Love Lock

Chapter 164 What is this?

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and it was Princess Chang Le's twenty-fourth birthday.

As dawn broke, the Marquis of Champion's mansion was already brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. The two stone lions in front of the vermilion gate were adorned with red and colorful ornaments, and even the lanterns under the eaves had been replaced with gilded cloisonné lanterns.

Even when the sun was high in the sky, Han Lei was still dressed as a plump young master. She was wrapped in a black cloak and had been standing under a tree on the street corner for half an hour.

The binoculars in her hand gleamed coldly in the morning light, taking in all the activity in front of the Marquis's mansion.

"I see that Prime Minister Wei and his family have already gone inside," Han Lei said, looking at the scene ahead.

"Ok!"

The senior, dressed as a servant, leaned against the wall on the street corner and nodded slightly.

"A blue-draped carriage has arrived; judging by the decorations, it belongs to the family of the Vice Minister of Rites," she muttered softly, then suddenly straightened her back. "Look quickly at that sedan chair carried by eight men!"

Upon hearing this, the senior student took a half step closer and saw a bright yellow sedan chair slowly approaching, surrounded by Imperial Guards.

When the sedan curtain was lifted, Emperor Jing, dressed in a dragon-patterned robe, could be vaguely seen sitting inside.

"Even the imperial procession has been alerted."

Da Si clicked his tongue in astonishment, nearly dropping the brocade box in his arms. Han Lei pressed the box down with her hand; the sandalwood box, wrapped in silk, exuded a cool sensation, and inside were the carefully prepared congratulatory gifts.

Guests streamed into the Marquis's mansion, and as noon approached, the area in front of the mansion finally quieted down.

Han Lei put the binoculars into her sleeve, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the jade pendant in her bosom.

This jade pendant was the one she had tricked from Wei Dabao a few days ago. With this jade pendant by her side, Han Lei was indeed able to get along very well in the capital.

"Come on, it's our turn!"

Han Lei suddenly unfastened her black cloak, revealing a dark green brocade robe underneath, which made her look even more noble.

She strode forward, fanning herself with a folding fan, while the senior student followed closely behind, chest puffed out, holding the brocade box flat in both hands.

As soon as they reached the entrance of the Marquis's residence, they were stopped by the guards at the gate.

"stop!"

The guards at the vermilion gate blocked the way with their halberds, and the clanging of metal startled the sparrows under the eaves.

The dark-faced man at the head of the group sized them up: "Do you have an invitation?"

Han Lei coughed lightly, a perfect smile curving her lips, her tone generous and relaxed.

“The invitation is with my uncle.” She pointed to the brocade box that the senior was holding. “My uncle just sent me back to the mansion to get the congratulatory gift, which is why I was delayed.”

The guard's gaze lingered on the brocade box.

The box was embroidered with lotus scrolls in gold thread, and the clasp was made of two exquisitely carved jade cicadas. Such a style was indeed that of a wealthy family.

Who is your uncle?

“My uncle is Prime Minister Wei.” Han Lei calmly handed over the jade pendant. “My cousin Wei Chengchao should also be at the banquet with my uncle at this moment.”

Han Lei deliberately emphasized the words "Wei Chengchao," and sure enough, the guard's expression softened.

The dark-faced guard took the jade pendant and examined it carefully against the light. Prime Minister Wei frequently visited the residence, so they naturally recognized the Wei family's jade pendants.

Upon confirming that the jade pendant was genuine, the guard immediately returned it with both hands, a fawning smile on his face.

Everyone knows that Prime Minister Wei is the emperor's favorite; last year during the winter hunt, the emperor even personally draped a sable cloak over him.

As the guard stepped aside to make way, Han Lei noticed that cold sweat was seeping from the back of his neck.

As he crossed the threshold, the senior's boots accidentally scraped against the stone steps, and a metallic clanging sound came from the brocade box.

The guards looked up alertly, only to see the fat young master turn around and smile at them before turning his face down and scolding the servants.

"Be careful, or you'll get a beating if you break the South China Sea Pearl meant for the princess."

After passing the screen wall, the senior student finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Han Lei suddenly stopped, took out a piece of dried apricot from her spatial storage, and stuffed it into her mouth.

"Did you see the waist tag that the guard is wearing?" she said vaguely. "It's made of black iron and inlaid with a vermilion bird pattern. It seems that today's banquet is even more lively than we expected."

“I saw it.” Da Si nodded. “Even the Emperor has been alerted. All the guards here have probably been replaced by the Imperial Guard.”

Han Lei stroked her thick chin and earnestly instructed, "Yes! Be careful, and don't make any more mistakes."

"it is good!"

As a senior, I took a deep breath, still feeling a bit nervous.

He doesn't have Da Jiu's superb acting skills or his ability to adapt to changing circumstances. But Da Jiu can't be here today, and he has an honest-looking face, so Han Lei chose him.

Fortunately, Han Lei told him that he only needed to do what a servant should do, and the rest would be left to Han Lei.

Upon entering the Marquis's residence, the banquet had already begun.

The vast garden of the Marquis's mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and the air was filled with the fragrance of flowers.

Hundreds of black lacquered round tables were neatly arranged, and guests filled the air with the sounds of clinking glasses and toasts.

On the distant stage, a famous actor was performing a grand opera, but Han Lei couldn't understand what he was singing. She only noticed the flowing sleeves and melodious singing, which drew frequent glances from many female performers.

Ancient banquets differed from modern ones, emphasizing separate seating arrangements.

The women gathered on the east side of the garden, surrounded by jewels and jade, laughing and chatting.

The men were arranged on the west side according to their status and position, and they all talked loudly and drank freely.

Servants moved about, serving up exquisite dishes, and silver wine jugs gleamed in the sunlight.

Han Lei, ever the social butterfly, found an empty seat where many young people were gathered and sat down.

He shifted his obese body in the chair, deliberately making it creak, which caused the young men sitting next to him to frown slightly.

Han Lei, however, didn't seem to care at all, her eyes scanning around as if searching for something.

"This gentleman looks unfamiliar. May I ask which family you belong to?" a young man in a moon-white robe asked politely.

Han Lei withdrew his gaze, cupped his hands and smiled, "My surname is Wei, and I am Prime Minister Wei's nephew."

"So it's Young Master Wei!" the young man exclaimed in sudden realization. "I am Sun Mingcheng, son of Chief Clerk Sun of the Ministry of Justice. I've long admired you."

"Are you a young master from the Sun family?"

Han Lei looked him up and down. She thought to herself, "How come I always run into people from aristocratic families wherever I go?"

The man, however, was puzzled and nodded repeatedly, "That's right, that's right."

"I've heard so much about you." Han Lei cupped her hands in a perfunctory manner, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards the main table.

The Marquis of Champion and Prime Minister Wei sat with Emperor Jing in the head seat, chatting and laughing.

Meanwhile, on the women's side, the Lady of the Champion Marquis and Princess Chang Le were sitting at the head of the table with the Empress. Their eyes were on the young gentlemen, and they were whispering to each other.

Princess Chang Le sent someone to Yuanyangzhai yesterday to invite Yang Xiaomei to stay at her residence, and today she specially dressed up and made her up.

With the help of modern cosmetics and Yang Xiaomei's skillful styling, Princess Chang Le today wore a light pink gauze dress, her bright eyes and white teeth radiating brilliance, truly outshining all others.

"Brother Wei, what are you looking at so intently?"

Sun Mingcheng followed Han Lei's gaze and smiled knowingly:
"So they're here to see Princess Chang Le. Most of the young gentlemen here today are here for her."

Han Lei chuckled twice: "Brother Sun, you're joking. I just..."

“Oh, Brother Wei, there’s no need to explain.” Sun Mingcheng patted “him” on the shoulder.

"It's common knowledge that the Marquis of Champion's mansion is holding a banquet today to select a son-in-law. Look around us."

He pointed to the tables of well-dressed young people around him, lowered his voice, and said:
“They are all outstanding individuals. Although the princess is now… sigh! there are still people who want to climb up to the Marquis of Champion’s mansion.”

Han Lei listened absentmindedly, wanting to see which table the Zhang family was sitting at so she could remind them to leave early that day. But she didn't recognize almost anyone here, and the surrounding guests were all clinking glasses and laughing, so she didn't ask too many questions. She could only lower her head and eat, quietly waiting for her chance.

There were indeed many young gentlemen present today, each with an elegant demeanor, but their family backgrounds varied greatly.

As Sun Mingcheng said, although he knew that Princess Chang Le was an old maid, there were still young men who wanted to climb up to the Marquis of Champion's family.

The young men with such intentions would occasionally step forward to offer a toast, or find an opportunity to exchange a few words with the Marquis of Champion.

At this moment, one of the men at Han Lei's table, dressed in a blue brocade robe, spoke loudly.

"Gentlemen, today is a beautiful day, and with such a lovely lady as Princess Chang Le present, why don't we exchange poems? I've heard that the princess is most fond of poetry; if you have any good lines, perhaps you can win her favor!"

"Great idea!" everyone agreed.

Han Lei chuckled and shook her head.

She thought to herself: Power! It always attracts people like moths to a flame.

These young noblemen openly and mercilessly praised or criticized Princess Chang Le's age. But behind her back, they secretly longed to marry her and establish a marriage alliance with the Marquis's family.

How ridiculous!

Han Lei watched them compete in poetry with great interest. The young men's voices rose higher and higher, as if they were afraid of failing to attract Princess Chang Le's attention.

This round was themed "Spring," and everyone chimed in with their own comments, mostly clichés.

"Young Master Wei, hurry up! It's your turn." Sun Mingcheng nudged Han Lei with his elbow and urged her.

Han Lei wasn't interested in participating, but when it was her turn and she saw everyone's enthusiasm, she couldn't refuse.

Without thinking, she gave a perfunctory reply.

"Spring's beauty cannot be confined within the garden walls; a branch of red apricot blossoms peeks over the wall."

"What a wonderful poem!" Sun Mingcheng exclaimed, clapping his hands in admiration. "Brother Wei's two lines are fresh and refined, with profound meaning!"

"Uh……"

Is this what you mean by profound meaning?

Han Lei sighed, feeling like she'd learned this in elementary school. How could just a few sentences be enough to crush them?
The second round was themed around the "moon," and the young men at the table once again engaged in a fierce competition, but none of them produced any particularly outstanding lines.

When it was Han Lei's turn, she spoke immediately, but she only managed two sentences.

"Raise a glass to the bright moon and make three people in the shadows."

"Wonderful!"

This time, not only Sun Mingcheng, but everyone cheered in unison, "Brother Wei is truly talented!"

The lively scene of the young men here indeed attracted the attention of the female guests.

Lady Marquis of Champion turned her head and saw that it was Han Lei reciting poetry. She couldn't help but whisper to the Empress beside her, "Your Majesty, look at that Wei family boy. I didn't expect him to have some talent."

The Empress looked in the direction pointed out by the Lady of the Champion Marquis and nodded.

"Hmm! I didn't expect the Wei family to produce such a talented person. Perhaps he takes after Prime Minister Wei?"

Prime Minister Wei was once Emperor Jing's teacher and was extremely talented.

However, apart from Prime Minister Wei, almost all the other members of the Wei family were like Wei Chengchao—good-for-nothings, and it was rare to hear of any exceptionally talented individuals among them.

Lady Marquis looked at her daughter, Princess Chang Le, who outshone all others, and then glanced at Han Lei, who was plump and round in the distance. She couldn't help but sigh with a hint of regret.

"This kid has a sweet tongue and some talent, but... tsk, he's a bit ugly."

Princess Chang Le heard their discussion and curiously followed their gaze.

When she saw that it was Han Lei, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.

This unassuming chubby boy could actually compose such beautiful verses?

Han Lei was unaware that none of the dashing young men at the table had caught Princess Chang Le's eye, but this somewhat "ugly" chubby boy had actually gained her attention.

With the Emperor and Empress present, the guests were too reserved. Halfway through the banquet, the Emperor and Empress, wanting to give the younger generation a chance, left to return to their palace.

The older guests gradually left, and soon only a few young people remained, reciting poems and discussing life.

The champions, Mr. and Mrs. Hou, had already left their seats and moved to the sandalwood tea table under the pavilion, where they sat down and drank tea.

On the tea table, the delicate aroma of Da Hong Pao tea rose from the ceramic teacups, but the couple had no interest in tasting it.

Their gazes lingered on the elegantly dressed young men at the dining table.

Lady Marquis of Champion raised her round fan to half-cover her lips and whispered in her husband's ear: "Look at that child from the Zhang family, he's much more composed than last year."

The Marquis stroked his beard and nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to another young man in blue robes who was holding a fan and reciting poetry. The couple then began to comment on that young man.

The moment had finally arrived, and Han Lei smiled slightly.

She winked at the senior behind her, then straightened her brocade robe and walked towards the Marquis and his wife with a perfectly timed smile.

"Auntie, are you well?"

Han Lei called out affectionately from five steps away, her voice clear yet polite.

When the Marquis's wife looked up and saw "him," the smile lines at the corners of her eyes deepened.

“Young Master Wei has arrived at just the right time,” said the Lady of the Champion Marquis, gently patting the empty seat beside her with her round fan. “Come and sit down quickly.”

Then, he turned to look at the Marquis of Champion. “My lord, this is the young master of the Wei family that I often mention.”

Champion Hou's gaze fell on Han Lei, looking her up and down.

Han Lei immediately smiled and bowed, saying, "This nephew greets Uncle."

Han Lei was courteous yet not overly reserved, striking the perfect balance.

"That was the first time I'd seen you recite poetry. I never imagined you were not only so eloquent but also so talented in poetry," Lady Marquis of Champion praised with a smile.

Han Lei waved her hand modestly: "Auntie, please don't make fun of your nephew. I was just playing with them casually."

Amidst the fragrant aroma of tea, Han Lei exchanged a few pleasantries with them, and a maidservant came over to serve her freshly brewed Da Hong Pao tea.

Han Lei took the teacup offered by the maid but did not drink it. Instead, she gestured for Da Si to present the brocade box.

Da Si placed the two brocade boxes side by side on the tea table and then pretended to lightly dust them off.

Both brocade boxes were made of the finest Shu brocade, with silver-edged edges that shimmered in the sunlight, clearly indicating their high value.

"You rascal," Lady Marquis of Champion glared at Han Lei as if scolding him, "I told you that day, you're already here, why bother spending money?"

Han Lei chuckled and said, "Auntie, you're being too polite with me, but how could I come empty-handed? Besides, the gift I'm giving isn't particularly valuable; it's just that it's rare."

"Oh?"

"Is its value due to its rarity?"

Upon hearing that the gift was very rare, the Champion Hou couple's eyes lit up. They were eager to see just how rare Han Lei's gift was.

Seeing the expectant looks on the couple's faces, Han Lei slowly opened the first brocade box.

Inside the brocade box, ten military-green hand grenades were neatly arranged on a scarlet velvet cloth.

Each grenade is no bigger than the palm of your hand, perfectly round, and exquisitely crafted.

"Huh? What is this? It's so exquisite."

The couple, the champion and his wife, leaned forward simultaneously, their eyes falling on the rows of hand grenades.

The Marquis picked one up and examined it closely. He saw that the grenade was entirely military green, with squares raised on its oval shape, and a delicate silver ring at the top.

"This is……"

Champion Hou raised his thick eyebrows slightly, his eyes sparkling with curiosity as he looked at Han Lei.