Love Lock

Chapter 347 You'll Get Your Due

As dawn broke, the golden sunlight shone on the glazed tiles of the palace, reflecting a dazzling light.

The palace gates slowly opened, and Zhao Zun, dressed in the black python robe of the King of Cangzhou, walked steadily toward the Golden Palace.

His gaze was resolute, his brows exuded authority, and every step he took was steady and powerful, as if he were announcing the arrival of a new era to this long-silent palace.

In the imperial court, civil and military officials stood scattered about, less than half the usual number.

The empty hall was exceptionally solemn, and the remaining officials kept their heads down, none daring to whisper among themselves.

Da Jiu, dressed in his newly bestowed military officer's uniform, stood at the front of the military officer's line, his gaze towards Zhao Zun filled with sincere admiration.

After the great victory at Dongguan, he not only brought back prisoners of the Eastern Ming Dynasty, but also secretly investigated those ministers who were willing to defect to Zhao Zun after court every day. Those die-hards who still harbored illusions about the previous dynasty had already been imprisoned.

Zhao Zun ascended the jade steps, turned to face the assembled officials, his gaze sharp as lightning, and his voice booming: "Today's court is breaking with the old and welcoming the new. Before ascending the throne, I, the King, will first issue four decrees."

The hall was completely silent; even breathing became a cautious affair.

"First, a general amnesty will be granted. Except for the ten most heinous crimes, all other prisoners will be released and given a chance to reform."

The senior officials nodded slightly, but dared not make it too obvious.

"Secondly, the troops stationed at Qinglin Military Camp, guarding against the imperial guards of Qingzhou and Yizhou in the capital, shall be withdrawn to the capital immediately."

This order caused a slight commotion, as everyone knew it meant that the defense of the capital would depend entirely on the Cangzhou army.

"Thirdly," Zhao Zun's voice was even more authoritative, "I order Xiao Zhengfei to lead the Cangzhou army to garrison the capital, reorganize the capital's military system, and unify command."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the military officers from the previous dynasty changed slightly, but none of them dared to voice their opposition; they could only listen attentively with their heads bowed.

Zhao Zun glanced at the ranks of civil officials and continued, "Fourthly, due to the large number of vacancies in the court, in order to maintain the operation of the Three Books and Six Ministries, a simplified civil service examination will be held in a month. All students, regardless of their background, are welcome to participate."

This decision finally caused several senior officials in the court to exchange surprised glances.

Historically, the imperial examination system was largely a formality, with talent selection relying entirely on recommendations, leaving little hope for those from impoverished backgrounds to rise in society. Zhao Zun's actions aim to break with convention and open up avenues for advancement for students from humble backgrounds.

Zhao Zun paused for a moment, then continued, "The Vice Minister of Rites, Song Peisheng, and Zhang Peng of the Hanlin Academy are jointly responsible for the preliminary selection of candidates for the imperial examinations, and I will personally conduct the final selection."

Song Peisheng and Zhang Peng, who were standing in the ranks of civil officials, stepped forward steadily and bowed to receive the imperial decree.

In previous dynasties, the Song family's views were different from those of the other three major families. They disapproved of the various malpractices and injustices in the court and were a breath of fresh air among the major families and even the entire court.

Although Da Pangtou's family members worked in the Hanlin Academy and were always considered old-fashioned and pedantic, their hearts had already turned to Zhao Zun after Zhang Ge Lao went to Cangzhou and wrote to his family about what he had seen and heard.

Zhao Zun believed that it would be best for these two people to preside over the scientific expedition, as it would ensure fairness, break the monopoly of the powerful and wealthy, and allow students from poor families to see a glimmer of hope.

Looking at the two veteran officials, Song Peisheng and Zhang Peng, Zhao Zun thought to himself: This is just the beginning. The future court needs more fresh blood.

“Furthermore,” Zhao Zun’s voice suddenly turned cold, “the Cangzhou Army’s Scarface and Pockmarked Men will lead the search and seizure of all the property of the three major families, excluding the Song family, and transfer it to the Ministry of Revenue for the purpose of improving people’s livelihoods. Their land will be confiscated and redistributed.”

This order struck like a thunderbolt, shaking the entire court. Everyone understood that it meant the centuries-old power of aristocratic families would be uprooted.

Finally, Zhao Zun's tone softened slightly: "The date for the enthronement ceremony will be selected by the Ministry of Rites and will be set for a month from now."

He had already made plans in his heart. He wanted to wait for Han Lei to finish her postpartum confinement so that she could bring the child and share this glory with him. He also wanted to wait for his brothers who had shared joys and sorrows with him in Cangzhou to come to the capital so that they could witness this glorious moment together.

Zhao Zun issued these decrees as military orders, rather than through consultation with his court officials. The newly established dynasty needed swift and decisive action, not protracted debate.

Once the imperial edict was issued, actions were swiftly taken everywhere.

The capital city, the Imperial Prison of the Ministry of Justice.

In the dark and damp prison, Dongfang Jiming huddled in a corner, staring blankly at the water droplets seeping from the wall.

Knowing he was guilty of grave sins and destined for death, he spent each day in prison, numbly awaiting his final moment.

With a creak, the cell door opened, and the jailer's rough voice echoed down the corridor: "The new emperor has granted a general amnesty! All prisoners, except for those guilty of the ten most heinous crimes, are hereby released!"

Upon hearing such tremendous good news, the entire prison cell erupted in commotion, with cries of weeping, cheers, and disbelief mingling together.

Dongfang Jiming slowly raised his head, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes, but it quickly faded away.

He was the "utterly wicked person" they were referring to. This imperial edict had absolutely nothing to do with him; he wasn't included in the amnesty. Even if he were released, it would only mean a different kind of death—dying at the hands of the people of Dajing's revenge.

"I heard it was because the King of Cangzhou, no, the new Emperor Zhao Zun, ascended the throne that a general amnesty was granted."

"Yes! I wonder if it's a good thing or a bad thing that the King of Cangzhou has taken that position?"

"Cangzhou King Zhao Zun is a hero who resisted foreign enemies. Now that he has become emperor, we will no longer be afraid of being bullied by foreign enemies."

The jailers' keys jingled as they chatted as they walked past Dongfang Jiming's cell.

The name Zhao Zun was like a sharp sword piercing Dongfang Jiming's heart.

Childhood playmate, now enemy. Thinking this, an indescribable sense of humiliation and despair welled up in my heart.

He slowly stood up and silently took off the bright red brocade robe, which was now so dirty that its original color was unrecognizable. Then, he took off his inner garment and put on his outer robe.

The flickering candlelight illuminated Dongfang Jiming's pale, paper-like face.

Blood seeped from his bitten fingertips as he trembled, drawing dark red streaks across the plain white undergarment. With each stroke, memories surged like a tide, dragging him back to that endless nightmare.

The winter he was six years old was exceptionally cold. The slave traders' iron cages were crammed with shivering children, being sold like livestock. It wasn't until he was thrown into the gloomy stone fortress of the Dongming Intelligence Bureau that he learned what true hell was.

Moldy steamed buns floated in the sewage, and children would tear each other's throats apart over a bite to eat. He had lost count of how many dawns the instructor's whip had shattered.

The most terrifying thing was that iron cage. On the first day of every month, they would be thrown in in pairs. The clanging sound of the cage door locking still resonates deep in his ears.

The little boy, who was about the same height as him, had shared half a piece of cake with him the day before, but in the blink of an eye, he lay in a pool of blood with empty eyes.

He gripped the rusty dagger, feeling the warm blood splatter on his face—that was the first time he understood that a steamed bun had to be exchanged for a life, and the first time he understood that to survive, he had no choice but to keep fighting…

His fingertips suddenly stopped, and the bloodstains spread across the fabric like a withered plum blossom. He breathed heavily, as if he could smell the rusty, fishy odor from the iron cage again.

Twenty years have passed. Since the night he crawled out of the cage, he has no longer been the sunny and mischievous child in his parents' memories.

He became a beast, a ghost, ascending the throne of Grand Commander over countless bones, yet every night he heard the wails of countless dead souls.

"Father... Mother..." He suddenly curled up, covering his face with his blood-stained hands. Suppressed sobs escaped through his fingers, like a wounded cub.

After a long while, he straightened his back again and continued writing: "I am now an accomplice to the tyrant, and my sins are grave. Only death can redeem even a fraction of my sins."

The candlelight crackled and popped, illuminating the lines around his eyes, glistening with tears.

The man who was in charge of the Eastern Ming Empire's spy network was writing like a child taking his first lesson, each stroke imbued with a lifetime of regret.

He would occasionally gnaw on his wounded knuckles, letting fresh blood flow, and continue writing his final words. The entire white undergarment was gradually covered with dark red ink, like red plum blossoms blooming in the snow.

After writing this, Dongfang Jiming stood up and gave a sad smile.

Immediately, his eyes hardened, he took a few steps back, then suddenly charged forward, crashing headfirst into the hard stone wall.

"boom!"

Blood flowed down the wall, contrasting with the blood-written note he left behind, creating a desolate scene.

At the same time, the prison doors holding the Wei family were also opened.

Wei Chengchao was the first to rush out of the cell door, took a deep breath of the air of freedom, and then a look of resentment appeared on his face.

During his time in prison, he discovered something: even without taking Han Lei's antidote, he was still perfectly healthy and active.

This shows that Han Lei, that bitch, didn't poison him at all. She just used this excuse to control and manipulate him, leading the Wei family step by step toward destruction.

He walked up to Wei Dabao and lowered his voice: "I was also deceived by that bitch Han Lei. Do you want to come with me to get revenge on that bitch?"

"Han Lei?" Wei Dabao was stunned for a moment, then his eyes blazed with fury: "That vicious woman! She has ruined our Wei family so badly!"

"If I don't avenge this, I, Wei Chengchao, swear I'm not a man!" Wei Chengchao gritted his teeth. "We'll go find out where that bitch is right now!"

"Nonsense!" A sharp shout came from behind. Supported by his clansmen, Prime Minister Wei walked out of the prison gate. Although his clothes were tattered, he still maintained the dignity of the head of the family. "The Wei family suffered such a great calamity and almost lost its lives. You still don't know how to restrain yourselves? Do you want to wipe out our entire clan before you are satisfied?"

Wei Chengchao and Wei Dabao shrank back, not daring to cause any more trouble.

Prime Minister Wei looked at them with a pained expression: "Find a place to settle down first, and stay at home obediently! If you cause any more trouble, don't blame me for punishing you according to family rules!"

The two could only lower their heads dejectedly and silently leave with their clansmen. But a hint of resentment and ferocity still gleamed in Wei Chengchao's eyes.

Following behind the Wei clan members as they walked out of the prison were Princess Chang Le and Zhao Qiao'er.

Zhao Qiao'er held her broken right hand to her chest, appearing timid and hesitant.

Princess Chang Le, dragging her broken left leg, was helped by the servants who had been imprisoned with her, taking one step at a time.

The two suffered greatly in prison, and now that they have seen the light of day again, it feels like a lifetime has passed.

In prison, it was rare for injured people to receive medical treatment, and the two women were further mistreated by the guards who considered them spies of Dongfang Jiming. They were left with severed limbs, and they remain so to this day.

Stepping out of the prison, the sunlight was so bright they could hardly open their eyes, but what shocked them even more was the news they heard from the jailers—Cangzhou King Zhao Zun had captured the capital and was now the new emperor, hence a general amnesty.

Despite their disabilities, both of them wore undisguised joy.

Zhao Qiao'er slowly straightened her back, giving Princess Chang Le a disdainful look, feeling that the sunlight was exceptionally bright today. If the jailers' news was true, and her brother Zhao Zun had become emperor, wouldn't she become a princess?
The thought made her heart race, and a strange sense of superiority welled up within her. From now on, she would no longer have to be subservient to this princess.

Princess Chang Le, meanwhile, was thinking about her infatuation with Zhao Zun over the years.

That handsome and dashing man was indeed extraordinary. Not long ago, she heard he had raised an army in rebellion, and now he had ascended the throne. She had many interactions with Zhao Zun; even if she couldn't become empress, surely becoming a concubine in the palace was possible?

Each lost in their own thoughts, they seemed to have forgotten even the pain of their injuries. They hastily parted ways, each returning home to freshen up, and eagerly sought to confirm the news…

Zhao Qiao'er's hand was broken, but her foot was not.

She was disheveled and filthy, carefully holding her severed right hand. Ignoring her hunger, she walked quickly with her head down, looking like a rat that had stolen oil, afraid that people would see her disheveled appearance after being released from prison.

Her severed arm was bent at an odd angle, like a tree branch broken by a naughty child, and it was several sizes thinner than her other hand.

She needed to hurry back to get a doctor to treat her severed arm. It had been more than a month since the arm was severed, and the break had already healed and set, but she still needed to find a doctor to treat the wound and give her a healthy and beautiful arm.

After all, she's about to become a princess, and how could a princess, so high and mighty, have a missing arm?

That...is not aesthetically pleasing.

Along the way, Zhao Qiao'er tried to stay close to the wall, wishing she could shrink herself into a ball. But her ears were perked up, trying to catch the conversations of the street vendors.

"Have you heard? The King of Cangzhou led his troops directly into the palace."

"Now you should call him Your Majesty!"

"Yes, yes, you should call him Your Majesty. But in the blink of an eye, everything has changed..."

These comments seeped into Zhao Qiao'er's heart like honey, and she couldn't help but feel secretly delighted. Even the pain from accidentally touching her broken arm seemed less important.

But when she looked down and saw her dirty clothes, she quickly lowered her head even further and quickened her pace.

"My brother will definitely acknowledge me," she muttered to herself as she walked briskly. "After all, we are connected by blood."

Even she herself felt unsure of her words, so she quickly added, "No matter what, I'm still his own sister!"

They finally arrived at the gate of the Prince Xiaoyao's Mansion. The plaque above the gate was still the same plaque, but Zhao Qiao'er almost didn't recognize it.

The vermilion gate was badly faded, and cobwebs covered the lintel, making it look like the gate of a dilapidated temple.

She carefully pushed open the creaking door, and a musty smell hit her.

In the courtyard, several old women were sitting together eating sunflower seeds, spitting the shells all over the ground.

Upon seeing Zhao Qiao'er enter, an old woman with triangular eyes exclaimed exaggeratedly, "Oh! Isn't this our young lady from the manor back? What happened? Why do you look like this? Did you encounter bandits?"

Another old woman chimed in, "He must have gone to work in some mine, look at all that black stuff!"

Zhao Qiao'er was so angry she wanted to bite her teeth, but she didn't lash out. Instead, she lowered her head even further, grabbed the severed arm, and rushed back.

She was so focused on telling her mother the wonderful news that she had no time to argue with these unruly servants.

"Mother! Mother!" She ran into Qin Yanran's courtyard, but when she opened the door, she was dumbfounded—

The house was empty; there wasn't a soul in sight.

She's about to become a princess, how could she let this opportunity be delayed?
"Mother! Where are you? Come out quickly! I have good news!" Zhao Qiao'er shouted loudly.

She was so anxious that she ran around in circles, like a headless fly, frantically searching the yard.

Just then, a sarcastic voice came from behind: "Don't bother looking, your mother went out to wash clothes for others to earn money, she's not home."

Zhao Qiao'er turned around abruptly and saw a servant leaning against a pillar, picking his teeth absentmindedly.

"Impossible!" Zhao Qiao'er shrieked. "My mother is a member of the Zhao family, how could she possibly be washing clothes for someone else?"

Zhao Qiao'er was incredulous. Even if her brother Zhao Zun was despicable and left them nothing when he went to Cangzhou, even if her mother was just a concubine in the household, the Zhao family was still a wealthy family. How could her mother possibly be washing clothes for others to earn money?
The servant, however, chuckled as if he had heard the funniest joke, and threw the toothpick away.

“You haven’t been back for months. The money you took from Princess Chang Le has long been spent by your mother. With so many people around, are you all going to starve?”

Zhao Qiao'er was struck dumb, standing there stunned.

She then carefully looked around and found that the mansion was indeed more dilapidated than before, with several holes even in the window paper.

Zhao Qiao'er felt a wave of dizziness. The double blow of hunger and the news made her stagger.

"Impossible...absolutely impossible..." she muttered to herself, then, as if grasping at a straw, she suddenly looked up, "You wicked slaves, just wait! My brother...my brother Zhao Zun is the emperor now! You will all be sold off!"

She spoke loudly, trying to use bluster to cover up her inner panic.

The courtyard fell silent for a moment as the servants exchanged bewildered glances.

Immediately, an even louder burst of laughter erupted.

The old woman laughed so hard she almost cried, "Oh my goodness! Has the young lady gone mad? The Emperor? Why don't you just say the Jade Emperor is your real father?"

Another tall, thin servant chimed in, "That's right! If the King of Cangzhou can become emperor, then I could be prime minister!"

"I think she's starving and has started talking nonsense!"

Zhao Qiao'er trembled with rage, and the pain in her severed arm seemed to intensify. Biting her lower lip, she stopped arguing with the servants and turned to rush out of the mansion—she had to find her mother!
She hadn't gone far from the mansion gate when she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure squatting by the river.

The woman, dressed in coarse cloth, was laboriously scrubbing a mountain of clothes. Beside her stood a plump woman with her hands on her hips, pointing and spitting as she berated the woman for being too slow.

Who else could be squatting there but her mother, Qin Yanran?

Zhao Qiao'er was struck dumb, frozen in place.

Her mother, who always paid great attention to her appearance and kept her hair impeccably groomed, now resembled the lowest of the low, a laundry maid, meekly bowing to a common woman in the cold autumn wind.

"Mother—!" Zhao Qiao'er cried out, ignoring the pain in her arm, and stumbled over.

Qin Yanran looked up at the sound and saw her daughter, disheveled and holding a severed arm. She was stunned for a moment, and then her eyes reddened.

She hurriedly tried to stand up, but because she had been squatting for too long, her legs and feet were numb, and she swayed.

Seeing this, the fat woman frowned even more, her tone harsh: "What are you doing? What are you doing? Do you still want to work here? If you don't finish washing this pile of clothes today, you won't get a single penny! Do you still think you're the lady of the Prince's mansion? Bullshit!"

When had Zhao Qiao'er ever been treated like this, especially by a vulgar woman whom she would never normally even glance at?

Consumed by rage, she forgot her predicament and instinctively tried to adopt the airs of a spoiled young lady. Unfortunately, her right hand was broken, so she could only point at the fat woman with her left: "You! How dare you speak to my mother like that! My brother is..."

"Qiao'er!" Qin Yanran abruptly interrupted her, a hint of panic flashing across her face. She tugged hard at her daughter's sleeve and whispered urgently, "Stop talking!"

She then turned to the plump woman with a forced smile: "Madam Zhang, I'm so sorry, so sorry. This is my daughter, she... she's just being silly, please don't take offense. I'll wash her right away, I'll wash her right away!"

The plump woman looked Zhao Qiao'er up and down suspiciously for a few moments, snorted, muttered a few curses, and then turned and walked a short distance away to supervise.

Qin Yanran then pulled Zhao Qiao'er to a slightly secluded corner, tears streaming down her face before she could even speak: "My child, your hand... how much suffering have you endured!"

She wanted to touch her daughter's severed arm, but dared not; her hand hovered in mid-air, trembling uncontrollably.

"Mother, don't talk about this yet!" Zhao Qiao'er said urgently in a low voice, "I heard in prison that my brother... Zhao Zun, he conquered the capital and became emperor! Is it true?"

Qin Yanran's sobs faltered. She looked at her daughter with a complicated expression, nodded, and lowered her voice, her tone trembling with fear: "I...I've heard about it too, but Qiao'er, what...what does this have to do with us?"

"How can it be unrelated!" Zhao Qiao'er was so excited she almost jumped up, pulling at her injury and wincing in pain, but she couldn't hide the ecstasy in her eyes. "Now that my brother has become the emperor, I'm his own sister, and you're his stepmother! Then we'll be the empress dowager and the princess in no time! Mother, we're about to rise to great heights!"

At this moment, an old woman from the mansion, perhaps having taken Zhao Qiao'er's words to heart, eagerly came looking for her.

She smiled obsequiously and stepped forward, grabbing Zhao Qiao'er's sleeve. "Miss, don't bother with those servants in the manor. I've heard from outsiders that your brother has become the emperor. You and your mother are about to rise to great heights."

Zhao Qiao'er liked hearing this. She straightened her back and even the pain from her broken arm seemed to lessen.

“You’re right! I don’t need to bother with them.” Zhao Qiao’er smiled, her eyes sparkling. “Once my brother takes my daughter and me to the palace, let’s see if those scoundrels still dare to be arrogant!”

As she spoke, she pulled Qin Yanran toward turning back, but was stopped by the old woman's words.

"Where are you going, young lady? Are you going to the palace? With your current appearance, you'll probably be mistaken for a beggar and thrown out before you even reach the palace gates!"

Zhao Qiao'er was stunned. She looked down at her tattered clothes and then at the strange severed arm, and immediately deflated.

"Then...what should we do?"

The old woman strolled over slowly and said insincerely, "No matter what, we are still servants of this household. How about... I help you wash up? But..." she rubbed her fingers together, "you should get some money for your hard work, shouldn't you?"

Zhao Qiao'er was so angry she almost fainted. How dare this scoundrel take advantage of her misfortune! But she really needed help right now, so she gritted her teeth and said, "When I see my brother, you'll get your share of the benefits!"

“Words are no proof, Miss…” the old woman drawled.

Just as Zhao Qiao'er was about to despair, a commotion arose from the ground in front of the Xiaoyao Prince's Mansion in the distance. The old woman pointed ahead, her face full of surprise.

"Young Miss, look! The government officials are here! They must be here to pick you up."

Zhao Qiao'er was first startled, then overjoyed—it must be her brother sending someone to pick her up!
She hurriedly straightened her clothes, but no matter how she tried to move the severed arm, it didn't feel right. In the end, she had no choice but to carefully hold it to her chest, as if she were holding a precious offering.

Zhao Qiao'er excitedly pulled Qin Yanran along, but she never expected that what awaited her was not a royal carriage, but another shocking piece of bad news...

Friends, can you guess what terrible news it is?