Love Lock

Chapter 225 He's the unluckiest one.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, families reunite, and the Prime Minister's residence is no exception.

The bright moon hung high in the sky, its silvery light bathing the garden of the Prime Minister's residence. Amidst the fragrant osmanthus blossoms, the Wei family banquet was in full swing.

Maids carrying glass wine jugs moved among the crowd, pouring amber-colored osmanthus wine into celadon cups.

Prime Minister Wei stroked his white beard, gazing at his many children and grandchildren, his eyes crinkling with contentment.

"Father, please try this." Wei Chengchao, the eldest son of the Wei family, respectfully picked up a piece of mooncake. "It's a special five-nut filling made by a newly opened pastry shop in the south of the city, with pine nuts, which are your favorite, added to it."

The aunt covered her mouth with her fan and laughed: "The eldest young master is now very successful in the business world, and he has even become particular about the food he eats."

The jade bracelet on her wrist shimmered in the moonlight, complementing the filigree jade hairpin in Madam Wei's hair.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from the front yard. Prime Minister Wei frowned, and before he could put down his wine cup, more than twenty imperial guards had already rushed into the garden.

Their armor gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and the swords at their waists clanged with each step.

"Where is Wei Dabao?" the leading commander shouted sternly, startling the nightingale perched in the osmanthus tree.

The room fell silent. Everyone looked at each other, wondering what had happened.

The crab claw in Wei Dabao's hand fell into the bowl with a "thud," and the sauce splashed onto his brand-new cloud-patterned brocade robe.

He stood up blankly, the effects of the alcohol instantly dissipating: "I am Wei Dabao, may I ask..."

"By order of His Majesty, Wei Dabao shall be escorted into the palace immediately!" With a wave of his hand, the commander ordered two Imperial Guards to grab Wei Dabao's arms.

Escort?

Regardless of the circumstances, His Majesty is a cousin of the Wei family. Why then would His Majesty use the word "escort" to describe Wei Dabao's situation?
Prime Minister Wei's eyebrows twitched violently. He stood up abruptly, causing the rosewood chair to tip backward.

"Wait! What crime has my nephew committed? On this Mid-Autumn Festival, why does Your Majesty..."

"Prime Minister, please forgive me." The commander clasped his hands in a salute, his armor clanging metallically. "This humble general only knows that His Majesty is furious; I know nothing else."

He lowered his voice, "It is said that half an hour ago, His Majesty received a message by carrier pigeon from the North Pass."

"Oh!"

Prime Minister Wei nodded knowingly. Since a message had been sent by carrier pigeon from the North Pass, it seemed there was progress on the matter of the King of Cangzhou confiscating Wei Dabao's property. But why was Wei Dabao being escorted away?
The teacup in Madam Wei Dabao's hand fell, and the broken porcelain splattered like blooming ice flowers.

She rushed forward and grabbed her husband's sleeve: "My husband has always been cautious and meticulous, how could he..."

Before she could finish speaking, a gleaming sword was already placed in front of her, its cold light reflecting off her pale face.

Wei Dabao's third concubine suddenly screamed and rushed over, the pearl hairpins in her hair trembling: "Someone must have framed me! Master, please hurry..."

The commander held his sword sheath horizontally, blocking her three steps away. She staggered and fell onto the stone steps, her moon-white dress instantly covered in mud.

At the round table, Wei Chengchao gripped his wine glass tightly, his knuckles turning white.

He stared at Wei Dabao, who was being supported, without saying a word, his hand unconsciously touching his nose, as if he felt that his nose was about to bleed.

He had no intention of intervening when Wei Dabao was taken away at Dali Temple last time. Seeing Wei Dabao being taken away again, he still had no such thought.

Now, he has only one thought in his mind: how to break free from the shackles of Han Lei's poison. As for everything else, he considers it none of his business and keeps it out of his sight.

As Wei Dabao was being escorted to the gate of the mansion, he suddenly turned around and shouted anxiously, "Uncle, uncle, you have to help me!"

He wanted to say something more, but the Imperial Guards pushed him onto the carriage. The entire Wei family stood on the steps outside the mansion gate, watching the carriage drive away.

The courtyard of the Wei residence returned to silence, leaving only a mess on the ground. A dark cloud obscured the bright moon, and Prime Minister Wei's hunched back trembled slightly in the darkness.

Wei Chengchao finally found his voice and asked hoarsely, "Father, what should we do..."

"Change your clothes." Prime Minister Wei straightened up, his tone tinged with impatience. "I'll go into the palace now."

……

Inside the imperial study, ambergris burned quietly in a bronze beast-shaped incense burner, its wisps of smoke resembling flowing ribbons in the candlelight.

Emperor Jing stood with his back to the palace gate, the gold thread cloud patterns on his bright yellow dragon robe still gleaming in the twilight. He had lost all interest in moon-viewing; after dismissing his concubines, he returned to his study to await Wei Dabao.

Outside the study, the full moon peeked out from behind the dark clouds, casting long shadows of the carved window frames onto the jade-green floor tiles.

"Your Majesty, Wei Dabao has arrived." The guard knelt on one knee, his voice echoing faintly in the empty hall.

Emperor Jing did not turn around, but simply waved his hand.

The heavy palace doors closed slowly behind Wei Dabao, making a dull "bang".

This once arrogant local gentryman from Qingshui County, Cangzhou, was now sweating profusely, and his knees buckled as he knelt on the cold floor tiles.

"This humble subject, Wei Dabao, kowtows to Your Majesty." His forehead slammed heavily against the ground, making a "thump-thump" sound.

"Wei Dabao." Emperor Jing finally turned around, his voice eerily calm. "Do you know your crime?"

The candlelight flickered in Emperor Jing's eyes, casting his deep eyes on and off.

Wei Dabao was completely bewildered, having no idea what crime he had committed. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing violently.

"Your Majesty! This humble subject was unaware!"

"Snapped!"

A letter slammed into Wei Dabao's face, the sharp edge of the paper leaving a white mark on his cheek.

"I don't know?"

Emperor Jing strode toward the desk, and as he turned around, the wind from his dragon robe sleeves overturned a teacup on the desk, the sound of the celadon shattering echoing throughout the hall.

"Would you like to take a look at the military report that Marshal Cao Xiong of Beiguan personally verified?" Emperor Jing's voice suddenly rose. "Those so-called 'garrison troops,' Zhao Zunquan organized them into serfs to reclaim wasteland and cultivate the land. How did that become treason in your mouth?"

Wei Dabao was trembling all over, but he still wouldn't give up.

"Your Majesty, even if I misjudged the matter of garrisoning troops, it is absolutely true that Zhao Zun sent Luo Hai to confiscate my family's property! I beg Your Majesty to do justice for me!"

He crawled two steps on his knees, the paving stones digging painfully into them.

Emperor Jing sneered, got up and walked to the gilded dragon pillar, his fingers unconsciously stroking the raised dragon scale patterns on the pillar.

“Zhao Zun is a vassal king and is not allowed to interfere in local affairs according to the law. As a member of a collateral branch of the Wei family, even if you commit a crime, it should be dealt with by Sun Wenyuan, the prefect of Cangzhou.”

As Emperor Jing spoke, he suddenly turned around, his sharp gaze piercing like a knife. "You say Zhao Zun confiscated your property. Do you have an imperial edict? Do you have any documents from the state government?"

"This...this is what Luo Hai said himself..." Wei Dabao's explanation began to stutter.

"Luo Hai? Nonsense!" Emperor Jing slapped the dragon pillar, startling Li Zhongxin and two eunuchs standing at the corner of the hall.

"How dare a mere seventh-rank county magistrate overstep the prefect's authority and carry out the prince's orders? Do you take my Great Jing Law for a joke?"

The candlelight inside the hall crackled and popped, casting half of the emperor's face into shadow.

Large beads of sweat appeared on Wei Dabao's forehead. He suddenly lunged forward and hugged Emperor Jing's leg.

"Uh... Your Majesty. It's true. Although I didn't see it with my own eyes, I've already asked my neighbors. It was indeed Zhao Zun who ordered Luo Hai of Qingshui County to confiscate my property."

When Emperor Jing heard that it was his neighbor who told him, he was even more speechless and glared angrily at Wei Dabao.

"This is getting more and more absurd. You believe what the neighbors say? What do you take Sun Wenyuan, the prefect of Cangzhou, for? Is he a dead man?"

Wei Dabao was so anxious that tears were almost in his eyes. He felt that he couldn't explain himself even if he was right. "Your Majesty! Everything I've said is true! You can't believe that even that brute Zhao Zun doesn't believe me, I am your..."

"Insolence!" Emperor Jing suddenly pulled his leg away, and Wei Dabao fell to the ground.

Everyone in the capital knew that he was related to the Wei family, but now that he was the emperor, how could he allow others to claim kinship while he was handling matters?
If Wei Dabao's words were to get out, wouldn't that give people grounds to suspect that he was biased?
"Wei Dabao, I heard about your actions when I was enfeoffed in Xuzhou. Don't you know what you've done? Your home was inexplicably ransacked, and now you're using your position to settle personal scores and slander a prince. It's utterly despicable! Guards!"

Emperor Jing's expression had turned cold, as if he didn't recognize this relative at all.

The door to the Imperial Study was flung open, and four Imperial Guards entered, each carrying a halberd.

"Wei Dabao falsely accused the vassal kings, sowing discord between them and the imperial family, and disrupting the court. I treat everyone equally and will immediately imprison him!"

Emperor Jing's cold voice echoed in the hall, "Without my decree, no one is allowed to visit!"

"Yes!"

The imperial guards answered in a resounding voice. They stepped forward and lifted Wei Dabao up from either side.

Wei Dabao's face was ashen. As he was dragged away, he was still screaming, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please see the truth! Zhao Zun really confiscated my property! Those land deeds and deeds..."

Wei Dabao's voice faded into the distance, eventually being shut out by the heavy palace gates.

He went to the capital to appeal to the emperor, but his efforts were unsuccessful, and he was imprisoned once again.

In just a few months this year, he has been imprisoned three times. He's probably the most unlucky person in the Great Jing Dynasty!

Emperor Jing rubbed his temples wearily, his gaze falling on the military report from the northern pass on his desk. In the candlelight, Cao Xiong's seal was as red as blood…

Meanwhile, Wei Dabao was imprisoned again for moon-viewing during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Over there, in the courtyard of Luo Hai's house in Qingshui County, Han Lei was telling a story in a soft voice, but her eyes were always on the direction of the study.

The young prince had already fallen asleep in Han Lei's arms, his long eyelashes casting tiny shadows in the moonlight.

"Miss Han," Princess Shen suddenly spoke, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible, "what...are they talking about?"

Han Lei gently patted the young prince's back and said softly, "Let men handle their own affairs."

As she spoke, she looked up at the bright moon in the darkness and said, "The moon is so round tonight."

A tear silently slid down Princess Shen's cheek, shimmering like a pearl in the moonlight.

Han Lei pretended not to see it, but simply hugged the child in her arms even tighter.

The sound of a clapper could be heard in the distance; it was already past midnight. The study door finally opened, and two men appeared in the corridor.

Under the moonlight, their expressions were calm as still water, but Han Lei keenly noticed that the King of Jingzhou's steps were much more steady than before.

"Are you done talking?" Han Lei asked softly.

Zhao Zun nodded, his gaze softening: "Are the children all asleep?"

"Mm." Han Lei gently handed the young prince to Princess Shen. "It's getting late, it's time to rest."

The King of Jingzhou walked to his wife's side and gently took her hand: "My beloved, let's go back."

His voice was unusually calm, yet carried an unprecedented firmness.

Princess Shen looked up at him, her eyes full of questions. The King of Jingzhou simply shook his head slightly, then turned to Zhao Zun and said, "Brother Zhao, let's discuss this in detail tomorrow."

Zhao Zun smiled and nodded: "Brother Liu, sister-in-law, please get some rest."

After the Wang family from Jingzhou left, Han Lei asked in a low voice, "Is it done?"

Zhao Zun gazed at the moon gradually setting in the west, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips: "Jingzhou... will be ours sooner or later."

A sudden night breeze swept away the last trace of the sweet aroma of mooncakes in the courtyard.

The distant mountain shadows, like lurking beasts, silently await the arrival of dawn under the moonlight...

The next day, the sky was overcast and leaden, and a cool autumn breeze carried fallen leaves through the streets and alleys.

Tang Xiaotong rushed back to the capital from Cangzhou, his blue robe still covered in the dust of his journey.

He rode a chestnut horse, followed by a covered carriage, the wheels creaking as they rolled over the cobblestones.

The carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the vermilion gates of Jinxiufang. Tang Xiaotong nimbly dismounted, dusted herself off, and shouted into the gate.

"A few people, come on in! Move everything inside, be careful!"

Upon hearing the commotion, several workers from Jinxiu Workshop came out and, under his direction, began unloading long, rectangular objects and dozens of heavy wooden boxes from the carriage.

The long, narrow object had a peculiar shape; it was entirely black, with a round hole at the front and a trigger at the middle and rear.

This long, rectangular object was the M16 automatic rifle and ammunition that Han Lei had asked Tang Xiaotong to bring to the capital. Han Lei specified that they should be separated and placed in the Jinxiufang storeroom, to be carefully kept by Tang Xiaotong herself.

Just then, Wei Chengchao hurriedly turned the street corner.

His face was pale, and large beads of sweat were seeping from his forehead.

He's running out of antidote today. He's been waiting in the manor since yesterday, but there's still no sign of Da Jiu. If he doesn't hear from Da Jiu soon, he'll be getting a nosebleed again tomorrow.

In his anxiety, he had no choice but to take the initiative to search for them. He sent his servants, A and B, to look for the Mandarin Duck Hairpin and the Drunken Immortal Wine.

He himself came to Jinxiufang with a sliver of hope. He saw Tang Xiaotong from afar and walked over to her in three quick steps.

"Manager Tang, what good stuff are you moving?" Wei Chengchao asked, suppressing his anxiety and trying to sound relaxed.

Tang Xiaotong turned around upon hearing the voice and saw Wei Chengchao. She was taken aback at first, but then a playful smile appeared on her face.

"So it's Master Wei. These are all sewing tools newly developed by Miss Han, which she says will make the embroiderers' work twice as efficient."

As he spoke, Tang Xiaotong casually picked up an M16 and proudly waved it in front of Wei Chengchao.

Wei Dabao glanced at the strangely shaped, metallic object and was initially quite curious, but upon hearing the words "Miss Han," he couldn't help but shudder and instinctively reached out to touch his nose.

In an instant, he lost all interest and asked in a low voice, "Manager Tang, have you seen Da Jiu recently?"

"Da Jiu?"

Tang Xiaotong knew he wanted to get the antidote from Da Jiu. Just as he was about to answer, a majestic and loud voice came to his ears.

"Cheng Chao!"

Upon hearing the voice, Wei Chengchao and Tang Xiaotong turned around simultaneously. Tang Xiaotong didn't recognize the person, but as soon as Wei Chengchao turned around, a joyful and fawning smile immediately appeared on his face.

He quickly clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Upon hearing that the visitor was His Majesty, Tang Xiaotong and his companions immediately knelt down to pay their respects.

"We, your humble servants, pay our respects to Your Majesty."

"Rise, all of you! No need for formalities." Emperor Jing nodded with a smile and asked Wei Chengchao kindly, "Chengchao, why are you personally guarding the shop today?"

"Hey! I was just worried!"

Wei Chengchao dared not say that he had come to get the antidote. He turned around and pointed to the shop assistants, each carrying an M16 automatic rifle that they were moving, and said in a self-motivated manner, "Business is good in the shop right now. I just got some sewing tools and I'm watching them carefully move them! With these tools, the embroiderers can sew clothes faster."

Upon hearing this, Tang Xiaotong, who was standing to the side, twitched her lips violently.

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