Love Lock

Chapter 374 Extra: Zhao Zun and Han Lei

Before the word "charge" could even be uttered, another unexpected event occurred!

Shen Daohong, who had been closely observing the battlefield situation, keenly sensed that Su Cheng, the star, was going to fight like a cornered beast. Almost instinctively, he snatched an M16 from a soldier next to him.

He had secretly studied this thing countless times in Jingzhou and was already familiar with its operation, but he had never actually used it on the battlefield! How could he miss this opportunity that Su Cheng had delivered to his doorstep?

"boom!"

A crisp gunshot pierced the sky.

The bullet struck the jeweled sword in Su Cheng's hand with pinpoint accuracy. The immense impact caused the steel blade to snap in two, the broken piece spinning as it flew out and embedded itself in the nearby soil, trembling slightly.

Su Cheng was so shocked by the sudden attack that his hand ached. He stared in astonishment at the broken sword in his hand, now only half intact, and froze completely.

This shot not only shattered his sword, but also completely destroyed his last shred of dignity and will to resist.

Shen Daohong lowered his gun, feeling the recoil from his shoulder, and a complex emotion welled up inside him.

He looked at Su Cheng, whose face was ashen, and said in a calm but penetrating voice: "Marshal Su, your era has ended."

As soon as he finished speaking, Old Meng waved his hand. Immediately, a squad of elite soldiers rushed out from the Jingzhou army formation and quickly surrounded Su Cheng.

Su Cheng's personal guards wanted to resist, but under the threat of gleaming bayonets and dark gun barrels, they eventually had no choice but to lay down their weapons.

Su Cheng did not resist, allowing the soldiers to drag him off the horse and then tie him up.

He stopped cursing and kept his head down, remaining silent, like a soulless shell.

As Su Cheng was being escorted past Shen Daohong, he suddenly raised his head, staring intently at Shen Daohong, his voice like the strain of a broken bellows:
"You...you traitors who aid and abet evil will not have a good end..."

Shen Daohong met his gaze and slowly said, "What is right and what is wrong? Marshal Su, whoever can bring peace to the people of the world is right. Look at these corpses all over the ground. They could have all lived and gone home to reunite with their parents, wives and children."

Su Cheng shuddered, his gaze involuntarily sweeping over the horrific scene on the battlefield. His lips trembled, but he ultimately said nothing and dejectedly lowered his head.

As the sun set, its blood-red afterglow bathed the battlefield, casting a tragic and solemn hue over the land that had just endured a catastrophe.

In the distance, the surrendered Allied soldiers, under the command of the Jingzhou army, began to assemble and clean up the battlefield.

Nearby, crows had already begun to circle above the corpse, emitting mournful cries.

Old Meng rode up to Shen Daohong's side, saw that he was still tightly gripping the M16, and smiled slightly: "Uncle Shen, your shot was very timely."

Shen Daohong then seemed to realize his mistake and hurriedly returned the rifle to the soldier next to him, saying with a wry smile, "I overstepped my bounds in the heat of the moment."

After being replaced by Emperor Qianlong, Shen Daohong remained unemployed at home and held no official position. However, as a former military general, even in his old age, he remained very interested in matters of swords and spears.

"It's alright." Old Meng looked at Su Cheng's retreating figure as he was being led away, his tone becoming deep. "The Prince once said that the end of an old era always requires some sacrifices. I just hope... this is the last time so much blood will be shed."

Shen Daohong nodded silently. He looked around and watched as the Jingzhou soldiers began to skillfully treat the wounded and gather the surrendered soldiers. The M16 rifles had been slung back onto their shoulders, gleaming with a cold, hard luster in the setting sun.

The experience of that day completely overturned his understanding of war, power, and the future.

He looked up towards the capital, silently thinking, "Your Majesty, what kind of era have you ushered in..."

The wind grew stronger, whipping up sand and the smell of blood as it swept across the plains, as if drawing a line under this epoch-making battle.

After settling things here, Lao Meng planned to take all the surrendered troops back to Jingzhou and reorganize them with the local army. Shen Daohong volunteered to personally lead a team to escort Su Cheng and Yu Zhesheng to the capital for Zhao Zun's judgment. As for what happened here, Lao Meng would report directly to Zhao Zun via walkie-talkie.

As Lao Meng said, Zhao Zun did not make things difficult for the surrendered soldiers, but instead reorganized them into other armies and treated them equally.

Su Cheng was immediately thrown into prison. According to Lao Meng's report on his performance on the border battlefield, Zhao Zun would not give him a chance to recover and instead sent him to prison to reunite with Emperor Qian and the others.

Yu Zhesheng was skilled in commanding troops, and with his clear stance of surrender on the battlefield, Zhao Zun naturally reciprocated with his utmost trust, allowing him to rest in the capital for a few days before returning to Liangzhou to continue serving as the garrison commander of Liangzhou.

Of course, his deputy general and his soldiers were all rearranged.

Although Shen Daohong was a bit older, he was indeed a skilled commander, having previously served as the garrison commander of the South Gate of Yunzhou. Upon arriving in the capital, Zhao Zun reappointed him as the garrison commander of the South Gate.

Many of Zhao Zun's original personal guards were not only highly skilled in martial arts but also capable individuals. Zhao Zun has been gradually transferring them to important positions in various states.

With the last two states, Yunzhou and Liangzhou, brought under Zhao Zun's control, the entire Great Jing Dynasty was now in his hands.

Having consolidated control over Yunzhou and Liangzhou, the next step was governance. Using Cangzhou's development as a model and replicating the capital city's approach, Zhao Zun simply copied the methods used to govern Yunzhou and Liangzhou.

The only drawback is that Han Lei provided many three-wheeled vehicles for the development of Cangzhou and the capital. Now that Han Lei is gone, building cement plants in Yunzhou and Liangzhou is easy, but transportation will have to rely entirely on horse-drawn carts, greatly reducing efficiency.

These two states also replicated and built pig farms and chicken and duck farms to improve the lives of the people. However, without Han Lei providing them with original chickens, ducks, and pigs, relying solely on purchasing from the public, the quantity and speed of development were naturally much slower.

During this time, the secret guards would report the whereabouts of the Eastern Ming Empire's spies at any time. Zhao Zun's attitude remained the same: let them investigate as they pleased, as long as they didn't alert the enemy. He believed that the longer these spies stayed within the territory of the Great Jing Dynasty, the more they would witness the power of the Great Jing Dynasty, and the less the Eastern Ming Empire would dare to act rashly.

Furthermore, Zhao Zun instructed Grand Secretary Zhang to lead the scholars of the Hanlin Academy to the library set up by Han Lei at any time to search for various materials on bullet manufacturing. Han Lei was gone, and the bullets she left behind were few in number. If he didn't find a way to manufacture bullets as soon as possible, those M16s would ultimately become nothing more than decorations.

The Great Jing Dynasty was thriving everywhere, and human and material resources were being utilized to the fullest extent. As a result, Zhao Zun was even busier.

He was like a spinning top that never stopped, frantically spinning between three points every day, and he grew thin and haggard as a result. His longing for Han Lei did not diminish because of his busy schedule; on the contrary, it intensified. Sometimes, he would even stay up all night in the ice room with Han Lei, talking incessantly until he fell asleep from exhaustion.

Time flies by in the midst of busyness.

The following year, after the Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhao Ling'er gave birth to a son, causing a sensation throughout the Duke's mansion. Hua Tianyou couldn't resist going to the palace again to boast to Zhao Zun.

This time, Zhao Zun's expression wasn't as cold as before, and he even prepared a gift for his nephew.

After all, Zhao Ling'er was his sister, and Hua Tianyou was his good friend. He sincerely hoped that Hua Tianyou and his sister could be happy. However, their happiness would irritate him, reminding him of Han Lei and causing him heartache.

News also arrived from the Turkic steppes that Tang Xiaotong and Princess Yujia had become parents. With this child born from the marriage between the two countries, the relationship between the Turks and the Great Jing became even closer.

By this time, Zhao Zun and Han Lei's twins, a boy and a girl, were already over a year old. Under the care of the Empress Dowager and their wet nurse, they were growing well and had already started to walk. With an adult holding their hand, the two little ones could run around the Changshou Palace, babbling away.

The power of the Great Jing Dynasty gradually spread to the surrounding countries. All those countries, large and small, were terrified of the "demon artifacts" possessed by the Great Jing Dynasty and sent delegations to curry favor with them.

But within the Great Jing Dynasty, especially in the capital, the most talked-about topic of conversation was still the mysterious Empress. Had the Empress passed away, or was she truly resting in seclusion? As one season after another changed, the Empress remained a mystery in the Great Jing Dynasty.

No matter how His Majesty tried to cover it up, rumors and gossip still flew everywhere in the streets and alleys.

……

On this day, two figures, one tall and one short, appeared at the entrance of the Imperial Study in the palace.

The tallest is the eldest prince, Zhao Xingheng, and the shortest is Princess Yueyao. Although the two children are twins, Zhao Xingheng is noticeably taller than his younger sister, Zhao Yueyao.

"Little sister, I'll hold your hand and lead you... You must trust your brother..."

Yueyao was being led by Xingheng's hand, with a group of palace maids and nannies behind her. They carefully watched over their mistress, not daring to breathe too loudly.

Ma Zi and Li Zhongxin, who were on duty at the entrance of the Imperial Study, did not stop him and eagerly opened the door for the young master.

Zhao Xingheng smiled and led Zhao Yueyao to the threshold, then looked down at her and whispered in a childish voice, "Granny said that Father is reviewing memorials in the Imperial Study. When we see him, if Father gets angry, remember to say... that your brother Dongchen has a mother, and you want a mother too, and that's why you came here to see what a mother looks like, okay?"

Hua Dongchen is the son of Hua Tianyou and Zhao Ling'er, and he is three years old this year.

Sales at the textile and glass factories were booming, and Hua Tianyou was getting busier and busier. Zhao Ling'er would often bring the children to the palace alone to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager, and the three little ones would play together at Changshou Palace.

Little Yueyao was about four years old and could barely step over the threshold, but she nodded emphatically.

"Yueyao misses her mother, she wants to see her mother..."

"Good little sister. I'll give you all the good food later." Zhao Xingheng touched his sister's face, his face full of joy, his round eyes sparkling with the brilliance of a little adult.

The brother and sister stepped over the threshold and were tiptoeing inside when they heard Zhao Zun's voice, "Come in, what are you chirping about at the door?"

Zhao Xingheng chuckled, took Zhao Yueyao's hand, and jogged inside.

Zhao Yueyao was short and had short legs, so she couldn't outrun Zhao Xingheng. He forcibly pulled her, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground with a thud. She pouted as if she wanted to cry, but in the end, she used her hands to support herself and clumsily got up. Under Zhao Zun's frowning gaze, she sniffled and walked over, trying to comfort herself.

"Yueyao, don't cry, Yueyao won't cry..."

It is said that children without mothers mature early.

In the imperial study, under the solar-powered lights, Zhao Zun, though unshaven and looking haggard, still possessed a noble and aloof profile.

His cold expression softened when he saw the two little ones.

He waved to dismiss the palace servants, then first lifted Zhao Xingheng to sit on the imperial desk in front of him, then picked up Zhao Yueyao and sat her on his lap. He gently stroked her nose and asked softly, "Yao'er, why aren't you crying?"

Zhao Yueyao glanced at her brother fearfully, her little mouth pouting, as if she were about to cry.

"Brother said that if Yueyao cries, Mother will really die and won't come back..."

Zhao Zun's face darkened as he looked at Zhao Xingheng.

Zhao Xingheng glared at his younger sister, stuck out his tongue, quickly lowered his head, and muttered, "Father, you said it yourself, that I should take care of my sister and also teach her... Aren't I teaching her?"

Seeing that Zhao Zun's face was still unpleasant, Zhao Xingheng thought for a moment and realized that he didn't know where he had gone wrong, but he still admitted his mistake and said, "Father, your son was wrong."

The simple word "father" from an ordinary family softened Zhao Zun's expression, and he patted Zhao Xingheng's head.

"I told you, Mother is just sick, she's fine. Why are you teaching your sister like this?"

Zhao Xingheng sniffed, his eyes suddenly reddening, and he pouted, saying, "They all said that my sister's mother and I were demons in disguise... that our bodies hadn't decayed for so long, that we were a scourge to the nation, and that's why Heaven wouldn't tolerate us and took us away... They, they also said..."

Zhao Zun's brows furrowed tightly, and his entire demeanor changed: "Who taught you to say that? What else did you say?"

Perhaps startled by Zhao Zun's sudden change in demeanor, before Zhao Xingheng could answer, Zhao Yueyao pouted and stammered, "The eunuchs in Changshou Palace... they all say that."

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhao Yueyao burst into tears.

"Nonsense! I'll cut out their tongues! Guards!" Zhao Zun's face was stern.

Li Zhongxin and Ma Zi, who were at the door, entered in response.

"Go! Bring all the palace servants from Changshou Palace here." Zhao Zun's voice was filled with thunderous rage.

Everything was fine just now, what happened?
Seeing Zhao Zun's gloomy expression, Ma Zi and Li Zhongxin exchanged a glance, both having a bad feeling.

"Yes!"

"Slave, you obey!"

The two men, suspicious, ordered them to leave.

After Ma Zi and Li Zhongxin left, Zhao Zun, afraid of frightening his children, forced a smile and reached out to hug his son and daughter, holding them close to his body for a long time without saying a word.

The two little ones were tiny, soft, and frail. They needed to rely on him to live, and they couldn't live without him.

Born into royalty, how could they withstand the storms of life without a powerful father?
Zhao Zun slowly lowered his head, closed his eyes, tightened his arms, and hugged his two children tightly.

He composed himself and said in a deep voice, "Heng'er, Yao'er, remember, your mother is not a jinx, nor is she some kind of demon. She is a very good person. She will not die; she is just sick. She needs to sleep every day, which is why she cannot come to see you. You must not disturb her rest for the time being, understand?"

Zhao Xingheng buried his head in his father's arms, and after a long while, he whispered with a wronged tone, "But, Dongchen has a mother, and we want a mother too. Dad, we want to go see Mother..."

After saying that, Zhao Xingheng, despite his young age, gently pinched the flesh on Zhao Yueyao's waist.

Following her brother's instructions, little Zhao Yueyao seemed to understand but not quite. She rested her head on Zhao Zun's shoulder, pouted, and spoke in a voice so sweet it could drip water.

"Father, we miss Mother... Yueyao misses Mother. Shall we go find Mother?"

Happy weekend! Tomorrow is the 10th, and I'm off too!