Love Lock

Chapter 340 The Heavens of the Capital
Zhao Zun sat in the smoothly moving carriage, with a specially designed shock absorption device underneath him, making the long journey much less bumpy.

He leaned back against a soft cushion, an open leather-bound notebook in his hand, the edges of the pages slightly curled, clearly a notebook Zhao Zun used frequently.

Sunlight streamed through the slightly swaying car curtains, flickering across his long fingers and the pages of paper.

Zhao Zun was giving a report to Han Lei, who was lying on the inflatable mattress opposite him: "...The main roads of Cangzhou, Jingzhou, and Xuzhou have all been paved with cement, the travel time of caravans has been shortened by nearly half, and the allocation of supplies is smooth. Qingzhou and Yizhou have been initially taken over, and the administration is being sorted out. The overall situation is almost settled. Now Jizhou and Dongguan have also been brought under control, and local order has been restored faster than expected."

Perhaps because she was uncomfortable lying down, Han Lei gently turned her body to the side.

Zhao Zun continued, lightly tapping the "Dongguan" entry with his pen, "That kid Tang Xiaotong is quite lucky. He's doing very well in Turkic territory now. With him handling things, the border troubles in the north can be temporarily put to rest. As for Dongguan, there are 500 soldiers and enough M16s with ample ammunition to help guard it. Dongming will definitely not dare to cross the line again in the short term."

He explained things clearly and logically, his tone devoid of arrogance, but rather displaying a calm confidence that he had everything under control.

The notebook was filled with densely packed records of capital and power sufficient to overthrow a dynasty.

Han Lei looked at the swaying carriage roof and nodded slightly. She hadn't realized that they had accumulated so much wealth without even noticing.

She rolled over and leaned to one side, her seven-month pregnant belly bulging high like a large watermelon, making her movements even more difficult. Long-distance travel was exhausting, and she could only lie down most of the time.

Listening to Zhao Zun's report, a gentle yet proud smile played on her lips as she gazed at his focused profile. His face bore the marks of battle, now bearing the weight of strategic wisdom.

"Hmm," she responded softly, her voice tinged with the languor of pregnancy, "Now that the foundation is laid, the next step is to figure out how to make this capital city naturally change hands."

She gently stroked her round belly, feeling the little one inside moving restlessly, as if it were also encouraging the father's career.

Zhao Zun closed his notebook, looked up at her, and was about to say something when the voice of the Imperial Guard Commander, Old Meng, came from outside the car. His voice was deliberately lowered but could not hide his composure.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, we have entered the capital."

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Han Lei's eyes. She propped herself up on her elbows and tried to sit up to take a look.

Zhao Zun immediately put down his notebook, leaned over, and carefully supported her back with one hand and held her arm with the other, helping her to sit up slowly with the gentlest of movements.

His brow furrowed slightly, full of concern: "Take it easy."

Han Lei smiled at him, indicating that she was alright, and then reached out and lifted a corner of the car curtain beside her.

The afternoon sun was shining brightly on the bustling streets of Beijing.

The area was bustling with traffic and people, with vendors hawking their wares, children playing, and cart wheels clattering together, creating a lively atmosphere.

The familiar street scenes and buildings flowed slowly backward as the carriage moved on.

Han Lei was somewhat dazed; this was her third time visiting the capital city of this era.

The first time was when Zhao Zun's merits overshadowed the emperor, so Emperor Jing used a tactic of apparent promotion but actual demotion to take back his military power, granting him the title of Prince of Xiaoyao and sending him to Cangzhou.

At that time, their future was uncertain, and they were depressed, like caged birds, walking on thin ice with every step.

The second time, she came to the capital alone to greet the Marquis of Champion's family. Although it was full of difficulties, it was also thrilling and exciting.

This time, however, they infiltrated the heart of the empire silently, yet they wielded heavy military power, controlled several states, and arrived with overwhelming force.

The states of mind that accompanied each visit were completely different: one was one of being trapped, and the other was one of plotting.

Her keen ears picked up the conversations of the people on the roadside, mostly about the recent "Great Victory at Dongguan".

"Our imperial army is truly formidable, utterly defeating those barbarians from Dongming!"

"We not only defeated them, we even captured their high-ranking officials!"

"I've heard that General Da Jiu is wise and mighty, and the new army he trained is truly exceptional!"

"When will those Eastern Ming prisoners be executed? It would be best if they were to be torn to pieces to commemorate our fallen soldiers!"

"Yes! Only tearing him apart by five horses would be enough to vent our anger!"

Listening to these discussions filled with pride and resentment, Han Lei slightly curled her lips, lowered the carriage curtain, looked at Zhao Zun, and whispered, "It seems your plan has worked. The news has been well contained, and everyone in the capital still thinks it's the credit of the imperial army."

This was Zhao Zun's true intention: to let Emperor Jing temporarily immerse himself in the false joy of victory and lower his guard against the real threat.

However, upon hearing the people's vehement remarks about the way the Eastern Ming prisoners were executed, the faint smile on Zhao Zun's lips vanished, his expression turned calm, and a complex emotion flickered in his eyes.

He completely closed the carriage curtain, shutting out the noise outside, leaned against the carriage wall, and closed his eyes.

Han Lei knew what he was thinking, so she reached out and gently covered the back of his hand that was resting on his knee.

Zhao Zun's hand was warm, with distinct knuckles, but slightly taut.

Han Lei comforted him, "Brother Zun, this isn't your fault. Even if you hadn't handed Dongfang Jiming over to the court and had let him return to Uncle Luo's side, given Uncle Luo's temperament and the resentment of his comrades in the army, Dongfang Jiming's fate wouldn't have been any better. His methods were too cruel, and he committed too many atrocities. We still need to give an explanation to those prisoners of war and soldiers who died unjustly in Dajing. We just... chose the approach that was most beneficial to the current situation."

By passing on the hot potato of Dongfang Jiming along with the honor of the "great victory" to Emperor Jing, he both lulled his opponents into a false sense of security and avoided the embarrassment and potential trouble of personally executing his "old friend."

But a rational choice doesn't mean there's no inner turmoil. Dongfang Jiming, after all, had crossed paths with them, and his obsessive madness led to such an end, which is truly lamentable.

Zhao Zun took her soft hand in his other hand and gently squeezed it. He didn't open his eyes, only managing a weak smile. He whispered, "I'm fine."

But there was a hint of weariness in his smile. He stopped looking at the scenery outside, as if trying to gather all his thoughts deep within his heart.

Han Lei looked at his slightly furrowed brows, sighed softly in her heart, and said no more.

Some of Zhao Zun's inner conflicts need to be resolved by himself.

She simply gripped Zhao Zun's hand even tighter, conveying silent support and companionship.

The carriage slowly drove through the bustling streets, not heading towards the Prince Xiaoyao's mansion, a symbol of the prince's prestige in my memory, but instead winding through streets and alleys, finally stopping in front of an inconspicuous house on the outskirts of the capital.

The environment here is relatively quiet, just two streets away from the "Youjia Inn" in Tongzi Alley. This house was selected in advance by Liu Bo, who was staying in the capital, after being notified by walkie-talkie. From the outside, it has blue bricks and gray tiles, and the lintel is simple, without any plaques to show off status. Compared with the mansions of the wealthy families around, it even seems a bit too low-key.

However, thanks to Uncle Liu's meticulous care, the house was fully equipped with all the necessities of life and was safe and secluded.

Once the carriage came to a stop, Zhao Zun jumped off first, then turned around and carefully helped Han Lei, allowing her to slowly step onto the ground with his help.

He practically half-carried her until she was completely still standing, then asked with concern, "How are you feeling? Is anything bothering you?"

Seeing his nervous expression, Han Lei felt a warmth in her heart and smiled, "You're not that delicate."

After she steadied herself, under Zhao Zun's close protection, she slowly strolled around the courtyard of her new home.

The courtyard wasn't large, but it was neat and elegant. A few stalks of green bamboo grew in the corner, swaying gently in the breeze, adding to the tranquility. She nodded in satisfaction: "Uncle Liu has really gone to great lengths; this place is very nice."

Having endured a long and tiring journey, Zhao Zun's primary concern was her health. He helped her walk towards the prepared main house and instructed her, "You must be tired from the journey. Take a good rest. I've already asked the servants to prepare hot water and food."

Han Lei tugged at his sleeve, her eyes sparkling, her tone pleading.

“Brother Zun, it’s still early and the sun isn’t so strong anymore. I’m so tired from lying in the car, I just want to go out for a walk to clear my head and check on how business is at a few shops.”

The shops Han Lei mentioned were naturally "Mandarin Duck Hairpin", "Drunken Immortal Wine", and "Jinxiufang".

Although Jinxiufang was ostensibly transferred to Lin Yuanshan of Linji Cloth Shop when Wei Chengchao's family was arrested and their property confiscated by Emperor Jing, it was secretly still Han Lei's property, with Han Lei supplying the goods.

After all, the goods sold by Jinxiufang are not available anywhere else in the Great Jing Dynasty.

Han Lei wanted to go out for a walk as soon as she got home. Upon hearing this, Zhao Zun's face immediately darkened, and his tone was firm and unquestionable.

"Nonsense! Don't you know your own body condition? As for the business of several shops, you can just have Uncle Liu call the shopkeepers over for questioning. Why bother going there yourself?" He looked at his wife's huge pregnant belly, his heart was in his throat, and he was unwilling to let her go to the crowded streets again.

Han Lei seemed to know his weakness and immediately used her trump card.

She pouted slightly, tugged at his sleeve and shook it gently, her voice soft and sweet, full of coquettish charm.

“Brother Zun… I know you’re worried about me. But I’m really bored… I’ll just walk around nearby, I won’t go far, I’ll just check out a few shops and come right back. I promise, I’ll be very, very careful! Don’t I look fine?”

She tilted her head back, her cheeks, which had become much fuller during her pregnancy, appearing fair and rosy in the light. Her almond-shaped eyes gazed at him with watery eyes, full of expectation and flattery.

Her charming and innocent appearance was like a feather gently tickling Zhao Zun's heart. His usually cold and hard heart always crumbled when faced with Han Lei's coquettishness.

His tense expression eased a little, and he sighed helplessly, his tone softening: "You... you just can't sit still."

He hesitated for a moment, then backed down, "Either I send a few more capable people with you, or I'll make some arrangements later and personally accompany you out."

Hearing him say that, Han Lei shook her head, her rationality returning.

"No. You absolutely cannot show your face in public before everything is arranged. Emperor Jing's secret guards are not to be trifled with. I do know some special effects makeup techniques. I can slightly alter my appearance and go out as an ordinary pregnant woman from a wealthy family without attracting attention. If you come with me, you'll only make me too conspicuous."

Seeing that she could still think, Zhao Zun's lips curled into a triumphant smile.

He grasped Han Lei's shoulders, looking at her calmly: "Girl, listen to me. Don't go anywhere today. Just stay home and rest, get back to your normal routine. I'll send someone out immediately to scout out the situation and see if anything unusual happens. At least make sure everything is safe. Okay?"

Zhao Zun's eyes were filled with undeniable concern and determination. Han Lei met his gaze for a moment, and saw deep worry and an unwavering protectiveness in his profound eyes.

She knew that if she insisted again this time, Zhao Zun would probably get really angry.

After a moment's hesitation, Han Lei finally relented, obediently nodding and snuggling into his arms, her voice muffled: "Alright, I'll listen to you. I'll rest first. Send someone to gather information, and be quick about it."

Sensing Han Lei's compliance, Zhao Zun's tense nerves finally relaxed. He hugged her tightly, placed a light kiss on the top of her head, and his voice regained its usual calmness: "Okay, I'll go arrange it right away. You can rest assured and take care of things outside."

He settled Han Lei on the couch covered with soft brocade, carefully covered her with a thin quilt, and watched as she closed her eyes and her breathing gradually became steady and long before quietly leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Standing under the corridor, the gentleness on Zhao Zun's face was instantly replaced by coldness.

He summoned all his personal guards, his voice low but serious.

"Old Meng, you guys take a rest first. Later, each of you will lead a team out to find out all the recent developments in the capital."

“Ah Qi, you’re good at infiltration. Go and wander around the Jingji Camp and the patrol camp, observe their training, and assess their combat readiness.”

"Tiger, go and observe the gates of the palace and the perimeter of several important government offices. Pay attention to any unusual personnel entering or leaving, or any changes in security."

“Remember,” he said, his sharp gaze sweeping over the three men, “everything must be done in secrecy. Do not reveal your identities. You must return and report before dawn.”

"Yes, Your Highness!" The three accepted the order and turned to go back to rest.

Zhao Zun stood with his hands behind his back in the courtyard, looking up at the sky that was divided into four squares by the high walls.

The sky over the capital was peaceful and serene, while the streets outside were bustling and vibrant. If not for the pressures of the times, he wished he could be a part of this bustling scene, free from scheming and war, and have stopped for the sake of this peaceful and serene sky.

However, the situation was not like that.

If it cannot be avoided, he only hopes that innocent people will not be harmed.

The sky over the capital seemed no different from usual, but he knew that undercurrents had already begun to surge.

The intricately woven net is slowly closing in. And this mansion is the most tranquil yet crucial command center before the storm arrives.

His daughter needs rest, and his children need a stable future, so he cannot afford to lose this battle.

The sunlight cast a shadow at his feet, like a silent and steadfast guardian, waiting for his chance to unleash a revolutionary change in this ancient capital.

Everything in the capital was already under his control.

I'm begging! I'm begging in every way possible!