one more thing I heard—of course, this is just gossip I heard, so please don't take it seriously or spread it around."

Han Lei nodded solemnly: "Don't worry, I will never tell anyone."

Big Fat Head pointed upwards with his chubby finger and whispered.

"That woman from the Su family is incredibly ruthless in the palace. On the surface, she's dignified and virtuous, a model of imperial grace, but behind the scenes, she schemes to punish the concubines. Especially those pregnant with the emperor's child—they're a thorn in her side. Whenever any concubine announces pregnancy, it's not long before something 'accident' happens: either she inexplicably miscarries, or her child dies, and some concubines even lose their lives. Everyone in the palace knows this, but no one dares to say a word. So, all these years later, His Majesty only has one son and one daughter born to the Empress. Do you think this is just a coincidence? I doubt it. Her methods are probably far more insidious than we imagine..."

Han Lei frowned deeply.

She had met the Empress at the palace banquet last time. She seemed dignified and kind, but she never expected her to be so treacherous behind the scenes.

"What's most hateful is that, right under the emperor's nose, the Su family dared to embezzle soldiers' pay."

At this point, the chubby man cautiously looked around again, covered his lips with his plump hand, and lowered his voice even further.

"The Imperial Guards and the troops stationed in the capital are slightly better off, but the most pitiful are those soldiers far from the capital. Those soldiers are fighting desperately on the battlefield, but most of the Su family's sons are in the army. The military pay issued by the Ministry of War is embezzled by them at every level, and I've even heard that they try to siphon off the pensions of soldiers who died in battle."

"hiss!"

Han Lei gasped, and the image of Li Sao and her son begging in front of her with their broken bowls immediately flashed through her mind.

No wonder, when Sister Li said that after her husband died on the battlefield, the county government only gave her a mere ten taels of silver as compensation.

It turns out that all of this was done by the Su family.

A murderous glint flashed in Han Lei's eyes. She stood up abruptly, her voice as cold as ice.

"These people... they deserve to die!"

Big Fatty was startled by her sudden reaction, and the rest of the group of brothers who were enjoying their meal were also taken aback by her reaction, and they all looked up at Han Lei.

The fat man quickly lowered his voice and said, "Don't be impulsive! The Su family is powerful, and besides, other powerful families are involved in this matter. We can't afford to offend them."

Han Lei sneered, her eyes flashing with cold light.

"Can't afford to offend them? They don't value the lives of the poor, so should the people just swallow their anger and let them do evil?"

Big Fat Head opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just sighed.

"That's just how the world is. Even wealthy families like us can't afford to offend them. Ordinary people are lucky to even be alive, let alone dare to ask for anything else."

Han Lei didn't say anything more, but stared coldly at the bubbling red oil in the pot, her murderous intent growing stronger.

She used to think that the villains in those movies and TV shows were just fiction, but now, what she has seen and heard with her own eyes is a reality that is even more cruel than fiction.

“Big Fatty,” she suddenly spoke, her voice as cold as ice: “I heard that Princess Chang Le will be twenty-four years old in a little over ten days. Can you help me find out if her family is looking for someone to marry her off?”

Upon hearing this, the fat man's expression relaxed somewhat.

He put down his chopsticks and patted his chest with great satisfaction.

"That's easy. I have a lot of connections in the capital and I'm well-informed, so I can help you find out. But... sister-in-law, why are you asking about this? You're not still thinking of causing trouble for the Su family, are you?"

Han Lei didn't want him to worry, so she shook her head and changed the subject.

"No, I just want to give Princess Chang Le a big gift on her birthday. And then take this opportunity to promote the business of the mandarin duck hairpins."

Hearing that Han Lei wasn't recklessly trying to cause trouble for the Su family, Big Fatty finally felt relieved.

"Oh! That's good, that's good. I'll go and inquire for you later."