Love Lock

Chapter 165 Indeed... I'm getting old.
Knowing you would ask, Han Lei raised an eyebrow and smiled without answering.

She picked up a "grenade" by herself, hooked her index finger around the silver ring and gently pulled it, making a soft "pop" sound.

She presented the activated "grenade" to the Marquis of Champion with both hands.

"Auntie, please try this. This is a new sauce-flavored liquor that my father recently acquired. It's even rarer than the Drunken Immortal Wine."

"A type of Maotai-flavor liquor?"

This was the first time the Marquis of Champion had heard of such a name. She took the opened grenade and immediately smelled an unprecedentedly rich aroma of liquor, mixed with the fragrance of caramel and roasted grains.

She couldn't help but exchange a surprised glance with the champion.

Seeing that the two were in high spirits, Han Lei then revealed the speech she had prepared beforehand.

"Zui Xian Niang is a strong aroma type, which emphasizes the rich cellar aroma, with layers of grain aroma, yeast aroma, and floral and fruit aroma. This sauce aroma type... highlights the fusion of sauce aroma, burnt aroma, aged aroma and fermented black bean aroma, with a mellow and delicate taste, a balanced acidity and bitterness, and a long aftertaste."

The couple, the champions, were completely bewildered by this string of technical terms.

Champion Hou also smelled the aroma of the wine wafting from the bottle, and even couldn't help but sniff it.

Sure enough, the aroma was first sweet like caramel, then it revealed a mellowness similar to aged Pu'er tea, and finally, there was a faint hint of fermented black bean sauce, layer upon layer, which was amazing.

As Han Lei spoke, she opened another bottle, the clear liquid gently swirling in the grenade-shaped bottle.

Han Lei respectfully presented the opened bottle of wine to the champion, and continued to boast.

"The brewing process of this wine is extremely complex, requiring two rounds of feeding, nine rounds of steaming and cooking, eight rounds of fermentation, and seven rounds of distillation. It takes a full year to complete, and when it is released to the market, its price will likely far exceed that of Drunken Immortal Wine."

As Han Lei spoke, she opened the third bottle, then picked up the "grenade" and took a small sip, squinting her eyes with a look of ecstasy.

Ah! It smells so good!

Champion Hou swallowed hard, unable to contain himself any longer. He imitated Han Lei and took a small bite.

The moment the wine enters your mouth, you first feel its silky smoothness, followed by a complex flavor that unfolds on your tongue, and finally a long, lingering sweetness that rises from your throat.

As a high-ranking official, the champion is naturally an expert in wine tasting.

He had just taken a sip when he couldn't help but slap the tea table, making the teacup rattle softly.

"This wine is wonderful! It would be worth a hundred taels of silver per jar."

Champion Hou didn't understand what strong aroma or soy sauce aroma meant. However, he knew very well about Zui Xian Niang.

In the capital, a jar of Drunken Immortal Wine has been sold for fifty taels of silver. Although it's not exactly hard to find, it's frequently out of stock.

Based on his many years of drinking experience, he judged that once this wine was released, its price would definitely skyrocket, no less than that of Zuixianniang.

Seeing that the champion Hou gave the wine such a high evaluation, Han Lei pushed the brocade box forward at the right time.

"This wine is extremely difficult to brew, and I didn't bring much with me on this trip to the capital. I brought some for my uncles to taste. These two boxes contain a total of twenty bottles, which are a gift for you and my aunt. I hope you will accept them with pleasure."

"Hehehe, you little rascal, you've really thought things through. Since it's your filial piety, I'll accept it."

Champion Hou smiled and nodded, accepting Han Lei's gift of fine wine.

The Marquis's wife stroked the raised squares on the "grenade" with obvious delight. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she beckoned to Han Lei.

As Han Lei leaned closer, she lowered her voice and said, "You're being so attentive, could it be...?"

Lady Champion, her fan half-covering her red lips, glanced at Princess Chang Le, who was talking with the young ladies in the garden. "Have you taken a fancy to my Chang Le girl?"

"cough!"

Upon hearing this, Han Lei nearly choked on her tea, and her thick earlobes instantly turned crimson.

Does she look like she's being very attentive in that way?
Han Lei's lips twitched. She turned halfway around awkwardly, inwardly cursing the champion's wife for not playing by the rules and randomly matchmaking people.

But when she turned back, she had already adjusted her expression, pretending that the Marquis of Champion's wife had seen through her secret, and looked embarrassed.

"Uh... Auntie... there are some things you should know, but please don't tell anyone!"

"Hahaha! This kid knows how to be shy!"

Upon seeing this, the champion laughed loudly, his hand touching the teacup on the table, almost knocking it over.

The senior students standing to the side almost burst out laughing at Han Lei's antics.

Fortunately, the Champion Hou couple's attention wasn't on the senior. He was able to raise his hand in time to pretend to wipe his nose, covering his tightly bitten lower lip with his hand.

The more the Marquis's wife looked at the chubby young man, the more pleasing he seemed to her, and she gently patted Han Lei's hand.

"Don't worry! I'll talk to Chang Le about it for you later."

She deliberately drew out the word "said," making her meaning all too clear.

"Hehe." Han Lei chuckled twice and followed up with, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Auntie."

The champion's wife felt that she had indeed guessed Han Lei's thoughts correctly, and smiled in a particularly meaningful way.

Han Lei quickly changed the subject, her gaze turning to Champion Hou.

"Uncle, I forgot to tell you. This sauce-flavored liquor is different from the Drunken Immortal Brew in one way."

"Oh? What's the difference?" Champion Marquis asked with an expression of eager listening.

Han Lei said in a serious tone, "Drunken Immortal Brew gets better with age, but this sauce-flavored liquor cannot be stored for long. It must be consumed within two months of brewing. Otherwise, it will evaporate and turn into water."

"Huh? Why is that?"

The champion was astonished. He had been drinking wine for so many years, but this was the first time he had ever heard of such a magical wine.

"I don't know." Han Lei shook her head, her answer straightforward yet helpless. "We use these bottles to store wine in order to extend its shelf life, but the effect is not obvious."

"Oh I got it."

Champion Hou nodded, deeply agreeing.

“Uncle, I have been in the capital for over a month now. This fine wine will turn to water in a few days. There is not much left, so please don’t give it away. Enjoy it with your family tonight! Next time I come to the capital, I will definitely bring you and your wife more.”

Han Lei spoke solemnly, and the champion Hou couple listened attentively.

"Good! Young man of the Wei family, you've put your heart into this." The Marquis of Champion patted Han Lei's plump shoulder with satisfaction: "After the banquet, I will gather my family to enjoy it together."

Han Lei gave the Marquis of Champion a knowing look, and said respectfully, "Hehe! Of course, of course. If the Princess is interested, wouldn't we be family from now on?"

The senior student, who had just managed to hold back his laughter, was now watching Han Lei continue her serious nonsense, and his lips were practically twitching from trying to suppress his laughter.

The generous gift had already been given, and Han Lei didn't want to stay here any longer, lest something unexpected happen.

She chatted idly with the couple for a while, then subtly reminded them to enjoy the fine wine that evening before making an excuse to leave the Marquis's residence...

Night falls quietly.

On a summer night, a cool breeze blows, stars twinkle, and the sky is serene and vast.

Han Lei and the senior students sat quietly on the glazed tile roof of Tengyun Tower, the night breeze brushing against their hair and bringing a touch of coolness.

The lights in the distance twinkled like stars, outlining the bustling cityscape of the capital.

Besides the imperial palace, Tengyun Tower is the tallest and most iconic building in the capital.

From here, one can see the entire city of Beijing, its streets and houses spread out before them, like a slowly unfolding scroll painting.

Han Lei adjusted the binoculars in her hand; the telescope tube gleamed faintly in the moonlight.

Her gaze pierced through the glasses and landed on the distant Marquis of Champion's residence.

The banquet in the mansion had long since ended, leaving only the busy figures of the servants, who carried lanterns and moved back and forth in the courtyard, tidying up and cleaning.

However, the masters of the Marquis's mansion were nowhere to be seen, presumably having returned to the inner courtyard to rest. Da Si turned his head to look at Han Lei, his eyes filled with admiration. The night breeze gently caressed his cheek, but it could not quell the curiosity in his heart.

“Young lady,” he asked in a low voice, a hint of excitement in his tone, “how can you be so sure that the gift will be delivered successfully?”

Han Lei's lips curled up slightly, and a sly glint flashed in her eyes.

She put down the binoculars, her fingertips gently stroking the lens barrel, as if recalling the scenes of the day.

"I call this catering to their preferences," Han Lei said softly, her tone brimming with confidence.

"Before giving the gift, I did my homework. I asked Big Fatty about the preferences of the Marquis of Champion's family, and he said that the Marquis of Champion likes to drink."

"So, you came up with the idea of ​​sending wine?"

"Yes!" Han Lei nodded. "Yang Haibo also said that Champion Hou is a regular customer of Zuixian Winery. He was afraid that Zuixian wine would run out of stock, so he spent a lot of money to buy back a large amount of Zuixian wine to store at home and enjoy it slowly."

"Oh!" The senior student suddenly realized, his eyes lighting up.

He couldn't help but press further: "Then how can you be so sure that the Champion Marquis will be drinking that wine with his family tonight?"

Han Lei giggled, her sweet laughter as clear and melodious as silver bells, especially pleasant to the ear in the night sky.

She turned her head, and the moonlight shone on her profile, revealing a playful expression.

"Isn't this simple?"

Han Lei blinked and asked in return, "If you finally managed to get a string of copper coins, but someone told you that starting tomorrow, copper coins would no longer be valid in the market, and only silver could be used for transactions, what would you do?"

Without a second thought, the senior replied, "Of course! I'll definitely spend all those copper coins today!"

"Hehe, then that's settled!" Han Lei chuckled and shrugged, the night breeze ruffling her clothes, making her appear exceptionally carefree.

She raised the binoculars again, her gaze once more fixed on the direction of the Marquis of Champion's residence, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

It took him a while to fully understand. He slapped his forehead, a look of sudden realization on his face.

However, he asked with some concern, "Then... I'm just saying, what if, what if they forget to drink tonight?"

Han Lei withdrew her gaze from the binoculars and glanced sideways at the senior. She thought to herself: This senior is indeed not as clever as the junior.

She pulled out a detonation remote control from her spatial storage and waved it in front of the senior student.

"Don't worry! I have a backup plan."

She had prepared a backup plan long ago, designing a hidden compartment under both brocade boxes, where explosives were placed.

The senior didn't know what Han Lei was holding, but he was relieved to hear it was a backup plan.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "Girl, you're amazing!" His voice was full of admiration as he gazed intently at Han Lei. "No wonder the Prince likes you; you really do look just like him."

"Oh? How do you say that?"

Upon hearing this, Han Lei turned her head slightly, a hint of curiosity appearing in her eyes.

Her fingers, gripping the binoculars, unconsciously twirled a stray strand of hair, which was gently lifted by the night breeze.

The senior student said earnestly, "The prince is just like you. He likes to plan before every major battle, and his plans are always flawless."

The senior student had genuine admiration for Han Lei and Zhao Zun; his words seemed to state an indisputable fact.

Upon hearing this, Han Lei's smile deepened.

The two chatted idly on the roof of Tengyun Tower, while the main hall of the Marquis of Champion's mansion was brightly lit.

Champion Hou had already called his entire family into the hall. His parents, son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, and other family members filled a large table, ready to enjoy the fine wine that Han Lei had gifted them.

However, before that, they need to summarize today's birthday banquet and ask Princess Chang Le what she gained from the banquet.

Exquisite tea snacks were laid out on the sandalwood round table, and the aroma of tea filled the air.

Champion Hou Suzhen sat upright in the main seat, his dignified face showing a hint of worry.

Lady Marquis of Champion had changed into a crimson brocade robe and was personally pouring tea for everyone, her brows furrowed with deep sorrow.

Princess Chang Le also changed into a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). At this moment, under the watchful eyes of her family, she lowered her head and played with the teacup in front of her.

In the candlelight, her beautiful face appeared even paler. Her sister-in-law, Wang, sitting beside her, hesitated several times before finally sighing softly and pushing a peeled tangerine towards her.

"Chang Le!"

The Marquis's wife put down the teapot, her voice gentle yet firm.

"Among the young gentlemen at today's birthday banquet, is there anyone you fancy? The son of the Vice Minister of War is exceptionally skilled in martial arts, and the eldest grandson of the Minister of Rites is remarkably talented in literature..."

Before the words were finished, the youngest son of the Su family, sitting at the last seat, suddenly interjected, "If you ask me, the second young master of the Zhennan General's family is the most worthy of my sister! He won first place in the archery competition last time!"

"shut up!"

Champion Hou Suzhen shouted sharply, startling the boy who immediately shrank back.

The old lady tapped her sandalwood cane lightly on the ground, her full head of silver hair gleaming softly in the candlelight: "Changle, your grandmother knows you have someone you love. But that Prince of Cangzhou..."

“Grandmother!” Chang Le looked up abruptly, her eyes welling up with tears, “Zhao Zun, he…”

"Foolish!" The old lady suddenly raised her voice, "His Majesty has already bestowed a princess upon Zhao Zun. You are a princess, do you intend to share a husband with that lowly woman from a remote and impoverished place?"

Princess Chang Le's eyes glistened with tears. Faced with the old lady's scolding, she dared not argue back and could only bite her lip in silence.

Seeing that Princess Chang Le's sister-in-law, Madam Wang, was completely unmoved by reason, she also tried to persuade her.

"Chang Le, you're already twenty-four this year. Are you going to wait until you're old and faded? In another two years, even those young masters who want to marry into the Marquis's family will probably be married with children. You can wait, but they can't!"

Wang's words were like a sharp sword, piercing Princess Chang Le's heart and silencing the entire hall.

Chang Le's slender shoulders trembled slightly, and the surface of the teacup rippled.

She recalled the last time she went to Cangzhou alone, only to be met with Zhao Zun's cold and indifferent treatment, and her heart couldn't help but ache.

Time waits for no one. This waiting is pointless; she and Zhao Zun are destined to be apart.

“Sister-in-law is right.” Princess Chang Le suddenly chuckled, her smile filled with deep sorrow: “Chang Le is indeed… getting old.”

At this moment, the Marquis of Champion suddenly remembered that she should "say something" for that chubby boy.

"Chang Le, what do you think of Prime Minister Wei's chubby nephew? You know him." The Lady of the Marquis of Champion said, glancing at her in-laws' expressions. "Prime Minister Wei is currently at the height of his power in the court..."

Before Princess Chang Le could speak, Marquis Su Zhen stroked his beard and nodded.

"Hmm! Although Young Master Wei is... a bit plump, he is well-educated and reasonable. If we can arrange this marriage, it will be of great benefit to the Su family."

When the topic turned to Prime Minister Wei's nephew, Princess Chang Le's lowered eyelashes fluttered, and she looked up at Marquis Champion.

Her mind flashed quickly to Han Lei's chubby face. She couldn't say whether she liked or disliked that glib-tongued little chubby boy.

When the Marquis of Champion's wife saw that Princess Chang Le did not refuse outright as she had done before, she immediately followed suit.

“I think that young master Wei is sensible, knows how to behave, and is also talented in poetry. Don’t you like poetry? You two can get along well. Besides, you two knew each other before, and I think you two get along very well.”

As soon as the Marquis of Champion finished speaking, the old lady tremblingly grasped Chang Le's cold hand.

“My dear child, I know you are suffering. But a woman must eventually find a home…”

Faced with her family's constant urging to get married, and reflecting on her fleeting youth, Princess Chang Le let a single tear fall into her teacup.

Gazing at the shattered reflection in the tea, Princess Chang Le finally nodded, and said shyly in a soft voice:

"Then...then I will leave it to my parents to decide."

Many thanks to 9898 and Lost Generation for their generous donations; I will remember them forever.