Love Lock

Chapter 356 No Mercy
What happened in the palace?
Han Lei's heart tightened, and she quickly told Zi Tan and Ma Zi to catch up, and hurried forward.

"what--!"

"Ouch!"

"Ah—Your Majesty, spare me!"

The screams grew more frequent and closer, each one like a whip lashing at Han Lei's heart. Her steps quickened, and she almost ran through the palace gates.

Upon entering Weiyang Palace, one sees Jinju being beaten on a bench by two eunuchs in the courtyard. Her buttocks are covered in blood, her face is as pale as paper, and her forehead is covered in cold sweat.

Behind Jinju, more than a dozen palace servants were also being beaten with sticks, their cries of agony rising and falling, and the entire Weiyang Palace was shrouded in a miserable atmosphere.

"stop!"

Han Lei stopped in her tracks, shouted sharply, her voice trembling slightly from anger and her hurried jogging.

The eunuchs stopped at the sound and looked at the empress who was hurrying over, at a loss for what to do.

Zitan and Mazi quickly stepped forward to help up the nearly lifeless Jinju. Jinju weakly opened her eyes and said in a barely audible voice, "Your Majesty...you...you're back."

"What's going on?" Han Lei frowned, her face as cold as ice, and her gaze swept over the palace maids and eunuchs who were lying on the stools and kneeling on the ground. Her eyes were like knives.

A young eunuch replied tremblingly, "Your Majesty, it was... His Majesty's order... that we servants failed to serve you properly and were unable to prevent you from leaving the palace without permission."

Han Lei's heart sank, and she quickly walked towards the inner hall. There sat Zhao Zun, her face ashen, in the hall. The old lady—no, she should be called the Empress Dowager now. The Empress Dowager and Princess Zhao Ling'er sat to the side, their expressions worried.

"Brother Zun, why did you punish Jinju?" Han Lei asked directly, her tone filled with suppressed anger.

Zhao Zun looked up at her, his eyes filled with both worry and anger: "Where did you go? Why did you ignore the warnings and leave the palace without permission?"

Han Lei then realized that her secret departure from the palace had been exposed, implicating Jin Ju and all the palace servants of Weiyang Palace.

She came from a world where everyone was equal and human rights were respected. After transmigrating here, she knew that she couldn't change the deeply ingrained class consciousness on her own. Therefore, she was careful in everything she did, always setting an example for others, speaking softly to her servants, and trying her best to treat and respect everyone weaker than herself.

Having spent the past two years with Zhao Zun, perhaps subtly, Zhao Zun rarely punished the servants, let alone used a cane. So, she had gradually gotten used to it and forgotten about it. Little did she know that her carelessness would still bring disaster to these low-ranking palace servants.

It turns out this place is still in ancient times.

"It was my insistence to go out; it has nothing to do with Jinju." Because of her resentment, Han Lei's tone became much more distant. "Your Majesty, punish me if you must."

Hearing her call him "Your Majesty," Zhao Zun felt a pang of pain in his heart and abruptly stood up: "Do you think I wouldn't dare punish you? These are extraordinary times. To quickly seize control of the court, I've acted swiftly, eliminating powerful families and purging influential figures. I've offended more than just one or two people in this process, and countless others are plotting against me in the shadows! I already warned you that I would accompany you out of the palace for a stroll after this busy period, but you still sneaked out! If anything happens to you, I..."

His voice choked as he spoke, and he didn't continue.

Han Lei was startled, finally understanding why Zhao Zun was so angry. He was worried about her safety!

Seeing the tense atmosphere in the air, the Empress Dowager quickly stood up to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, it's good that Lei'er is back safe and sound. Zun'er was just worried about you, which is why he punished the servants. In the future, when you go out of the palace, take more guards with you and let Zun'er know, so he won't worry about you alone in the palace!"

"Yes, brother. Your wife is back safe and sound, so don't be angry," Zhao Ling'er quickly reassured him.

Han Lei looked at Zhao Zun, her eyes filled with guilt, and her tone softened: "I'm sorry, I was too willful and made you worry. But Jinju and those palace servants are innocent; they were just following my orders. Please allow the imperial physician to treat her, Your Majesty."

"What did you just call me?" Zhao Zun stared at her disguised face, expressionless. He seemed to disbelieve that the unfamiliar "Your Majesty" had really come from her mouth.

"I..." Han Lei was speechless, pursed her lips, and weakly called out "Brother Zun".

"Alas!" Zhao Zun sighed, waved his hand to signal the eunuch to summon the imperial physician, and then took Han Lei's hand: "Do you know how panicked I was when I returned to the harem and found you missing? This country, this nation, and these thousands of subjects are not as important as you alone."

Han Lei felt a warmth in her heart and whispered, "I understand, I won't do it again."

Zhao Zun nodded, his expression softening considerably: "What brings you out of the palace today?"

Han Lei then briefly recounted her trip to Jinxiufang and the textile factory construction site.

Upon hearing about the department store plan, Zhao Zun's eyes lit up with admiration: "How come you always have so many novel ideas in your head? You're never idle, always thinking about making money."

"Hehe!" Seeing that Zhao Zun wasn't so angry anymore, Han Lei grinned sheepishly. "I just wanted to use those novelties to attract the powerful and wealthy to spend their money! If I don't make money off them, who will I make money off?"

“However…” Zhao Zun said seriously, “From now on, you can leave these matters to your subordinates. You don’t need to go through all that trouble yourself.”

Zhao Zun held her hand, his eyes full of tenderness: "Since you like making money so much, you should take better care of your health and not make me worry."

Looking into Zhao Zun's concerned eyes, Han Lei felt a surge of warmth in her heart. In this unfamiliar era, how fortunate she was to have someone who cared for her so much.

However, Zhao Zun's tone shifted abruptly, his gaze sweeping sternly over Zi Tan and Ma Zi standing behind Han Lei: "As for you—"

Zitan and Mazi trembled with fear and immediately knelt down.

"Zitan, as the Empress's head maid, you knew that the Empress wanted to leave the palace without permission, and not only did you not stop her, you also joined in her recklessness! What is your punishment?"

Zitan lowered her head and said in a trembling voice, "This servant knows her mistake, please punish me, Your Majesty."

Zhao Zun then looked at Ma Zi, his voice even colder: "Ma Zi, I entrusted the safety of the entire palace to you, and this is how you protect the Empress? Knowing the current complex situation in the capital, you still dare..."

Before Zhao Zun could finish speaking, Ma Zi had already knelt down, "This humble general knows his crime! This humble general thought that he and the accompanying guards were carrying pistols, and should be able to protect Her Majesty..."

"Does carrying pistols mean you can be careless?" Zhao Zun's anger flared up again, and his voice suddenly rose. "If we encounter an ambush, or if our identities are recognized, how many enemies can your few pistols handle? I think you are becoming more and more irresponsible!"

Ma Zi stuck out his tongue, his forehead touching the ground, and dared not argue any further.

Zhao Zun continued his incessant scolding, and Han Lei, seeing this, gently tugged at his sleeve and said softly, "Alright, don't blame them. I forced them to go with us. Look, I even disguised myself so no one would recognize me."

Zhao Zun said sternly, "Disguise? You think disguising yourself will make you foolproof?"

Seeing that Zhao Zun still wouldn't budge, Han Lei couldn't help but get a little upset. She pouted, her soft, sweet voice carrying a hint of grievance.

"You only know how to blame me, but have you ever thought about why I left the palace? Staying in this palace is like being in prison. Apart from Zitan and Jinju, who can talk to me, it's only my mother and Ling'er. Everyone else is timid and subservient to me. I don't even have anyone to talk to normally. I'm so bored in the palace all day long, I'm almost going to get sick!"

Seeing her looking so aggrieved, Zhao Zun felt sorry for her and couldn't bear to scold her. He gave in again, looking helpless and could only coax her, "Alright, alright, it was my oversight. I know you're upset, but the situation is unstable right now, and I'm worried about your safety."

He gently pulled Han Lei into his arms, thinking about what Han Lei had said about not having anyone who dared to speak to her normally, and sighed, "Ah! This is what they mean by the loneliness at the top!"

In fact, he himself had this feeling since he ascended the throne. In the past, he could move around and play freely, but now that he was the supreme ruler, his actions were restricted everywhere, and even those around him were constrained.

Han Lei leaned against Zhao Zun and said in a low voice, "I know you mean well, but I really miss life outside the palace."

Zhao Zun stroked her hair and said softly, "I promise you, when the textile factory opens, I will definitely take you out to have some fun, okay?"

Han Lei then smiled through her tears: "It's a deal!" Watching the two of them being all lovey-dovey without a care in the world, Zhao Ling'er rolled her eyes speechlessly, clutching her rumbling stomach, and protested: "Brother, do we still need dinner? I'm starving."

Zhao Zun then signaled the eunuchs to serve the meal, and said to Zitan and Mazi, who were kneeling on the ground, "I will spare you this time for the sake of the Empress. If there is a next time, I will not let you off lightly!"

"Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty!" The two men quickly kowtowed.

After dinner, Zhao Zun habitually wanted to take Han Lei for a walk to the storeroom to replenish the stock. Han Lei glanced at the palace servants who were serving her around nervously and made an excuse to decline: "I went out for a walk all day and I'm a little tired. I don't want to go for a walk anymore."

Zhao Zun didn't insist and said he would return to the Imperial Study to continue handling state affairs. Han Lei told him not to overwork himself and to come back and rest early.

After Zhao Zun left with Ma Zi, Han Lei immediately got up and went to visit the punished palace servants one by one.

She went to Jinju's room first. Jinju was lying on the bed, and the imperial physician had already applied medicine to her. When Han Lei came in, she struggled to get up.

"Don't move," Han Lei quickly pressed her down, "Lie still."

Jinju said weakly, "Your Majesty, I'm alright... The punishment was justified; it was my fault for not dissuading Your Majesty..."

Han Lei held her hand, her eyes slightly red: "Silly girl, it's clearly my fault, yet I've caused you so much suffering. I'm so sorry."

Jinju shook her head repeatedly: "Your Highness, please don't say that. It is my honor to serve Your Highness."

Feeling guilty and remorseful, Han Lei went to visit the other palace servants who had been beaten and apologized to them one by one.

To their surprise, the apology only terrified the palace servants even more. They knelt down and kowtowed, repeatedly saying, "Your Majesty is too kind to us!" "We dare not!" "Your Majesty, please don't!"

Zitan said softly to Han Lei, "Your Majesty, you are the mother of the nation. Apologizing to the palace servants is unacceptable to them and will only make them more fearful."

Han Lei then realized that in this rigidly hierarchical era, her goodwill would only make these palace servants more uneasy.

She had no choice but to put aside her apologies and take concrete action, instructing the imperial physicians to treat the patient properly and bestowing upon her anti-inflammatory antibiotic capsules and some tonics.

Seeing the palace servants' grateful yet trembling expressions, Han Lei felt a mix of emotions and returned to her own chambers in a sullen mood.

In this era of absolute imperial power, her every move could implicate others, and she could no longer act as freely as before.

……

Meanwhile, night fell outside the palace.

The textile factory shops had long since closed, and the female workers had gone back to the temporary shantytowns built for them in twos and threes to rest.

However, Princess Chang Le and Zhao Qiao'er did not go back, but instead hurriedly returned to the small house they rented in the south of the city.

Half an incense stick's time later, the gate of the house opened gently, and a figure wearing a black cloak and a hood concealed himself before disappearing into the shadows.

The wind howled, and the air was dry and chilly. Under the moonlight, she hid and weaved through the streets and alleys, finally stopping in front of an inconspicuous house.

This house is located in one of the most chaotic neighborhoods in the capital, where strange figures can be seen huddled up everywhere in the alleys.

She looked around, then gently knocked on the door—three long knocks followed by two short ones. Judging from her familiar manner, it was clear this wasn't her first time here.

A moment later, a thin man opened the door, looked around warily, and then told her to quickly come inside.

The candlelight flickered in the room, and a dark figure lifted his hood, revealing himself to be Mingyue, the personal maid of Princess Changle.

The man squinted at her and said, "Tell me, who are you going to kill this time?"

Mingyue lowered her voice: "It is a woman, but I can't tell you right now because she can disguise herself. During this time, you will wait outside the newly built textile shop in the west of the city every day. When the woman appears, the master will notify you with hand gestures."

She emphasized solemnly, "Remember, this woman is no ordinary person. It's best to strike her decisively, otherwise... we'll all die."

The man nodded, his thin fingers rubbing the dagger at his waist: "And the price?"

Mingyue took off a fine jade bracelet from her wrist and handed it to the man: "This is a deposit. There will be a generous reward after the matter is completed."

The man held it in his hand, weighed it in his hand, examined its quality by the candlelight, and then nodded vigorously: "Deal."

Mingyue pulled her hood back up and whispered, "Remember, starting tomorrow, you must keep watch outside the shop from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. That woman could appear at any time."

"Understood," the man replied briefly.

The moon said no more, turned and left, disappearing back into the darkness.

The man blew out the candle, plunging the room into darkness, with only the menacing glint in his eyes faintly visible in the darkness.

The moon sets and the sun rises; it's another clear day, with the warm sun shining brightly and a gentle breeze blowing.

The streets of the capital city began another day of bustling activity. In front of the textile shops in the West Market, female textile workers lined up in long queues, waiting for the shops to open so they could enter, their faces beaming with hope.

Some of them had husbands who died on the battlefield, some had been homeless due to famine, and some were suffering from misery at home.

Now, the imperial court has established a textile manufacturing bureau and opened textile factories. Working here includes room and board, and you can even earn money. Even during training, there is a basic allowance. This is an incredible boon for poor women like them who have no other options.

Therefore, they study diligently every day, hoping to participate in actual work as soon as possible and earn more money to supplement their family income with their own hands.

Princess Chang Le and Zhao Qiao'er hurried over from a distance. Their rented house was quite far from here, so they rushed over without even washing up after getting up.

Princess Chang Le, limping, urged Zhao Qiao'er to hurry up. As Zhao Qiao'er walked, she hurriedly straightened her clothes. Because of her right hand disability, it wasn't very convenient for her to move around, and she couldn't straighten them properly for a long time.

When Aunt Li opened the shop door, the female workers did not rush in, but instead lined up in an orderly manner according to the rules. Princess Chang Le and Zhao Qiao'er arrived just in time and joined the last part of the line.

Princess Chang Le walked with the procession, panting as she looked back and around as if searching for something. When she saw a man wearing a straw hat standing at the entrance of the alley across the street, she waved casually, then scratched her head. When she saw the man across the street nod in response, a sinister smile appeared on her lips. She then turned and followed the procession into the shop.

Princess Chang Le listened absentmindedly to Aunt Li's explanation of weaving techniques, while glancing out the window every now and then. The man in the straw hat was still waiting across the street, like a cheetah waiting for its prey.

During lunch break, the female workers sat in twos and threes in the courtyard to eat. Princess Chang Le excused herself to get some fresh air and went alone to a corner of the courtyard to confirm once again that the man was still squatting in the same spot.

She secretly calculated in her heart: Since Han Lei could disguise herself and appear here, she would most likely come again. As long as she appeared again, she would not escape death.

Thinking of this, a ruthless glint flashed in Princess Chang Le's eyes. She was determined to avenge the blood feud between the Marquis of Champion's mansion and her aunt. Even if that bitch Han Lei was now the Empress, she would show no mercy.

"Hurry up! Aunt Li is calling us back." Zhao Qiao'er's voice came from behind.

Princess Chang Le quickly concealed the fierceness on her face, replaced it with a gentle expression, and turned around to smile, saying, "Alright, let's go back."

She glanced one last time at the man across the street, then followed Zhao Qiao'er back into the house.