Shen Quan’s refusal to leave was truly beyond Su Fengyi’s expectations.
Since the soft approach wasn’t working, she would have to resort to force. Regardless, the Grand Princess’s persona was one of overbearing capriciousness; even if she acted a bit more aggressive, no one would find it strange.
Su Fengyi didn’t waste any more words with him. She gave a cold snort and glared at him.
“Say no more. This Palace says there will be a decree, so there absolutely will be. Do you want to live or die? If you want to live, follow me. Don’t dally.”
As it turned out, Shen Quan was the type of man who was immune to both the carrot and the stick.
The smile faded from Shen Quan’s face, replaced by a look of grave solemnity. “I am but a simple soldier. Why should I fear life or death? On the contrary, Your Highness possesses an exalted personage; you truly should not treat your own life as a joke by coming here to commit such an act.
“May I ask Your Highness, what malicious person spoke such nonsense to you? Who incited Your Highness to commit such a foolish act today? Please, Your Highness, return to your residence immediately. Do not leave yourself open to criticism.
“Furthermore, please heed my words: whoever incited Your Highness to come here today is a person of ill intent. Your Highness must execute this person to eliminate any future trouble.
“Your Highness, remember this: in the future, you must stay far away from court affairs. Only then can you live a happy life, forever safe and secure.”
From Shen Quan’s perspective, he was ten years older than the Grand Princess. Though she was eighteen, in his eyes, she was still a little child who needed protection and guidance.
The logic he presented to her was very simple: by staying away from the court, she wouldn’t infringe upon the interests of others. Even if she was a bit overbearing or ridiculous, it wouldn’t matter; no one would interfere with her wealth and glory.
Since the Late Emperor had entrusted her to him as a legacy minister, he felt he could still offer these overstepping words of advice. It was also his final duty as a subject before his death.
Being a harmless, useless “vase” as Shen Quan suggested was naturally a path to happiness.
But Shen Quan didn’t know that the expiration date on this happiness and wealth was only one year. How could she possibly be happy then?
Yet Su Fengyi had no way to explain this clearly to Shen Quan here.
Moreover, the career woman Su Fengyi had been twenty-five before transmigrating into the book. She felt that she and General Shen were essentially peers. Her plan was to discuss future cooperation after saving him, not to be coddled like a child.
Their mindsets were completely misaligned; they simply couldn’t reach an agreement.
Su Fengyi also understood that the root cause was her status as the Grand Princess. While it sounded noble, she carried no weight in the arena of power.
Therefore, even when she stood before Shen Quan, he only saw her as young, ignorant, and misled into causing trouble. He didn’t believe she could succeed and instead worried about her being implicated.
Su Fengyi thought to herself, *I’m not leaving. I don’t care if you believe me or agree with me. You are my life-saving charm, and I must take you with me. If you won’t walk, I’ll pack you up and carry you off. It’s not up to you.*
Since she had decided to take him by force, Su Fengyi stopped arguing with Shen Quan. She redoubled her efforts to gain his favor and stated her heart:
“No one incited me. It was this Palace’s own decision to come and save you.
“General Shen is a pillar of the nation. Even if you are to die, it should be on a vast battlefield, not in this cramped execution ground.
“This Palace will surely make the Emperor rescind the decree. Please, General, believe me.”
While Su Fengyi spoke, Shen Quan watched her intently. After she finished, he remained silent for a long time, let out another sigh, and then said with a smile:
“Your Highness possesses great talent, as everyone knows. I have heard much of it as well, and I naturally believe deeply that Your Highness can accomplish this.
“Since it won’t take much time, why doesn’t Your Highness go to the palace first to retrieve the decree? I will wait for Your Highness here, alright?”
Su Fengyi looked at General Shen with a face full of speechlessness. This General Shen was truly something; when hard logic failed, he switched to soft words to coax her.
Did she look that ignorant and easy to fool?
How did he have the gall to say something that sounded like it was meant for a three-year-old?
In this current situation, the moment she left, Eunuch Gao would have General Shen’s head. “Wait for her”? What absolute nonsense.
Seeing her expression, Shen Quan knew his coaxing had failed. He felt helpless that he couldn’t trick her into leaving.
What was going on with the rumors in the capital? The rumors said the Grand Princess was glamorous but debauched, overbearing but stupid.
Whether she was debauched or not was a private matter he had no way of knowing, but from what Shen Quan saw today, the Grand Princess was clearly a person of sincere heart.
The people of the world are truly dull and blind; it was both hateful and laughable.
Each lost in their own thoughts, they both fell silent. During this silence, Xie Xuan brought over the keys to the shackles.
The style of the people from the Eldest Princess’s Residence was a direct inheritance from the Grand Princess herself: overbearing, haughty, and unreasonable.
The keys had been in Eunuch Gao’s hands. When he refused to hand them over, Xie Xuan and several Princess Manor Guards surrounded him and gave him a beating until the “loot dropped” and the keys were obtained.
Others might fear the people of the Eastern Depot, but the people of the Eldest Princess’s Residence took after their mistress—they were arrogant, fierce, and reckless.
As long as the Grand Princess gave the order, her people truly feared nothing, dared to do anything, and looked down on everyone.
He was just a Eunuch Gao, merely the godson of some Factory Overseer. Even if he were the Factory Overseer’s biological son, they would hit him all the same. What was there to fear?
Su Fengyi took the keys and personally removed the shackles from Shen Quan.
Xie Xuan, being very perceptive, immediately followed up by helping Shen Quan up.
It hadn’t been apparent while he was sitting, but now that Shen Quan stood up, Su Fengyi realized that most of his weight was leaning on Xie Xuan. His legs dragged on the ground, unable to exert any strength. Something was very wrong.
*They couldn’t be broken, could they?*
Su Fengyi’s brow furrowed in deep concern.
If Shen Quan’s legs were broken and couldn’t heal, what then? There was no general in the world who could take to the battlefield with broken legs.
According to the book’s timeline, in order to make the Northern Barbarians arrive sooner, the male lead had already leaked the news of the Shen family’s execution and the capital’s vulnerability to the Little Prince of the Northern Barbarians many days ago.
The Northern Barbarian army was already on its way.
A man like Shen Quan, who had been in the Imperial Prison and had offended the Factory Overseer, was bound to be injured; Su Fengyi had expected this before she came, which was why she had initially sent Wutong to fetch a doctor.
There was no more time to waste here. This place was full of prying eyes and loose lips, and it wasn’t suitable to discuss cooperation here anyway. It was best to return to the Princess Manor as quickly as possible.
Su Fengyi gave Xie Xuan a subtle look and then said to Shen Quan:
“The doctors at the residence have already been prepared. This Palace gives you two choices: either come back with me obediently for treatment, or I’ll have someone knock you unconscious and carry you back for treatment. Which do you choose?”
Before her voice had even faded—specifically, just as Su Fengyi said the words “knock you unconscious”—Xie Xuan had already silently drawn a bamboo needle from his sleeve and pricked the back of Shen Quan’s neck.
No words were needed; the unspoken chemistry of a personal guard was just that efficient.
By the time Shen Quan sensed something was wrong, it was too late. As the drug entered his system, not only did his injured legs lose all strength, but his entire body went numb and immobile.
He wasn’t afraid that the Grand Princess would harm his life. Regarding her “resort to force when talk fails” temperament, he could only feel both amused and frustrated. He sighed helplessly:
“Your Highness truly is… ridiculous… reckless… outrageous…”
With those three sighs, his voice grew weak, and he lost consciousness.
The medicine worked too fast. The “outrageous” Su Fengyi felt a bit worried. “Is this… alright?”
Xie Xuan was very confident in his skills with toxins. He guaranteed, “Rest assured, Your Highness. This is a sedative and is harmless to the body. The General will surely wake in two hours.”
Since it was harmless, Su Fengyi was satisfied. She immediately declared:
“Very good. Carry him off. Back to the residence.”