Chapter 213 - 146: Ambushed in the Alley

Zhao Zun’s heart tightened again as he watched, his foot moving ready to strike. Unexpectedly, Han Lei had already swiftly bent down, and the long spear brushed past her shoulder.

Simultaneously, Han Lei swept her leg, causing the soldier to lose his balance and fall heavily to the ground.

Han Lei used the momentum to flip over, her fair fists raining down like raindrops, each blow accurately landing on the opponent’s cheeks.

Her movements were smooth and fluid, causing an uproar at the scene. None of the soldiers had expected that the sweet and gentle Han Lei would be so fierce when she started fighting.

"Wow! The Princess Consort is mighty. Hahaha..." Xiao Zhengfei cupped his hand to his mouth and shouted loudly.

Zhao Zun’s tense heart relaxed again, he released his fists, crossed his arms across his chest, and quietly watched that charming and agile figure.

Although Han Lei’s martial arts appeared strange, completely different from what they practiced, Zhao Zun could see that her skills were more agile, more practical, and even more suitable for the soldiers to train.

The soldiers around were intimidated by Han Lei’s aura; no one dared to step forward for a while.

After Han Lei steadied herself, her gaze was relaxed. Her breathing was steady, as if the fight with those two rough men was just a warm-up.

Han Lei slightly raised the corner of her mouth and loudly asked, "Anyone else want to try?"

No one responded, and some even picked up the tools Han Lei provided, turned around, and silently went to dig the foundation. That crestfallen look amused Li Erniu, causing him to laugh heartily.

Han Lei finally approached Gou Sheng, looking down at him, and asked, "Convinced?"

Gou Sheng lay on the ground, panting heavily, and finally nodded: "Convinced, the Princess Consort is indeed formidable!"

"Did my fists hurt your body?" Han Lei raised her fist, pretending to strike him again.

Gou Sheng quickly reached out to block, repeatedly saying, "It hurts, it hurts."

"Would it hurt if a monster hit you?" Han Lei asked fiercely with a teasing tone.

"Uh... I know my mistake. I dare not say the Princess Consort is a monster anymore." Gou Sheng lowered his head in shame.

Zhao Zun watched this scene, unable to hold back his laughter.

He stepped forward, wrapped an arm around Han Lei’s waist, and softly said, "Girl, you’ve worked hard."

Han Lei flexed her wrist and rolled her eyes: "Hmph! If the tiger doesn’t show its might, do they think I’m a paper tiger? Now let’s see if they still dare to call me a monster."

Zhao Zun laughed heartily, affectionately grazing her nose: "No one dares, certainly no one dares. If someone dares to say it again, I’ll let them taste your fists!"

The nearby people heard this and laughed, making the atmosphere at the construction site much more relaxed.

After a series of powerful exchanges, the soldiers dared not challenge Han Lei’s authority any longer, and they picked up these handy tools to start digging the foundation.

Gou Sheng and the previous soldier struggled to get up and obediently went to work.

The foundation the soldiers dug must be deep and solid to support the heavy walls and bastion.

In ancient times, stone was the main material for fortress construction, but extracting stone was a huge project. With Han Lei here, there was no need for that.

Han Lei walked to a vacant area and, before everyone’s eyes, directly bought a large amount of fire bricks from the system to build the walls of the fortress.

Of course, the outside of the fire brick walls will also be cast with concrete slurry to enhance their solidity.

Although modern firearms only appeared in Beiguan now, other countries are still using cold weapons, so bastions are not yet needed.

But Han Lei wanted to be thorough and designed a bastion at each corner, with the position carefully calculated to ensure fire coverage without blind spots.

Soon, outside the walls, the soldiers dug a wide trench several meters deep and wide enough to prevent enemy charges.

The bottom of the trench was filled with sharp stakes to prevent enemy climbing.

Outside the trench, a low parapet will be built as the first line of defense. The surface of the parapet will be covered with thorns to increase the difficulty of enemy attacks.

Han Lei accompanied Zhao Zun as they surveyed, explaining the construction process of the fortress and the function of each design.

Comparing the design drawings of the fortress, Zhao Zun couldn’t help but praise repeatedly.

The complex process of the fortress’s later stages will be completed by Yang Qi Quan, leading the craftsmen.

After Beiguan’s two fortresses are completed, Yang Qi Quan will lead the fourth and fifth construction teams to build the cement road from Beiguan through Canglan County to Fufeng County.

These three counties are several hundred kilometers apart, making the cement road project extremely large, but it can solve employment issues for two construction teams of craftsmen and many laborers.

Moreover, once the road is open to traffic, it will greatly facilitate Zhao Zun’s efforts to develop his influence and the livelihood in Canzhou.