Love Lock

Chapter 276 Will You Obey Me?

Before Consort Ru could finish speaking, Xiao Liu's high-pitched and loud voice suddenly came from outside the palace—

"His Majesty has arrived!"

The sound seemed tense, piercing through the swirling snowflakes and sounding particularly jarring in the silent palace garden.

Why has His Majesty arrived at this time?

Consort Ru's slender fingers trembled in panic, the ring making a crisp sound on the celadon teacup, splashing a few drops of tea that spread into small stains on the table.

Yun Shu reacted quickly, immediately pulling out her handkerchief and bending down to wipe it.

She gave a sharp look to Da Jiu and the others who were still kneeling on the ground, and whispered a scolding: "You blind fools, hurry up and go to the side to serve!"

As she spoke, the handkerchief fluttered between her fingers, and in the blink of an eye, the table was neatly tidied up.

Da Jiu and the others quickly kowtowed and stood up, their black boots wiping the snow a few times to cover the marks of their kneeling.

They dispersed skillfully, standing at intervals beneath the vermilion palace walls.

Da Jiu pressed himself against the cold tree trunk, the M16 on his back digging into his back, and only he could feel the chill emanating from the metal.

Before anyone even arrived at the palace gate, Emperor Jing's laughter preceded them.

Emperor Jing, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, stepped into the snow, the gold-embroidered dragon standing out starkly against the white world.

He strode over, his brocade boots leaving a trail of deep footprints in the snow.

"My beloved consort!" Emperor Jing's voice was filled with undisguised joy. "I have some wonderful news to tell you."

Consort Ru's gaze swept over the guards "on duty," she steadied herself and slowly rose, her pale green cloak fluttering gently in the wind.

Consort Ru lowered her eyes and curtsied, her eyelashes casting faint shadows on her slightly pale face. Her tone was perfunctory and indifferent: "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Emperor Jing seemed to have anticipated her attitude, and, unconcerned, smiled as he passed by the sixteenth prince standing by the courtyard gate.

Sixteen stared at the bright yellow figure, holding her breath, her clenched hands slightly sweaty.

The scent of ambergris mixed with the fragrance of snow wafted over Emperor Jing, and Da Jiu watched with lowered eyes as the gold-embroidered hem of Emperor Jing's robe swept past his eyes, his heart almost leaping out of his throat.

"It's so cold, why are you sitting outside, my beloved consort?" Emperor Jing stopped in front of Consort Ru and reached out to hold her icy fingers.

Consort Ru subtly turned aside and looked at the old plum tree covered in snow in the courtyard.

"It's stuffy inside." She tried to make her voice sound calm. "I came out to see the snow."

Emperor Jing followed her gaze, a fleeting, unreadable emotion flashing in his eyes: "It is said that he planted this plum tree for you himself back then."

Both Emperor Jing and Consort Ru knew who this "he" referred to.

Consort Ru's pupils contracted sharply, and her fingertips dug deeply into her palms.

Seeing this, Yun Shu quickly stepped forward: "Your Majesty, the snow is getting heavier, should we..."

"No need," Consort Ru interrupted her, raising her eyes to look directly at Emperor Jing. "Your Majesty, please speak if you have any good news!"

Her voice was very soft, but her attitude was as if she were treating a stranger.

Emperor Jing smiled, but his eyes gleamed with an unusual light.

“When I ascended the throne, I said I would take you as my concubine.” He paused, then stepped into the corridor. “That stubborn old man, Prime Minister Wei, dared to use the excuse of violating etiquette to obstruct me.”

Consort Ru naturally knew about this matter, and it was precisely because Prime Minister Wei took the lead in obstructing it that many other ministers in the court also had objections, which greatly angered Emperor Jing.

"I have ordered the entire Wei family to be imprisoned!" He suddenly burst into laughter, startling crows in the distant treetops. "Now, no one in this world can stop me from taking you as my concubine!"

Is this the good news he was talking about?
Consort Ru's pale face was filled with shock: "You...you imprisoned the entire Wei family?"

So shocked was Consort Ru that she forgot to use honorifics, her voice filled with disbelief.

Emperor Jing shrugged dismissively, his smile widening. He reached out to touch Consort Ru's cheek, but she avoided him with disgust.

"Just to take me as a concubine?" Consort Ru's voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, but her gaze was fixed on the terrifyingly unfamiliar person in front of her.

"Not entirely." Emperor Jing withdrew his hand, a sinister glint in his eyes. "That scoundrel Wei Chengchao secretly funded the Turks behind my back, and even hid a divine weapon called 'Aim Sixteen' in the Brocade Pavilion."

When this matter was mentioned, Emperor Jing's smile vanished, replaced by a belly full of anger.

"This thing can take lives from a distance, even surpassing the power of a crossbow." Emperor Jing's eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous glint in them. "They are plotting something sinister, so I must strike first."

Consort Ru was completely baffled by Emperor Jing's actions, while Da Jiu and the others standing not far away felt a jolt of unease upon hearing this.

Although they stood ramrod straight, like "guards" on duty, their eyes were constantly and subtly exchanging glances.

When they returned to the city yesterday to purchase supplies, they heard that the Wei family was being arrested in large numbers, but they never expected it to be for this reason.

The emperor even mentioned "Aimu Sixteen" from Jinxiufang? No wonder the emperor sent his secret guards to raid and search Jinxiufang.

But how did he know?
As soon as the "Em 16" was mentioned, the brothers of the Big Character Team instinctively raised their M16s and aimed them at Emperor Jing, their movements causing their armor to rattle softly.

Da Jiu quickly nodded at them and tapped his arm lightly with his fingertips, conveying a secret signal that only they understood.

The prince's order stated that spies from the Eastern Ming Empire had appeared in the capital of Dajing, and the emperor needed to be kept in reserve to deal with the Eastern Ming Empire, so he could not be moved for the time being.

In the short time since Emperor Jing entered, snowflakes have fallen on them, leaving a thin layer of snow.

"Your Majesty's words are truly perplexing to Consort Ru." Consort Ru's gentle voice rang out, yet she was unwilling to refer to herself as "your concubine" in front of Emperor Jing.

Seeing that Consort Ru was finally willing to speak to him, Emperor Jing raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh? My dear consort, please speak."

Consort Ru curled her lips in a mocking smile: "Aren't you and Prime Minister Wei in cahoots? Prime Minister Wei assisted His Majesty in ascending the throne, and his contributions to the country are immense. As for... Aimu Sixteen, perhaps His Majesty has misunderstood."

"Did you misread it?" Emperor Jing gave her a deep look, a cold smile playing on his lips, but his voice was filled with anger.

"I saw it with my own eyes. Wei Chengchao and Manager Tang of Jinxiufang unloaded the M16 from the carriage, but they conspired to deceive me, saying that it was a tool for sewing clothes. This alone confirms Wei Chengchao's crime of deceiving the emperor, which is unforgivable."

Startled by the sudden shout, Consort Ru leaned back. She instinctively looked at the armored guards, but they remained motionless like statues, with snowflakes piling up on their helmets.

Rufei didn't understand what "Aim Sixteen" meant, but Da Jiu and the others were on tenterhooks.

Emperor Jing probably never dreamed that "Aimu Sixteen," whom he avoided like the plague, was not only hiding in Jinxiufang, but had now infiltrated his harem, right under his nose.

Emperor Jing stood with his hands behind his back under the corridor, gazing at the swirling snowflakes in a daze.

Suddenly, he raised his arms and looked up at the sky, his bright yellow wide sleeves fluttering in the cold wind, his eyes filled with an arrogant sense of self-importance.

"Regardless of whether the Wei family harbors any disloyalty, they must be imprisoned." His voice was even colder than the swirling snowflakes. "Only in this way can the world truly belong to me alone, and no one can influence my decisions." Consort Ru couldn't help but shiver. The previous emperor's suspicious nature already made her uncomfortable, but now the new emperor was so ruthless, showing no regard for even his own family, that she felt even more uneasy.

“But Prime Minister Wei is, after all…” she whispered, “your uncle.”

“Uncle?” Emperor Jing suddenly turned around, leaning close to Consort Ru, his eyes beneath the gilded crown unfathomable. “Everything that belongs to your uncle should belong to me.”

Consort Ru frowned, her back pressed against the cold pillar.

Emperor Jing pinched her pale chin with his fingers and whispered in her ear.

“Every snowflake in this palace belongs to me. Just like you, my beloved concubine… you must also belong to me. Hehehe…” Emperor Jing let out an almost perverse laugh.

Snowflakes fell silently, and a few glistening ice crystals slipped into Consort Ru's collar, but she seemed unaware.

The cold wind lifted her pale green cloak, and the slight trembling was like the wings of a startled butterfly.

Consort Ru turned her head away in disgust, because Emperor Jing's warm breath, which carried a slight odor, was already spraying onto her cheek.

"Scared?" Emperor Jing thought she was scared, chuckled softly, and deliberately breathed into her ear, the warmth of the ambergris mingling with the white mist from his breath.

“This is nothing.” He suddenly tightened his grip on his fingers. “Tomorrow morning at court, I want to see the entire Wei family kneeling before the palace. As for the Wei family’s businesses…”

He paused, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "Especially Wei Chengchao's 'Jinxiufang,' and that Manager Tang who helped him deceive me. They dared to deceive me! I will have them both executed by slow slicing."

Are they going to execute Tang Xiaotong by slow slicing tomorrow?
Upon hearing this, the brothers of the Big Character Team felt a chill run from the soles of their feet straight to the top of their heads, even more biting than the wind and snow in the twelfth lunar month.

Da Jiu couldn't help but shiver, and the snow on his shoulders fell in a flurry.

He subtly adjusted his stance, the soles of his boots making a soft sound as they ground the snow—a secret signal between them: stay steady.

He saw his brothers quickly composed themselves, but the fear in their eyes was unmistakable.

Wei Chengchao was arrested by the Imperial Guards last night, but Tang Xiaotong is still in Jinxiufang and has no idea about this news. We must notify him to evacuate immediately!
Emperor Jing was pinching Consort Ru's chin, his posture resembling that of a ferocious beast toying with its prey.

Da Jiu's fingernails dug deeply into his palms, the pain and cold keeping him conscious.

The emperor before us is a dangerous figure who would turn his back on even his closest relatives in order to achieve his goals.

They had to find a way to escape and get the message out. Every moment of delay increased the danger for Tang Xiaotong.

Just then, Emperor Jing pinched Consort Ru's chin, his eyes narrowing slightly: "My beloved consort, will you obey me?"

Emperor Jing's voice suddenly softened, but his words were full of threat.

"I'm in a good mood today, which is why I came to ask you. If my beloved consort hasn't made up her mind yet... then I'll wait until tomorrow when I execute Wei Chengchao before coming back." He deliberately emphasized the word "execute".

Consort Ru sat in a chair, with Emperor Jing looking down at her.

Emperor Jing's meaning was all too clear: if she did not comply today, her fate, and even the fate of the entire Sun family, would be the same as Wei Chengchao's.

依？
Or will you refuse?

Consort Ru was conflicted and did not reply.

She swallowed hard, her gaze passing over Emperor Jing's shoulder and looking directly in the direction where Da Jiu and the others were.

The pleading and despair in Consort Ru's eyes were like a sharp blade, making Da Jiu and the others tremble.

Da Jiu secretly cried out in alarm, but there was nothing they could do to help Consort Ru now.

Emperor Jing noticed Consort Ru's unusual behavior and slowly turned his head in the direction of her gaze.

When Emperor Jing looked over, the brothers in the guards broke out in a cold sweat, but they forced themselves to maintain the blank expressions befitting guards, their eyes fixed straight ahead.

Consort Ru didn't respond. Emperor Jing turned to look at the group of eunuchs and guards in the courtyard behind him, thinking that Consort Ru had tacitly agreed and was just hinting to him that there were still so many people here!

"What? Is my beloved concubine shy?" Emperor Jing suddenly laughed, his laughter tinged with a hint of smugness. "It's alright, I'll have them all leave."

Emperor Jing was in a good mood and waved his hand, "You don't need to serve me here anymore, you may all leave."

He turned around and saw Consort Ru's personal maid, "Yun Shu, you may leave as well."

"Your Majesty...this..." Yun Shu hesitated.

Emperor Jing immediately rebuked him in displeasure, "Get out!"

Yun Shu bit her lip, glanced at Consort Ru, then stole a look at Emperor Jing, and finally had no choice but to lower her eyes and retreat.

Seeing this, Li Zhongxin immediately echoed in a shrill voice: "What are you all standing there for? Get down, get down now!"

He waved his whisk, herding the servants out of the courtyard like ducks.

Da Jiu and the others felt as if they had been granted a pardon and quickly followed all the servants out of the courtyard.

The moment they turned around, the snow-covered M16 was exposed in front of them.

Unfortunately, Emperor Jing had already turned to look at Consort Ru and did not notice in time.

The moment Da Jiu and the others stepped out of the courtyard gate, their legs almost went weak.

The eunuchs brought by Emperor Jing only waited outside the courtyard, not daring to go far. Da Jiu and the others, however, slipped out of Tangli Palace in a flash.

Upon seeing them, Xiao Liuzi immediately came forward, his face practically burning with anxiety.

"Oh my god! Are you all alright?" He was so frightened by Emperor Jing's sudden visit that he almost wet himself.

"It's okay, let's talk somewhere else." Da Jiu pulled him away.

Da Shiqi chased after Da Jiu and grabbed his sleeve: "Ninth Brother, what should we do? Tang Ge, he..."

"Shut up!" Da Jiu interrupted sharply, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "Let's get out of here first."

"Come with me!" Xiao Liuzi said quickly.

Xiao Liuzi led them quickly through several moon gates and brought them to an abandoned side room.

"You all stay here for now. I need to go back and serve you first." Xiao Liuzi reminded him, "Remember, you can only come out when I return. There are patrolling guards everywhere in the palace, so don't wander off."

"Don't worry, we understand." Da Jiu nodded.

Xiao Liuzi closed the door, lowered his head, and hurriedly left. Da Jiu watched his figure disappear into the distance from the window before quickly taking out the walkie-talkie from his waist and pressing the call button.

"Little Tong, Little Tong. Is it convenient to talk now?" Da Jiu's anxious voice traveled through the radio waves to outside the palace.