35 Take this and poke him with it.

"Huh? Aren't you that young man who stopped me yesterday?" Han Lei reached out with her folding fan to tilt the guard's chin upward, blinking her large eyes in curiosity. "What happened to you? Why are you all bruised and swollen?"

Zhao Zun and Pingchuan were startled; they quickly shielded their faces with one hand and turned away in silence.

Although Han Lei had changed her appearance, the guard at the gate recognized her voice and realized that the young man standing before him was the same beautiful woman he had obstructed the day before.

The guard glanced furtively at Zhao Zun and Pingchuan, then quickly lowered his head. "It's nothing, Miss. I just had a clumsy fall last night and bumped myself."

"Oh my! Tsk, tsk, tsk... You really are unlucky." Han Lei reached into her sleeve, pulled a tin of ointment from her spatial watch, and handed it to the guard. "Take this back and apply it yourself; it’s good for circulation and reducing bruising."

"No, no need," the guard hurriedly declined. After his beating following his shift last night, he had finally learned who the Prince of Xiaoyao was.

"Just take it!" Han Lei shoved the ointment directly into his palm.

"Uh... thank you, Miss." The guard clutched the ointment, nervously stealing a glance at Zhao Zun and Pingchuan. Seeing Zhao Zun’s gaze fixed on him, he bowed his head again.

"Alright, remember to use it!" Han Lei smiled slightly at the guard and returned to the steps.

She had Pingchuan open the parcels and distribute one electric baton to each of the injured soldiers in the "Big Character" team. Then, she had Zhao Zun open his parcel and give each of them a solar-powered power bank.

"What is this thing?"
"Never seen one before."
"Is this a stick for beating people?"

The injured soldiers of the "Big Character" team curiously examined the items in their hands, while the soldiers of the "Small Character" team crowded around, eager to get a touch. Even Luo Hai stood on his tiptoes, craning his neck to see what they were holding.

"Brothers!"

Han Lei’s voice rang out from the steps. The soldiers immediately quieted down and looked toward her, their eyes filled with astonishment.

Judging by that delicate voice, it was clearly Miss Han, but why was a man standing on the steps? What was going on?

"Alright, stop staring. It's me, Han Lei." Han Lei felt uncomfortable under their gaze. "Your Prince has me completely under his thumb; he said if I didn't wear men's clothing, he wouldn't let me leave the house. So, uh... this is how it is."

Han Lei shrugged helplessly. The soldiers below burst into laughter, and some even whistled and cheered.

"Whew! The Prince is mighty! Hahaha..."

They were hearty men from the military camp, and they often joked with Zhao Zun in their spare time. Han Lei’s playful remark completely delighted Zhao Zun. At that moment, he felt particularly honored and truly "mighty."

"Hehehe, you flatter me, you flatter me." Zhao Zun puffed out his chest and cupped his hands to the soldiers with a radiant smile. It seemed the obstacle in his heart had truly been overcome.

Han Lei turned to Luo Hai, who was covering a smirk beside her. "Uncle Luo, could you trouble someone to lead over a horse or an ox?"

"Certainly! Hehehe."

Luo Hai was infected by the atmosphere and felt joyful. He thought Zhao Zun had good taste; since Han Lei went out of her way to elevate Zhao Zun’s status, she would surely make a fine Princess.

The bruised guard quickly led a horse and an ox over, tethering them to the stone lions in front of the government office.

Han Lei didn't step down from the stairs. She took an electric baton from the leader of the "Big Character" team and switched it on. Instantly, the tip of the baton crackled with electricity, giving everyone present a fright.

"Everyone in the 'Big Character' team, look closely. This is called an electric baton, used to deal with enemies. Once shocked, an enemy will spasm or fall into a brief coma. If anyone dares to cause trouble or steal from our projects, just poke them with this. Then, drag the troublemaker to the magistrate’s office, and the county magistrate will seek justice for you."

As she spoke, Han Lei demonstrated how to use the baton and how to charge it with the solar power bank. Then, she walked over to the horse and poked its leg with the baton.

*Crackle—thud!*

After a short burst of electric sound, the horse let out a cry and collapsed to the ground.

Han Lei repeated the demonstration on the ox, and the sturdy beast also fell, unable to rise.

"My goodness! Even a horse and an ox can be knocked down."
"That’s too powerful!"
"Yeah! Dealing with a person would be even easier."
"Is this the weapon Miss Han has provided for our 'Big Character' team?"

The scene erupted in exclamations.

Having witnessed Han Lei’s wonders before, Zhao Zun and the injured soldiers were slightly more composed. However, Luo Hai and the guards at the gate were left completely slack-jawed.

Luo Hai thought to himself that it was no wonder Miss Han dared to engage in such grand charity—she possessed such powerful weapons! He felt even more reassured; for the sake of his future career, he dared to go all out.

What Luo Hai didn't know was that this was just the beginning! Han Lei had even more powerful weapons in store.

"Gode-gang... Gode-gang..."

Just as Han Lei was about to head to the restaurant, a chaotic sound of hooves approached from the distance. Everyone looked toward the noise to see Zhao Zun’s commander of the personal guards, Xiao Zhengfei, arriving with a group of mounted soldiers.

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

Xiao Zhengfei and his men dismounted and bowed before Zhao Zun. Zhao Zun told them to return to the office to rest before personally accompanying Han Lei and the others to the restaurant.

Four tables were set up at the entrance of the restaurant, with four long lines of men, women, and children waiting. Uncle Wang and three men she didn't recognize were sitting behind the tables, registering people one by one. Seeing Han Lei’s group arrive, Uncle Wang nudged the men beside him and stood up to pay their respects.

"Miss Han is here." Uncle Wang bowed happily and said to the three men, "This is our employer, Miss Han."

The three men looked delighted and bowed as well.

"Greetings, Miss Han."

"No need for such formalities. My name is Han Lei; just call me by my name. Being called 'Miss' feels quite awkward," Han Lei said easily.

"Miss Han... uh... I think I'll stick with Miss Han!" Uncle Wang wasn't used to it. He pointed to the three men and introduced them, "These are my sons and nephew. Since the pay you offer is so generous, I brought them along to help. I hope you don't mind, Miss?"

"Hehehe, I don't mind." Han Lei was amused by Uncle Wang's straightforwardness. "As long as they are diligent and hardworking, it doesn't matter who they are."

"That is a given. I was just worried you would think I was practicing favoritism." Uncle Wang breathed a sigh of relief.

Fearing she might alarm the commoners in line, Han Lei didn't introduce Zhao Zun and Luo Hai to Uncle Wang just yet. Instead, she had Pingchuan accompany them into the restaurant to have a look around.

After the two important figures went inside, Han Lei glanced at the long queue outside and asked Uncle Wang, "Uncle Wang, how is the recruitment for the rest of the staff going?"