Chapter 53: Borrowing Men to Open a Shop
The next day, Han Lei rose lazily, well-rested, and the old madam had already instructed the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous breakfast for her.
The old madam was very fond of this kind, yet strong-willed girl as her daughter-in-law.
Thus, with the old madam and Zhao Ling’er accompanying her, Han Lei finished her breakfast in fine spirits and began the first step of her ambitious plan—
Go to Zhao Zun to borrow some guards.
When Han Lei entered the study, Zhao Zun was at the desk, sorting the servants’ indenture contract. Xiao Zhengfei and Ping Chuan were standing properly on the side.
Seeing Han Lei enter, Zhao Zun put down the indenture contract in his hand and gently asked, "So early? Why not sleep a little longer?"
"Greetings to Miss Han!"
"Greetings to Miss Han!"
Xiao Zhengfei and Ping Chuan also greeted with smiles.
"Good morning, everyone!"
Han Lei waved at them, then bypassed the desk and directly walked to Zhao Zun’s side.
Before Zhao Zun could react, her face was already covered with her trademark grin that appeared whenever she wanted something.
"Hehe, Zhao Zun, Zun."
Han Lei lifted her hand to gently massage Zhao Zun’s shoulder, using her naturally sweet voice to coquettishly call out.
Zhao Zun shivered, turned his head to look at her cautiously, "What do you want to do?"
Zhao Zun had already summed up the experience that whenever Han Lei spoke to him in this syrupy tone, it never meant anything good.
"Zun, it’s nothing! It’s just that I’m short on hands; can you lend me some of your trusted aides?"
Zhao Zun remained cautious, glancing at her suspiciously, "Are you sure that’s all?"
"Absolutely sure."
Han Lei fluttered her long eyelashes and hugged Zhao Zun’s arm, shaking it like a child pestering her father for pocket money.
"You know, some injured soldiers stayed in Qingshui County, others in Taoyuan County. I’m left with only myself and need to open a shop in the Capital City!"
"You still want to open a shop in the Capital City? How can you keep opening one wherever you go?" Zhao Zun frowned.
Why can’t this girl ever be idle? Like other women, wouldn’t it be nice to be a leisure and noble Princess Consort? It’s only been a day since she got home, and she’s already bouncing around.
"This is just the beginning! Eventually, I want to open shops all over the Da Jing Dynasty! So, will you lend them or not?" Han Lei continued to act coquettishly, knowing this trick always worked on Zhao Zun.
Sure enough, Zhao Zun rolled his eyes in exasperation and said helplessly, "You’ve played your trump card; how can I say no?"
"Hehe, Zun, I knew you were the best!" Han Lei grinned as she cupped Zhao Zun’s face and kissed his forehead with a smack.
Zhao Zun’s eyes widened instantly. His lips parted slightly, and he stared blankly at the sweet and charming face before him, taking deep breaths.
Han Lei smiled triumphantly, casually picked up a slice of orange from the fruit bowl on the desk and fed it into Zhao Zun’s mouth.
After a while, Zhao Zun wanted to smile but ended up sighing, his expression showing resignation.
"You tell those wounded soldiers I hold you firmly in my grasp, but isn’t it really you who’s holding me?" Zhao Zun said, mumbling as he chewed the orange.
"Holding? Hehe, you hold me, I hold you, isn’t it better if we hold each other?"
Han Lei responded teasingly and playfully pinched Zhao Zun’s face.
"Poof~"
Zhao Zun couldn’t hold it in anymore, and the orange juice in his mouth sprayed all over Han Lei’s face.
"Ah! What are you doing? Annoying!"
Han Lei scrunched her face, quickly raised her hand to wipe the orange juice from her face, entirely oblivious to the impact of her pinch and her playful complaint on Zhao Zun.
Poor Zhao Zun felt a movement in a certain part of his body. With a bitter face, he pulled over his cloak to cover up and took deep breaths, murmuring incessantly—
"I’m dying! I’m dying..."
Xiao Zhengfei and Ping Chuan, who had been acting as third wheels, felt incredibly awkward over the boss’s flirtatious banter.
As a result, hearing their master’s ambiguous cries, they wished they could find a hole and burrow into it.
When Zhao Zun finally calmed down, he stole a glance at his two trusted aides, his handsome bronze face blushing slightly.
He pulled at Han Lei’s skirt hem, half-shielding his face with his hand, and softly said, "Girl, the business is done; you should leave now!"
Every frown and smile of Han Lei had an enormous allure for him. With Han Lei around, he couldn’t focus on work at all.
Han Lei, still pouting over being sprayed with juice, heard Zhao Zun’s words and knew he had business to attend to. Since she had already borrowed the guards, it was time for her to leave.
"Alright, can I take them away now?"
Saying this, Han Lei walked up to Xiao Zhenfei and Ping Chuan, took out the Love Lock around her neck, and swung it in front of their eyes.
"Seeing the token is like seeing the Prince. Look, this is the token from the Prince to me. Now, you must follow my orders and come with me!" Han Lei said with full confidence.
Seeing her take out the Love Lock, Zhao Zun knew things were about to go wrong. He immediately signaled to Ping Chuan and Xiao Zhenfei frantically to just follow Han Lei.
Ping Chuan already knew about the Love Lock from the time at Qingshui County. At that time, because of this matter, Miss Han wanted to return the Love Lock to the Prince, who personally went and beat up the gatekeeper guard.
Ping Chuan took a glance at Zhao Zun and prepared to agree. However, unexpectedly, the oblivious Xiao Zhengfei suddenly said something suicidal.
"Token? Where did the Prince get a token? I’ve never heard of that!"
Xiao Zhengfei spread his hands, utterly confused. Isn’t this a Tiger Talisman from the army? Besides, it’s not the battlefield of Beiguan anymore; the Prince usually gives orders directly, doesn’t he?
Sure enough—
"Zhao, Zun. You, tricked, me, again."
Suddenly, with Han Lei grinding her teeth and speaking each word slowly, a murderous icy glare shot toward Zhao Zun.
Zhao Zun felt a jolt in his heart, and an ingratiating grin involuntarily crept onto his face, similar to Han Lei’s.
"Hehe, girl. They are my trusted aides on the battlefield, not servants in the residence." Zhao Zun began to explain clumsily.
"Hm? Really?" Hearing this, Han Lei was stunned. She withdrew her murderous gaze and looked down at the Love Lock in her hand, muttering to herself, "How troublesome, it turns out it’s my mistake again."
"Yes! You definitely made a mistake." Zhao Zun walked around the desk to Han Lei, holding her shoulders with both hands and gazing into her eyes deeply, "I told you last time, this is the token for commanding servants in my territory."
"Fine!" Han Lei, immersed in his deep affection, didn’t dwell on it any longer. "Then you personally inform them to accompany me. I still need to head to the street for some reconnaissance!"
Since Han Lei no longer clung to the Love Lock issue, Zhao Zun felt satisfied with how perfectly he handled the situation.
He chuckled and turned to instruct Xiao Zhengfei and Ping Chuan, only to have the straightforward Zhao Zhenfei inadvertently utter another piercing remark.
"Prince, commanding the servants in your household is only natural, no need for any tokens! This thing is green and smooth, looks very valuable. Could it be the token of affection you gave to Miss Han?"
Xiao Zhengfei spoke quickly, and by the time Zhao Zun’s murderous gaze shot over, he had already finished talking.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several thundering booms resounded in Zhao Zun’s mind, leaving him with a face resembling pig liver.