Love Lock

Chapter 371 Extra: Hua Tianyou and Zhao Ling'er

With the payment settled, the main event is about to begin.

The onlookers craned their necks to watch. Da Liu took a deep breath and, under the bright light, carefully inserted the tip of a small walnut prying knife and brush from his stall into the green husk of the walnut.

Everyone held their breath. Even Han Lei was caught up in the tense atmosphere and temporarily forgot her search, focusing intently on the scene.

With a soft "snap," the walnut shell was pried open.

Da Liu gently brushed away the debris from the crevices with a brush, then slowly and forcefully split the walnut in half, the juice from the green husk staining his fingers black.

Instantly, everyone's attention was focused on the inside of those two walnut halves.

However, the expected exclamations and praises did not materialize. The smile on Da Liu's face froze, then turned ashen.

Near the bottom of the walnut, there was a large patch of dark-colored skin, which is the most undesirable feature of collectible walnuts, known as "yinpi" (dark skin). Moreover, the skin was dry and not as oily and shiny as it looked on the outside.

"This...this..." Da Liu was so angry that he could hardly speak.

The thin man and Old Wang also went over to look, their faces equally grim.

Sister Zhang, however, had a "I knew it" look on her face and shrugged: "Oh dear, you can't blame me, Liu. I told you beforehand that there were risks. This pubic skin... sigh, you guys were just unlucky."

A murmur of sighs and whispers arose around them, some gloating, others expressing sympathy.

The three men, including Da Liu, turned red and white in turns. In the end, they could only accept their bad luck, holding the pair of worthless walnuts worth 12,000 yuan that were basically useless in their hands, and slunk out of the crowd.

Han Lei watched this scene, her heart filled with mixed emotions. This ghost market was indeed a place where heaven and hell were worlds apart, where truth and falsehood were indistinguishable, and one had to bear the risks oneself.

The difficulty she faced in finding the jade pendant was probably far greater than gambling on walnuts.

After this little incident, Han Lei continued her search.

She traversed almost every corner of the ghost market, asking every jade vendor about the characteristics of the phoenix-patterned jade pendant. Most responses were either a shake of the head or some vague, unsubstantiated explanation. Some curious individuals asked why she was so determined to find such a pendant; Han Lei could only vaguely say it was a family heirloom that she had lost and wanted to retrieve.

Time passed slowly, and the crowds at the ghost market gradually thinned out, with many stalls beginning to pack up. One by one, the hanging lights went out, and the market's hustle and bustle receded like the tide, leaving only a mess and the chilly night.

Han Lei dragged her tired legs and walked out of the ghost market with a heart full of disappointment.

A night breeze blew, and she felt a chill run through her. Hope rose like a bubble, only to burst again. Although she had found a new direction, putting it into practice was still like finding a needle in a haystack.

She returned dejectedly to her rented room in the Xueyuan residential area, opened the door, and found the room silent and dark. Without turning on the light, she went straight to the window, gazing at the city's dazzling yet cold nightscape.

Jade pendant, where are you?
With no leads from the ghost market, where should we look next? Must we continue searching in this hopeless state?
As the night deepened, Han Lei's heart sank heavily...

The Great Jing Dynasty.

For Hua Tianyou, a two-week honeymoon was truly a fleeting moment.

During his two-week vacation, he almost forgot all the troubles of the outside world and devoted himself entirely to Zhao Ling'er.

In the early morning, he would wake up early, prop his chin up, and watch with great interest the peaceful sleeping face of the person next to him, until her eyelashes fluttered and she slowly woke up.

Sometimes, when the mood struck him, he would even clumsily pick up an eyebrow pencil like Zhao Zun and insist on drawing eyebrows for Ling'er.

"Oh dear, you're crooked!" Zhao Ling'er said coquettishly to the bright mirror she had bought from the mandarin duck hairpin, dodging his outstretched hand again.

Hua Tianyou, however, wouldn't let her go. He put his arm around her shoulder and pretended to be serious: "Don't move, my wife. This skill of mine was learned from... from your imperial brother!"

He meant to say "I learned it from those girls," but the words slipped out before he could finish, and he cursed himself inwardly for bringing up the very thing he shouldn't have said.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ling'er chuckled, a hint of mockery in her eyes: "Oh? Brother Tianyou even went to the trouble of learning this from my brother?"

Hua Tianyou felt his ears burning slightly under her gaze, but he forced himself to remain calm and continued, "Of course, I'm exceptionally talented, I can learn anything and do it all perfectly."

As a result, the drawing was uneven, with one side higher than the other, which made Zhao Ling'er laugh so hard she almost fell over. In the end, she had to fix it herself.

Hua Tianyou wasn't annoyed. He just sat down with a cup of tea and watched, finding the mundane daily life more interesting than any of the past hustle and bustle.

They spent the past ten days or so in peace and warmth.

Zhao Ling'er was doing needlework, her needle and thread flying between her fingers, embroidering mandarin ducks playing in the water or lotus flowers blooming in pairs. Hua Tianyou, on the other hand, was engrossed in reading a scroll of blueprints or notes left by Han Lei about the improvement of textile machinery, and would occasionally discuss it with Ling'er.

“Ling’er, look, the Empress’s design is ingenious, but it has very high requirements for the speed of the water flow, which may not be easy to implement in the suburbs of the capital.” He pointed to a spot on the drawing, his brows furrowing slightly.

Zhao Ling'er stopped her needlework, leaned over to take a look, and said softly, "Didn't my brother say that the water conservancy in the capital region needs to be repaired extensively? Perhaps it will be possible in the future. Besides, even if we don't need it for the time being, it's always good to take a look. Brother Tianyou, you're looking at these things more seriously now than you used to when you were reading those storybooks."

Hua Tianyou looked up and met her smiling eyes, feeling a little embarrassed. Last time, when they were resting at the construction site in Fufeng County, Zhao Ling'er caught him reading a storybook, and they both blushed deeply. He still found it funny when he thought about it.

He grasped Zhao Ling'er's hand, which was resting on her lap, and said with emotion, "Things are different now. Before, I was just drifting through life, but now... I feel a responsibility on my shoulders. His Majesty trusts me and has entrusted me with such an important task concerning the people's livelihood as the textile factory. With you by my side, if I don't improve myself, wouldn't I be letting you down?"

Zhao Ling'er intertwined her fingers with his, gently hummed in agreement, her eyes filled with trust and support.

If the weather is fine in the afternoon, they will go out for a drive. They don't linger in the bustling city, but mostly go to villas in the suburbs of Beijing or quiet scenic spots.

The two were inseparable every day. Hua Tianyou seemed to want to completely cast aside his past frivolous ways and only wanted to share this quiet time with the woman with the smiling eyes beside him.

Every night, Hua Tianyou's philandering nature, honed by his time in the red-light district, found its most fervent and direct outlet in his legal and beloved wife.

He was in the prime of his life, and almost every night he would pester Zhao Ling'er to consummate their marriage. The red silk curtains were warm, the quilt was billowing red, the mandarin ducks intertwined their necks, and they whispered sweet nothings to each other.

At first, Zhao Ling'er was a little shy, but under Hua Tianyou's guidance, which was sometimes urgent and sometimes gentle, she gradually let go of her reserve and responded to his enthusiasm.

The Duke and his wife saw all this and were naturally overjoyed.

That morning, the Duchess of Heng watched as Hua Tianyou, unusually, had breakfast with them before returning to his room to find Zhao Ling'er. She couldn't help but whisper to the Duke of Heng, "My lord, look at You'er, he's really like a different person now. Before, he wanted to be out and about all day long, and he wanted to stay in the house, sticking to Ling'er."

The Duke of Heng stroked his beard, his eyes filled with satisfaction, yet he still maintained his airs: "Yes, things are different now that you're married. A man, after all, has to settle down."

Lady Hengguo covered her mouth and laughed, "It's more than just settling down! Judging from their sweet and affectionate relationship, our household will probably be welcoming a new member soon!"

However, such a life of loving couples and not envying immortals could not last long.

The two-week holiday flew by, and Hua Tianyou still had the affairs of the textile factory on his shoulders, not to mention the important task Zhao Zun had privately entrusted to him: recruiting skilled craftsmen to repair the mysterious "Love Lock." He dared not, and was unwilling to, slack off.

On the first day after the holiday, Hua Tianyou resumed his usual busy schedule. He often left home early in the morning and did not return home until late in the evening, exhausted.

No matter how busy he was during the day, as soon as he returned to the Duke of Heng's mansion and had dinner, Hua Tianyou would immediately take Zhao Ling'er's hand and eagerly return to their own little world. It seemed that only in that private space, touching his wife's soft body and smelling the familiar fragrance of her hair, could his fatigue from the day be completely washed away.

Influenced by the wedding at the Duke of Heng's mansion, the atmosphere in the capital subtly changed. Initially, only a few families with similar marriage aspirations cautiously began preparing for their own weddings. Seeing no signs of reprimand or obstruction from the palace, more and more commoners began to act more freely.

Restaurants and teahouses bustled with activity once more, and the sounds of gongs and drums for weddings and funerals echoed through the streets again. Weddings and funerals—everything seemed to have returned to its usual rhythm. People tacitly understood that since His Majesty had tacitly approved the Hua family's wedding, he had tacitly approved the continuation of life.

As Zhao Zun had anticipated, with the successful experience of Cangzhou as a template, and with the capital city gathering the nation's top craftsmen and resources, several large factories set up by the imperial court—including the textile factory overseen by Hua Tianyou, as well as newly built cement and glass factories—were completed and put into production at an astonishing speed.

The enormous factory buildings and the assembly line operations driven by water or manpower officially heralded the beginning of a new industrial era for the Great Jing Dynasty.

The newly established transportation and construction departments also began to operate at high speed. Roads were being widened and new buildings were springing up like mushrooms after rain. The entire capital city presented a thriving and ever-changing scene.

However, beneath this prosperity, undercurrents still flow.

In late autumn, just as the autumn grains were being stored in various places, the imperial court received two urgent military reports in succession.

The first one comes from the south.

After several months of dissemination, the news of Zhao Zun's ascension to the throne finally reached Yunzhou and Liangzhou, where Zhao Zun had not yet returned to the capital.

After all, high-tech communication technology like walkie-talkies was only in Zhao Zun's army. Yun and Liang prefectures were located at the southernmost tip of the Great Jing Dynasty. When these two prefectures received news of Zhao Zun's usurpation of the throne, the garrison commanders of both armies were furious and immediately wanted to march on the capital. However, the remaining grain from the previous year was running low, and they had to wait until this year's grain was stored. In addition, necessary war preparations were required, so the campaign was delayed until late autumn.

With supplies in hand, the two garrison commanders immediately issued a joint statement condemning Zhao Zun for usurping the throne and committing treason. They raised the banner of "Serving the Emperor and Protecting His Ministers" and assembled their troops, intending to march north to punish him.

They exploited the information gap and blind loyalty to the old dynasty to instill in the lower-ranking soldiers the idea that Zhao Zun was a traitor, and for a time they gained considerable influence.

The matter was hotly debated in the imperial court.

The remaining civil and military officials advocated appeasement, believing that "we are all citizens of the Great Jing, not foreign enemies. If war breaks out, the people of the Great Jing will suffer greatly."

The generals who followed Zhao Zun from Beiguan and Cangzhou in their "rebellion" were outraged and advocated a swift and decisive attack to cripple them, believing that "these stubborn fools cannot see the situation clearly. If we do not blind them, they will not know the might of Heaven."

Sitting upright on the dragon throne, Zhao Zun listened to the argument between the two factions with a blank expression, his fingers unconsciously stroking the cold dragon head carving on the armrest of the throne.

Only when the argument subsided and all eyes were on him did he slowly speak, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable decisiveness: "Da Jiu, immediately inform Lao Meng that the matters of Yun and Liang prefectures will be handled entirely by him. The principle is only eight words: if they can be appeased, then appease them; if not…"

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, "Then annihilate them all to prevent future troubles."

He never gave grand, impassioned speeches, only the most concise and ruthless commands.

The courtiers were all taken aback, understanding the Emperor's attitude—he didn't care about the process, only the result. A peaceful takeover was best; if resistance was encountered, he would not hesitate to use ruthless methods to crush it.

Another message, even more discreet, was reported directly to Zhao Zun by his secret guards: More spies from the Eastern Ming Empire had appeared in the capital.

These people are like rats in the gutter, their movements secretive, seemingly trying to uncover the mysteries of Dajing's emerging "industry," or perhaps they have other schemes.

Zhao Zun's instruction was only one sentence: "Keep a close watch, but don't alert them."

……

After marriage, Hua Tianyou's life seemed to be clearly divided into two parts.

By day, he was the increasingly composed and capable Lord Hua, shuttling between the Ministry of Works, textile factories, and the places where he secretly searched for jade craftsmen for His Majesty.

That evening, as soon as he returned to the Duke of Heng's mansion and stepped into the courtyard where he and Zhao Ling'er lived, he shed all his external identities and became simply the loving husband who was sometimes even a little shameless.

After dinner, his eagerness to take Zhao Ling'er back to their room became a regular "scene" at the Duke of Heng's mansion. The servants would gossip and laugh among themselves, saying that the young master and young mistress were truly as loving as honey.

Although Zhao Ling'er was used to his enthusiasm, her face would still flush red whenever he eagerly pulled her away in front of her parents-in-law and servants, but her heart would still feel sweet.

She could feel Hua Tianyou's almost dependent affection for her, which made her feel incredibly at ease.

That night, after their lovemaking had just ended, Zhao Ling'er lay on Hua Tianyou's sweat-dampened chest, listening to his strong and slightly rapid heartbeat, and softly asked, "Brother Tianyou, you seem to be even busier these days than when you first went to the factory? Have you encountered any difficulties?"

Hua Tianyou stroked her smooth back, pondered for a moment, and did not completely hide it: "The factory affairs are going smoothly. It's just... the matter your brother asked me to handle is a bit tricky. The jade pendant was broken too thoroughly. The craftsmen we sought out were either at a loss or couldn't even figure out how to fix it."

Zhao Ling'er naturally knew what the "jade pendant" referred to, and also understood that this matter concerned her elder brother's biggest inner conflict.

She looked up, her eyes filled with worry: "How is my brother doing these days? I haven't been to the palace for quite some time."

Hua Tianyou sighed and pulled her closer to his chest. "His Majesty..." He recalled Zhao Zun, whom he had seen at court recently, "has become increasingly silent. When discussing politics in court, he can still get to the heart of the matter and handle government affairs without delay, but... I always feel that most of his mind is not on this. After court, he almost never sees outsiders, and only frequently summons those jade craftsmen."

He paused, his voice lowering further: "Moreover, in Yunzhou and Liangzhou in the south, two reckless fellows have started a fight, using the banner of 'purging the emperor's inner circle'. Although His Majesty has sent Old Meng to handle it, it is still a troublesome matter."

Zhao Ling'er was alarmed and instinctively hugged his waist tightly: "So many things have happened, and my brother is all alone..."

"Don't worry," Hua Tianyou kissed the top of her head, "Your brother has a clear understanding of these important military and political matters. It's just..."

He recalled Zhao Zun's increasingly profound eyes, which often held a hint of emptiness. "But Han Lei is still an insurmountable obstacle in his heart. All we can do is try our best to complete the tasks he assigned us, so that he can worry less."

Zhao Ling'er nodded silently, buried her face in his neck, and said in a muffled voice, "Yes! You should also take care of yourself."

"With you in my arms, I naturally cherish my life." Hua Tianyou chuckled, tightening his arms around her, feeling the fullness of the warm, soft body in his embrace, temporarily shielding her from the storms of the outside world.

Meanwhile, inside the imperial palace, at Weiyang Palace.

Zhao Zun stood alone before the ice coffin, which was made of black ice and covered with bright yellow brocade.

Han Lei's face was serene and lifelike, as if she were merely asleep. She was enveloped in a misty, chilling aura, which added to her unreal beauty.

He reached out and gently brushed his fingertips across Han Lei's cold cheek. His eyes were no longer as sharp and deep as they were in the court, but were filled with an almost obsessive tenderness and longing.

"Girl." His deep voice echoed in the empty, cold palace, filled with endless loneliness. "You must not go far. I have found a few more skilled craftsmen. They all say that the jade pendant is not entirely beyond repair... it just needs time, and we need to find the right method and materials."

He seemed to be speaking to Han Lei, yet also to himself, reaffirming his beliefs.

“I know you’re not dead… How could you be dead? You just went back, and you can’t come back for now… This ice chamber can preserve your body. Once I fix the Love Lock, I’ll definitely be able to bring you back…”

The courtiers were right; Zhao Zun had indeed become increasingly silent, barely uttering a few words in court, but once back in the ice chamber, he would become eloquent again.

He would occasionally drift off into thought during court sessions. But strangely, this did not affect his handling of important state affairs.

The memorials he presented were still reviewed promptly, and his decisions were still decisive and wise, all in an orderly manner, as if it was another rational part of his soul that was handling these complicated government affairs.

Jade artisans were indeed entering and leaving the palace more and more frequently. They were secretly brought into the inner palace by the imperial guards and, under strict surveillance, handled the broken jade. Some marveled at its material, some pondered its structure, and some tried to glue it back together using various secret methods, but all of them failed.

With each news of failure, Zhao Zun's silence deepened, but he never gave up and continued to persistently search for the next batch of potential "skilled craftsmen".

Please comment, favorite, and vote!