Love Lock

Chapter 360 The Secret Hidden in Shattered Jade

The biting winter wind, like an invisible knife, swept across the majestic palace, bringing a chilling cold.

Inside Weiyang Palace, a dozen or so imperial physicians on duty were already waiting. They were shivering and stamping their feet in the cold corridor, but none of them dared to complain. They had just received a message that the Empress of the Great Jing Dynasty, the person most beloved by His Majesty, had been assassinated and injured.

Upon hearing the news, the Empress Dowager, without even putting down her daily prayer beads, hurried over, supported by palace maids, her face filled with worry and anxiety. Princess Zhao Ling'er followed closely behind, her beautiful brows also etched with concern.

A series of hurried and heavy footsteps came from outside the palace gates, accompanied by Li Zhongxin's high-pitched announcement: "Your Majesty is returning to the palace!"

Everyone's spirits lifted as they watched Zhao Zun carrying the unconscious Han Lei into the Weiyang Palace.

His handsome, aloof face was covered with frost, his tightly pressed thin lips were bloodless, and his deep eyes were filled with a terrifying crimson and an almost overflowing panic.

"Zun'er!"

"Brother! What happened to your wife?"

The Empress Dowager and Zhao Ling'er hurriedly stepped forward and asked anxiously. Although they had been in the palace for some time, they were still not used to changing their way of addressing each other, and continued to use their old forms of address when no one was in the inner palace.

Zhao Zun did not pause in his steps, nor did his gaze shift even slightly. He simply uttered two extremely cold words from his throat: "Assassination attempt."

His voice was hoarse and low, as if he were carrying an immense burden. Before he finished speaking, he had already swept past everyone like a gust of wind, carrying Han Lei, and stepped straight into the warm and cozy inner chamber of the bedroom.

The Empress Dowager and Zhao Ling'er were left staring at each other, their hearts sinking even deeper. When had they ever seen Zhao Zun so distraught, so... flustered?
Inside the bedchamber, the charcoal fire burned brightly, dispelling the chill outside, but unable to dispel the pervasive tension and oppression.

Zhao Zun carefully placed the person in his arms on the phoenix bed covered with soft brocade.

Han Lei's eyes were closed, her long eyelashes resting on her pale cheeks like butterfly wings, her breathing so weak that it was almost imperceptible, and she looked so fragile that she seemed to break at the slightest touch.

"What are you all standing there for? Start the diagnosis!" Zhao Zun turned around abruptly, his gaze sweeping across the imperial physicians who were filing in, his voice carrying an unquestionable tone and a barely perceptible tremor.

The imperial physicians, led by Imperial Physician Cui, dared not be negligent. They quickly suppressed their fear and stepped forward one by one, holding their breath and concentrating, to take Han Lei's pulse and observe her complexion.

For a moment, the hall was so quiet that only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire and the suppressed breathing of the imperial physicians could be heard.

Zhao Zun stood by the bed, his posture as upright as a pine tree, his muscles taut like a fully drawn bow, his gaze fixed on Han Lei's face, unwilling to miss the slightest change in her.

Time passed slowly in silence, each breath seeming exceptionally long.

Finally, the last imperial physician also withdrew his hand with trepidation, exchanging a helpless and fearful look with his colleague.

"How is the Empress?" Zhao Zun asked anxiously.

With a forced smile, Judge Cui stepped forward, bowed, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty, we are incompetent... Her Majesty has no injuries whatsoever."

Zhao Zun's heart sank suddenly, and an ominous premonition instantly surged into his mind.

The physician, Cui, continued, “Judging from Her Majesty’s pulse… it is calm and steady, with no signs of… no internal injury or hidden illness. However… there seems to be a slight trace of mental turmoil after being frightened… apart from that, we really… really can’t find any other ailment!”

"Can't find any illness?" Zhao Zun's voice suddenly rose, filled with disbelief, anger, and anxiety. "Her breathing is getting weaker and weaker, and she's unconscious. You're telling me she has no problems? Then why isn't she awake?! Huh?!"

As he spoke, he slammed his hand on the bedpost, making a loud "bang" that shook the entire bed curtains.

The imperial physicians were so frightened that they all knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, begging for forgiveness.

"Your Majesty's anger! Your Majesty's anger!"

They knew all too well that their emperor was different from other rulers; he was a military man, decisive and ruthless, doing whatever he said he would do. And with that weapon called a "pistol" in his hand, one wrong move could mean "bang!" and their lives would be over.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" Zhao Zun's chest heaved violently, his eyes bloodshot even more. "Aren't you supposed to be the best doctors in the medical field? If you can't cure the Empress, I... I'll take your lives!"

Zhao Zun did not draw his gun, but in his rage, the emperor's aura was so powerful that it made everyone breathless.

Judge Cui was so frightened that his face turned ashen, and cold sweat poured down his back, but he still forced himself to speak again, his voice trembling.

"Your Majesty, please calm down... Your Majesty, please calm down! The Empress's pulse is indeed... normal. This old minister dares to humbly request Your Majesty to tell us what happened. Perhaps... perhaps the Empress suffered some internal injury, or... perhaps she was poisoned by a strange poison?"

“Crossbow!” Zhao Zun almost gritted his teeth as he uttered the two words. “I saw a crossbow bolt shot at the Empress…” He paused, recalling the scene at the time, his tone tinged with uncertainty, “But… the Empress told me herself that she was alright. I also checked her, and there was no arrow wound on her body.”

"Missed it?" Judge Cui repeated subconsciously.

These three simple words, like a spark, seemed to suddenly illuminate a corner of Zhao Zun's chaotic mind!
His eyes flashed suddenly, a sharp glint in them!

That's it! He missed! The situation was critical; all his attention was focused on whether Han Lei was injured. Han Lei herself said she was fine, and he did indeed see no blood or wounds after a quick check, so he believed her! But that crossbow bolt came with tremendous force, at such close range, how could it have missed so easily? Unless…

A detail he had overlooked suddenly came to mind: the ring-shaped jade pendant he had personally put on Han Lei's chest—the "Love Lock"!
Concern clouded his judgment, and extreme panic caused him to lose his usual composure and meticulousness! In the carriage, he was only concerned with checking if she had any external injuries and feeling her increasingly weak breath, completely forgetting to check the jade pendant that might have blocked the fatal blow!

"Get out!" Zhao Zun suddenly shouted sternly. "Everyone, wait outside for me! No one is allowed to come in without my permission!"

The imperial physicians, as if granted a pardon, scrambled out of the inner chamber and thoughtfully closed the palace door behind them.

In an instant, only Zhao Zun and the unconscious Han Lei remained in the hall. Zhao Zun quickly returned to the bedside, took a deep breath, and tried his best to stop his hands from trembling. Then, he very gently unbuttoned the buttons on Han Lei's clothes.

Layers of clothing were carefully removed, revealing a plain undergarment and... a patch of fair and delicate skin.

Sure enough, in the spot where the crossbow bolt should have been most likely to hit, the skin was smooth as jade, without any scars, except for a red rope around the neck.

The love lock slid down to the back of Zhao Zun's neck. He dragged the hanging cord, but only a small fragment of the ring-shaped jade pendant remained, hanging forlornly on the red cord. The other half was nowhere to be found.

Zhao Zun's heart almost stopped beating at that moment!
The crossbow bolt did indeed hit Han Lei! It was this seemingly insignificant "love lock" that blocked the deadly arrow for Han Lei at the crucial moment!
Zhao Zun breathed a sigh of relief, but the relief of surviving the ordeal lasted only a moment before being overwhelmed by even greater panic.

Since the arrow was blocked and Han Lei was not injured, why was she unconscious? Moreover, her pulse was normal but her breathing was getting weaker? This is completely illogical! It is understandable that Han Lei was frightened, but fright would not cause her breathing to become weak and her body to become ice-cold.

The only variable is this broken "love lock"!
Thinking of this, a chill instantly ran down Zhao Zun's spine, rushing straight to his head and making his limbs feel cold.

Because he knew better than anyone else that Han Lei's origins were special—she wasn't from this world, but had transmigrated from another world.

Although he gave the "Love Lock" to Han Lei later, intending it to strengthen their relationship, Han Lei did indeed stay with him, marry him, have children, and become the Empress of the Great Jing Dynasty.

But when it comes to such bizarre situations that cannot be explained by common sense, he can't help but connect all of this with Han Lei's time travel and this mysterious jade pendant!
Could it be... that this love lock is more than just a token of love? What unpredictable consequences will its breaking bring? Will it... take her away?
The more Zhao Zun thought about it, the more alarmed and uncertain he became.

Zhao Zun bent down, his fingers trembling as he reached under Han Lei's nose to check her breath, which was so faint it was almost imperceptible.

"Girl...girl, don't scare me...don't scare me..."

Zhao Zun murmured, his voice so low and hoarse it was almost broken, filled with endless fear and pleading. His entire being was consumed by terror.

At this moment, he was not the emperor who ruled the world with decisive ruthlessness, but just an ordinary man who was afraid of losing his beloved.

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart, took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down.

"Zitan and Jinju, come in." He called out to Han Lei's two personal maids.

Two maids, their faces full of worry, pushed open the door and entered. Zhao Zun instructed, "Bring a clean set of the Empress's nightgown."

Two maids brought over clothes to change Han Lei, but Zhao Zun stopped them, saying, "You wait aside, I'll do it myself."

His movements became extremely careful, almost reverent. He knew that Han Lei's dress was bound by a belt, and the fragments of the broken love lock were likely still inside her garment. He wanted to collect every single piece, leaving nothing behind! It was as if by doing so, he could piece together the love lock and awaken Han Lei from her unconsciousness.

He carefully removed the small piece of jade hanging from the broken rope and placed it on a brocade handkerchief spread out to the side. Then, he began to change Han Lei's clothes.

He loosened his waistband and gently removed his outer and inner garments... His movements were as gentle as a feather brushing against her, as if afraid of disturbing her, or as if he were performing an extremely sacred ritual.

Han Lei lay flat on her back, most of the broken jade fragments scattered beneath her. As he gently lifted her shoulders and back to remove the last layer of her undergarments, his gaze suddenly sharpened!
Beside those tiny, shimmering jade fragments, there lay quietly a piece of paper rolled into a thin strip!
The paper was slightly yellow, similar in color to the inside of the jade pendant, and was rolled up tightly. If he hadn't been extremely careful, he might not have noticed it at all.

Zhao Zun's heart skipped a beat! He quickly picked up the remaining small half of the ring-shaped jade fragment and brought it close to his eyes for a closer look—sure enough! The jade pendant was hollow in the middle!
This note was clearly hidden inside the love lock and fell out when the jade pendant broke!

A strong sense of unease instantly gripped Zhao Zun's heart, almost suffocating him.

He stared at the small note, not even having the courage to open it, as if it were some kind of monstrous flood, a judgment that would determine his life or death.

An intuition told him that the contents of the note were likely related to his deepest fears.

He almost evasively placed the note on the small table beside his bed, trying to banish the terrible thoughts from his mind and continue to focus on collecting the broken jade pieces.

He carefully turned Han Lei's body to the side, and with his fingers, he picked up all the tiny jade fragments scattered in the folds of the brocade quilt and stuck to her skin. Together with the broken piece of jade from before, he carefully placed them into the soft brocade handkerchief and wrapped them up gently.

After doing all this, he silently stared at Han Lei, who was lying on the bed with a pale face, his eyes filled with unspeakable pain.

Only after Zitan and Jinju had tidied Han Lei's clothes and stepped aside to sob softly did he take a deep breath and order in a deep voice, "Summon the imperial physician."

The gates of Weiyang Palace slowly opened, and the imperial physicians who had been waiting outside filed in. They stood with their heads bowed before the imperial bed, holding their breath as they sensed the chilling aura emanating from the emperor.

"Listen up, all of you." Zhao Zun's voice was exceptionally clear in the silent hall. "Continue treating the Empress. If you cannot find a way to save her today, no one will leave Weiyang Palace. If anything happens to the Empress..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd like a blade, "You can all prepare to be buried with me."

The imperial physicians looked at each other, their faces contorted in distress, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.

The Empress is not ill, so how can they be allowed to diagnose or treat her?

Judge Cui sighed, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, we will do our utmost. Please allow us to discuss countermeasures."

After saying that, they whispered among themselves, and then took turns going up to take the pulse, look at the eyelids, and examine the tongue coating...

Zhao Zun, clutching his handkerchief, stepped aside. Seeing this, the Empress Dowager quickly stepped forward, gently patting his arm and whispering words of comfort: "Don't worry too much. Lei'er is a blessed person; she will surely turn misfortune into good fortune."

Zhao Ling'er leaned closer and said, "Brother, don't worry! Sister-in-law is a lucky person, she will definitely get better."

Zhao Zun didn't answer. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, tears glistening in his eyes.

Zhao Ling'er noticed the handkerchief Zhao Zun was clutching tightly in his hand and couldn't help but ask, "What's in this handkerchief...?"

Zhao Zun looked down at the handkerchief: "This is the only clue. I will definitely investigate it thoroughly."

At this point, he remembered the note again.

Hesitation, struggle, fear... a mix of emotions swirled in his eyes. In the end, extreme worry for Han Lei's condition overwhelmed everything else.

He needs to know the truth!
Zhao Zun walked a few steps to the desk, gently put down and unfolded the brocade handkerchief he had been covering his heart.

He closed his eyes briefly, as if using up all the courage he had. When he opened them again, he picked up the strip of paper with two fingers and then, extremely slowly, unfolded it.

The note contained only a few lines of writing, the handwriting both ancient and elegant, as if carrying a sense of world-weariness and wisdom.

"All encounters are predestined, and predestined relationships vary in depth. Debts have their causes and effects. When a predestined relationship ends, the relationship disperses; when a debt is repaid, it is repaid."

These mere twenty words, like the coldest arrows, pierced Zhao Zun's heart in an instant! Each word was like a heavy hammer, slamming into his very soul!
"When fate ends, all is lost... When debts are exhausted, they must be repaid..." He murmured these eight words unconsciously, his face as pale as gold paper under the solar-powered light. A wave of overwhelming despair washed over him like an icy tide.

Could it be... that his fate with the girl has truly come to an end? Did she come into his life only to repay some debt from a past life? Now that the debt has been paid, is she going to... leave?
No! He doesn't believe it! He won't allow it!

Just as Zhao Zun was so shocked by this sudden "divine revelation" that he almost lost his footing—

"what--!"

A terrified scream suddenly came from beside the bed!

A young imperial physician who was taking the Empress's pulse suddenly jumped up from his stool as if he had been bitten by a poisonous snake!
His face was deathly pale, like a ghost, his eyes wide open, filled with extreme fear. He pointed one hand at Han Lei, who was lying peacefully on the bed, his teeth chattering, unable to utter a complete sentence.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty... Empress... She... She..." He staggered backward, knocking over the round stool behind him with a loud crash, which startled everyone inside and outside the hall.

"What's going on?!" Zhao Zun suddenly turned around from his desk, his scarlet eyes shooting at the imperial physician like sharp swords, his ominous premonition reaching its peak almost simultaneously.

The imperial physician's legs went weak, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud, banging his head on the ground and wailing, "Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! The Empress... the Empress... her pulse... it's gone... gone! Her breath... is gone too!!"

The imperial physician's words were like a thunderclap that exploded in Weiyang Palace!
"What?!" Zhao Zun's tall body swayed, his mind going completely blank.

"Leah!"

"sister in law?"

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager and Zhao Ling'er's expressions changed drastically, and they rushed to the bedside in the inner room without regard for anything else.

The imperial physicians, who had been discussing treatment plans, turned pale upon hearing this devastating news.

"If anything happens to the Empress, you will all be prepared to be buried with her!" The Emperor's words still echoed in my ears.

Now that the Empress has passed away, what about them...?

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, spare my life!"

"Your Majesty, spare your life!"

The imperial physicians collapsed to the ground, their kowtows and pleas for mercy filling the air. The entire Weiyang Palace was instantly shrouded in endless panic and despair.

"Her Majesty the Empress has passed away!" A eunuch whispered in alarm, and the news spread like wildfire.

The Empress Dowager rushed to the bedside, her hands trembling as she checked Han Lei's breath. Sure enough, she couldn't feel a trace of warmth. She then grasped Han Lei's hand, finding it ice-cold.

The Empress Dowager had always treated Han Lei like her own daughter. At this moment, tears welled up in her eyes, and she cried out in grief, "Lei'er... my good daughter-in-law, how could you leave like this..."

Zhao Ling'er also covered her mouth, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Boom——!"

Outside the palace, a thunderclap suddenly struck the cold, gloomy winter sky.

Whether startled by the thunder or due to the bond between mother and child, in this moment of deathly silence and sorrow, in the adjacent side hall, the two infants still in swaddling clothes, carefully cared for by their wet nurse, seemed to sense their mother's departure and burst into loud, mournful cries at the same time. No matter how the wet nurse tried to soothe and comfort them, it was to no avail.

The baby's mournful cries pierced the palace walls, creating a stark and cruel contrast with the deathly silence of the inner chamber, adding to the desolation...

Please comment, favorite, and vote!