Su Fengyi ignored Eunuch Gao, raised her bow, and scanned the execution ground until she spotted a slender, tall figure in black wielding dual swords.
In the book, the young General Shen He was indeed described as using dual swords.
Su Fengyi’s third arrow shot forth, swift and precise as before, but this time it was deflected mid-air by the figure’s spinning sword and clattered to the ground.
It was him!
Su Fengyi confirmed it—the black-clad figure who had blocked her arrow was none other than the young General Shen He, the very man wanted by the authorities, who had arrived before her to raid the execution ground.
Anyone else would likely have failed to withstand an arrow shot by the Grand Princess.
Shen He’s raid on the execution ground was also part of the original plot, with the deadliest warriors sent by the male lead, the feudal lord, accompanying him.
In the original story, not only did the Grand Princess take a liking to Shen He, but the feudal lord male lead also had his eye on him.
The Grand Princess admired his youthful handsomeness and vigor, while the feudal lord male lead valued his youth, gullibility, and military prowess.
The male lead lacked military power and, more importantly, capable generals.
General Shen Quan was steady-minded and difficult to deceive, so the male lead resorted to using others to eliminate him in order to seize military control.
But the young General Shen He, being impulsive and hot-blooded, seemed worth trying to win over. Thus, the male lead staged this elaborate act.
The plan centered on demonstrating unwavering loyalty and sacrifice—though only a few expendable warriors were lost, the gesture was enough to reel Shen He in.
In the book, Shen He’s raid on the execution ground naturally ended in failure.
With his elder brother Shen Quan executed, Shen He’s hatred for the Emperor reached its peak, and he was subsequently rescued by the feudal lord male lead.
A young general of clear-cut emotions but lacking experience in political intrigue, Shen He was thus deceived by the male lead.
Driven by both gratitude and vengeance, Shen He served as a key general in the male lead’s rebellion, contributing immensely to his military successes.
Invincible in battle and peerless among masters—this was Shen He’s original characterization.
Without Shen He, the feudal lord male lead could never have achieved his rebellion and ascension to the throne in just one year.
With such an overpowered character like Shen He, Su Fengyi naturally intended to claim him for herself, refusing to let him fall into her opponent’s hands.
Both Shen brothers were hers—she would save the elder brother and seize the younger one as well.
The feudal lord male lead thought he could compete with her for men? Hmph, not a chance!
Now that she had identified her target, Su Fengyi lowered her bow and waved her hand, commanding:
“Surround them for me. Not a single one escapes. Capture them all—alive.”
The guards from the Eldest Princess’s Residence pushed forward, parting the surging crowd, shoving aside the shrieking Eunuch Gao, and charging toward the black-clad figures on the execution ground.
Since the feudal lord male lead only intended to stage a show to win Shen He’s favor, not genuinely rescue anyone—
and fearing that a successful rescue of General Shen Quan would complicate matters—the black-clad warriors he dispatched were not top-tier experts.
With three hundred guards from the Eldest Princess’s Residence joining the fray, a few against hundreds, the outcome was naturally a foregone conclusion.
But true to the man both she and the male lead vied for, even under siege by hundreds, Shen He still managed to escape.
Because Su Fengyi demanded captives alive, the guards were restrained in their actions.
Seeing no hope of rescuing the prisoners, Shen He was no fool—he didn’t cling to futile martyrdom. Believing in preserving himself for future vengeance, he twisted away like a swift swallow, vanishing beyond anyone’s reach.
A peerless master truly was peerless—even hundreds of elite soldiers couldn’t hold back Shen He.
Xie Xuan, having failed in his task, came to seek punishment, kneeling before the Grand Princess to accept her judgment.
The person had escaped, and Su Fengyi was indeed regretful, but with General Shen in hand, she wasn’t afraid Shen He wouldn’t come.
So she comforted herself:
“No matter. Unbind General Shen, and take him along with the prisoner-robbing thieves back with us.”
Xie Xuan went to fetch the keys for the handcuffs and shackles from the execution supervisor Eunuch Gao, while Su Fengyi dismounted to see General Shen.
Shen Quan still maintained his calm and composed demeanor. Seeing Su Fengyi, he only smiled and said:
“After many years apart, Your Highness remains as radiant as ever.”
This was true; six years ago, they had indeed met.
Six years ago, the Late Emperor, who had been on the throne for less than three years, passed away. In his final moments, he entrusted his orphaned children to two regent ministers—one civil and one military—Elder Minister Yang and General Shen.
There was no empress dowager in the palace, and the Late Empress had died early, so the Late Emperor entrusted his young, unattended daughter and son—the Crown Prince and Princess Ning—to the Chief Grand Secretary Yang.
He requested Elder Minister Yang to assist the Crown Prince in ascending to the throne, confer the title of Grand Princess Ning upon Princess Ning, and asked Elder Minister Yang to establish a residence for the Grand Princess and select a husband for her after she reached adulthood.
The Late Emperor also entrusted the safety of the nation to General Shen Quan, then reluctantly departed from this world.
Though the Late Emperor’s judgment in selecting ministers was accurate, his understanding of his own children was far too superficial.
These were not a pair of helpless, orphaned young children needing care, but rather two unruly troublemakers nobody could manage.
Two loyal and devoted regent ministers—one was driven to a stroke and bedridden three years ago, and the other now became a condemned prisoner awaiting execution.
In six years, the ministers had not betrayed the sovereign, yet the sovereign sought to kill the ministers.
This matter was indeed handled improperly by the royal family. Su Fengyi wanted to draw the Shen family to her side but worried Shen Quan harbored resentment.
Seeing Shen Quan’s gentle attitude, Su Fengyi quickly worked to build goodwill:
“General Shen, please follow me. Rest assured, with me here, I will surely ensure your safety.”
This statement was somewhat overly sincere and blunt. In court politics, nobody spoke like this; superiors to subordinates also never spoke this way.
Shen Quan was slightly stunned. He had thought the Grand Princess came to bid him farewell, but unexpectedly, she had come to rescue a prisoner.
Moreover, it was done openly and boldly, without concealment. Under the watchful eyes of the public, leading the guards of the Eldest Princess’s Residence, under the name of the Grand Princess, and in the presence of the supervising eunuch, she carried out a prisoner rescue in her own name.
Under the heavens, who dared to so blatantly slap the face of the Nine Thousand Years? Only the Grand Princess.
Shen Quan had garrisoned Xuānfu for many years. Xuānfu was one of the nine important frontier towns. Though located at the border, it was only two hundred miles from the capital.
Capital rumors about the Grand Princess’s scandalous and unruly deeds were also frequently heard by him.
Today, upon meeting her, he realized the rumors were untrue. Beneath the Grand Princess’s absurd reputation lay a heart of innocence.
Shen Quan felt somewhat surprised and moved, but he also understood that while a heart of innocence was good, it couldn’t accomplish things.
The one seeking his life was the Eastern Depot Factory Overseer Nine Thousand Years, deeply favored by the Emperor and immensely powerful.
When the Factory Overseer, second only to one person and above all others, wanted to kill someone, nobody except the Emperor could stop him.
The Grand Princess was merely an inexperienced young child. Though her status as a royal relative was high, she held no real power. How could she contend with the Factory Overseer?
In matters of life and death in court struggles, why involve a young child who should enjoy wealth and comfort, potentially harming her life instead?
Thus, though moved, Shen Quan smiled and shook his head, saying:
“Your Highness willing to intervene, Shen is immensely grateful. However, Shen is now a condemned prisoner under the Emperor’s personal decree. How can I follow Your Highness back to the residence? Does Your Highness possess the Emperor’s decree?”
The Emperor’s decree—of course, she did not have it. Time was tight; she simply couldn’t manage it!
But you can’t put it that way, Su Fengyi tried to scare him by saying:
“His Majesty will issue an edict. Come back with me first.”
Shen Quan was not someone so easily fooled and pressed further:
“That means there is no edict. Without His Majesty’s decree, rescuing a prisoner from the execution ground is a capital offense, and even imperial relatives cannot be exempt. Does Your Highness know this?”