Love Lock

Chapter 306 My Motherland
Her slender fingers gently pressed the power button, and the intro to Dao Lang's version of "My Motherland" immediately flowed out, the music surging into every corner of the lobby like a tide.

Gertai and Hassa were startled by the sudden music, but were immediately captivated by its melodious tune.

Then, Han Lei began to lead the singing. Her clear and melodious voice rang out, and she pronounced each word clearly and with great emotion.

"The girl is like a flower."
What a broad-minded young man!

In order to open up new horizons,

It awakened the sleeping mountains.

"It changed the appearance of that river..."

As soon as her singing ended, the entire hall seemed to be set ablaze.

All the people present, from Cangzhou officials to attendants and Zhao Zun's personal guards, spontaneously joined in the chorus.

The sounds were initially somewhat chaotic, but they quickly coalesced into a torrent.

"This is the motherland of heroes,"

It is where I grew up.
On this ancient land,
The power of youth is everywhere.

Hope shone on everyone's face. The old officials' eyes welled with tears, as if they could see the dramatic transformation of Cangzhou from poverty to prosperity under the leadership of the King and Queen—

The newly built irrigation canals gleamed silver in the sunlight, the barren mountains were covered in green, and the wide streets were bustling with traffic.

The young soldiers stood tall, their eyes shining with determination.

This is a home they built bit by bit with their own hands, and they will not allow anyone to violate it.

Han Lei straightened her back and continued singing, but her pretty eyes remained fixed on the envoys from both countries.

Her gaze was sharp as a knife, a stark contrast to her gentle singing voice—

"Beautiful mountains, beautiful water, beautiful place"

Every road is wide and smooth.
When friends come, we have good wine.
If the jackals come,
It was met with hunting rifles…

Zhao Zun took the lead and joined the chorus loudly, his deep voice leading the rhythm like a war drum.

The officials and guards of Cangzhou followed closely behind, their singing becoming even more powerful and resonant, each word seeming to burst forth from the depths of their chests.

This is a powerful motherland.

It is where I grew up.
On this warm land,
Peaceful sunshine is everywhere.

Just as the song reached this point, with a "whoosh," the guards drew their pistols in unison, the dark muzzles pointing directly at the delegation.

The guards sang as they steadily approached the delegation.

Their footsteps were resounding, each step perfectly timed, and combined with the dark muzzles of their guns, created a suffocating sense of oppression.

Although Gertai and Hasa did not understand the full meaning of the lyrics, they clearly heard the words "friend" and "jackal".

Gertai's hand unconsciously rested on the hilt of his knife, but then slowly released it. He realized that any movement could lead to unpredictable consequences.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Hassa's forehead; they had never seen anything like it. The dozens of people in the hall used their singing as a weapon, their eyes burning with fury that seemed to consume them.

Amidst this chorus of voices, the messengers seemed to witness the tremendous changes that had taken place in Cangzhou over the past year: barren lands had been transformed into fertile fields, muddy paths into wide roads, and the faces of the people were no longer sallow from hunger, but glowing with hope.

Even more frightening, they saw a terrifying power of unity in this synchronized chorus—

That was not a simple threat, but a sign of a nation's awakening.

The guards continued to close in, the pistols they drew from their waists gleaming coldly in the light.

The envoys from both countries instinctively stepped back, their hands in front of them, until their heels struck a marble pillar, at which point they realized they had nowhere to retreat.

Amidst this overwhelming chorus of songs, they truly understood for the first time what a "powerful motherland" meant and what the inviolable dignity of a nation was.

Gertai's fingers tightened on the hilt of the knife, his knuckles turning white with tension and fear.

Hassa was breathing heavily, and sweat trickled down his temples, soaking his collar.

The objects clutched tightly in the hands of those guards, gleaming with a merciless metallic sheen, exuded a chilling aura of death, more chilling than any scimitar or bow and arrow.

The singing continued to roar, like real waves crashing against their eardrums and nerves.

"This is a powerful motherland..." Every lyric is like a heavy hammer blow.

Their escape route is cut off.

Gertai's gaze swept rapidly across the faces of those Cangzhou people, finding not a trace of bluff, but only an iron will and an almost fanatical belief.

He had no doubt that if they made any further provocative moves, those dark objects would leave them stranded on the land of Cangzhou in the next instant.

Finished!

Yong'an City is utterly hopeless!
Forcing your way in will only lead to certain death!
Just as the suffocating sense of oppression reached its peak, Gertai took a deep breath, as if breaking free from some invisible constraint.

His hand, which had been resting on the hilt of the knife, suddenly loosened, his fingers spread wide, making an extremely awkward yet clearly meaningful gesture—

"No, no. Please don't come any closer. We're just having a friendly exchange, we don't mean anything by it."

Gertai raised his hands in a blocking gesture, and when his gaze met Da Jingren's angry eyes, he lowered his head slightly, a head he had never bowed to before.

Hassa stared at Gertai in astonishment, but then an even greater fear gripped him. He dared not look directly into Zhao Zun's piercing eyes, and his head instinctively lowered.

The chorus of voices came to a close at that moment. "...Peaceful sunshine is everywhere."

As the last note faded, its lingering sound echoed among the beams and pillars of the lobby.

Absolute silence descended suddenly, more terrifying than the previous roar.

All the guards held their pistols level, motionless, their cold gazes fixed on the envoys from both countries.

Gasping for breath, Gertai raised his head in the deathly silence, his voice unusually dry and hoarse from tension and humiliation. He spoke in as steady a tone as possible, each word uttered with immense difficulty.

“The power of Cangzhou…we have witnessed it.” He swallowed hard. “We…will report everything we have seen and heard to the Chanyu, word for word.”

He glanced at Zhao Zun and Han Lei, his gaze finally settling on the pistols, and he finally asked the question that had been lingering in his mind.

"What's this?"

Zhao Zun stepped forward, his deep voice breaking the silence, yet carrying a chill colder than metal: "This is the 'hunting rifle' to entertain you."

He deliberately used words from the lyrics, the meaning of which is self-evident.

“Remember what you saw and heard today.” Zhao Zun’s gaze was like two awls, piercing Gertai and Hasa. “Cangzhou will always welcome friends. But if anyone considers themselves a jackal…”

He didn't finish speaking, but merely raised his hand slightly. With a soft click, all the guards moved in perfect unison, sheathing their guns.

That short, crisp metallic scraping sound was more threatening than any thunderous roar.

Gertai and Hasa shuddered violently, their last shred of hope shattered.

They didn't know why they were afraid, but they knew it was not just a simple intimidation, but a new weapon they didn't fully understand.

Their arrogance and threats were crushed before this chorus and these weapons called "hunting rifles".

"see a visitor out."

Zhao Zun's voice was beyond question.

The mahogany gate creaked open, and Old Meng stood at the entrance, shouting, "Please!"

Under the watchful eyes of countless cold gazes, all the envoys who had arrived arrogantly but were now utterly dejected were almost pushed and shoved by invisible pressure, staggering away from the prefectural hall where the song still echoed in their ears, a place they would never forget.

The journey back to the grassland royal court will be exceptionally long and arduous.

Walking down the street, the envoy from Ala Kingdom, Gertai, felt a chill run down his spine and into his head, his whole body turning icy cold. His previous arrogant demeanor had completely vanished.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell on his shoulders, making him appear unusually cold and aloof.

He instinctively clutched his still wildly beating heart, and looked back at the receding prefectural government building. The majestic and solemn gate tower resembled a silent behemoth in the twilight, leaving him with lingering fear.

The scene from just now was still lingering in his mind: the black "hunting rifles" held by those Great Jing guards were coldly pointed at them, as if they would spit out the tongues of venomous snakes at any moment.

What exactly is that weapon? It's only a foot or so long, yet it exudes such a suffocating pressure, making people fearful.

What chilled him even more were the eyes of Zhao Zun, the King of Cangzhou—cold and resolute, as if they already held their lives in their hands.

What gave this border king such confidence that he didn't take foreign envoys seriously at all?

What is it that makes the people of Dajing so united and cohesive in times of crisis?

The more Gertai thought about it, the more he realized that this land was far more complex than they had previously imagined.

Hassa asked in a low voice, "Master, what should we do now?" His voice still trembled.

Gertai looked up at the setting sun in the west; the evening glow was like blood, staining half the sky red.

He forced down his chaotic thoughts and said in a deep voice, "It's getting late. Let's find a post station to rest first, and then set off back to the grasslands early tomorrow morning."

Hassa, however, looked fearful. He glanced back cautiously, as if afraid the Jing people would catch up.

He leaned closer to Gertai and whispered, "Master, have you forgotten what the King of Cangzhou said? 'If you all die here, no one will know,' right? Our proposal to cede Ling'an City has already angered the King of Cangzhou. If he sends someone under cover of night..."

As he spoke, he lightly ran his finger across his neck and then fell silent.

Thinking of that devilish couple, Gerthai couldn't help but feel a chill.

He turned to look at the other members of the delegation, all of whom were pale and had shifty eyes, clearly still unable to recover from the shock of being pointed at with the "hunting rifle" earlier.

They exchanged a few glances and then echoed Hassa's suggestion—they would rather travel through the night than stay in Qingshui County for even a moment longer.

"Sigh... well then." Gertai frowned, then finally nodded. "Let's rest when we reach Ling'an City!"

The members of the delegation boarded the carriages, which rumbled through the streets of Qingshui County.

Just then, solar-powered lights began to illuminate the strange lampposts standing along the roadside, their soft yet bright glow instantly spreading throughout the streets and alleys, dispelling the twilight without a trace.

The members of the delegation involuntarily leaned out and let out a chorus of low gasps.

The county town, which was just beginning to darken with dusk, was suddenly as bright as day.

The shops along the road were still open, vendors were calling out under the lights, and pedestrians were laughing and chatting, making it even more lively and bustling than during the day.

Amidst the interplay of lights and shadows, the aroma of food, the sounds of children playing, and the hustle and bustle of passing vehicles weave together a vivid and lively picture of the night market.

Someone couldn't help but murmur, "This...this is the county seat of the Great Jing Dynasty?"

Gertai gazed silently at the scene outside the window, his heart churning with unspoken emotions.

He saw an old man selling sugar paintings smilingly handing a glowing lantern to a child, saw groups of friends raising their glasses in a toast outside a tavern, and even saw the night watchman beginning his patrol...

All of this exudes a vibrant energy within a stable and peaceful order.

This is a scene that can never be found on the grasslands.

They live by water and grass, migrating with the seasons; when have they ever had such a peaceful and warm night?
The carriage slowly drove out of the city gate, leaving the dazzling lights behind.

As soon as we entered the wilderness, darkness enveloped us from all directions, with only the two lanterns on the front of the car casting a faint glow in the wind.

Kazakhstan finally lost his temper and shouted angrily in the carriage: "Why? Why do they get to enjoy such prosperity! While we have to struggle to survive in this harsh land, without even a stable home?"

His fists clenched until they turned white. "No, when I get back I must persuade the Chanyu—even if we can't swallow up the Great Jing in one gulp, we must at least send troops to take Ling'an City! So that our people can sleep peacefully behind the city walls!"

Gertai remained silent for a long time.

He gazed out the window at the deep night, as if he could see again the cold, hard outlines of those "hunting rifles," and the calm and dignified face of the King of Cangzhou.

“This… is easier said than done.” Gertai stroked his curly beard and finally sighed, his voice filled with deep weariness. “The Turkic cavalry marched south every year, but had they ever truly breached the Great Jing North Pass? If even they couldn’t do it, what can our two countries do together?”

He turned his head and looked at Hasa with a heavy gaze. "Moreover... you saw it today. We don't even know what kind of divine weapon that 'hunting rifle' is. The fact that the King and Queen of Cangzhou use a 'hunting rifle' instead of swords must mean they rely on that 'hunting rifle'."

Upon hearing this, Hassa and the other members of the delegation fell silent, and the only sound in the carriage was a chorus of sighs.

The wind howled outside the car, like an eternal lament on the grassland.

Despite the failure of this mission, they still had to return to the depths of the grasslands and continue their nomadic and migratory lives, exposed to wind and rain.

The carriage bumped along. Three days later, the mission arrived in Ling'an City.

As dusk deepened, the city walls cast huge shadows in the moonlight.

The nerves of the delegation members, which had been taut with tension, nearly snapped the moment they saw the city gates—

Torches lit up the city gate, where a dense mass of soldiers stood in formation. The leading general, his iron armor gleaming coldly, had a gloomy face; he was none other than the newly appointed Marshal of the Northern Pass—Pingchuan.

Each of them held a shiny black object in their hands, which was a generation older than the "hunting rifles" they had seen in Qingshui County.

Gertai's heart sank.

Hassa's hand unconsciously gripped the hilt of his sword, his voice trembling: "The mastermind... he, they really were..."

Are you all interested in guessing what will happen next?