Love Lock

Chapter 213 This King is in a Hurry

At this moment, the soldiers in the camp heard the commotion and rushed out with their weapons. Seeing their general being beaten on the ground, they were immediately enraged.

"Protect the general!"

"Where did this madman come from, daring to cause trouble in the military camp!"

Dozens of soldiers, spears in hand, were about to step forward to help.

Zhao Zun flipped over and straddled Song Yuanqing, roaring without turning his head: "Get out of my way! This is a personal grudge between me and him!"

"Your Highness?" The soldiers looked at each other, their weapons frozen in mid-air.

Upon hearing Zhao Zun refer to himself as "this king," the soldiers were unsure whether to help or not, and stood frozen in place.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Song Yuanqing flipped over and threw Zhao Zun to the ground, panting heavily as he said, "All of you, step back! This is my own business!"

The soldiers had no choice but to step aside, but they still watched Zhao Zun warily.

In an instant, Zhao Zun and Song Yuanqing, like two ferocious beasts fighting for territory, pounced on each other again.

"Zhao Zun, are you out of your mind?" Song Yuanqing shouted angrily, wiping his nosebleed. "Why are you causing trouble in my camp for no reason?"

Zhao Zun sneered, his eyes burning with even more jealousy: "Without any reason? You know perfectly well!" With that, he delivered another heavy punch, striking Song Yuanqing squarely in the abdomen.

Han Lei couldn't stand it any longer. She lifted her skirt and rushed into the fray, grabbing Zhao Zun's arm and shouting, "Stop! Zhao Zun, what are you doing?"

Zhao Zun stumbled as he was pulled, but when he turned and saw Han Lei's anxious face, his anger subsided slightly: "Girl, don't worry about it, I'm going to teach this guy a lesson today—"

“General Song is our client!” Han Lei interrupted him, her voice soft and clear. “He’s interested in cement and wants to use it to pave his barracks! I’m here to give him a quote and sign a contract!”

Zhao Zun's fist froze in mid-air: "What did you say?"

Unlike Zhao Zun, Song Yuanqing couldn't control his movements. He lost control and delivered a powerful side kick to Zhao Zun's abdomen. Zhao Zun groaned and collapsed to his knees, clutching his stomach.

"Oh dear! Zhao Zun!" Han Lei exclaimed, and quickly squatted down to check his injuries.

Song Yuanqing then realized what had happened, looking at his retracted foot with some embarrassment: "This... I didn't mean to..."

Han Lei turned and glared at Song Yuanqing, her eyes filled with both reproach and apology.

"General Song, I am truly sorry." Looking at Song Yuanqing's nose bleeding profusely, she said sincerely, "Please go back to camp and treat your wounds. I will definitely send you a few more bottles of Drunken Immortal Wine to apologize another day."

"You're giving me more?" Zhao Zun clutched his stomach and looked up, his eyes burning with jealousy again.

"Shut up!" Han Lei turned around and glared at Zhao Zun with a fierce yet cute look, which made Zhao Zun purse his lips and stop talking, like a cat whose fur had been stroked.

Although Song Yuanqing couldn't inquire about their relationship, he felt a mix of emotions watching their interactions.

He forced a smile: "Miss Han, you flatter me. But..." He glanced at Zhao Zun, then added meaningfully, "I hope next time Your Highness can give a reason before taking action."

Han Lei nodded repeatedly: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. General, please go back and rest. Also, check on the military camp. You... have a lot of nosebleeds."

At Han Lei's signal, several soldiers stepped forward to help Song Yuanqing up.

Before leaving, Song Yuanqing couldn't help but glance at the broken wine pot on the ground one last time, and said with heartache, "What a pity for such fine Drunken Immortal Wine..."

Zhao Zun was about to lash out again when he heard this, but Han Lei's glare made him freeze in place.

After watching the soldiers help Song Yuanqing away, Han Lei put her hands on her hips and glared down at Zhao Zun, who was still sitting on the ground. Under the blazing sun, her shadow completely enveloped Zhao Zun.

"Your Highness," Han Lei's voice was soft and gentle, but the way she spoke through gritted teeth and deliberate, uttered each word sent a chill down Zhao Zun's spine, "Can you explain why you are here?"

Zhao Zun looked up at the sky, his eyes unfocused, and stammered, "I...I was just passing by..."

"Passing by?" Han Lei raised an eyebrow. "Passing by this suburban military camp from the construction site?"

Ma Zi rubbed his forehead and frantically tried to wink at Zhao Zun, signaling him to quickly admit his mistake.

Zhao Zun coughed lightly, then suddenly pretended to clutch his stomach: "Ouch! That hurts... That bastard Song Yuanqing really went too far."

"Don't give me that!" Han Lei wasn't buying it. She rolled her eyes at him, but still squatted down and gently lifted his shirt to check his injuries.

Seeing the bruises on Zhao Zun's abdomen, a hint of heartache flashed in her eyes, but her tone remained stern: "Serves you right! Who told you to hit someone without even asking what happened?"

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhao Zun grabbed Han Lei's hand and said pitifully, "I saw the handkerchief he gave you."

"What handkerchief? I'm speechless." Han Lei glared at him again, annoyed.

“Yesterday I cut my wrist, and General Song lent me a handkerchief to bandage it. I washed it today and returned it to him.”

"You gave it back to him?" Zhao Zun felt a little happy.

"Nonsense! What's the point of keeping it if we're not going to return it? To breed?" Han Lei was speechless.

Zhao Zun was amused by her words and a faint smile appeared on his lips, but he was still a little jealous: "But why did you give him the Drunken Immortal Wine?"

Han Lei was both annoyed and amused: "It's just a gift for a client, something commonly used in business. What did you think it was? A token of love?"

Zhao Zun's eyes flickered, and he muttered to himself, "But I clearly heard him ask you if you've agreed to be married."

"Zhao Zun!" Han Lei called out his name angrily, "What are you thinking about all day? General Song is a gentleman, and we're talking about serious business!"

As she spoke, Han Lei took out the contract she had just signed from her bag and slapped it on Zhao Zun's chest.

"Here! Take it and see for yourself!" Han Lei stood up with a displeased expression and walked towards the carriage.

Ma Zi, who was listening nearby, kept wiping his sweat, thinking to himself that it seemed the prince would have to pray for good fortune today.

Seeing that Han Lei was really angry, Zhao Zun quickly sprang to his feet.

"Girl, listen to me. It's my fault, I was too impulsive..." He took a step forward and grabbed Han Lei's hand. "Don't be angry, I'll let you beat me or scold me when we get back..."

Han Lei was almost amused by his appearance and forced a smile, saying, "Come on! I'll settle the score with you when we get back!"

She helped Zhao Zun up and carefully brushed the dust off his body.

Taking the opportunity, Zhao Zun leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Girl, I really... when I see you smile at him, my heart feels like it's being scratched by a cat..."

“General Song is our cash cow now. How can you expect me not to smile in front of our cash cow?” Han Lei rolled her eyes at him: “Jealous bastard.”

On the carriage back to the construction site, Zhao Zun sat obediently next to Han Lei like a big dog that had done something wrong, occasionally stealing glances at her expression.

"Does it still hurt?" Han Lei felt sorry for him after all, and gently rubbed the spot where he had been kicked.

Zhao Zun immediately seized the opportunity, nodding pitifully, "Of course it hurts..."

Han Lei sighed, took out a box of ointment from her spatial storage, and gently applied it to him: "If you go crazy like this again for no reason, I'll..."

"What?" Zhao Zun's heart tightened.

"I'll just..." Han Lei thought about Zhao Zun's Achilles' heel and said, "I'll just let you go back to your own room to sleep."

"Ah?" Sure enough, this was torture for Zhao Zun. He quickly raised a finger to assure him, "Don't worry, I definitely won't do it again!"

He paused, then added in a low voice, "But, could you take me with you when you do business in the future? At least I can be your bodyguard..."

"Whatever! I can't be bothered with you anyway." Han Lei looked up at the sky speechlessly, rolled her eyes at him, and didn't say anything more about the topic.

She felt that jealousy was a normal thing between couples, and if she didn't feel jealous, then Zhao Zun's feelings for her would be worrying.

Moreover, Zhao Zun was an antique born in a feudal dynasty, and the concept of men and women not being allowed to touch each other was deeply ingrained in him.

In the future, I should just avoid these kinds of things as much as possible; there's no point in saying anything more.

As the carriage drove further and further away, Song Yuanqing, who should have been returning to camp to rest, reappeared at the entrance of the military camp.

He watched the carriage gradually disappear into the distance, standing there motionless for a long time, oblivious to the drops of blood falling from his nose into the yellow mud beneath his feet.

The soldier supporting him whispered a reminder: "General, why don't you go back to your tent and wash up first? The physician is probably already waiting."

Song Yuanqing then came to his senses, took out the handkerchief from his pocket, looked at it, and then sighed deeply.

He recalled Han Lei's tone of voice when she spoke to Zhao Zun, the sparkling eyes she had when she was focused on her work, and her elegant posture when she drank tea... These images lingered in his mind.

"What's wrong with me..." Song Yuanqing muttered to himself.

Why does this woman, whom he's only met twice, so haunt his dreams? He's even begun to consider whether it's possible to turn down the marriage proposal from his family...

But as soon as the idea popped into his head, he was startled by his own audacity.

The marriage alliance between the Song family and the Zhennan General's Mansion is a long-standing agreement between the two families. How can it be broken because of his own selfish desires?
Moreover, Han Lei and Zhao Zun have a close relationship, so what grounds does he have to fight for her?
With a heavy heart, Song Yuanqing slowly walked towards the central command tent with the help of his soldiers.

He gently stroked the embroidered character "Song" on the handkerchief, as if he could touch that departed figure...

The horse-drawn carriage rumbled along, kicking up fine dust as it rolled over the country dirt road.

The intertwined branches of the plane trees along the road cast dappled shadows, while the chirping of cicadas rose and fell from the treetops, weaving a dense sound network in the scorching air.

Han Lei sat in the swaying carriage and glanced at Zhao Zun beside her.

His bruised and swollen face was particularly noticeable in the sunlight streaming through the car window, and there were still some dust stains on his clothes. He was nowhere to be seen as the dignified prince or marshal.

"Have you had lunch yet?" Han Lei asked deliberately with a stern face.

Zhao Zun shook his head, his hair swaying slightly with the movement, casting dappled shadows on his face. He stole glances at Han Lei's expression, like a big dog that had done something wrong.

"You!" Han Lei was furious and kicked him in the ankle. "A prince, running around fighting like a brat, and not even eating!"

Zhao Zun didn't dodge or flinch, but instead moved closer, a fawning smile on his lips: "Don't be angry, little girl, I just..." He paused, his voice lowering, "...saw the handkerchief he gave you."

"I told you, he lent it to me to bandage my wound. Who said it was a gift for me?" Han Lei's eyes widened as she took out some milk and cake from her system space.

The sweet aroma of the cake instantly filled the carriage. Zhao Zun's eyes lit up, and as he took the cake, he grabbed her wrist, where there was indeed a small wound.

Zhao Zun gently blew on it and asked with concern, "Does it still hurt now?"

Han Lei didn't answer, but instead shoved the milk cake into his arms: "Eat it! You'll starve to death!"

"Hehe!" Zhao Zun chuckled awkwardly and took the milk cake.

It seems Han Lei still cares about him; she's just all bark and no bite.

Outside the carriage, Ma Zi rode his horse, munching on bread, listening to the intermittent conversation coming from inside.

"If you do this again..."

"no more chance."

"You're not ashamed to fight in front of someone's military camp? I am!"

"Yes, yes, yes... I wasn't thinking about it..."

"You're just making excuses again."

"Yes, yes, I won't say anything."

"Three days later, bring a construction team over, and while you're at it, bring a few jugs of Drunken Immortal Wine for them..."

"You want me to apologize to him?"

"If we don't give way to you, who will?"

……

Ma Zi shook his head and continued munching on his sweet bread. Judging by this, the prince is in for a rough day.

When their prince met the princess, it was like a snow lion melting into a fire; he was completely obliterated.

Zhao Zun, a dignified prince, went to the military camp to beat up his imagined love rival, leaving Han Lei speechless.

But she didn't expect that something even more speechless would happen next.

When they arrived at the construction site, Han Lei was immediately invited by the foreman to see the prefabricated houses as soon as she got off the carriage.

Zhao Zun stood there, half-closing his eyes as he watched her receding figure, unconsciously reaching for the love lock in his pocket.

The warm, round jade pendant lay dull and lifeless in her palm; it hadn't lit up in a long time. This also indicated that Han Lei hadn't missed him for a long time.

This feeling was very unsettling, making his heart pound in the air, completely uneasy.

"Pockmarked face!" Zhao Zun called out, frowning.

"Your Highness, is there something you need?" Ma Zi, who had just tied up his horse, quickly came over.

Zhao Zun suddenly clenched his hands together: "Go to Qingshui County."

He lowered his voice to a whisper, “Ask Luo Hai how long it will take for the Prince’s mansion to be repaired. Also, the wedding bed in the main hall must be made of sandalwood, the sooner the better.”

"But Your Highness, didn't we just arrive from Qingshui County a few days ago?" Ma Zi frowned, feeling somewhat speechless as well.

"I'm in a hurry, don't you know that?" Zhao Zun roared at him, looking at the beautiful figure in the distance directing the workers, the setting sun gilding her silhouette. "If this drags on any longer..." His words faded into the wind.

He remembered Han Lei's bloodshot eyes from staring at the blueprints, the sparkle in her eyes when she mentioned "do it," her soft, coquettish way of whining to him, and even more so, the question Song Yuanqing had asked him...

The love lock lay quietly in his palm, like an ordinary jade pendant.

Zhao Zun suddenly felt very afraid, afraid that the light in Han Lei's eyes would eventually shine on a more distant place and no longer stay for him.

"Hurry up and go!" Seeing that Ma Zi was standing still, he stamped his foot to urge him on, then suddenly turned around, "I'm going to see how the construction is going over there."

He needed to find something to do to keep himself busy so he wouldn't think that if he hadn't met Han Lei first, she might not have chosen him at all.

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