General 5
The little emperor seemed to have been scolded to the point of tears. Realizing this, Nie Rong was at a loss.
Even he wasn’t sure why he had suddenly gotten angry. In an attempt to make up for it, he awkwardly moved the lighter dishes in front of Tang Xi, silently signaling for him to eat.
Tang Xi sniffled and obediently ate the food.
Seeing the little emperor being so well-behaved, Nie Rong’s heart softened a little.
By the time the meal was over, the tension between them had inexplicably eased.
Afterward, Nie Rong still wanted to linger by his side, but it took Tang Xi a great deal of effort to finally shoo him away.
Panting slightly, Tang Xi couldn’t help but think that the poop scooper in this world was even more shameless than before.
[1551, I think my caretaker has gotten even clingier.]
1551 refused to accept this “dog food” and metaphorically kicked the bowl over!
Since entertainment was scarce in ancient times, Tang Xi pestered the system into buying him movies to watch. Sprawled lazily on the recliner, one person and one system spent several hours indulging in mindless entertainment, fully embodying the definition of decadence.
Time passed quickly between gaming and movies, and before he knew it, it was time for the banquet.
This time, Tang Xi was prepared—he had no intention of touching even a drop of alcohol at the feast.
Last time, he was lucky that his poop scooper had taken him back to his quarters; otherwise, he might have transformed back into a cat in front of everyone. That was a risk he absolutely had to avoid this time.
As the eunuch announced his arrival, the top scholar of the imperial examination entered the hall at a measured pace. Dressed in red robes with flowing black hair, he exuded confidence and elegance.
Tang Xi, with the innate curiosity of a cat, stretched his neck slightly to get a better look. His bright eyes gleamed with interest as he joined the crowd in observing the new arrival.
Among all the scrutinizing and questioning gazes, Ye Baishang distinctly felt one that was purely filled with curiosity. He instinctively lifted his head—and his eyes met those of the little emperor.
Caught in the act, Tang Xi was startled and immediately averted his gaze, sitting up straight as if nothing had happened.
Like a mischievous kitten caught red-handed, he hurriedly pretended to be well-behaved.
Ye Baishang hadn’t expected the emperor to look so young—he seemed about the same age as his sixteen-year-old younger brother.
Originally, Ye Baishang had been somewhat dissatisfied with the emperor for not even showing up to the imperial examination’s final review. But after that single glance, all his displeasure melted away, replaced by a sense of familiarity—as if he were looking at his own mischievous younger sibling.
Born into a humble family, Ye Baishang had come to the imperial capital alone to pursue his ambitions. Though his mother and brother had sent someone to bring them together as soon as he passed the exam, they hadn’t seen each other in quite some time. So at first glance, seeing the little emperor filled him with a strange sense of warmth.
Moreover, the emperor seemed even more obedient than his own troublemaking little brother.
Tang Xi had no idea what the original protagonist shou was imagining, but he himself had almost broken character just now. He decided to restrain himself and stopped looking around, instead tilting his chin up slightly in an attempt to appear proud and imposing.
1551: …Should I remind the host that he doesn’t look fierce at all?
Not only did he not look fierce, but his proper posture made him seem even more well-behaved.
Seated not far below, Nie Rong watched this display and felt an itch in his heart.
He really wanted to tease him.
Ye Baishang paid his respects to Tang Xi, and after receiving permission to sit, he took his designated seat—right next to the Prime Minister.
Shen Xing gave him a polite smile. Still distracted by his earlier interaction with the emperor, Ye Baishang absentmindedly returned the gesture without much thought.
With the guest of honor seated, the banquet officially began. Ministers raised their cups, exchanging pleasantries as the lively atmosphere filled the hall.
Despite his humble origins, Ye Baishang carried himself with the poise of an aristocrat. He quickly engaged in lively discussions with the officials, blending in effortlessly.
He was a natural for court politics.
Shen Xing’s gaze darkened slightly. Adjusting his expression, he stood up with a smile and proposed, “The flowers in the imperial garden are in full bloom this year. How about we have a poetry contest?”
Nie Rong scoffed. “A petty game for scholars.”
It wasn’t that he was uneducated—on the contrary, as the biggest villain of this world, he was well-versed in literature and strategy. However, everyone only knew him for his military prowess, unaware that his scheming was just as formidable as his battlefield tactics. He simply had no patience for the refined pursuits of scholars and despised their flowery words.
In the original storyline, Nie Rong hadn’t attended this banquet. But not only had he shown up this time, he even deliberately embarrassed Shen Xing.
As soon as he spoke, the ministers who had initially intended to agree with the prime minister turned red in the face, caught in an awkward dilemma—neither responding nor staying silent felt right.
No one dared to provoke this fearsome man. Even those who usually sided with Shen Xing chose to remain silent.
At that moment, Tang Xi spoke arrogantly, “Boring. I don’t want to appreciate flowers anymore. I want to see something more exciting.”
He couldn’t break character, nor could he allow Shen Xing’s scheme to succeed.
In the original storyline, Shen Xing had also suggested playing the “Flying Flower Order” poetry game and even asked the young emperor to compose a poem. When the emperor failed to do so and felt humiliated, Shen Xing intentionally “saved” him by having Ye Baishang step in.
The protagonist shou, being young and inexperienced, fell right into the trap. How could a top scholar’s literary talent be anything but exceptional? With just a few casual lines, Ye Baishang won thunderous applause.
The ministers, under Shen Xing’s instruction, lavished praise on him, creating an immediate contrast between him and the emperor, who had just failed to compose a poem. Humiliated, the emperor lost his temper, and the banquet ended on a sour note.
Ye Baishang hadn’t expected the emperor to be such an incompetent and short-tempered person, and he grew disheartened.
But Tang Xi’s sudden and seemingly capricious remark unexpectedly eased the tense atmosphere.
Nie Rong chuckled, “Then how about I perform some archery for Your Majesty?”
He didn’t even realize how indulgent his tone had become when speaking to the young emperor.
They were still in the imperial garden, surrounded by rare and beautiful flowers. Shooting arrows here was highly inappropriate.
But who was the young emperor? A foolish ruler and a rough warrior—when it came to matters like this, they were perfectly in sync.
Tang Xi clapped his hands excitedly. “Great! Someone, bring the general a bow and arrows!”
A young eunuch presented a bow to Nie Rong. It was a fine bow, so heavy that it took two eunuchs to carry it over.
Yet, in Nie Rong’s hands, it still felt too light. He weighed it in his palm and remarked, “A bit too light, but it will do.”
The young emperor, being a teenager, was easily excited by anything entertaining. He pointed his fair, delicate finger at Huang Fanpei. “General Huang, why don’t you give it a try as well?”
Immediately, another bow was brought over.
The emperor’s smile was so sweet that it wasn’t irritating in the slightest. Instead, it made people instinctively want to indulge him. Without a second thought, Huang Fanpei stood up, excitedly accepting the challenge.
The emperor still remembers me! He must think highly of me!
Feeling an inexplicable rush of enthusiasm, Huang Fanpei walked up to Nie Rong’s side, eager to prove himself. He was determined to impress the emperor—and if possible, earn some praise in that soft voice of his.
Nie Rong chuckled. “General Huang, you may go first.”
“Then I won’t hold back.” Huang Fanpei cupped his hands in salute to the emperor, then did the same to Nie Rong.
By then, the eunuchs had already set up the targets.
They were placed quite far away—so far that Tang Xi could barely make out the bullseye.
Huang Fanpei swallowed nervously. It was impossible not to feel pressure—his opponent was a legendary war god.
But the adrenaline rush made his shot even better. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes slightly, released the arrow, and—bullseye!
“Impressive!”
“A remarkable young talent!”
“As expected of General Huang—like father, like son!”
The military officials clapped and cheered, showering him with praise.
Tang Xi also applauded, his youthful face lit up with excitement, looking far more vibrant than his usual arrogant and domineering self.
Huang Fanpei’s face flushed as he stared at the emperor, unable to form a single word despite his excitement. Yet, a trace of pride was already showing in his eyes.
Then, Nie Rong’s deep, magnetic voice rang out slowly—
“Your Majesty, I shall begin now.”
Tang Xi looked over.
Seeing that he had successfully drawn the young emperor’s attention, Nie Rong was satisfied. Only then did he pull back his bowstring, aiming casually with a nonchalant air.
The arrow shot off the string in an instant.
“General Huang’s arrow hasn’t even been retrieved yet—” The speaker gradually fell silent.
Nie Rong’s arrow had pierced straight through the center of Huang Fanpei’s arrow, splitting it cleanly in half before striking the bullseye itself.
The sheer strength and precision required for such a feat were terrifying.
The courtyard fell into stunned silence for a moment before someone finally reacted. Soon, thunderous applause erupted, far louder than the earlier cheers for General Huang.
The young emperor’s face was filled with amazement, his round eyes wide with surprise, making him look even more endearing.
Seated nearby, Shen Xing glanced meaningfully at Ye Baishang and remarked, “General Nie is truly impressive. It seems His Majesty is quite fond of him as well.”
How had the two of them grown so close in just a single day?
Ye Baishang, however, showed no sign of displeasure at having his spotlight stolen. Instead, he smiled faintly. “Indeed. They say General Nie possesses inhuman strength and can take on a hundred elite warriors alone. I once thought such claims were exaggerated, but seeing him in person, I now know they were true. For our Da’an to have a general like him is truly a blessing from the heavens.”
Shen Xing took a sip of his wine, his expression unreadable. “Is that so?”
It seemed this top scholar wouldn’t be easily swayed.
Meanwhile, Nie Rong paid no mind to the praise from others. What he liked most was how the young emperor’s eyes were filled with nothing but him.
He tossed aside his bow and strode forward in a few large steps, stopping right beside Tang Xi.
“Your Majesty, how was my archery?”
“Not bad.” The young emperor nodded with an air of restrained dignity.
“Will there be a reward?”
Who directly asks the emperor for a reward? If I were truly a tyrant with absolute power, I could have your head chopped off right now.
Tang Xi could only grumble inwardly, but in reality, he was just a powerless puppet.
Feigning thoughtfulness, he blinked and suddenly had a mischievous idea. “There are many beauties in my harem. Why don’t I grant you one of the unmarried concubines as a reward?”
Now that was the kind of reckless behavior befitting an incompetent ruler.
“Your Majesty mustn’t!” An elderly minister immediately dropped to his knees in protest.
Tang Xi deliberately acted unreasonable. “The women in my harem are mine to deal with as I please!”
In truth, he found the concubines to be quite troublesome. He constantly worried that one day, he’d be forced to “favor” them.
Just as the old minister was about to bow his head again and continue shouting about propriety, he was abruptly cut off—by Nie Rong, whose expression had darkened.
He fixed his gaze on the young emperor, his voice slow and deliberate as he asked, “Your Majesty, do you have… a lot of beautiful women in your harem?”
1551: [Oh no, dumb cat, you’ve really messed up this time.]
Author’s Note: Cat ears coming in the next chapter!