Love Lock

Chapter 241 Open Admitting
Upon hearing the soft moaning, everyone in the room turned around and stared at him with wide eyes.

"Young master, you're awake?" The square-faced guard rushed to the bedside.

Hua Tianyou was so frightened by the scene that he shrank back and bumped his head against the rosewood bed frame with a "thud".

He rubbed his head and looked around. The familiar cloud-patterned curtains, the lush clivia in the corner, and the familiar crabapple tree outside the window—this was clearly the room where he was temporarily staying in Cangzhou.

When Hua Tianyou's gaze swept over the square-faced guards and others, a hint of surprise appeared on his face.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was still hoarse from just waking up. "Did Father send all the elite troops from the manor?"

The square-faced guard knelt on one knee and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Young master, the master and madam are worried day and night, and have specially ordered us to bring you back to the capital."

As he spoke, he reached out to help Hua Tianyou to his feet, "Young Master, the carriages and horses are ready, we will be there soon..."

"Wait." A cold voice suddenly interrupted.

Zhao Zun pushed through the crowd and stepped forward, his sharp gaze fixed on Hua Tianyou: "Tell me first, why are you and Fatty so drunk? And where did the sleeping potion in your drink come from?"

"A sleeping potion?"

The square-faced guard cried out in surprise and stood up abruptly. The guards from the Hua family who had come with him also became agitated, and some had already put their hands on the hilts of their swords.

"Cough cough cough..." At this point, Hua Tianyou suddenly coughed violently, his handsome face turning red, and his eyes darted towards Zhao Zun.

"Well... uh... it's a long story."

He scratched his messy hair, then suddenly threw off the quilt and jumped out of bed, not caring that his bare feet were on the cold cement floor.

He walked up to Zhao Zun, affectionately put his arm around Zhao Zun's shoulder, and pulled Zhao Zun outside in front of everyone, saying, "Let's talk outside."

Seeing Hua Tianyou and Zhao Zun with their arms around each other's shoulders, everyone in the room looked at each other in bewilderment.

What happened to the promised house arrest?

Why are the young master and the rebel leader so intimate?
The tall, thin guard of Grand Secretary Zhang stroked his chin, deep in thought, his eyes narrowed into slits.

The begonias under the eaves were in full bloom. Hua Tianyou made sure that no one inside had followed him out before lowering his voice and saying, "Didn't you want us to hold off Song Yuanqing for five days?"

He made a gesture as if pouring a drink, "We can't keep dragging him out for drinks every day, can we? He's not an alcoholic. So, Fatty and I got together and came up with a solution that would solve the problem once and for all..."

As he spoke, he pulled a small celadon bottle from his sleeve and shook it, his expression extremely smug: "The finest 'Three-Day Intoxication,' straight to the point."

"What?" Zhao Zun's pupils constricted, and he grabbed the man's wrist. "You drugged him yourselves?"

His voice suddenly rose in pitch, startling the sparrows perched under the eaves.

"Shh!" Hua Tianyou jumped up and down in a panic, the collar of his silk undergarment slipping down to his shoulder. "What else can we do? If we just get him drunk, it will be suspicious if the two of us are the only ones sober?"

Hua Tianyou puffed out his chest confidently, "We're risking our lives to accompany a gentleman! We'll sleep together!"

Zhao Zun rubbed his forehead, his temples throbbing.

He couldn't say whether Hua Tianyou's method was clever or foolish. But he was certain that this guy was risking his life to carry out his orders.

However, it caused him and Han Lei to worry for three days for nothing.

Sunlight cast deep shadows on Zhao Zun's sharply defined face. After a long pause, he managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth: "You guys... did a good job."

These words were spoken with such force that it's unclear whether they were praise or criticism.

Back inside, Zhao Zun glanced at the guards and servants filling the room and suddenly felt utterly exhausted.

"Your parents have sent someone to pick you up. Set off for home today!" His voice was so calm that it was impossible to discern any emotion, but there was a hint of reluctance in his eyes.

Upon hearing that Zhao Zun had voluntarily let Hua Tianyou leave, the guards of the Duke of Heng's mansion were overjoyed, but the tall, thin bodyguard from Grand Secretary Zhang's household was anxious.

He looked at Zhao Zun expectantly: "Your Highness, then our young master..."

"Let's leave together once Fatty wakes up." Zhao Zun looked out the window at the patrolling soldiers; the cold glint of their armor stung his eyes.

Hua Tianyou and Zhang Hanlin have already helped him a lot here, and now that the time has come to clash with the imperial court, he doesn't want them to be involved.

"I'm not leaving!" Hua Tianyou suddenly kicked over the footstool, his jade crown hanging askew by his temple. "I haven't married Ling'er yet!"

"Tianyou." Zhao Zun pressed down harder on his shoulder, but his voice softened. "Go back! Your parents are doing this for your own good."

Hua Tianyou shoved Zhao Zun's arm away, his voice hoarse: "I said I'm not going back to the capital! I'm staying in Cangzhou to marry Ling'er."

Zhao Zun pleaded earnestly, "Tianyou, stop arguing. Go back! Can't you see? Your parents don't approve of this marriage."

“Impossible!” Hua Tianyou shouted. “My parents love me the most. They will definitely agree to any woman I like.”

Zhao Zun sighed softly.

Even a fool could figure out that the fact that the Duke of Heng's mansion and the Zhang family sent people to Cangzhou to pick up Hua Tianyou and Da Pangtou at the same time meant they must already know that the imperial court was going to send troops to punish him.

Their actions served two purposes: first, to force their two friends to distance themselves from him; and second, to ensure their safe return to the capital before the imperial court mobilized its troops.

Just then, heavy footsteps came from outside the door, each step like a muffled drumbeat.

Big Fat Head's round figure appeared at the door of the side room, making the door frame creak as he squeezed it.

"Tianyou, Tianyou, are you awake?" he asked breathlessly, his round face still flushed from just waking up.

"I'm already awake," Hua Tianyou replied irritably.

Upon seeing that Big Fatty had also woken up, the guards of Zhang Grand Secretary's household visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

The tall, thin guard at the head of the guards quickly stepped forward and respectfully cupped his hands: "Young master, you're awake? Are you feeling alright? The master has been worried about you day and night in the capital and specially ordered us to come and bring you back."

Big Fatty then noticed them, his chubby face full of confusion: "Uncle Yang, what brings you to Cangzhou?"

The tall, thin guard, known as Uncle Yang, maintained his respectful demeanor, but his voice carried a hint of urgency: "Master misses his grandson so much that he can't eat or drink. Young master, shall we set off now?"

As he spoke, he reached out to tug at Zhang Hanlin's sleeve, eager to immediately lead his master away from the Cangzhou Prince's Mansion.

"I'm not going back!" To everyone's surprise, Zhang Hanlin shared the same attitude.

He suddenly shook off Uncle Yang's hand, and his round body surprisingly jumped backward with agility.

“When I was in the capital, my grandfather scolded me every day for being idle and good-for-nothing. Now that I’m helping Zhao Zun in Cangzhou, he says he misses me?” He couldn’t help but roll his eyes in annoyance. “What I’m doing now is a great thing that benefits the country and the people and brings honor to my ancestors.”

Upon hearing this, Uncle Yang almost bit his tongue. He stole a glance at Zhao Zun, who was standing by the window.

The illustrious King of Cangzhou stood with his back to the crowd, his tall figure casting a long shadow in the sunlight.

Uncle Yang thought to himself: This Prince Zhao Zun of Cangzhou is indeed one step ahead. He himself is plotting a rebellion, yet he deceived their naive young master by saying he was doing something great that would benefit the country and the people, and bring glory to their ancestors. I wonder what kind of medicine Zhao Zun gave Hua Tianyou and his young master; look at them, they're so devoted to each other.

Zhao Zun turned around, a gentle smile on his angular face. "Ma Zi, go and tell the kitchen to prepare some light meals for the two young masters."

He walked up to the fat man and patted his thick shoulder: "Fatty, it's only natural that your grandfather misses you. Why don't you go back with Guard Yang first?"

Uncle Yang felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly echoed, "Yes, young master, the master has been looking forward to seeing you day and night!"

"I'm not leaving!" Zhang Hanlin retorted, his round face flushed red. "Zhao Zun, all those strange gadgets you have here can't do without me. How can I just leave?"

He turned to Uncle Yang, his eyes, now just slits, gleaming with a stubborn light. "Go back and tell my grandfather that once I've taken care of these things, I'll naturally go back to see him in style!"

Seeing that he couldn't persuade him, Uncle Yang wrung his hands anxiously. Suddenly remembering something, he took out a letter from his pocket and respectfully presented it to Zhao Zun.

"Your Highness, I almost forgot, this is what my master asked me to give you."

Zhao Zun took the letter and gently peeled off the sealing wax with his slender fingers.

The letter made a slight cracking sound as it was unfolded. His gaze moved slowly across the lines, and the corners of his mouth gradually tightened into a straight line.

Big Fatty noticed that Zhao Zun's knuckles were turning slightly white as he held the letter.

"What's written?" he asked curiously, leaning closer.

Zhao Zun chuckled and handed him the letter: "Read it yourself."

Uncle Yang lowered his head guiltily and took half a step back, his forehead beaded with sweat.

He knew all too well what his master had written in the letter—

In his letter, Zhang, speaking as Zhao Zun's teacher, wrote with heartfelt sincerity, earnestly urging Zhao Zun to reconsider and not to commit treason. He also implored Zhao Zun to spare his innocent grandson out of consideration for their past teacher-student relationship.

"Nonsense! It's all hearsay!" After reading the letter, the fat man trembled with anger. He crumpled the letter into a ball and threw it on the ground to defend Zhao Zun.

"Grandpa must be senile! When did Zhao Zun ever plot a rebellion? Go and see the counties of Cangzhou. The people are living in peace and prosperity, and the markets are thriving. Where is there any sign of rebellion?"

“Exactly.” Hua Tianyou was also anxious. He immediately stood up, shoving his feet into his boots.

He looked at the square-faced guard and asked angrily, "On your way here, have you seen any soldiers drawing swords or guns? Have you seen any place in Cangzhou in chaos and war?"

He was filled with righteous indignation, and his voice grew louder and more agitated as he spoke.

“I’ve been watching from here every day. These days, Zhao Zun has been leading the people of Cangzhou to reclaim wasteland, cultivate the land, and build bridges and roads so that the people of Cangzhou won’t go hungry or cold. Which of your eyes saw Zhao Zun rebelling? I don’t know who spread the rumors, but if I catch him, I’ll beat him to death.”

Seeing his master so agitated, the square-faced guard couldn't help but make a face and rub his hands together, saying, "Young master, this isn't a rumor... It's an imperial decree from His Majesty. The Ministry of War's orders to mobilize troops have already been sent to all the prefectures..."

His Majesty's decree?
"Boom!" It was like a thunderclap exploding in my mind.

Hua Tianyou and Da Pangtou were struck dumb, their mouths agape as they staggered back a step.

Hua Tianyou paused for a moment, then mechanically turned to look at Zhao Zun, his eyes full of confusion: "Zhao Zun... what they said... is it true?"

Faced with Hua Tianyou's question, Zhao Zun slowly closed his eyes and nodded heavily.

"No, impossible." Seeing Zhao Zun nod and readily admit it, the fat man was shocked and took a step back. "I don't believe it. This must be another slander and defamation by those bastards in the court. Just like last time when they took away your military power, they said you were abusing your power and harboring ulterior motives."

"Yes, yes! That must be it." Hua Tianyou nodded haphazardly.

Hua Tianyou and Zhang Hanlin couldn't understand why Zhao Zun, who had grown up with them, was an upright man with a heart for the common people, had suddenly turned from a hero who resisted foreign enemies into a traitor in the eyes of these people.

“No, this isn’t slander, it really happened.” Zhao Zun closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Now that things had come to this, he didn’t want to deceive them anymore. “So, go back! Your families are worried about you.”

Hua Tianyou suddenly grabbed Zhao Zun's arms, his eyes filled with urgency. "Zhao Zun, tell me, why did you do this?"

Zhao Zun's Adam's apple bobbed, his tone filled with pain and helplessness.

“I didn’t want to do this, nor did I want to bear the stigma of being a traitor. But as you have seen, this is how the court has treated me.”

His voice was soft, yet it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

Many memories suddenly flashed through Hua Tianyou's mind like a revolving lantern—

That autumn, Zhao Zun's father died on the battlefield against the Turks, wounded by dozens of arrows, while protecting the territory of the Great Jing. Eighteen-year-old Zhao Zun, dressed in mourning clothes, carried the coffin alone for thousands of miles back to the capital.

In the wind and snow, he knelt before his father's grave and swore a blood oath to carry on his legacy and protect this land.

For years thereafter, Zhao Zun and his soldiers guarded the border, remaining vigilant and ready for battle in the harsh, cold land.

On countless nights when the north wind howled, they fought with their flesh and blood on the city walls, repelling the invading enemy time and time again.

On the beacon towers of the border, one can always see his upright figure, his armor covered with frost that never melts.

His military achievements accumulated and his fame spread far and wide, but this aroused suspicion in the imperial court.

Slander, accompanied by fear, coiled around him like a venomous snake, and the emperor issued an edict stripping him of his military power.

When the Turkic cavalry once again invaded the border, the once suspicious king actually had the audacity to remember this general who had guarded the frontier for many years.

Despite past grievances, Zhao Zun led a vanguard battalion of two thousand to meet the enemy's army of one hundred thousand.

If Han Lei hadn't arrived in time with the mysterious weapon, his childhood friend would probably be sleeping forever on that blood-stained battlefield.

Even a rabbit will bite a person! How much more so this King of Cangzhou, who was full of sincerity but was betrayed.

The room suddenly fell silent, with only Zhang Hanlin's heavy breathing remaining.

This usually carefree and optimistic chubby boy now had red eyes, his fists clenched tightly, and what he said actually made some sense.

“Zhao Zun. I, Fatty, am not talented, but I trust my judgment and, more importantly, I trust your character. I do not believe that someone as loyal to the court and willing to risk his life to protect the people would rebel without cause. There must be treacherous officials in the court deceiving His Majesty! Zhao Zun, I will not return to the capital; I will stand with you through thick and thin!”

Upon hearing this, Uncle Yang's face turned deathly pale, and his legs went weak, almost causing him to kneel down.

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