Love Lock

Chapter 167 The massacre of the entire family was deserved

Two people left the Marquis of Champion's residence tonight.

One was Princess Chang Le, and the other was the steward of the Marquis's mansion, who was sent by the Marquis of Champion to deliver a message to the Prime Minister's mansion.

Both families were powerful figures in the capital, and their homes were not too far apart.

When the steward of the Marquis's mansion arrived at the Prime Minister's residence, he immediately told Prime Minister Wei that the Prime Minister's chubby nephew and Princess Chang Le of the Marquis's mansion had taken a liking to each other.

The people in the Marquis's mansion have agreed to the marriage and asked Prime Minister Wei to find a matchmaker so that someone can be sent to the Marquis's mansion to propose marriage tomorrow.

"The real fat nephew?"

Prime Minister Wei's hand, which was stroking his beard, froze in mid-air, his brows furrowed in a frown.

He squinted at the old steward of the Marquis's mansion, and seeing the undisguised joy on the man's face, he knew how happy the entire mansion was that Princess Chang Le, that old maid, had finally found a husband.

“Indeed.” The old steward bowed and said, “The Marquis said that your nephew fell in love with the Princess at first sight today at her birthday banquet…”

Just as Prime Minister Wei was about to ask for details, a deafening roar suddenly rang out, making the window frames vibrate.

Then came several more loud bangs, like thunderbolts striking the roof. Prime Minister Wei's hand trembled, and the teacup in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter," scattering shards of porcelain everywhere.

"what happened?"

Prime Minister Wei suddenly stood up, his robes swaying and his chair overturning.

He no longer cared about his fat nephew or whether they were compatible. He shoved aside the steward standing in front of him and rushed out the door in a hurry.

The steward of the Marquis's mansion also changed his expression, staggered a bit, and then quickly followed after regaining his balance.

Chaos had broken out in the courtyard of the Prime Minister's residence. Servants were running around in panic, and the screams of the women were deafening.

Prime Minister Wei glanced around the courtyard and, seeing that nothing had happened in his own home, he hurried towards the gate without stopping.

Standing on the street and looking up, one could see thick smoke rising from several directions in the capital at the same time, with the nearest one ablaze with flames, which was the residence of the Marquis of Champion.

"The Marquis's residence?"

The steward of the Marquis's mansion cried out, his face turning deathly pale, "Prime Minister, this..."

Without saying another word, Prime Minister Wei grabbed the old steward's sleeve: "Let's go!"

The two ran along the long street toward the Marquis of Champion's residence. Many officials' servants were already peering out from the street, and some of the bolder ones had already carried buckets of water toward the fire.

The closer you get to the Marquis of Champion's residence, the stronger the burnt smell becomes in the air.

When they arrived at the gate, they saw the golden plaque above the gate that read "Mansion of the Marquis of Champion" was about to fall. Inside the mansion, cries and pleas for help mingled together, and servants covered in dust kept running out.

"Where is the master? Where is the madam?"

The steward of the Marquis's mansion grabbed a maid who had escaped and questioned her sternly.

The maid's face was covered in soot, and half of her sleeves were charred. She trembled all over upon hearing this.

"No, I don't know... It just suddenly... It was so scary... Heaven... Heavenly punishment." The maid pointed towards the backyard, but her teeth were chattering, and she couldn't continue.

Seeing the maid talking nonsense, the steward of the Marquis's mansion angrily rebuked her: "Don't talk nonsense, where did this divine punishment come from?"

Prime Minister Wei's heart sank. He looked around and noticed that the fire seemed to have started in the backyard. He tugged at the steward.

"Lead the way, let's go see the backyard!"

As you walk through the front yard, you can see servants fleeing in panic everywhere.

Half of the artificial hill in the garden has collapsed, and several ancient trees have been broken in half.

The further you go in, the more horrifying the scene becomes—rubble and broken stones cover the ground.

Charred wooden beams lay haphazardly in the ruins, some still burning, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of gunpowder.

"This this……"

The steward of the Marquis's mansion nearly collapsed to his knees, his legs buckling. "He was perfectly fine just a quarter of an hour ago..."

Prime Minister Wei was, after all, a prime minister who had seen many storms. After a brief moment of shock, he forced himself to remain calm and swept his gaze across the ruins.

Suddenly, his pupils contracted, and beneath several broken beams, a blood-stained sleeve was revealed.

"Men! Clear this place out!" he shouted sternly.

Several brave guards stepped forward tremblingly and worked together to move the half-burnt wooden beam.

"what!"

One of the servants suddenly screamed and stumbled backward, landing hard on his backside. The others also paled and retreated hastily.

Prime Minister Wei looked closely and his stomach churned.

What they saw was a hand that had been blown to pieces, with a gold and jade ring still on its ring finger.

He recognized the ring; it was a gift bestowed upon the Marquis of Champion by His Majesty last year, but he couldn't determine whose hand it was.

"This...this is the second young master's..."

The steward of the Marquis's mansion trembled, and suddenly knelt down with a thud, crying out, "Second Young Master!"

Despite his discomfort, Prime Minister Wei knelt down to examine the severed hand closely. The rubble around the severed hand was stained with dark red blood, and small metal fragments were embedded in the flesh.

"Judging from this, this is no ordinary fire," Prime Minister Wei said in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, the steward of the Marquis's residence looked up abruptly: "Does the Prime Minister mean... someone is deliberately..."

Prime Minister Wei did not answer; his gaze was drawn to a bright spot deep within the ruins.

He carefully brushed aside a few broken tiles, revealing a corner of fabric embroidered with gold thread, featuring a pheasant pattern that only a first-rank imperial consort could wear.

"Quickly! Keep digging!" Prime Minister Wei felt his voice tighten.

The guards worked frantically to clear the rubble, and soon, more horrifying discoveries were made.

Half a charred leg bone, a gold hairpin blown out of shape, a jade belt reduced to half its original size...

The steward of the Marquis's mansion collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face: "It's all over... The Marquis, the Madam, the Heir Apparent, the Princess... they were all in the main hall discussing matters..."

"What did you say? They're all gathered together?"

Prime Minister Wei was deeply shaken, as if he had sensed something unusual.

It's a bit like—deliberately wiping out the entire family!
He lowered his eyes, then suddenly remembered something and turned to stare at the steward of the Marquis's mansion.

"You just said that my nephew has taken a liking to Princess Chang Le? Which nephew is it?"

The steward of the Marquis's mansion shook his head blankly: "This... the Marquis only said it was a fat nephew, this old servant does not know the specifics."

Prime Minister Wei frowned deeply, his heart sinking.

He does have several plump nephews, but they are all distant relatives from collateral branches. How could they have any connection with the Marquis of Champion's mansion?

Even more strangely, just as the Marquis's family was preparing to discuss marriage, this calamity struck...

"Your Excellency! There are still people alive here!" a servant suddenly shouted.

Prime Minister Wei rushed over and saw a bloody hand emerging from a crack in the ruins, waving weakly.

With everyone's help, they moved away the rubble and tiles that were pressing down on it, revealing a face covered in blood—it was the second young master of the Marquis of Champion's mansion!

"Second Young Master!" The steward rushed over, his voice choked with sobs, "Where are the others? Where is the Marquis?"

The second young master's lips trembled, his voice barely audible, "Father... blast..." He didn't finish his sentence before suddenly falling silent.

Prime Minister Wei felt a chill run through his body.

If this was a premeditated massacre, and it happened while he was discussing marriage with his fat nephew, then the Wei family cannot escape responsibility.

"Report to the authorities! Report to the authorities immediately!"

Prime Minister Wei shouted sternly, his voice trembling involuntarily, "No, go directly to invite the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review! And send someone to the palace to report to His Majesty!" The steward of the Marquis's residence seemed to have realized what was happening, and he suddenly grabbed Prime Minister Wei's sleeve.

"Prime Minister, this matter is strange. Could it be... could it be related to that marriage?"

Prime Minister Wei did not answer immediately. He gazed at the devastated ruins and recalled the old steward's words when he arrived: "The Marquis's residence has agreed to this marriage."

Why did the Marquis of Champion suddenly agree to the marriage proposal of an unknown "fat nephew"?

Why did the explosion happen when the whole family was gathered together to discuss matters? What did the second son want to reveal before he died?
A multitude of questions swirled in Prime Minister Wei's mind, eventually coalescing into a terrifying thought: this was no accident, but a meticulously planned murder. And that mysterious "fat nephew" was likely the key.

"Save the people first," Prime Minister Wei finally said in a deep voice. "The rest... we'll talk about when the Prefect of the Capital arrives."

A massacre occurred in the Marquis of Champion's mansion.

Soon, the entire capital was thrown into chaos.

Nobles and commoners alike flocked out of their homes to watch the spectacle at the various fire sites.

Seeing that all the places where the fires started belonged to the properties under the name of the Marquis of Champion's Mansion, some people speculated that the Marquis of Champion's Mansion had offended someone they shouldn't have and was being retaliated against.

Some people had long disapproved of the Marquis of Champion's behavior and speculated that they had committed too many evil deeds and were being punished by heaven.

All sorts of messy rumors spread like wildfire, eventually reaching even Emperor Jing in the palace.

Just as the troops from the Jingzhao Prefecture and the Dali Temple were rushing to the Marquis of Champion's residence, the soldiers guarding the south gate of the capital city also heard the explosion coming from inside the city.

The city gates had been closed by dusk, and the soldiers guarding the city were standing on tiptoe to watch the fires burning throughout the city.

Their faces lit up with gossip, and they all speculated about what trouble had broken out in the city.

The raging fires throughout the city dyed half the night sky red, and eerie orange-red lights flickered on the blue brick walls of the capital's south gate.

Wang Laoliu, a soldier guarding the city, was getting a little tired from standing on tiptoe when he suddenly heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats approaching from afar.

"Stop! Who goes there?"

Wang Laoliu drew his sword with a clang, the blade gleaming coldly in the firelight.

His companions immediately set up their spears, forming a makeshift defensive line in front of the city gate.

"Control——"

The lead knight suddenly pulled on the reins, and the chestnut horse reared up, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Only then did Wang Laoliu realize that there were seven or eight strong men guarding a black, flat-topped carriage. The carriage had blue satin curtains hanging on it, which swayed slightly in the night breeze.

"Please forgive me, Your Honor."

The lead knight clasped his hands in a salute and said in a loud voice, "We are the guards of the Wei family..."

Which Wei family?

Wang Laoliu moved his blade forward another half inch. He noticed that these people were all wearing indigo-colored tight-fitting clothes and had uniform horizontal swords at their waists.

Just then, a "snap" sound came from inside the carriage—the sound of a folding fan opening and closing—followed by a young voice tinged with displeasure.

"Tell me, in this capital city, which Wei family member is worthy of making me, this young master, introduce myself?"

The carriage curtain was lifted by a gilded folding fan, revealing a round and plump face.

Under the moonlight, fine beads of sweat glistened on his face, and his double chin trembled slightly as he spoke.

In an era where most people can't even get enough to eat, just by looking at that face with its double chin, you can tell that he comes from a very wealthy family.

The once fierce Wang Laoliu softened upon seeing this noble face, and the tip of his knife unconsciously lowered.

He rubbed his eyes, trying to see clearly whether he recognized the noble-looking face in front of him.

At this moment, the person in the carriage threw out a red rope, and the dangling mutton-fat jade pendant drew a beautiful arc in the air.

"Take a good look at it, but don't defile our Wei family's things."

Wang Laoliu hurriedly caught the jade pendant, and when his fingertips touched the small characters engraved on the back, he knew that this jade pendant was extraordinary.

But he was still unsure, so he said, "Please wait a moment, sir," and then turned and jogged up the city wall to deliver the jade pendant to Liu, the officer on duty.

The officer Liu only glanced at it, and his expression changed instantly.

"Young Master Wei...!"

Liu, the battalion commander, practically tumbled down the city wall. He held the jade pendant in both hands as if it were an imperial edict, and respectfully presented it to the carriage.

"These ignorant creatures have offended you. This is your jade pendant; please keep it safe. However..."

He glanced at the carriage and asked cautiously, "It's late at night, and there's been trouble in the city again. I wonder what brings you here, Young Master Wei..."

The person in the car gave him a haughty look but didn't say anything.

Seemingly afraid of getting their hands dirty, the people in the car used a folding fan to lift the jade pendant hanging from Liu's hand, causing the mutton-fat jade pendant to sway gently at the bottom.

The head guard immediately frowned and spoke in a fierce tone.

"My master in Liangzhou is critically ill, and he sent my son with imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital to rush back to Liangzhou overnight. If this delays treatment, can you bear the responsibility?"

"Uh...yes, yes, yes."

As Liu, the battalion commander, responded, he secretly peeked into the carriage through the lifted curtain, using the light of the torch.

Sure enough, I spotted an old man dressed as a royal physician sitting in the corner of the carriage, with a medicine box next to him.

Commander Liu dared not ask any more questions and shouted repeatedly, "Open the city gate! Open the city gate quickly!"

Commander Liu gave the order, and Wang Laoliu and other soldiers quickly picked up the keys and opened the city gate.

As the wealthy young man and his entourage left the city, Liu, the battalion commander, and Wang Laoliu and others stood on both sides of the city gate, bowing and scraping as they saw them off.

As the tall, heavy city gates slowly closed behind them, everyone in the wealthy young man's entourage wore relieved smiles.

The "imperial physician" in the carriage also removed his fake beard, revealing Xiao Zhengfei's young face.

"Your Highness, your move was brilliant!" Xiao Zhengfei slapped the carriage floor. "Look how terrified the guard is, he looks like he's seen the King of Hell!"

The captain of the first brigade outside the car reined in his horse and approached the window: "If you ask me, Miss Han is the most composed. The moment that jade pendant was revealed, those seasoned soldiers' legs went weak."

"you do not say!"

The four-wheel drive horse came closer, its voice still tinged with excitement.

"When I delivered the 'congratulatory gift' to the Marquis's residence during the day, my back was soaked with sweat, my clothes were drenched, I was afraid they would notice something amiss. But the young lady remained calm and composed, and even went along with the words of the Marquis's wife, almost becoming the Marquis's son-in-law. Hahaha..."

"Hahaha……"

Everyone laughed at the senior's words, and the atmosphere became particularly relaxed.

"Phew!" Han Lei also let out a big breath, smiling as she closed her folding fan: "They dared to send someone to assassinate the prince, so they should be prepared to have their entire family wiped out."

"Humph!"

The senior snorted in dissatisfaction.

"It's not just about assassinating the prince. Miss, haven't you noticed? That marquis's mansion is incredibly wealthy, it's terrifying to even look at. I don't know how much they've plundered from the people. They deserved to be wiped out."

Han Lei lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the winding official road in the distance, then sighed.

"Yes! That's all the people's hard-earned money. But don't worry! We'll take care of these powerful families one by one, slowly. We'll deal with them sooner or later."

"Roar! Roar! The princess is so powerful!" Xiao Zhengfei led the cheers.

"The princess is so domineering!" The brothers in the detachment also changed their tune.

Under the moonlight, several riders escorted the carriage as it turned west onto a small road.

A night heron was startled and took flight from the reeds beside the official road.

The wings of the night heron pierced the still night, stirring up the fury of the imperial palace in the capital.