Love Lock

Chapter 115 Endless Sorrow

The guards received the order and took the imperial edict straight to the Prince of Cangzhou's residence to invite Zhao Zun.

Li Gang quickly wrote another letter and sent it to Ling'an City by carrier pigeon, requesting Cao Xiong's help.

Meanwhile, outside Ling'an City, a chilling atmosphere pervaded the air.

On the city wall, banners fluttered in the wind, and the soldiers guarding the city had solemn expressions and sharp eyes, always on guard against any movement outside the city.

"Report!"

A scout galloped in from outside the city, dismounted before the central command tent, knelt on one knee, and clutched an urgent military report tightly in his hand.

"Commander Cao, there are indeed a large number of Ara and Meng cavalry approaching our side from a hundred miles away. It seems that the two countries are forming an alliance!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Xiong frowned, and the teacup in his hand crashed to the ground with a "crack," shards flying everywhere. He stood up, his sharp gaze fixed on the outside of the tent, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

"Pass down the order to reconnoiter. The entire army must strengthen its defenses and prepare to defend the city."

Cao Xiong gave the order in a deep voice, his tone carrying an undeniable authority and unspoken worry.

Just then, a pure white dove soared through the sky and landed steadily in the dovecote on the city wall. A soldier quickly stepped forward, took the message tube from the dove's leg, and then ran swiftly into the main tent to present it to Cao Xiong.

Cao Xiong opened the letter box, pulled out the letter, and after just one glance, his face turned ashen.

The letter read in bold: "Two hundred thousand Turkic troops are about to besiege Yong'an City. Requesting reinforcements!"

"Damn it, just as the Ara and Meng Kingdom were about to form an alliance, the Turks have also sent troops. Could it be... that the three countries have joined forces? What should we do?"

Cao Xiong paced anxiously back and forth, like an ant on a hot pan.

Yong'an City and Ling'an City each have 50,000 troops stationed. Ling'an City is busy guarding against Ala and Meng Kingdom, so it is too busy to spare any troops to support Yong'an City.
"Commander Cao, should we report to the imperial court now?" a deputy general tentatively suggested.

"Of course." Cao Xiong's expression was firm as he slammed his hand on the table. "Immediately send a report to the imperial court via express courier. Before the imperial reinforcements arrive, we must find a way to defend Ling'an City ourselves."

Just then, another scout rushed over: "Commander Cao, I've found out. There's a large army gathering behind the cavalry of Ala and Meng."

Upon hearing this, Cao Xiong's heart tightened even more. He knew that Ling'an City was the first major battle since he was stationed at the North Pass, and he had to win it decisively in order to stabilize the morale of his troops and win the trust of the imperial court.

"Damn it, looks like they're serious. Issue the order: the entire city is on high alert, all soldiers are ready to meet the enemy!"

Cao Xiong gave the order loudly, his voice trying to maintain the firmness expected of a general, yet revealing obvious panic.

"Yes!"

The messenger hurriedly ran out, and all the generals, big and small, in the central command tent also took action upon receiving the order. The atmosphere throughout Ling'an City suddenly became tense and oppressive.

Cao Xiong took a deep breath, trying his best to remain calm.

With him in charge of Ling'an City, he promised to do his utmost to defend it until the imperial reinforcements arrived. His biggest worry now was the fall of Yong'an City.

Cao Xiong walked out of the central command tent, quickly climbed the city wall, and then gazed worriedly in the direction of Yong'an City.

He prayed silently: he hoped that the Emperor's decree would persuade Zhao Zun, and he hoped that Zhao Zun would live up to his reputation and protect Yong'an City...

………This is a lazy dividing line………

In a corner of Fufeng County, Cangzhou, a newly built mansion stands quietly, still bearing the marks of the craftsmen's busy work.

As the sun set, Zhao Zun and his guards stepped into the mansion, covered in dust.

This house was recently purchased by Zhao Zun and is now their family's home in Fufeng County.

The house is decorated in a simple yet elegant style, and the plants in the yard are lush and green, with many already forming flower buds.

The location wasn't far from the cement factory site, and Zhao Zun and his guards rode to the cement factory every day, making a round trip in about an hour.

Upon seeing their master return, several servants hurriedly came forward, carrying copper basins filled with warm water.

"Your Highness, you're back. Please wash your face first. The meal is ready."

Zhao Zun nodded slightly, took the copper basin, and gently stroked his cheek with his rough hands, as if he wanted to wash away not only the fatigue of the day, but also the longing for Han Lei in his heart.

Just as everyone was busy washing off the filth and getting ready to eat, a series of hurried footsteps broke the silence.

The gatekeeper, with a solemn expression, led a soldier covered in armor and dust into the courtyard.

"Commander Zhao, something terrible has happened! Two hundred thousand Turkic troops are about to besiege Yong'an City!"

The soldier shouted as soon as he entered the courtyard, his voice filled with urgency.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zun dropped the towel in his hand into the copper basin, causing the basin to tremble slightly and water to splash everywhere.

He looked up at the soldier, whose hands trembled as he pulled a bright yellow imperial edict from his robes.

"Commander Zhao, this is His Majesty's own handwriting, ordering you to immediately go to Yong'an City to serve as the vanguard in this great battle and fight the enemy."

Zhao Zun took the imperial edict and quickly unfolded it; every word on it pierced his heart like a needle.

Upon seeing this, the guards glared angrily, cursing Emperor Jing for his ruthlessness and injustice.

"Your Highness, His Majesty is clearly humiliating you! You once rendered great service to the Great Jing, but now..."

But Xiao Zhengfei was indignant that he had to be the vanguard, though he didn't say those words aloud.

Zhao Zun's chest heaved violently as he turned to look in the direction of Yong'an City. His deep eyes were like a still pool, its bottom unfathomable. Yet, it seemed as if a storm was brewing beneath the surface.

After a moment, he slowly closed the imperial edict, the storm in his eyes gone, and even his tone was unusually calm.

“Zhengfei, brothers, I understand your feelings. But with a great battle at hand, personal honor and disgrace are insignificant. If Yong'an City falls, Cangzhou and even the entire Dajing will be plunged into utter ruin.”

"But, Your Highness..."

Xiao Zhengfei wanted to argue, but Zhao Zun waved him off.

"No need for further explanation, a soldier's mission is to protect the country. Although I, Zhao Zun, have been stripped of my military power, the passion in my bones has not cooled, and the sword in my hand has not rusted." Zhao Zun's tone was firm and unquestionable.

He turned and walked into the inner room, where he began to change into his long-unused armor, each plate seemingly telling tales of past glory and hardship.

Upon seeing this, the guards fell silent, their eyes filled with both sadness and admiration.

Now that Zhao Zun had donned his armor, the guards also returned to their rooms and rummaged through their chests to retrieve their own armor.

After getting dressed, Zhao Zun strode out of the inner courtyard, and his personal guards also came out to assemble one after another.

At this moment, the old lady, who was waiting for them to have dinner together in the dining hall, rushed over with Zhao Ling'er's help after hearing Zi Tan's report.

"elder brother!"

"Zun'er, Zun'er. What's going on here..."

When the old lady saw her son and his guards in full military uniform, and recalled the contents of the imperial edict reported by Zitan, her heart sank. Upon seeing his mother and sister, Zhao Zun strode forward to greet them.

He knelt down in front of the old lady with a thud, looked up and gazed deeply at the old lady and Zhao Ling'er, as if trying to remember their faces firmly in his heart.

"Mother, your unfilial son has to go to the battlefield again. Ling'er, take good care of your mother."

Zhao Ling'er nodded, sobbing. Upon hearing this, the old lady felt as if she had been struck by lightning, and her whole body felt empty.

She held Zhao Zun's hand tightly, her eyes brimming with tears. The image of Zhao Zun supporting the old Duke Zhenguo's cold coffin back to the capital many years ago seemed to reappear before her eyes.

"Zun'er, how will your mother live if you leave?"

The thought of being the vanguard against an enemy army of 200,000 filled her with dread.

Looking at the old lady's face, which was not old but looked aged, Zhao Zun felt a pang of sorrow in his heart.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the tears welling up in his eyes, before saying, "Mother, don't worry, I will definitely come back safely. I'll have Pingchuan stay behind with two guards to protect you and Ling'er."

Upon hearing this, Hirakawa, who was already fully armored and ready to charge into battle, changed his expression.

"Your Highness, I want to go to the battlefield with you! I am your personal guard, and I must protect you."

Zhao Zun glared at Pingchuan and scolded, "Nonsense! You stay here to protect the old lady and young lady, that's an order!"

Pingchuan gritted his teeth, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes. But he knew Zhao Zun's temper well, so he could only lower his head.

"Yes, I obey."

Zhao Zun then turned to look at the old lady and Zhao Ling'er, and said gently, "Mother, Ling'er, you must take good care of yourselves. When I come back, we will reunite."

After saying this, Zhao Zun and his guards, without even eating, each took two flatbreads, grabbed their water pouches, resolutely turned around, and strode towards the door.

As the old lady and Zhao Ling'er watched their departing figures, tears welled up in their eyes again.

As night deepened, an inextinguishable flame burned in their hearts—a flame of loyalty to their country and a flame of protection for their homeland.

On the way, Zhao Zun, mounted on his horse, shouted to Xiao Zhengfei, "Zhengfei, remember, we are not only fighting for His Majesty's decree, but also for every person on this land, for our families and descendants. No matter how difficult the road ahead, we must hold on and not back down."

"Yes! I'll remember that."

As the night breeze carried Zhao Zun's words, Xiao Zhengfei and his guards nodded emphatically.

With their warhorses galloping, Zhao Zun and his entourage traveled swiftly, day and night.

Their shadows were elongated in the moonlight, like warriors facing the darkest hour before dawn, vowing to protect this land with their bodies forever...

Unbeknownst to Zhao Zun, not long after he and his guards left, at the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), Han Lei and her son, Li Sao, finally arrived at the place in a carriage, escorted by Shiwu.

Having nothing to do while sitting in the carriage the whole way, she really missed Zhao Zun.

Like the soldier who delivered the imperial decree, Han Lei and her group took a long detour.

First, Luo Hai told me that the Cangzhou Prince's Mansion was being built in Qingshui County, while Zhao Zun's family went to Fufeng County to build a cement plant.

Han Lei and her group had dinner at Tongfu Restaurant, and after checking on the restaurant's operations, they rested for the night at the magistrate's residence, where they also discussed some business matters with Luo Hai.

The next morning, Han Lei went straight to Fufeng County. She didn't even have time to check on the pig farm project; she only heard from Luo Hai that everything was normal there.

Han Lei and her group went to the magistrate's office in Fufeng County and found out where Zhao Zun's family was now living.

As they followed the gatekeeper into the courtyard, they could hear soft sobbing from afar, like fallen leaves drifting in the wind, carrying endless sorrow.

Passing around the screen wall, Han Lei immediately saw the old lady and her daughter sitting under a tree in the corner of the courtyard, wiping away tears and weeping, illuminated by the lanterns.

That frail figure looked particularly helpless in the dim light.

"Auntie, Ling'er. What's wrong?" Han Lei quickly stepped forward, her voice filled with anxiety and concern.

The mother and daughter looked up and were overjoyed to see that Han Lei, who had been missing for more than two months, had returned.

The old lady, her hands trembling and her eyes brimming with tears, grasped Han Lei's hand: "Lei'er, you're finally back! We...we were all so worried!"

Zhao Ling'er also sobbed, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

"Sister Han Lei, you're finally back."

Pingchuan and several servants also came over to greet them. Although they did not cry, their faces were solemn, and they looked like they had something on their minds.

After exchanging pleasantries with them, Han Lei's gaze fell on the old lady and her daughter's red and swollen eyes.

"Auntie, Ling'er, what's wrong with you? Where's Zhao Zun?"

Looking at their expressions, Han Lei felt inexplicably uneasy, with a bad feeling creeping over her.

Upon hearing her ask about Zhao Zun, the old lady burst into tears.

Zhao Ling'er then sobbed as she recounted how the Turks had invaded the border and how Emperor Jing had appointed Zhao Zun as the vanguard to resist the 200,000-strong Turkic army.

"What?! Since Zhao Zun's military power has already been taken away, why was he ordered to be the vanguard?"

Upon hearing this, Han Lei's heart sank, and an incredulous glint flashed in her eyes.

The old lady nodded painfully, unable to speak. Han Lei stepped forward and rubbed her chest, and it took her a long time to catch her breath.

"Yes, this is clearly humiliating my son, sending Zun'er to his death! Our Zhao family has been loyal to the court, why have we ended up like this? What... what did my son do wrong!"

As the old lady spoke, she beat her chest and stamped her feet, tears streaming down her face.

Pingchuan and Han Lei's two maids were serving them, their eyes also streaked with tears.

Although they were of humble status, they were well aware of the loyalty and sacrifices of the Zhao family, and they were equally angry and confused by Emperor Jing's actions.

"This is too much! This is simply outrageous!"

Han Lei spoke slowly and deliberately, kicking a tree trunk beside her, but even that couldn't vent her anger.

Seeing the elderly woman and her daughter filled with sorrow, Han Lei felt as if her heart was being torn apart. She had always understood Zhao Zun's loyalty to the court, and she also understood his helplessness and forbearance in this feudal imperial society.

But when there's no war, Cao Xiong is made marshal. When there is war, Zhao Zun is sent to fight desperately. Isn't this a classic case of "using Zhong Wuyan when there's trouble, and Xia Yingchun when there's no trouble"?

Han Lei's fair hands clenched into fists, and hatred surged within her shimmering eyes.

This time, Emperor Jing's practice of "treating Zhong Wuyan when there is trouble, and Xia Yingchun when there is no trouble" thoroughly enraged her.

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