Love Lock

Chapter 209 How pathetic! How pathetic!

However, a bizarre scene unfolded—

The blade suddenly stopped less than an inch from the King of Jingzhou's brow. The lead assassin froze, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes.

Immediately afterwards, he collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, and the other assassins also convulsed and fell down, making dull thuds.

The bedroom fell into a deathly silence, with only the rapid breathing of the King of Jingzhou and his wife echoing in the darkness.

The King of Jingzhou swallowed hard, "This...this is..."

Trembling, he grabbed the moon-white undergarment to cover his naked body, then got out of bed and cautiously kicked the leader of the assassins.

The leader of the assassins' limp body twitched slightly, then fell silent again.

The King of Jingzhou then squatted down and reached out to touch the necks of the black-clad assassins; they had no pulses.

These assassins were clearly there to kill him, but at the last second, they all died inexplicably.

This is just too bizarre!

He looked up and met his wife's horrified gaze from behind the gauze curtain. They both saw the same confusion and lingering fear in each other's eyes.

Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating the faces of the assassins. Their expressions were frozen in horror at the last moment, as if they had seen something utterly terrifying.

The King of Jingzhou's chest heaved violently, and large beads of sweat rolled down his temples.

He staggered around the corpses of the black-clad assassins on the ground. One of the corpses had its neck twisted at an eerie angle, its unseeing eyes staring straight at the roof beam.

The stench of blood permeated the enclosed bedroom, mingling with the rose scent emanating from the princess, creating a nauseating atmosphere.

"My beloved concubine, you...you stay in bed and don't come out."

The King of Jingzhou's voice trembled violently, his fingers groping haphazardly on the table, knocking over a white porcelain brush washer, spilling ink onto the paper, much like the bloodstains spreading on the ground.

Princess Shen Yanru huddled in the corner of the carved bed, her trembling body wrapped in a brocade quilt, her pretty face as pale as paper from fright.

Her hands trembled as she reached under her pillow for a tinderbox, but she was too terrified to light it. Meanwhile, the King of Jingzhou found the tinderbox on the table.

Finally, a faint flame flickered, illuminating the four corpses lying haphazardly on the ground. Their black clothes were soaked in blood, and one of them still held the hand of a slashing goose-feather saber.

"What the hell is this..."

The King of Jingzhou's teeth chattered uncontrollably. He held up the tinderbox and looked around, but found nothing suspicious.

Several corpses lay right in front of me, and every shadow in the room seemed to hide a deadly demon. Just thinking about it was terrifying and extremely eerie.

"It's a ghost! Someone help! Someone help!" he shouted hoarsely, staggering toward the door.

Just as his fingers were about to touch the latch, a deep male voice came from behind him: "Your Highness, there's no need to call anyone."

The King and Queen of Jingzhou froze simultaneously. The voice was like a soul-summoning decree from hell, instantly freezing the blood in their bodies.

They both turned their heads simultaneously to look at the source of the sound. Behind the brocade curtain embroidered with a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, a man dressed in black stepped out slowly.

Immediately afterwards, two more people emerged from the shadows of the wardrobe and the back of the display cabinet, forming a triangle around them.

“You you you…you guys…”

The King of Jingzhou was quite startled; his Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and he almost dropped the tinderbox in his hand.

He instinctively stood in front of the gauze curtain, his voice distorted with fear: "Who is it? Why...why are you in my bedroom?"

The man in the lead was about thirty years old, with a resolute face.

He walked over slowly, his tone playful: "If we weren't in the Prince's bedroom, he would probably already be..."

He made a throat-slitting gesture, drawing a line across his throat with his thumb, "These people were sent by the new emperor."

"What?" The King of Jingzhou's pupils constricted sharply. "You're saying they're the new emperor's men?"

The King of Jingzhou suddenly turned around, holding a tinderbox close to the corpse on the ground.

His trembling fingers ripped open the black-clad man's collar and rummaged through it. On the inside of his right arm, a dark red eagle tattoo was clearly visible—the mark of the imperial palace's secret guards.

"Heh!" The King of Jingzhou chuckled self-deprecatingly, "His actions... are indeed ruthless."

He staggered backward, knocking over the gilded incense burner on the table, scattering incense ash all over the floor.

A near-maniacal smile spread across his face: "That day, he clearly promised himself that he wouldn't make things difficult for me, but it turns out... it was all nonsense!"

As he spoke, he slammed the tinderbox onto the ground, sending sparks flying.

"The late emperor's body is not yet cold. I thought that by voluntarily withdrawing, I could at least live a peaceful life. I never expected... Heh! I trusted him too much. This is our good royal brother, this is the 'blood ties' of our royal family! Hahaha..." He laughed almost maniacally.

The man in the lead bent down to pick up the extinguished tinderbox, his movements unhurried, while a silenced pistol dangled from his waist.

"Your Highness need not be sad, it's all over now. These assassins... are destined to die here tonight." The man handed a tinderbox to the King of Jingzhou.

The King of Jingzhou suddenly realized something and frowned, asking, "You...you've been hiding in my bedroom all this time?"

“Exactly.” The man nodded, readily admitting, “We’ve been lying in wait here for two days, just for tonight.”

The King of Jingzhou's face flushed crimson. He glanced back at his princess, who was wrapped in a brocade quilt, and his lips twitched as he recalled their earlier intimacy.

So, all these men were watching me and the princess consummate our marriage just now?

Before the King of Jingzhou could think further, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the courtyard, and the light of torches shone through the window paper.

A gruff voice rang out from outside the door: "Brother Ping, all those outside have been taken care of."

The man called Ping-ge looked at the King of Jingzhou: "Your Highness, shall we let them in?"

The King of Jingzhou stared warily at the three strangers inside the house, then glanced at the flickering firelight outside the door. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Come...come in!"

The door was pushed open, and a burly man with a hideous scar on his face stepped in first. The knife in his hand was still dripping blood, leaving a trail of dark red marks on the bluestone floor.

The King of Jingzhou's heart leaped into his throat. This scarred-face man looked even more ferocious than the black-clad assassins from before. Had he just escaped one danger only to fall into another?
Behind Scarface were five or six men dressed similarly, all covered in blood and exuding a murderous aura.

The King of Jingzhou instinctively walked to the carved bed, spread his arms to protect his queen, and asked in a tense voice, "Who exactly are you people?"

Ping then stepped forward, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting.

“King of Jingzhou, there is no need to panic. I am Pingchuan, the deputy commander of the personal guards under the King of Cangzhou. These are my brothers.”

"The King of Cangzhou?"

The King of Jingzhou frowned, trying hard to recall the appearance of Zhao Zun, the King of Cangzhou.

"He's merely a prince of a different surname, with no connection to the royal family. Besides, I've only met him a few times, so why would he..."

Pingchuan smiled slightly: "It was our princess who foresaw that Your Highness would face this calamity, which is why the King of Cangzhou sent us here to help Your Highness overcome this crisis."

"Princess Consort?" The King of Jingzhou was even more confused. "I have never seen the Princess Consort of Cangzhou." Pingchuan chuckled: "Does Your Highness remember Miss Han Lei, the owner of Drunken Immortal Brew?"

"Miss Han? You mean..." The King of Jingzhou was taken aback at first, then suddenly realized, "Miss Han is actually the Princess Consort of Cangzhou?"

Pingchuan and the others nodded in agreement.

Recalling the sweet woman who had chatted with him about various business strategies, the King of Jingzhou couldn't help but exclaim, "She is truly an extraordinary woman!"

Pingchuan continued, "The princess said that Your Highness is a good person and a business partner, so it is only right and proper for her to save your life."

The King of Jingzhou sighed, tears welling in his eyes. He straightened his disheveled inner robe and solemnly bowed deeply to Pingchuan and the others.

"If it weren't for the brave warriors who saved us tonight, my queen and I would have perished under their blades. I will never forget this kindness and virtue. Now that I have escaped this calamity, I will send men to Qizhou, Liangzhou, and Jizhou to check on my other brothers."

Pingchuan's expression changed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, there's no need to go to Liangzhou."

"Why?" The King of Jingzhou's heart skipped a beat.

"The King of Liangzhou died on the official road on his way home, and none of the more than one hundred people who accompanied him survived. We saw it with our own eyes when we returned to Cangzhou, and the scene... was staged as being done by mountain bandits."

The King of Jingzhou felt as if struck by lightning, his back turning ice-cold. He staggered back several steps, only managing to avoid falling by grabbing the edge of the bed.

His lips trembled: "Already dead? Not a single one survived?"

The handsome, refined face of the Prince of Liangzhou flashed into his mind; the elder brother who had taught him riding and archery in his childhood, and just like that…

"What a fine example of 'treating brothers well'! What a bandit's doing! What a ruthless extermination! Hahaha..."

The King of Jingzhou suddenly burst into laughter, a laugh filled with desolation. "Of the late emperor's nine sons, how many are left? To secure that unassailable throne, we ultimately cannot escape..."

He slammed his fist on the bedside, causing the bed curtains to sway slightly, his voice filled with anguish: "This is the royal family! This is our blood relatives! They're not even as good as... an outsider."

The princess stepped forward with tears in her eyes and supported his trembling body from behind: "Your Highness..."

Just then, a series of chaotic sounds and the flickering light of torches came from outside, tearing open the dark night with orange-red cracks.

"Quick! You all go check on the Empress Dowager's bedroom over there, we'll go protect the Prince and Princess!" A gruff voice boomed in the backyard.

"As ordered!"

The chaotic footsteps approached like a torrential downpour, a cacophony of clanging armor and scraping sword sheaths.

A troop of fully armed soldiers, led by their commander, rushed to the King of Jingzhou's bedroom as if facing a formidable enemy.

By the light of the torches, the commander of the guards was shocked to see the bedroom door wide open, with several men in black standing in the room like ghosts, confronting the prince.

He was so frightened that his face changed color and veins bulged on his forehead.

"Assassins! Protect the Prince!" the commander of the guards shouted, his sword already drawn, its cold light flashing.

Behind him, more than twenty soldiers raised their weapons in unison, the tips of their blades pointing directly at the man in black inside the house, ready to charge in.

"stop!"

The King of Jingzhou gave a soft shout, his voice not loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.

The commander of the garrison forcefully halted the attack, the tip of his blade still trembling slightly.

He warily scanned the motionless Pingchuan and his group, then looked at the Prince of Jingzhou, his voice filled with confusion: "Your Highness, more than ten men in black have been found dead in the outer courtyard. These people..."

"I know." The King of Jingzhou rubbed his temples wearily, and there seemed to be a few wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.

He knew that Scarface and his men were responsible for dealing with the assassins on the periphery.

He turned to the scarred man and solemnly bowed, saying, "Thank you for your righteous rescue, brave man."

Scarface returned the greeting with clasped hands, remaining as silent as iron.

The King of Jingzhou gazed at the flickering firelight in the courtyard, his heart turning cold.

Although he didn't know how Pingchuan and his men had killed the men in black so silently, the fact that the new emperor had sent so many assassins to take his life, and the sheer determination to kill him, sent chills down his spine.

Although we escaped disaster tonight, what about tomorrow? What about the day after?

He turned to look at the carved bed, the princess's figure vaguely visible behind the gauze curtains. Was he truly destined to flee with his family, living in anonymity forever?
But now that the new emperor has decided to kill, where in this vast world can he find a safe haven? He could sense that after this night, something had changed forever.

The night wind howled, causing the torches to flicker.

The King of Jingzhou remained silent, while the commander and his troops exchanged bewildered glances, unsure whether to sheathe their weapons or remain on guard.

The entire courtyard fell into an eerie silence, with only the crackling of the burning torches standing out clearly in the night.

"Your Highness..." Zhao Hu hesitated, unable to finish his sentence.

The King of Jingzhou waved his hand wearily, his voice hoarse: "You may all leave. There's nothing to do tonight."

After the guards saluted, they carried out the bodies of the assassins that had fallen inside the house.

The King of Jingzhou took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He turned to Pingchuan, his voice hoarse.

"Please convey to the King and Queen of Cangzhou that they gave me my life. If they ever need my services, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Pingchuan clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your Highness is too kind. We should not linger here. We must hurry back to Cangzhou to report back."

"Wait!" the King of Jingzhou hurriedly said, "You brave warriors have been working hard for many days. Why don't you rest for a while in the palace? I have ordered a feast to be prepared..."

Pingchuan shook his head: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness, but my princess instructed that I must return immediately after the matter is completed."

He paused, then lowered his voice and said, "In addition, the Princess asked me to convey a message to the Prince—Your Highness and your family are welcome to stay in Cangzhou at any time. My Prince and Princess will certainly treat you as honored guests."

A glint flashed in the eyes of the King of Jingzhou, and he immediately understood.

He nodded solemnly: "Please convey to the Princess that I understand. Thank you!"

Pingchuan smiled slightly and waved for everyone to retreat.

Before leaving, he took out a letter from his bosom and handed it to the King of Jingzhou: "This is a letter from the Princess to Your Highness. Please read it and then burn it."

King Liu Yan of Jingzhou received the letter and watched as his personal guards disappeared into the night as silently as they had arrived.

He unfolded the letter, which contained only a few words:
"Wang An of Jingzhou: "
With the new emperor's ascension, the princes are in grave danger. The King of Liang has already been murdered, and the Kings of Qi and Ji are unlikely to escape unscathed. Your Highness should make plans as soon as possible; Zuixianniang awaits your arrival in Cangzhou.

Han Lei's handwritten note

King Liu Yan of Jingzhou held the letter close to the candle flame and watched it turn to ashes.

He gazed at the dark sky outside the window and muttered to himself, "How pathetic, how pathetic!"

Then, he sighed deeply and turned to look at Princess Shen Yanru, who was still in shock inside the gauze curtain.

"My dear consort, pack your valuables tomorrow. We're afraid we won't be staying in Jingzhou for long."