(Quick Transmigration) Small Cannon Fodder Has Great Power

The Crown Princess's rescue arrived late, taking Gu Yunyun and Zhong Simiao back to the camp and summoning the imperial physician for treatment.

In addition to this incident, the emperor was furious and ordered a thorough investigation, and the hunting trip was abruptly ended due to this unexpected event.

As for the later discovery that the supposedly secure outer fence of the hunting grounds had a large hole, and the subsequent hasty conclusion that the Emperor had closed the case as an accident, and the subsequent punishment of the eldest princess with a year's salary deduction, all of that is another story.

The system, familiar with the plot, was indignant: "Should we teach this eldest princess a lesson? She's too awful!"

"Since you know the plot, you should know that the eldest princess went too far because she relied on the empress's favor, exhausted the bond between mother and daughter, and ultimately met a tragic end. There's no need for us to interfere. I'll just do my job."

After returning to the palace, the Emperor rewarded Gu Yunyun and Zhong Simiao for their meritorious service in saving the Crown Princess; he also bestowed many things upon the frightened Crown Princess as a consolation gift.

Gu Yunyun selected some items from the generous rewards that did not involve regulations, and took some top-quality ginseng, lingzhi and other tonics from the storeroom. She sent them to the Duke's mansion with a message to the young general, saying that she would visit him again after he had recovered a bit.

Gu Yunyun really wanted to visit him in person, but Zhong Simiao was recovering from his injuries, and it was inconvenient for him to enter a man's boudoir in a matriarchal world. She couldn't very well trouble the injured man to come out and greet the guest.

Unexpectedly, before she could even visit him, Zhong Simiao, having just recovered, was arranged to go on a blind date by the Duchess, who was worried about her son's marriage.

"Holy crap, the little general's father is way too hasty!" Gu Yunyun exclaimed in shock. "His injuries have only just healed."

The system checked the information: "The young general's blind date is at noon today. The location is the innermost private room on the third floor of Wanfu Restaurant. Do you want to go and take a look?"

"Go! Of course!"

Gu Yunyun hurriedly ordered her servants to book the second-to-last private room on the third floor of the restaurant, right next to the room the male lead was going to. She herself tidied up and rushed to the restaurant ahead of time to eavesdrop... no, I mean, to gather intelligence!

Gu Yunyun arrived early, and since she couldn't just sit there occupying a private room without ordering anything, she ordered a pot of wine and a few snacks, and ate while waiting.

At noon, Zhong Simiao arrived first with her elder sister, followed by the woman she was looking for, who arrived with her father.

The system quickly checked and found that "this woman is the illegitimate daughter of a second-rank official. Although the second rank sounds high, it's nothing in the capital, where a single plaque falling down can hit several powerful figures. It's incomparable to the Duke's mansion."

"What did the Duke's mansion see in this person that they chose for a consultation?"

"Low status, easy to manipulate, and I've heard he's honest."

Gu Yunyun pouted, "I'm very honest too."

The system looked mockingly at the honest man who was sticking his butt out and pressing his ear against the wall, trying to eavesdrop. "Heh..."

Fortunately, the restaurant walls weren't very soundproof, so you could hear things clearly if you listened carefully.

At first, the woman and her father were quite reserved in front of the daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo, who had a prominent status. However, Zhong Simiao and the eldest daughter were very polite and courteous to them. Gradually, the two people on the other side relaxed, and the atmosphere became quite harmonious.

Zhong Simiao was a man of few words. The young lady, concerned about her brother's marriage, didn't put on airs and spoke to the two people opposite her in a warm and friendly manner, trying her best to win favor with her brother.

The two people opposite were not considered favored at home. They had to speak to the head of the household with utmost respect. They had never been treated with such enthusiasm and respect by such a prominent figure as the young general of the Duke of Zhenguo.

They were flattered and elated, but at the same time, they secretly confirmed that the general's marriage was indeed a major worry for the Duke of Zhenguo's family. After all, the young master was old and lacked the gentle and virtuous qualities of a wife. He was also tall and burly and not fair-skinned at all. So what if you are from the Duke of Zhenguo's family? You still have to beg our family to marry you.

The woman's father gradually became more confident.

"Don't worry, our children are the most honest of all. They would never go out and cause trouble. Young master, once you marry into our family, just wait to enjoy a life of luxury!"

The young woman was very pleased with these words.

The lady continued, "After you marry into the family, young master, you only need to focus on being a good wife and mother. You don't need to worry about anything else. Yongxing is also very good at managing accounts and helps run the family shop. You can let Yongxing take care of these trivial matters..."

The young woman wasn't stupid; she sensed something was off about those words. "You mean...?"

"The young master's dowry must be quite substantial, and the Emperor has also graciously preserved the young general's salary, which also requires careful management. We'll entrust it to Yongxing for management."

Gu Yunyun, who was eavesdropping in the next room, frowned deeply. "It's not even a hint yet, and they're already asking them to hand over all their assets and income?"

The system saw a live version of a blind date encounter with a quirky straight woman and happily munched on sunflower seeds.

The young woman paused, then slowly leaned back on the soft cushions of her chair, her expression unchanged, and said in her tone, "Oh? Won't that trouble Miss Li?"

“No, no,” Madam Li said repeatedly, “This is such a small matter, why would I need to trouble the young master?” He smiled obsequiously, “Oh, right, there is something I need to trouble the Duke’s mansion with.”

"What is it?" The young woman asked patiently, slowly turning the thumb ring on her thumb under the table.

"I'll have to trouble the Duke's mansion to find a job for my Yongxing. After all, the young master of the Duke's mansion can't have a wife with a lowly official position, that would be a disgrace to the Duke's mansion." Madam Li glanced at the eldest daughter's face, unable to detect any impatience. "It doesn't need to be a high position, at least a second-rank official..."

"Heh..." The young lady was amused by her anger. This wasn't even a high official position? Young Master Li's father was only a second-rank official. Did they think the imperial court was run by their Zhenguo Duke's mansion? They were asking for a second-rank official position right off the bat. They were afraid the emperor wouldn't be wary of them.

Besides, given how timid and silent Miss Li has been so far, a mere fool, a second-rank official? It's the funniest joke she's heard all year. "I'm afraid that won't do. Our Duke of Zhenguo's mansion doesn't engage in such things as selling official positions. The children of the Duke's mansion must also rely on their own abilities to make a living."

After all, going to the battlefield is no child's play; without real skills, you might not come back. The military achievements of these siblings are all genuine, and their current military ranks were earned little by little through fighting and sacrificing themselves.

The prestige of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion today is no easy feat. How could they possibly allow their children to become incompetent fools who only enjoy the protection of their elders and tarnish the reputation of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion?

Li scoffed inwardly. Who were they trying to fool? With the Duke of Zhenguo as their backing, who would believe that the children of the Duke's family all earned their success through merit? He still smiled, "That's an exaggeration. It's just helping out a family member. What's the big deal? It's just a matter of a word from the Duke of Zhenguo."

Zhong Simiao had no intention of meeting a strange woman in the first place, and after meeting her, he was even more disgusted by her cowardly appearance and the greed of her family. Presumably, the older sister had also realized how unreliable this family was.

The young woman was well aware of the situation, but she figured it was best to part amicably and avoid making things too awkward. She decided to simply say it wasn't a good fit once she got back, and didn't argue further, just smiling and remaining silent.

Madam Li, however, felt that the eldest daughter had tacitly compromised, and became even more smug, thinking she could seize the opportunity to press her advantage and put down the arrogance of the young master of the Duke's mansion. From the moment they met, the young master had been cold and barely spoke; this attitude was unacceptable. She couldn't allow him to act like the young master of the Duke's mansion after marrying into the family, showing disrespect to his father-in-law and his wife!

"I've heard some rumors before... about the young master. I'm just being frank, and since we're future in-laws, I should be honest. Please don't be upset. The young master has been in the military all these years, spending most of his time with women, oh dear..."

Before Zhong Simiao could show any displeasure, the young woman became displeased first, exuding a bit of authority, "What exactly does Madam want to say?"

Li was getting carried away with her words and didn't notice that the eldest daughter's expression wasn't very pleasant. She thought to herself, "With your son like that, do you really think you can find someone better than my daughter who would be willing to marry you?" She was quite smug. "Don't blame me for saying something unpleasant, but it's all true. After you marry into the family, you can't show your face in public like this anymore. And don't see any of the military wives you knew from the army anymore, so as not to cause gossip."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yunyun angrily slammed her fist against the wall. The muffled thud startled her, and she quickly stopped, listening to see if anyone in the next room had noticed.

The young woman wasn't in the mood to pay attention to any noise; she just wanted to punch someone.

Li wasn't finished yet. She continued, "We won't hold your past actions in the army against you. After all, we are reasonable people. From now on, you must behave yourself and not do anything that violates the proper conduct of a husband. Oh, by the way, Yongxing, what are your thoughts?"

Li Yongxing glanced timidly at his mother, then at the two people opposite him.

"Oh, come on, we're all on the same side."

Li Yongxing glanced at Zhong Simiao, who was tall and strong, and seemed even more feminine than her. She moved her lips, hesitated, and said, "You...you can't hit the concubines and maids in my room, they are more delicate..."

Gu Yunyun desperately wanted to rush over and beat the bizarre father and daughter to death, scratching the wall in an attempt to suppress her urges.

The young woman could no longer bear it. She slammed her hand on the table, grabbed Li Yongxing by the collar, and was about to throw a punch.

Li screamed and grabbed her arm tightly. The young lady of the Li family finally snapped and said quickly, "You can't hit me! If you hit me today, let's see who would dare to look at your shrewish husband!"

The young woman gritted her teeth, and the veins on her forehead bulged.

Zhong Simiao patted her hand and said the longest sentence he had uttered since entering the restaurant, "Big sister, it's alright. I don't care what irrelevant people say. Don't get upset over such people."

The older woman glanced at her concerned younger brother, then glared at the trembling Ms. Li, ground her teeth, and abruptly flung her hand away. "Pah! You got off easy!"

As soon as she let go, the Li father and daughter scrambled out of the house.