Love Lock

Chapter 183 focuses on something he's willing to do.
"I hate... I hate my own powerlessness..."

Tang Xiaotong raised her head, her face streaked with tears.

"If I were a king or general, perhaps I could... but I'm just a merchant, I don't even have the right to protect her from afar..."

"Alas! Even kings and generals can't do this!" Yang Haibo sighed and poured him a cup of tea: "Drink some tea to sober up. How will you open your shop and do business tomorrow looking like this?"

"Tomorrow? Ha!"

Tang Xiaotong gave a bitter laugh, "I'm not going back to Jinxiufang today. I'm going to... drink here until dawn. When the first ray of sunlight shines through the window, I want to look towards the palace, listen to the bells ringing from within... as if I... personally escorted her... into the palace..."

As he spoke, he reached for the wine jug again, but Yang Haibo stopped him: "Stop drinking! You'll get into trouble if you drink any more!"

"Just let me drink, brother," Tang Xiaotong pleaded. "Only when I'm drunk will my heart stop hurting so much..."

Seeing his appearance, Yang Haibo finally couldn't bear it and let go of his hand.

He got up and went outside, gave a few instructions to the waiting waiter, then turned back with two new jugs of Drunken Immortal Wine in his hand.

"Fine, I'll drink with you tonight. We'll drink until we drop." Yang Haibo sat down and poured himself a glass. "But you have to promise me, after tonight, you're not allowed to mention this again!"

Tang Xiaotong nodded heavily and raised his glass: "This glass... is a toast to the cruel twists of fate."

The two drank it all in one gulp. After a few rounds of drinks, Tang Xiaotong became more tipsy and started talking more.

"Brother, have you ever truly loved someone?"

Tang Xiaotong's eyes were unfocused, but a dreamy smile lingered on her lips.

"I love her so much that... when I see her smile, I feel as if a hundred flowers are blooming; when I hear her sigh, I wish I could bear all her suffering in her place..."

Yang Haibo shook his head: "We rough men don't understand these romantic notions. Marrying a wife who can manage a household is a blessing."

“You don’t understand…you don’t understand…” Tang Xiaotong murmured, “That day it was raining, and she didn’t have an umbrella. I mustered up my courage…and handed her an oil-paper umbrella…When she took it, her fingertips touched my hand. In that instant, I felt…that I had no regrets in this life…”

Yang Haibo was terrified: "Xiao Tong! You must never say such things again! If someone with ulterior motives hears this... you could lose your head!"

"Yes! I know... I know..." Tang Xiaotong waved her hand, "I only dare to say these crazy things in front of you... After tomorrow, these words and these thoughts will all disappear with the smell of alcohol."

Outside the window, the night was already deep.

Yang Haibo went downstairs to take a look. The customers in the tavern gradually dispersed, leaving only a few drunkards still loudly playing drinking games in a corner.

The waiter started tidying up the tables and chairs, preparing to close the shop.

Back in the private room, Yang Haibo looked at the bright moon outside the window, then at the drunken Tang Xiaotong across from him, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He stepped forward and patted Tang Xiaotong on the shoulder: "Stay here tonight, I'll have someone prepare a guest room."

Tang Xiaotong shook her head and stubbornly pointed towards the direction of the palace outside the window.

"No, I will wait here...until dawn...I want to watch her...walk towards that gilded cage..."

Yang Haibo had no choice but to let him have his way.

He ordered the waiter to bring a few more side dishes and two pots of lighter wine, and continued drinking with Tang Xiaotong.

"Brother...you said..." Tang Xiaotong suddenly lowered her voice, a strange light flashing in her eyes, "If I rush into the palace now and take her away..."

"Shut up!" Yang Haibo shouted sharply, his face pale with fright. "You're completely out of your mind! How dare you utter such treasonous words! Forget about taking the princess away, if you even get half a step closer to the palace gate, your head will be in danger!"

Tang Xiaotong seemed to sober up a bit after being shouted at. He slumped back in his chair and said with a bitter smile, "Yes... what am I? Just a silk seller. How could I possibly compete with His Majesty..."

"Little boy."

Yang Haibo said earnestly, "Some relationships in this world are destined to be together but not to last. Princess Yujia came here for a political marriage, and she carries the responsibilities that come with it. You... you are just a businessman. The distance between you is more than just thousands of miles."

Tang Xiaotong remained silent for a long time before softly saying, "I understand... I understand everything..."

In the private room of Zuixianniang, two bachelors were drinking in despair, waiting for the sunrise of tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the June night breeze, carrying the unique warmth of the capital, gently blew into the courtyard of the Honglu Temple.

Princess Yujia sat alone on the stone bench, her elegant pink gauze dress shimmering like pearls in the moonlight.

She tilted her head back, her gaze passing over the blooming crape myrtle in the courtyard and looking straight up at the nearly full moon in the sky.

"The moon on the grassland seems bigger than the one here," she murmured to herself.

The moonlight, like water, shone on her delicate face, so different from the others, outlining her slightly furrowed brows.

The image of the Great Jing Emperor's eyes resurfaced in her mind; his gaze seemed to penetrate her carefully maintained dignified facade and see through the clothes she wore underneath.

When the Turkic delegation first met with the emperor, the young emperor made no attempt to hide the amazement and possessiveness in his eyes. His gaze was intense as he looked the emperor up and down, as if he were appraising a fine horse for sale.

Princess Yujia shivered involuntarily, her fingers clenching the hem of her dress. For some reason, she loathed the way the Great Jing Emperor looked at her.

At that moment, another figure quietly entered her thoughts—Tang Xiaotong's face, which always wore a bright smile.

She didn't know why she had suddenly thought of the young manager of Jinxiufang at this moment.

But then... she remembered it.

She recalled listening to Tang Xiaotong tell stories of selling goods from door to door, and even enjoying sweet almond tea with Tang Xiaotong...

During those days, she was not Princess Yujia of the Turks, but just an ordinary girl from another ethnic group.

"Tang Xiaotong..."

She unconsciously uttered the name, then was startled awake by her own voice and hurriedly looked around.

The night wind rustled through the treetops, as if mocking her loss of composure.

"Princess, you should rest early today."

The instructor's voice came from behind, startling Princess Yujia so much that she almost jumped off the stone bench.

She turned around and saw the old woman's wrinkled face, which looked particularly serious in the dim light of the lantern.

"Granny, I want to look at the moon a little longer."

Princess Yujia forced a smile. "According to the legends of the grasslands, the moonlight on the eve of a wedding can bless a happy marriage."

The old woman sighed, her heavy palace dress rustling with her movements.

"The princess must get up at dawn tomorrow to dress up, and the wedding procession will enter the palace at dawn. If she doesn't get enough rest and looks haggard, wouldn't that be a waste of this wonderful event that fosters good relations between the two countries?"

Princess Yujia lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting two shadows on her face.

The old woman's words were like a sharp knife, slowly cutting into her already wounded heart.

For the past two weeks, this tutor sent from the palace has been teaching her the etiquette and manners of the Great Jing Dynasty day and night. How to walk, how to bow, even how to breathe...

Her pride in her grassland horsemanship and archery skills was considered a crude and uncouth custom here.

"Granny, please tell me..."

Princess Yujia suddenly looked up, moonlight reflecting in her eyes with shimmering tears. "Do you think I would be more carefree if I weren't a princess?"

Upon hearing this, the old nanny's face changed drastically. She hurriedly looked around and lowered her voice, saying, "Princess, be careful what you say! If someone hears such treasonous words..."

Looking at the nanny's anxious expression, Yu Jia suddenly felt extremely tired.

She thought of the free-roaming birds on the grassland, the wild horse she tamed when she was fifteen, and the days she rode horses to chase the sunset.

Now, she is like a hawk with clipped wings, trapped in this gilded cage.

“Granny is right.” Princess Yujia stood up, her gauze dress swaying gently in the night breeze. “I just… suddenly feel a little cold.”

The old nanny quickly stepped forward and draped the brocade cloak that had been prepared for her.

"Princess, please take care of your health. After tomorrow, you will be the Imperial Concubine of the Great Jing Dynasty, a blessing that many people would rather die for."

Princess Yujia had her cloak tied with a belt by her nanny, but her gaze drifted back to the bright moon.

She recalled what Tang Xiaotong had said to her at Jinxiufang: "Your eyes hold the sky of the entire grassland." And now, that sky is being gradually obscured by the palace walls.

"Let's go."

Princess Yujia spoke softly, her voice drifting in the night breeze, so faint it was almost inaudible.

The old woman led the way with a lantern, and Yu Jia followed behind, each step feeling like walking on cotton.

The moonlight cast their shadows long, long, stretching all the way to the corridor at the end of the courtyard.

Before stepping into the room, Princess Yujia looked back at the sky one last time.

The moon remained full and round, coldly watching over this political marriage about to unfold in the human world...

Tonight, Tang Xiaotong and Princess Yujia are destined to be sleepless, as is Emperor Jing in the palace.

As dusk settled, the city lights came on.

Emperor Jing sat alone behind his desk in the imperial study. The red candles on the gilded candlesticks had burned down to almost nothing, and the candle wax piled up in layers, just like the unresolved pent-up emotions in his heart.

"Your Majesty, dinner has been served."

Chief eunuch Li Zhongxin bowed and reported, his voice so soft as if afraid of disturbing the emperor's thoughts.

Emperor Jing nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on the memorial that had just been delivered to his desk.

This memorial was sent by Song Peilin, the prefect of Jingzhou, via express courier.

The memorial stated that General Su Qi, the garrison commander of Jingzhou, was also mysteriously killed by lightning, leaving no trace of his body. The Jingzhou government, in conjunction with the garrison, is currently searching for suspicious individuals.

The memorial mentioned lightning and the complete annihilation of the bodies. Isn't this exactly the same way the Marquis of Champion's family died?

The two or three days that occurred were so precise. Was this divine punishment for the Su family, or was someone secretly targeting them?
Today, the case of the Marquis of Champion's Mansion has finally made progress. Although the murderer, Wei Dabao, has been apprehended, he still needs to undergo a joint trial by the three judicial authorities before he can be executed.

The fact that they dared to touch the imperial relatives and nobles raises questions about the forces behind them and the undercurrents in the court that they might cause. These questions remain unanswered.

If Wei Dabao was responsible for this case, did Prime Minister Wei know about it? Did he harbor any disloyal intentions? And what about his position as Prime Minister...?

Sigh! Forget it, tomorrow is the marriage ceremony. Let's wait until that beautiful grassland princess enters the palace before thinking about these messy things!

The Empress doesn't know that Su Qi was also killed in the explosion, so it's best not to tell her yet!

"Li Zhongxin," Emperor Jing suddenly spoke, his voice deep like a night drum yet tinged with excitement, "Issue my decree: prepare to proceed to Weiyang Palace."

A hint of surprise flashed in Li Zhongxin's eyes. Tomorrow was the grand ceremony for the Turkic princess to enter the palace for a marriage alliance, yet His Majesty was going to the Empress's palace tonight.
But he dared not say more and immediately turned around to arrange the imperial carriage.

Emperor Jing got up and walked to the window of the Imperial Study, then pushed open the carved window lattice.

The June night breeze carried the fragrance of flowers from the Imperial Garden, but it couldn't dispel the unspeakable secrets in his heart.

After much deliberation, he decided that he should still spend the night with the Empress.

After all, the Empress has lost a loved one and has spent the last few days in tears, looking extremely haggard. Now that the Court of Judicial Review has found the murderer, it is both morally and logically his duty to inform the Empress.

Most importantly, the empress has not yet recovered from her grief, and tomorrow is her marriage ceremony with the Turkic princess.

The Empress was his legal wife, and his taking a concubine at this time would likely make her even more upset.

Tonight, he should stay overnight at the Empress's Weiyang Palace, to have a private chat with her and relax.

The lights in the direction of Weiyang Palace were dim, much dimmer than usual. Since the news of the Empress's brother's murder arrived, Weiyang Palace had been as silent as still water.

Emperor Jing envisioned the Empress's increasingly gaunt face. Her almond-shaped eyes, which always held a dignified smile, were now bloodshot, and fine lines had appeared at the corners of her eyes in just a few days.

In fact, he did not need to marry a Turkic princess to appease the border, because the Turks had already paid compensation and taken the initiative to seek peace.

But he loved those amber eyes. He was willing to exchange two million dan of grain, looms, cloth, and other goods for that unique grassland princess to fill his harem.

The reason is simply because the Great Jing is now stronger than the Turks. He is now the supreme emperor of the Great Jing, and he wants to control the Turks, just as he controlled Zhao Zun back then.

The main point is—he is willing.

"Your Majesty, the imperial carriage is ready." Li Zhongxin's voice brought him back to his senses.

The palace path in the night was bathed in moonlight, like a flowing Milky Way.

Emperor Jing sat on the dragon carriage, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the dragon patterns carved on the armrests.

He suddenly remembered the way the Empress forced a smile when she first heard that he was going to personally marry Princess Yujia.

"Your Majesty need not worry about me."

She said this while clutching a handkerchief tightly in her hand, the corners of which were already frayed from being crumpled. "Your Majesty is doing this to stabilize the borders, and the affairs of state are of utmost importance. Your Majesty... understands."

The Empress's feigned strength still lingered in Emperor Jing's ears, making his chest feel heavy.

He suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Li Zhongxin, "Are the two jugs of wine that Princess Chang Le sent to the palace the other day still in Weiyang Palace?"

"Your Majesty, the Empress said that the wine is rare and that she wants to wait until Your Majesty arrives at Weiyang Palace to drink it together. As you instructed, the two jugs of wine are still safely stored in Weiyang Palace."

"That's good." Emperor Jing's lips curled up slightly. "The wine pots are indeed uniquely shaped. The Empress has been in a bad mood lately, and those wine pots might cheer her up a little."

Li Zhongxin nodded, a fawning smile on his face.

"Indeed. That wine pot is small and exquisite, something this old servant has never seen before. After Your Majesty and the Empress have enjoyed the wine, this old servant would like to humbly request that Your Majesty bestow that exquisite wine pot upon this old servant, so that this old servant may also have the opportunity to see it and admire it?"

Emperor Jing glanced at him condescendingly from his high position and said with amusement, "Granted! Hurry up and go!"

"Ah!" Li Zhongxin was overjoyed: "This old servant thanks Your Majesty, thanks Your Majesty."

After saying this, Li Zhongxin ordered the palace servants carrying the palanquin to quicken their pace.

Emperor Jing looked in the direction of Weiyang Palace, and his mood improved considerably.

Since the Empress is looking forward to drinking with him, then tonight he shall drink with the Empress and her husband!