"Of course." Shao Yun readily accepted the request—there was nothing unreasonable about it.
He had long found the Fatui in the early plotline distasteful. Even if he were asked to launch a night raid on the Goth Grand Hotel and wipe out every single Fatui agent inside, he wouldn't feel the slightest pang of conscience.
When Jean heard Shao Yun agree, she let out a long breath of relief. She had feared he might back down upon learning the Fatui's strength.
"Acting Grand Master Jean, may I share a personal thought?" Shao Yun asked, noticing how Jean looked like she had just laid down a heavy burden.
"Oh, please do."
Clearing his throat and taking a deep breath, Shao Yun voiced his opinion. "'When you need help, just ask. There's no need to shoulder everything alone. Your friends—those around you—will help you. You're not alone.'"
Jean blinked upon hearing this. Her gaze shifted slightly to the side before she gave a small nod without saying anything.
He couldn't tell if she truly took it to heart, but there was a good chance she was still trying to carry everything by herself. Then again, what if it worked?
Just as the room fell into an awkward silence, the office door was knocked on.
"Come in."
A knight entered and reported, "Acting Grand Master, a Fatui envoy is here to request an audience."
The word "envoy" instantly troubled Jean. The Fatui had come again—time to deal with more diplomatic nonsense.
"What's the envoy's name?" Jean sincerely hoped it wasn't the Harbinger "The Lady." That woman was a nightmare to deal with.
"I believe her name is Anastasia."
A low-ranking member of the Fatui. While not of high status, she wasn't easy to deal with either. As long as she kept clinging to the issue of how the Knights handled the Stormterror crisis, she'd be a major nuisance.
"I see. Then we'll meet…"
Jean hesitated—should she receive the envoy here in her office or in the Knights' meeting room?
But the reporting knight looked troubled and lowered his head.
"Acting Grand Master, the Fatui envoy requests that you meet her outside the Knight of Favonius Headquarters. She says time is tight and will not come in. She wants you to—"
No need to finish. It was clear—the envoy expected Jean to go out to meet her. Considering the dragon crisis had indeed affected Snezhnaya's interests...
"I see. Very well then." Jean decided to go out and meet the envoy.
As she moved to leave, Shao Yun raised his arm to stop her, looking at her with disbelief.
"Whoa, whoa, hold on a second—are you seriously going out there?"
He gestured toward the door, eyes fixed on Jean.
Jean looked confused for a few seconds before realizing what Shao Yun meant. She nodded.
"Yes. The envoy said it's urgent..."
Shao Yun almost laughed in disbelief. This was being too accommodating. Were there too many kindhearted people in the Knights? Had she lost her sense of judgment? This envoy clearly came to provoke and humiliate her.
"What, so the Fatui's time is valuable and yours isn't?" Shao Yun countered, then began criticizing her approach.
"This no-name Fatui can make you come out personally—what if it were the Harbinger 'The Lady' herself next time? Would you kneel for her?"
"You can be approachable with your own people, with your friends. But this is the Fatui. They're here to stir trouble!"
Still, Jean was hesitant—after all, it was a foreign envoy. Proper decorum had to be maintained.
"But as the Knights, we must offer foreign envoys the diplomatic courtesy they are due."
"You're not wrong, Jean, but this person is here to create problems."
"That whole hotel is full of supposed foreign envoys. Truthfully, only The Lady is an actual envoy. The rest are just 'Snezhnayan staff.' To put it less politely—they're spies."
Shao Yun was blunt in identifying the true nature of the Fatui stationed at the Goth Grand Hotel. Mondstadt had always known, but lacked concrete evidence.
"And even if we're talking decorum—you're the Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius..."
Jean raised a finger to correct him.
"Um, Acting Grand Master."
Shao Yun quickly amended himself and continued seriously.
"Right. Acting Grand Master. But you're still the highest executive authority in Mondstadt. If any nobody can call you out to meet them, aren't you just letting the Fatui trample over Mondstadt's dignity? That's not diplomacy—that's disgrace!"
Shao Yun's words made Jean pause. She gently pinched her chin, thinking it over carefully. It did make sense.
"So..." Jean looked at Shao Yun, slightly puzzled, seeking his recommendation.
Shao Yun's lips curled into a sharp, confident smile. His gaze sharpened.
"I'll go meet this Fatui 'friend' of ours. Let her learn the meaning of respect."
He paused and pointed toward the position in front of the Grand Master's desk.
"And we'll conduct this proper meeting right here. What do you think?"
Since Jean wanted Shao Yun to intimidate the Fatui, it was time to let Snezhnaya know where Mondstadt stood—otherwise, they'd continue to press their advantage.
"Just don't go overboard…"
"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
With Jean's permission, Shao Yun left the office, ready to confront the envoy.
Just then, a system prompt appeared, instructing Shao Yun to wear a face covering to conceal his identity.
What, I'm not going to rob anyone... But still—
He put on the mask. The system then explained its functions: it concealed his face to prevent recognition, offered wind and sand protection, and kept him warm.
Opening the Knights' gates, he saw a masked Fatui agent standing outside, arms crossed with an arrogant, punchable expression.
Seeing Shao Yun come out with his face covered, the envoy—Anastasia—spoke with clear disdain.
"What's this? Is the Knights of Favonius too ashamed to show their faces?"
"If you want someone with a face to receive you, you should've brought your own. Unfortunately, you don't have one. So, it's only fitting that someone like me, who 'can't show his face', is here to welcome you—someone who has no face."
Shao Yun's retort hit its mark. Anastasia was visibly annoyed and quickly tried to change the subject.
"I'm an envoy of Snezhnaya. I want to see Acting Grand Master Jean. Where is she?"
Shao Yun stepped aside and gestured with an inviting hand.
"Right this way."
Anastasia's eyes narrowed behind her mask. Her tone turned irritable as she stood her ground.
"My time is extremely limited. I request that Acting Grand Master Jean come out."
Shao Yun, unfazed and unwavering, replied coldly.
"Acting Grand Master Jean has been waiting in her office for some time. Please."
He emphasized the final word.
"I said—my time is urgent."
Shao Yun withdrew his hand and slowly stepped down from the stairs.
"If your time was truly urgent, you would've left a diplomatic note instead of standing here waiting. So now, I'm inviting you to the Knight of Favonius Headquarters to meet with Acting Grand Master Jean."
When he stood on level ground with her, Anastasia flinched. She thought she had misjudged—before her stood a tall, imposing man with an aura that said he could kill someone with his bare hands at any moment.
Shao Yun's right hand dropped onto her left shoulder. Anastasia instantly felt an overwhelming force, her chest aching from the pressure. But clearly, he hadn't used real strength—if he had, her entire arm would be useless.
He looked at her sternly, his eyes radiating clarity and force. His voice rang out loud and clear, each word cutting like steel.
"Acting Grand Master Jean has worked day and night to resolve the Stormterror crisis. And yet she honors you—a no-name Fatui agent—by inviting you to the command office of the Knights of Favonius. That is a tremendous honor!"
Then, pointing at her face, he threatened:
"If you keep pushing, insisting Jean come out to greet you—I'll throw you back to the Goth Grand Hotel and have Jean expel the entire Fatui from Mondstadt. When The Lady asks why, I'll say it was your unreasonable demand. What do you think she'll do to you?"
He leaned close to Anastasia's ear, his voice dripping with menace.
"Your airs are even higher than that Harbinger's. Think you can explain it away? Who do you think she'll believe? Even if she did believe you, it'd be too late—your whole operation would already be expelled. And when that happens, the losses… they're all on your head."
"How many heads do you have to spare, huh?" he barked at her, eyes blazing.
Anastasia's composure shattered. If Shao Yun had threatened to kill her, she wouldn't have been scared—at worst, her death would give the Fatui political leverage.
But this… this threat was different. If the Fatui were kicked out and she was blamed for it, she'd be doomed. The worst part was—she believed him. The man before her would absolutely do it.
Seeing that she was shaken, Shao Yun finally gave her a way out.
He removed his hand from her shoulder and instantly changed his expression, offering a warm smile as he invited the now nearly terrified Fatui agent inside.
"Now, please."