Love Lock

Chapter 372 Extra: Hua Tianyou and Zhao Ling'er

Warm sunlight streamed through the carved window lattices, bathing the exquisite courtyard of the Duke of Heng's mansion in a cozy and languid atmosphere.

Zhao Ling'er leaned against the soft velvet couch, covered with a thin brocade quilt, her originally pale cheeks now showing a rare blush.

She lowered her eyes slightly, her hand unconsciously touching her still flat stomach, her eyes filled with a mixture of shyness and confusion about becoming a mother, as well as a hint of indescribable complexity.

"Ling'er, how are you feeling? Would you like some sour plums? Or perhaps the jujube and yam cake that the kitchen just made?" Hua Tianyou stood by the bedside, his face beaming with an almost silly smile.

He rubbed his hands together, tucking the blanket around her for a while, then peeking out the window to see if the maid had brought any nourishing soup. He was so busy that he was completely different from the dashing and debonair heir of the Duke of Heng.

During the first two weeks of their marriage, he worked tirelessly every night and finally achieved gratifying results. However, just over a month later, Zhao Ling'er began to experience symptoms of discomfort.

The experienced nanny in the manor and the imperial physician who came to take her pulse confirmed the good news one after another—Zhao Ling'er was pregnant.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the entire Duke Heng's mansion. From the Duke and his wife to the lowly maids, everyone was overjoyed.

The royal family and the Duke of Heng's mansion are related by marriage, and their interests are intertwined. The child in Zhao Ling'er's womb is not only a continuation of her bloodline, but also an important safeguard under the new dynasty's structure.

Although the mansion wasn't decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, the festive atmosphere was more intense than any other holiday.

"I'm fine, Brother Tianyou, don't bother." Zhao Ling'er's voice was soft, with a hint of helplessness. "I'm just a little tired."

“Sleep when you’re tired, and eat when you’re awake,” Hua Tianyou chuckled, carefully sitting down on the edge of the couch and holding her slightly cool hand. “Now you are the most precious person in our household, so you have to be careful in everything you do.”

He looked at Zhao Ling'er with pure joy in his eyes, but deep down, there was also a trace of worry that was not easily detected.

He had to report this good news to the person in the palace immediately.

After comforting Zhao Ling'er and watching her fall into a deep sleep, Hua Tianyou changed into his court robes and hurriedly entered the palace.

The new emperor had only been on the throne for a few months, but the inner palace had already shed much of the extravagance of the previous dynasty, and gained a touch of the coldness and solemnity brought by the north.

The young eunuch leading the way moved lightly and dared not say much. Hua Tianyou followed behind, his mind churning with thoughts.

He knew that this good news might upset Zhao Zun, because while his family was happy and content, the woman Zhao Zun loved was still "sleeping" somewhere deep in the palace, and no one could wake her up, nor did they know when she would wake up.

But he didn't care about anything else. He just wanted to provoke Zhao Zun, to make Zhao Zun face reality and move on from that relationship that had ended abruptly. Zhao Zun was now the emperor, but his harem was as empty as a pond, which could easily be filled with three thousand beauties.

Inside the imperial study, the charcoal fire was not burning brightly. Zhao Zun sat upright behind the dragon desk, dressed in a black casual robe, without a crown, his hair simply tied up with a jade hairpin.

He looked even thinner than he had a few months ago, his facial features sharp and angular, his expression increasingly cold and stern. Those eyes that once held such dominance on the battlefield were now unfathomable, only occasionally revealing a hint of weariness and sorrow when he looked up.

"Your subject, Hua Tianyou, pays his respects to Your Majesty." Hua Tianyou bowed respectfully, his tone filled with undisguised joy.

"Rise." Zhao Zun's voice was low and flat. "What urgent matter brings Tianyou to the palace at this hour?"

Hua Tianyou took a deep breath, trying to make his tone sound like he was simply reporting good news: "Your Majesty, Ling'er... has been diagnosed by the imperial physician today as being one month pregnant. I have come to report this good news to Your Majesty."

The imperial study fell into a deathly silence.

The air seemed to freeze, and even the occasional crackling sound of the charcoal fire could be clearly heard.

Zhao Zun's hand, holding the vermilion brush, froze in mid-air, his fingertips turning slightly white.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze falling squarely on Hua Tianyou's face. There was no trace of the joy that an elder brother should have shown; only an incomprehensible pain and loneliness.

Hua Tianyou felt a chill run down his spine, but he could only stand there, enduring the unpredictable gaze of the heavens.

After a long while, Zhao Zun slowly put down his pen, stiffly curving his lips, "...Really? Well, that's wonderful. Congratulations, Tianyou."

Every word Zhao Zun uttered seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

Hua Tianyou knew that behind that "congratulations" lay the excruciating pain that the man before him was enduring every moment. He had a happy family, while the supreme emperor before him had forever lost such an opportunity, or rather, all his hopes were pinned on that person who was still asleep.

"Thanks to Your Majesty's great fortune." Hua Tianyou lowered his head, not daring to look again. The words of advice he had prepared before coming were swallowed back down.

Seeing the sorrow in Zhao Zun's eyes, he suddenly realized a truth—

Han Lei may not be the one to accompany Zhao Zun to the end, but she will certainly be the person Zhao Zun misses and cares about most in his life. Through life's ups and downs, Han Lei accompanied Zhao Zun for a part of the journey, and Zhao Zun will remember her for a lifetime. For the rest of his life, whether they meet again or not, Han Lei will always be in Zhao Zun's heart.

He used to be a spoiled brat, he didn't understand! He thought women were just clothes, things that could be taken off!
Now that he has met Zhao Ling'er, married her, and had children, he seems to have suddenly understood.

This... is perhaps what it means to be deeply in love!

If one day Zhao Ling'er were to "fall into a deep sleep" like Han Lei, he wondered if he could be as strong as Zhao Zun and still be able to handle state affairs as usual.

He knew that behind all of this, only Zhao Zun himself suffered.

Zhao Zun was unaware of Hua Tianyou's thoughts. He simply waved his hand, signaling Hua Tianyou to step back, his gesture conveying a sense of distance and a desire to shut himself off.

Hua Tianyou bit his lip, but ultimately said nothing to persuade him. After bowing, he quickly left the Imperial Study.

Only after stepping out of the palace gates and being hit by the cold wind did he let out a heavy sigh.

He looked back at the majestic palace walls and sighed in his heart: This overwhelming joy could not warm that person's heart; instead, it only added to the loneliness.

Just as Hua Tianyou was lamenting over family and national affairs, a war was breaking out in the south of the Great Jing Dynasty.

In the winter in the south, the trees on both sides of the mountain road are still lush and green, only the edges of the leaves are tinged with yellow.

On the narrow official road, a massive army was winding its way forward, like a slowly writhing steel python.

The soldiers' armor gleamed dully in the humid, sweltering air, their spears pointing like a forest at the gray sky. The clatter of footsteps and the clatter of horses' hooves, mixed with the officers' shouts and the creaking of cart axles, filled the valley.

At the very front of the procession, two middle-aged men dressed in marshal's armor rode side by side.

The man on the left, with a slightly dark complexion, tightly pursed lips, and a somewhat melancholy air, was none other than Su Cheng, the garrison commander of Yunzhou.

The man on the right, with a fair complexion, a light beard, and lively eyes, is Yu Zhesheng, the marshal of the Liangzhou garrison.

"Commander Su," Yu Zhesheng urged his horse closer, his voice low but loud enough for Su Cheng beside him to hear clearly, "What kind of mess is this? Last time we received the imperial report saying that a large army had been dispatched to suppress the traitor Zhao Zun, the Prince of Cangzhou, but then it vanished without a trace. I thought that Zhao Zun had been thoroughly subdued, but who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, he's sitting on the throne in the Golden Palace, becoming our emperor!"

His words were laced with undisguised sarcasm and dissatisfaction.

Su Cheng snorted, his face darkening further, the veins on the back of his hand gripping the reins bulging, but he didn't reply.

Seeing this, Yu Zhesheng adopted a stance of defending Su Cheng: "If you ask me, Zhao Zun has guarded the North Pass for many years and has made many military achievements, that's undeniable. But the imperial court has also treated him well! He was appointed Marshal of the North Pass, commanding a large army, and later even exceptionally granted the title of a prince of a different surname—what an honor! He should be content and just stay put, guarding the North Gate for the imperial court." He paused, turned to look at Su Cheng, and his tone became even more "earnest."

"Commander Su, look at yourself again. You come from the Su family, one of the most prestigious and powerful clans in the Great Jing Dynasty! Your family has been noble for generations, and your status and background are far superior to that of a mere military man like Zhao Zun who climbed the ranks through merit. You are only a Marshal of the Southern Pass, aren't you? You haven't been granted the title of Prince, have you? Humph! What virtue or ability does Zhao Zun possess to dare to presume to call himself Emperor?"

The two were chatting idly on the march. Although Su Cheng didn't reply, his words only made Su Cheng angrier.

The Su family, one of the four great families of the Great Jing Dynasty, has many members serving in the military, with its core members holding key positions in the capital. Su Cheng, however, is merely a member of a collateral branch of the Su family. Although he has risen to the position of Marshal of the Yunzhou garrison through his abilities and the family's influence, holding a first-rank official position and wielding real power, and Yunzhou is considered wealthy, it is ultimately located on the southern border of the empire, far from the center of power.

Although Yunzhou was a wealthy place, its climate was hot and humid, and mosquitoes were rampant. Especially in the summer, it was filled with miasma, making it an uninhabitable place.

He stayed there for more than a decade, watching his relatives and even younger generations in the capital rise in rank, while he himself seemed to have been forgotten in this miasma-ridden land.

Yes, compared to those military generals who had no foundation and might only manage to become generals after a lifetime of fighting, he was considered lucky. Therefore, even when the Su family was at its peak and produced an empress with immense power, he never dared to have any improper thoughts, but simply obediently guarded the southern border for the court.

But what about now? The former emperor has fallen, the capital has been ravaged by bloodshed, and the Su family's influence is far less than before. Since Zhao Zun, a prince from the north with no real power base, was able to don the imperial robes, why can't he compete with other powerful figures for the throne?

Su Cheng commands 100,000 elite troops in Yunzhou, and now he has joined forces with Yu Zhesheng's 100,000 troops in Liangzhou. Apart from half of the troops left to guard the garrison, they also brought 100,000 troops with them on their northward march.

With the autumn harvest in store and ample provisions, and given that Zhao Zun had only recently ascended the throne and his power base was not yet secure, this was the perfect opportunity to launch a rebellion!

"Purge the court of corrupt officials and punish the traitors." What a high-sounding excuse!

An uncontrollable anger surged and burned in his chest. Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; even if the Su family is temporarily down on its luck, its century-old heritage is still far superior to Zhao Zun's! Once he defeats Zhao Zun and captures the capital, he can also climb to that high place and take a look.

Unfortunately, communication was extremely backward in this era, and he still doesn't know that his cousin Su Ce, who was the commander of the expeditionary army last time, was shot in the head by Zhao Zun on the official road in a way that he couldn't understand, and died on the spot.

What he didn't know was that Zhao Zun's ability to seize the throne so quickly and intimidate the court was not solely due to traditional military tactics and brute force, but also to the M16 in his hands.

The mountain road was rugged and narrow, and the team moved slowly.

Su Cheng and Yu Zhesheng's casual conversation gradually turned into an outpouring of their ambitions for the future.

The scales in Su Cheng's heart tipped completely under Yu Zhesheng's seemingly indignant instigation.

"Speed ​​up the march! We must reach the border of Jingzhou within two days!" Su Cheng finally spoke, his voice cold and firm, yet filled with an undeniable determination.

Just as the Yun-Liang allied forces, braving the cold wind and dragging a long supply line, trekked for more than half a month and finally arrived at the border between Liangzhou and Jingzhou, what awaited them was not the well-prepared Jingzhou army they had expected, but a rather "shabby"-looking team.

At the border where Jingzhou and Liangzhou meet, lies a vast plain. A cold wind sweeps through the withered yellow grass, carrying an air of desolation.

The stone marker representing the boundary between the two states stood there all alone, like an invisible barrier.

On one side of the plain, the allied forces of Yun and Liang prefectures arrayed themselves in a grand formation. The 100,000-strong army was densely packed, their armor gleaming, their spears like a forest, their banners obscuring the sky, and their warhorses pawing restlessly, exhaling white breath.

The chilling atmosphere soared to the sky, demonstrating that this was a well-trained and powerful force.

However, on the other side of the boundary marker, in the direction of the Jingzhou army, the situation was completely different.

This force consisted of only a few thousand men, loosely arrayed. Leading them was a middle-aged general with a calm expression; he was none other than the newly appointed Marshal of the Jingzhou garrison, Old Meng.

He was not fully armored, but only dressed in light military attire. He sat astride a magnificent black horse, calmly gazing at the overwhelming enemy army opposite him, as if he were watching a scene that had nothing to do with him.

What's even more surprising is that beside Lao Meng was a middle-aged man with a white beard, dressed as a civil official—Shen Daohong, the father-in-law of the King of Jingzhou.

He was wearing an ill-fitting leather armor, and his face showed no tension, but rather an irrepressible, almost fanatical curiosity.

He volunteered to be Lao Meng's deputy and "observe the battle".

Shen Daohong was actually quite old. Princess Shen Yanru of Jingzhou was the youngest daughter in the family, so his age was about the same as that of the old Marshal Li Jianyong.

Shen Daohong would never forget that not long ago, his son-in-law, the King of Jingzhou, and his family were secretly assassinated by Emperor Qianlong. He led his family and the Duke of Heng's family to Jingzhou to reunite with his daughter, but Emperor Qianlong's pursuers were chasing them relentlessly on the official road.

Just when they thought they were doomed, a series of short, rapid "bang bang bang" sounds, unlike anything they had ever heard before, came from the woods beside the mountain path. The sounds were not loud, but they were extremely penetrating, like a string of firecrackers exploding.

Immediately afterwards, he saw those fierce-looking pursuers fall off their horses one after another as if struck by an invisible hammer, their bodies bursting with blood. The group was thrown into chaos and fled in disarray.

Later he learned that it was Zhao Zun's men who had happened to save them, and that the divine weapon that could make strange noises and take lives from a hundred paces away was called "M16".

Since then, he has been filled with awe and curiosity about this weapon.

Hearing that Lao Meng was ordered to "receive" the Southern Army here, he knew his chance had come. He was determined to see for himself just how powerful the M16 could be on the battlefield amidst thousands of troops.

Old Meng neither agreed nor disagreed with Shen Daohong's request to watch the match, but readily agreed.

At that moment, Lao Meng took a deep breath and, under Shen Daohong's curious gaze, took an electronic megaphone from beside the saddle.

"cough!"

He raised the megaphone to his lips and cleared his throat.

The next moment, a loud and clear voice suddenly rang out on the open plain, so loud that it drowned out the noise of the hundreds of thousands of troops on the other side.

"Brothers of Yunzhou and Liangzhou across the way, listen up! I am Meng Gong, the Marshal of the Jingzhou Garrison, and I have been waiting here for a long time on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor of Dajing!"

The sudden, enormous sound, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, caused a noticeable commotion in front of the allied forces. Startled warhorses neighed, and soldiers exchanged bewildered glances and whispered amongst themselves, wondering where the sound came from and why it was so loud.

Su Cheng and Yu Zhesheng's expressions also changed, and they looked at the strange object in Lao Meng's hand with surprise and uncertainty.

Old Meng continued his address, his voice amplified through the electronic loudspeaker: "His Majesty the Emperor knows that your troops were either misled by treacherous officials or unaware of the truth in the capital! His Majesty has decreed that as long as you are willing to lay down your weapons and submit to the court, His Majesty will forgive your past transgressions, treat you all equally, reward you according to your merits, and never mistreat any loyal and brave soldier! Especially Marshal Su and Marshal Yu, I hope that you two will prioritize the lives of your soldiers and the stability of the realm, and not act willfully and defy Heaven!"

Old Meng's words were clear and distinct, carrying a condescending admonition and an unquestionable authority.

Su Cheng's face instantly turned ashen.

He was a member of the prestigious Su family, the Marshal of Yunzhou, and a commander of a large army. When had he ever been publicly reprimanded like this, as if being lectured to an ignorant child? Moreover, the other party only had a few thousand men, yet they dared to be so arrogant!
Yu Zhesheng was even more enraged. He raised his riding whip and pointed it at Old Meng, shouting sternly, "Meng Gong, you traitor! Stop your nonsense! Zhao Zun usurped the throne, and everyone has the right to kill him! You, as ministers of the Jing Dynasty, do not think of serving your country, but instead aid and abet the wicked. What face do you have to spout such nonsense here! If you know what's good for you, get out of the way at once, or my 100,000 troops will crush you into dust in an instant!"

Although his voice was loud, it had limited reach in the open wilderness, and compared to Lao Meng's amplified voice through an electronic loudspeaker, it was significantly weaker in terms of impact.

Su Cheng grabbed the agitated Yu Zhesheng, staring at the other side with a sinister look, and squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Meng Gong...you're courting death!"

He suddenly drew his sword from his waist, the tip pointing straight to the sky. He gathered his strength and his voice boomed like rolling thunder, trying to outpace the eerie horn sound.

"All troops, heed my command! The Jingzhou army is stubborn and defiant, aiding and abetting Heaven's rebellion! Give them your orders..."

Before he could even utter the word "charge," a sudden change occurred!
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