Love Lock

Chapter 68 was just a formality.
Xiaoyao Wangfu.

When Han Lei and Zhao Zun returned to the Prince's Mansion, it was already late at night. Inside the mansion, red lanterns were hung high, and laughter and cheerful voices filled the air as the entire household stayed up to welcome the New Year.

Children chased and played with laughter, while adults cut paper snowflakes or raised their glasses to drink together, wishing for favorable weather and abundant harvests in the coming year.

Zhao Ling'er and her daughter were sitting around the table, keeping vigil for the New Year while writing wedding invitations based on the list they had compiled, while Aunt Qin sat sullenly in the distance, cutting paper-cuts with the maids.

When Zhao Zun received the imperial decree in the palace, his face remained expressionless, revealing neither joy nor anger. But upon returning to the Prince's residence, as soon as he entered the main hall, Zhao Zun's face darkened, and he removed the magnificent cloak he was wearing, crumpled it into a ball, and slammed it to the ground.

His furious appearance instantly froze the joyful and festive atmosphere in the mansion. Everyone, from masters to servants, watched him cautiously.

"Mom, we are back."

Zhao Zun walked up to the old lady, greeted her, and looked at the pile of bright red invitations in front of her. He didn't say anything, and went straight back to his courtyard with a dark face.

Watching his figure disappear through the door, Han Lei sighed softly.

The old lady stood up, holding a calligraphy brush in her hand, and leaned close to Han Lei, asking, "Lei'er, what's wrong with him?"

From the moment they met, the old lady took a liking to Han Lei, this kind and assertive girl. Therefore, she addressed her with particular affection.

"It's nothing. Auntie, you don't need to worry." Han Lei put on a sweet smile, helped the old lady back to the table and sat her down, and comforted her, "He's just feeling a little frustrated. Let him be alone for a while."

"Is it because your request for His Majesty to grant you a marriage today did not go smoothly?" The old lady's eyes were full of worry.

No sooner had the old lady finished speaking than a series of crashing and banging sounds came from the distant courtyard, and the old lady's worried expression deepened.

The prince was furious, and the servants in the mansion didn't dare to breathe or drink.

At Steward Liu's signal, everyone dispersed. Only Aunt Qin sat in the corner, her flirtatious eyes darting around, waiting to hear the gossip.

After the servants had all left, the old lady took Han Lei's hand and sat her down beside her, asking, "What exactly happened?"

"Today, His Majesty bestowed a marriage upon us in the palace. Uh..." To avoid worrying the old lady, Han Lei pretended to be relaxed and said, "At the same time, he also enfeoffed Zhao Zun as the King of Cangzhou. We will go to live in Cangzhou on the sixth day after the New Year."

"The King of Cangzhou? A vassal king?"

Upon hearing this, the old lady's expression turned grim. As the Duchess of a state, she naturally understood the significance of a vassal king. He couldn't enter the capital without an imperial edict; His Majesty was still wary of Zhao Zun!
The old lady sighed, a hint of helplessness and worry flashing in her eyes.

"The King of Cangzhou... a vassal king! Behind this seemingly glorious facade lies a turbulent undercurrent. Zun'er's journey ahead is likely uncertain."

Han Lei patted the old lady's hand and said softly, "Auntie, don't worry, I'm here with him. Besides, His Majesty's decree says that families should go to Cangzhou together, so we should all go. It's good that the whole family can live together!"

"Can I bring my family?"

The old lady was very surprised, as such an arrangement was extremely rare among all the princes.

For example, she knew that the King of Jingzhou's mother, Consort Hui, had been kept in the palace. Ostensibly for her old age, she was actually being held hostage.

What the old lady didn't know was that the reason Emperor Jing allowed the family members of the Prince's Mansion to go to Cangzhou was actually because of the myna bird that Zhao Zun had given him and his domineering protection of his wife at Tengyun Tower, which led to a fight with someone.

“Yes, all the families are together.” Han Lei nodded with a smile. “So you don’t need to worry. As long as the family is together, it doesn’t matter where we live.”

"okay!"

The old lady's expression softened slightly. "Sister-in-law, should I come along too?" Zhao Ling'er interjected, her face beaming with excitement. She had never traveled far from home before!
"Hehe." Han Lei chuckled at her words. "You're family too, of course you should come along!"

After saying that, Han Lei thought to herself: Zhao Ling'er must have been well protected by the old lady all these years. She is already of marriageable age, but she is still so innocent and naive.

"Bang! Bang!"

From Zhao Zun's courtyard, the sounds of things being smashed and barely audible shouts of anger could still be heard.

Han Lei heard him but ignored him. Instead, she greeted the old lady and went directly to the kitchen in the Prince's mansion.

She didn't provoke Zhao Zun at this time, but let him vent his anger in his own courtyard.

Han Lei understood that Zhao Zun's outburst had to be vented. Firstly, it was to relieve Zhao Zun's frustration, and secondly, since the capital was the center of imperial power, this outburst had to be shown to those who were interested.

After a while, Han Lei finally came out of the Prince's mansion's kitchen. She had actually used the kitchen as cover to buy a bowl of hot white fungus soup from the system.

Han Lei carried the white fungus soup into Zhao Zun's study and scolded him as soon as she entered, just like an ordinary wife scolding her husband.

"That's enough. Don't think that just because you've done a little good in Beiguan, you can get all high and mighty."

Seeing Han Lei enter, Zhao Zun, though still furious, felt a warmth in his heart.

Han Lei's scolding made him feel wronged, but he couldn't help but confide in the person he loved.

"I'm actually fine, I just feel aggrieved. I'm not trying to be arrogant, even if His Majesty were to abandon me after using me and send me back to the capital to be a leisurely prince, I would accept it. But why does His Majesty treat me like a dog, summoning me at will and dismissing me at will?"

Han Lei sighed softly, handed the white fungus soup to Zhao Zun, and said gently, "Alright, I know you're feeling frustrated. Drink this and get some rest! It's late at night, even if you don't want to sleep, others do!"

"But I just can't understand it." Zhao Zun's voice was softer, but the pain in his eyes was still there.

Han Lei understood his pain, but imperial power in this era was like a shackle, suffocating people. Moreover, they had just attended a palace banquet, and Han Lei didn't believe that Emperor Jing would remain completely inactive.

She thought for a moment, then turned Zhao Zun's face to face her, blinked, and casually tucked the stray hairs from her forehead behind her ear.

"What good will it do you to feel aggrieved or angry? You'll only ruin your health. It's not worth it. The entire Great Jing Dynasty belongs to His Majesty. As the saying goes, 'When the ruler commands a subject to die, the subject must die.' His Majesty isn't sending you to your death, but rather to Cangzhou to become a wealthy and noble prince. This is a blessing that many people would rather die for. What are you still angry about?"

After saying that, Han Lei took his hand and gently patted and scratched his palm with her fingers, as if conveying some kind of message.

Zhao Zun immediately understood Han Lei's actions. Han Lei was warning him to be careful of eavesdroppers. Now that the imperial decree had been issued, their top priority was to leave the capital smoothly and go to their fiefdom.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm his anger. Han Lei was right; the entire Great Jing Dynasty belonged to His Majesty. But he had his mother, his sister, Han Lei, and his relatives and friends.

He could choose not to be blindly loyal, but he could not be unfilial or unjust. Even if His Majesty treated him this way, he had to endure it; he could not allow all familial affection to be put on the line.

Zhao Zun's grievances and anger gradually subsided. He stopped complaining about Emperor Jing, and instead held Han Lei's shoulders, gazing deeply into her eyes with a profound sense of apology.

"With the soup you brought, I'm not angry anymore. I just hadn't thought things through for a moment. It's just... I originally wanted to invite all the high-ranking officials and dignitaries in the capital to give you a grand wedding ceremony, but now I can't. Cangzhou is such a poor and remote place, so I can only ask you to make do."

Seeing that he had regained his composure, Han Lei finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled slightly, "Those were just formalities, they don't matter. It's enough that you have the heart. What matters is... that we can be together."

After saying that, she leaned into Zhao Zun's arms and hugged him tightly...

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(End of this chapter)