Love Lock

Chapter 175 Joint Case Handling
A warm sensation suddenly came from the love lock on her chest.

Zhao Zun subconsciously looked down and saw that the ring-shaped jade pendant was faintly glowing with a soft light, which was particularly eye-catching in the shadow of the corrugated steel roof.

Zhao Zun smiled faintly.

The love lock hadn't glowed for quite some time. Now that it's glowing, does it mean that Han Lei is thinking of him too?
Zhao Zun's slender fingers unconsciously touched the jade pendant; its smooth, warm surface resembled the girl's lovely, sweet face.

"Your Highness, are you thinking about the Princess again?" Ma Zi happened to walk up to the watchtower and smiled knowingly when he saw this.

Zhao Zun did not deny it, and gently pressed the jade pendant in his palm.

Han Lei has been away from Cangzhou for a month.

After Xiao Zhengfei and his group arrived in the capital, they sent a message by carrier pigeon saying that Han Lei was safe and that no trace of the other seven assassins had been found in the capital.

As long as I know that girl is safe, that's enough. But I wonder where Han Lei is now, and whether they'll be back soon?

"How is the construction of the Prince's Mansion in Qingshui County going?" Zhao Zun suddenly asked.

Ma Zi quickly replied, "Your Highness, I just received a message from Sun Wenyuan via carrier pigeon, saying that the beams and pillars of the main hall of the Prince's Mansion have been erected, and the craftsmen are carving the eaves. At this pace, it will be completed in September."

Zhao Zun nodded slightly, his gaze turning towards the direction of the capital.

Where the white clouds hung low, lay the official road leading to the capital. He imagined Han Lei returning on her sidecar motorcycle.

That girl will definitely still be wearing that smart and casual tracksuit, and when she sees him, she will show that sweet yet genuine smile.

“Send a letter to Sun Wenyuan,” he instructed, stroking the jade pendant. “Tell Sun Wenyuan to speed things up. Tell him that I’m in a hurry to get married.”

"Hehe, alright! I'll go deliver the message right away."

With an expression that said "I understand," Ma Zi replied crisply and went down from the watchtower to deliver the message.

As Zhao Zun's closest bodyguards, they knew what Zhao Zun was thinking; simply changing the title of the princess was not a reliable solution.

Only if a real wedding is held will the princess truly be unable to escape.

Zhao Zun smiled slightly, then stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the distant fortress.

The fortress is now complete, and the royal palace is nearing completion; all that's needed is the final push.

In just over a month, Yong'an City, this military fortress, has undergone a complete transformation.

The three-tiered fortresses stretched into the distance in a sawtooth pattern, the moat was two zhang deep, and the bluish-gray concrete walls gleamed with a metallic sheen under the blazing sun.

Hundreds of craftsmen and tens of thousands of soldiers, wearing straw hats, lined up in a long queue and were busy working under the scorching sun.

The deafening shouts and the clanging of metal mingled together as they finished their final work.

The Beiguan Bastion was mainly built to defend against foreign enemies, so it had to be constructed first.

Once the two fortresses in Yong'an City and Ling'an City in Beiguan are completed, the craftsmen of the fourth and fifth construction teams will head to the passes in various counties of Cangzhou.

The construction team would recruit local laborers to build fortresses in case the imperial court sent troops to attack Cangzhou.

At that time, the entire Cangzhou will be the first to become independent from the Great Jing Dynasty, developing on its own and strengthening itself.

Right below Zhao Zun's observation tower, three-wheeled vehicles were constantly shuttling back and forth, transporting coal from the Yinshan Coal Mine to Yong'an City.

The coal mines at the foot of Yinshan Mountain are rich in mineral deposits. However, due to the hot weather, the mines have adjusted their working hours, resting during the day and mining coal at night.

When Han Lei left Beiguan, she left behind enough three-wheeled vehicles.

Zhao Zun and his personal guards from Fufeng County all knew how to ride three-wheeled motorcycles.

They formed a transport team in Yong'an City. After teaching the team members how to ride three-wheeled vehicles, the coal mined at night was transported into Yong'an City by the team members during the day.

Zhao Zun acquired a large tract of wasteland in Yong'an City to build the honeycomb briquette factory that Han Lei had mentioned.

After arriving in Beiguan, Da Pangtou was thrown into the honeycomb briquette factory by Zhao Zun to study honeycomb briquette stoves according to the blueprints given by Han Lei.

When Big Fatty came to Beiguan, Han Lei was afraid of scaring him, so she didn't buy a ready-made honeycomb briquette stove from the system as a sample. Instead, she only gave him the blueprints and let him study them on his own.

Actually, the technology for making honeycomb briquette stoves isn't complicated; it's similar to building a traditional stove. It's just that there were no finished products available at that time, and the tools were primitive, making it seem a bit difficult.

Especially the fire gate that controls the fire intensity, it'll keep Big Fatty busy tinkering with it for a while.

Zhao Zun had already figured it out: all Big Fatty needed to do was overcome the technical difficulties of making honeycomb briquette stoves.

The final mass production process was left to Zhang Shiyang and the craftsmen from the Ministry of Works.

Zhao Zun was observing the busy work of the nearby workers. Just then, his walkie-talkie crackled twice, and then a clear voice came through.

"Your Highness, Your Highness. Report from Communication Station No. 1: Commander Xiao and his men have passed Communication Station No. 1 and are less than five li from the camp gate."

Zhao Zun's eyes lit up immediately, and a wide smile appeared on his lips.

Xiao Zhengfei and his team were sent to the capital to protect Han Lei. Now that they've returned, Han Lei should have come back with them.

Zhao Zun walked briskly down the gray concrete steps from the observation deck, the heat wave hitting him making him squint.

The June sun was like a red-hot iron hanging overhead, baking even the sand and gravel on the ground.

He had just raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his brow when he saw the fat man huffing and puffing as he walked toward him.

"Phew, phew. Zhao Zun has finally found you!"

Big Fat Head was panting heavily, his fat body like a broken bellows. His brocade robe was covered in coal dust and rust, as if he had rolled in the mud.

He held several thin iron rods in his left hand and a stack of iron sheets in his right, his hands never free.

Zhao Zun noticed the new bloodstains on his hand: "Why are you here on such a hot day instead of staying in the shade?"

"The furnace bridge and fire door that the blacksmith just finished making."

Big Fat Head held up the iron sheet as if presenting a treasure; the meticulously drilled holes were clearly visible in the sunlight.

Sweat dripped down Big Fat Head's round chin and onto the metal sheet, spreading out in a blur.

"Will it work this time?" Zhao Zun asked.

The fat man raised his swollen eyelids and said confidently, "Okay, definitely. Hehe."

He let go of the small iron rod and dropped it on the ground, then used only two small iron pieces to demonstrate to Zhao Zun.

"Look, these two pieces overlap, and you can adjust the heat by rotating the top piece..."

Big Fatty has failed several times in making the fire door for this honeycomb briquette stove, mainly because he didn't have the rivets connecting the two iron pieces.

Zhao Zun glanced at the small piece of iron in the fat man's hand and felt that the chances of success this time might not be very high, but he still patted the fat man on the shoulder.

"Yes! You've worked hard."

"It's not hard work." The chubby guy wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled happily. "It's quite interesting. I'll be done in no time."

Zhao Zun thought that Da Pangtou, a wealthy young master, should be at home in the capital, drinking chilled plum juice and listening to courtesans sing songs on such a hot day.

But he listened to Han Lei's words and came here to help him, ending up in this exhausted state. Zhao Zun felt indescribably moved.

"It's too hot, you should rest more. Or, let's do what we can, the fire gate... we'll talk about it when Han Lei comes back. Don't overwork yourself."

Just as Zhao Zun finished speaking, a series of rapid hoofbeats suddenly came from afar.

Amidst the swirling yellow sand, Xiao Zhengfei galloped ahead, followed by three or four bodyguards.

Zhao Zun was overjoyed, his gaze sweeping over their shoulders repeatedly, but the smile on his lips gradually froze.

That familiar figure was not in the group.

Zhao Zun sighed inwardly.

"Your Highness, we pay our respects." Xiao Zhengfei and his guards dismounted, creating a gust of hot air.

Zhao Zun nodded and asked, "Where is the Princess?"

"Uh……"

Xiao Zhengfei hesitated, glancing at the fat man squatting on the ground fiddling with the metal sheet, and then stopped himself from speaking.

Big Fat Head understood immediately.

"If you have something to do, then go ahead and do it."

He frantically picked up the small iron rods from the ground, a simple, honest smile appearing on his round face.

"Well... the honeycomb briquette factory is still waiting to test the new furnace!"

After saying that, the fat man grabbed the parts and ran off in a flash, the two jade pendants hanging from his waist clanging and jingling all the way.

Seeing how cautious Xiao Zhengfei was in his flight, Zhao Zun immediately felt a bad feeling.

Could it be that something happened to Han Lei? Although he was very worried, he waited until the fat man's large figure had walked away before speaking.

Zhao Zun frowned deeply, his knuckles turning white from clenching his fists: "What happened, Your Highness?"

Xiao Zhengfei looked up at the tall watchtower and lowered his voice.

"Your Highness, let's go upstairs and talk about it."

The watchtower is over three zhang high, and from it one can see everything for miles around. The surrounding area is open and no one can sneak up on it.

It was safer to speak from the lookout tower than from the central command tent. Seeing this, Zhao Zun's already worried heart felt as if it had been suddenly gripped by an invisible hand, his whole body tensing with anxiety.

If it weren't for the fact that what follows is of great importance, why would Xiao Zhengfei and the others need to be so cautious?
Zhao Zun was feeling very uneasy. He nodded and took the lead in stepping up the stairs.

Upon reaching the watchtower, Zhao Zun and Xiao Zhengfei went into the small hut where the sentries rested. The other four guards stood watch at the four corners outside the hut.

As soon as the door closed, a big smile appeared on Xiao Zhengfei's previously serious and cautious face.

"Your Highness, the Princess Consort is truly amazing," Xiao Zhengfei said, unable to contain his excitement.

Seeing the smile on Xiao Zhengfei's face, Zhao Zun felt a little relieved. "Oh? What happened?"

Xiao Zhengfei then recounted in detail everything that had happened in Beijing, starting from when they arrived and met Han Lei.

As Zhao Zun listened to Xiao Zhengfei's story, his eyes widened even more.
Han Lei asked Hua Tianyou to deliver a letter to him, saying that he was going to the capital to check on his business.

He hadn't expected that Han Lei had gone to the capital to avenge him. If he had known this beforehand, he would never have agreed to let Han Lei go to the capital.

Han Lei looked delicate and sweet, and her appearance was so fragile that it would make anyone want to protect her.

Unexpectedly, beneath her harmless appearance lay a heart brimming with audacity.

How powerful and influential was the champion in the capital?

Han Lei, with only a few wounded soldiers and personal guards from the Big Rank Army, dared to charge into the territory of the Marquis of Champion and wipe out the entire Marquis of Champion's family.

Such courage and boldness are truly astounding. Even he himself was somewhat humbled by the meticulous planning he had devised.

Less than a month after the assassins appeared, the mastermind's entire family was wiped out. Would you call this girl vindictive?
Thinking of this, Zhao Zun slammed his hand on the small table next to him, making the teacup on it jump.

He took deep breaths, his usually calm eyes now burning with terrifying rage.

"Nonsense!"

His voice was extremely low, yet it was like a blade chilled by ice.

"What did I send you to the capital for? The princess was about to cause trouble, why didn't you stop her? Didn't you know that would be very dangerous? Hmm?"

Zhao Zun's last syllable suddenly rose in pitch, startling Xiao Zhengfei so much that he couldn't help but shudder.

Xiao Zhengfei immediately knelt on one knee, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times, and his forehead resting on the back of his clasped hands.

"Your subordinates know their guilt. But the Princess... we couldn't stop her..."

"Couldn't stop her?" Zhao Zun suddenly sneered, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists. "You bunch of grown men couldn't stop a woman?"

"Your Highness, please calm down!" Xiao Zhengfei suddenly looked up, but his tone was trembling. "The Princess said... that if the Marquis of Champion dares to touch you, she will dare to touch the entire Marquis of Champion's family. She wants to avenge you."

"Who said I wanted her to seek revenge? Revenge is a man's business. I don't want her to take risks. I just want her to be safe and happy."

Zhao Zun grew angrier and angrier, wishing he could grab that girl right now and give her a good spanking.

"But the princess also said... said..."

Xiao Zhengfei cautiously glanced at Zhao Zun's expression, hesitating whether he should say what he was about to say.

"What else can you say?"

Zhao Zun glared at Xiao Zhengfei with annoyance. Although he tried his best to lower his voice, his expression clearly showed that he was shouting.

Facing his murderous gaze, Xiao Zhengfei shrank back and said timidly, "The princess said... said that no one should try to bully her husband."

Husband?

Zhao Zun was taken aback.

Does "husband" simply mean "husband"?

It turns out that he wasn't the only one who wanted to protect Han Lei, ensuring that the girl wouldn't be harmed in this strange world and could live a peaceful and happy life.

That girl was also protecting him in her own way, even though it was a radical and dangerous method that he didn't like at all.

But for some reason, he felt enveloped in a warm current and his heart was filled with an indescribable sense of happiness.

"puff!"

Zhao Zun couldn't help but laugh out loud, and the anger on his face gradually dissipated.

He couldn't wait to marry Han Lei right now, to cherish her and love her dearly for the rest of his life.

"Phew!" Seeing that his master's mood had improved, Xiao Zhengfei finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But what they didn't know was that Han Lei had not only gone to the home of the Marquis of Champion, but also to the military camp controlled by the Su family.

When Zhao Zun and Xiao Zhengfei walked out of the small house, their expressions had returned to normal.

Apart from Luo Hai and a few others, no one else in the entire Cangzhou knew about the Marquis of Champion's family in the capital. And even fewer knew that it was Han Lei, a mere young woman, who had orchestrated this affair.

At that moment, Han Lei was at the Drunken Immortal Brewing factory in Jingzhou, discussing business matters with Tao Qing and the others.

The expanded brewery has reached a considerable scale. Former members of the Jingzhou Xiaozi Team are now leaders of various work teams, and they have two to three hundred employees recruited locally to work under them.

The Drunken Immortal Brew produced by the brewery can now be supplied not only to Tongfulou in Qingshui County but also to the Drunken Immortal Brewing House in Beijing.

Under the wholesale distribution agency of the King of Jingzhou, wine merchants from all over flocked to sell Zuixian Brew to nearby prefectures and counties. As a result, the brewery's business was exceptionally good.

According to Tao Qing, the King of Jingzhou had a comfortable income thanks to the agency rights for Zuixian Brew, so he was always happy and had a very good relationship with Tao Qing and the others at the brewery.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the bluestone streets of Jingzhou City. Although it was getting dark, the streets remained bustling.

Han Lei and Da Yi and the others left the brewery, preparing to return to the inn to rest.

But they hadn't gone far when they discovered that there were several times more patrolling soldiers on the streets than usual.

These soldiers, armed with spears and gleaming steel swords at their waists, scanned the pedestrians on the street with eyes as sharp as hawks.

Not only were there soldiers patrolling, but also many yamen runners dressed in their yamen uniforms walking around the streets, as if they were looking for something.

"Strange, why are there so many more soldiers today?" the first-year captain asked in a low voice, his hand unconsciously resting on the short sword at his waist.

They've been here for two days now, and they didn't see this kind of large-scale patrol yesterday.

The second-year student frowned and looked around: "Judging from this situation, something big must have happened."

Han Lei squinted and noticed that a crowd had gathered in front of the notice posted on the street corner.

She gestured for the freshman captain to go and take a look as well.

A short while later, Da Yi hurriedly returned, his face grave.

"Your Highness, news of General Su's murder has reached the Jingzhou government office. The government has now ordered a citywide curfew and is searching for suspicious individuals."

Han Lei raised an eyebrow and nodded thoughtfully.

After all, it was the garrison general of Jingzhou who was killed, and it was expected that the news would reach Jingzhou; it was only a matter of time.

However, according to Han Lei's judgment, the soldiers in the Jingzhou government office and military camp were just searching blindly and did not yet have any concrete evidence or a portrait of the murderer.

Han Lei's judgment was correct.

The Jingzhou Prefecture government received a report from the imperial court overnight, learning of the shocking case involving the Marquis of Champion's mansion.

Almost simultaneously, another messenger arrived from the Jingzhou military camp, reporting that General Su, the garrison commander of Jingzhou, had been inexplicably killed in the camp's council hall.

Song Peilin, the prefect of Jingzhou Prefecture, was the uncle of Song Yuanqing, the Xuzhou general who went to support Yong'an City.

The Song family was one of the four great families. Apart from Song Yuanqing, who loved to practice martial arts and became a military general, the rest of the family members were civil officials.

Song Peilin wasn't stupid. After analyzing the case in the government office and racking his brains for a day, he realized that Su Qi and the Marquis of Champion were both from the Su family.

Moreover, since both cases involved explosions, he finally realized that they were likely committed by the same person.

In other words, after committing the crime in the capital, the murderer fled to Jingzhou and committed another crime there.

Although neither the imperial court nor the Jingzhou military camp had any concrete clues, Song Peilin still made a decisive decision.

Knowing it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, he still followed the imperial court's instructions, organizing the state government and military personnel to work together on the case, sealing off all exits from Jingzhou, and searching everywhere for suspicious persons.

That's why there were so many more patrolling soldiers and yamen runners on the streets.

As the senior student watched the soldiers walk by, he asked nervously, "Your Highness, what do we do now?"

"Let's go back to the inn first," Han Lei said in a low voice. "This isn't the place to talk."

Da Yi and the others nodded and followed Han Lei quickly toward the inn where they were staying.

Just as the group reached the street corner where the inn was located, they suddenly heard a cacophony of hoofbeats.

Then, several richly decorated carriages came from afar and stopped in front of the inn.

As luck would have it, Wei Dabao's obese body stepped out of the carriage, and with the help of the steward, he awkwardly disembarked.

"hiss!"

Upon seeing Wei Dabao, Han Lei gasped sharply.

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