General 8
Song Xiuxiu was a bold and lively beauty whom the original character once encountered while traveling in disguise. Unlike the typical gentle and graceful women of Jiangnan, she stood out with her spirited and striking presence, which caught the emperor’s eye and led to her being brought into the palace.
Though born into a humble family, Song Xiuxiu was doted on by her three older brothers, who raised her to be outspoken and lively. Even after entering the palace, she paid little mind to the rumors about the tyrant emperor, her carefree nature making her one of the most unconventional figures in the harem.
Any other concubine would have never dared to behave so boldly in front of the emperor. Even those with the courage to seek his favor would have fled at the sight of Nie Rong.
Why did I happen to meet this person?
Nie Rong’s voice was laced with thorns. “Your Majesty, which one of your favored concubines is this now?” He bit down hard on the last two words.
“Your Majesty!” Song Xiuxiu ran up and clung to Tang Xi’s arm.
Nie Rong yanked the young emperor into his embrace with a forceful pull, shielding him possessively like a guard dog unwilling to share its food.
Tang Xi, growing weary of the commotion, half-closed his eyes and commanded, “Enough! All of you, stop!”
Seeing the emperor once again snatched away by that rude man, Song Xiuxiu’s eyes welled up with tears, spilling down her cheeks in pitiful drops.
The poop scooper actually made a young lady cry.
Tang Xi shot Nie Rong a glare before turning to console her. “Don’t cry. I’ll reward you with some beautiful pearls from overseas.”
“I don’t want them!” Song Xiuxiu’s tears halted abruptly.
“Then what do you want?”
“I want Your Majesty to visit my chambers tonight.” Song Xiuxiu, still a young girl at heart, blushed deeply after making her request, exuding a shy, feminine charm.
Nie Rong let out a cold chuckle. “His Majesty has already promised to visit my manor tonight.”
A mighty general, reduced to bickering with a mere young lady—where was his fearsome war-god image now?
Unrelenting, Song Xiuxiu protested, “Your Majesty, ever since you brought me back from outside the palace, you have yet to favor me even once!”
At those words, Nie Rong’s expression visibly brightened, his gaze toward the young emperor flickering with something unreadable.
Like a big dog catching the scent of meat.
If this were the original character, he might have felt his dignity slighted and rebuked Song Xiuxiu immediately. But Tang Xi couldn’t bring himself to punish a girl, so he merely tried to maintain a stern expression.
Unfortunately, Song Xiuxiu didn’t notice and, emboldened by the lack of reprimand, pushed further. “Your Majesty, I’ve heard from the other concubines… even when you visit their chambers, you never actually favor them. Could it be that you—”
“Enough!” Tang Xi’s voice carried a hint of flustered anger.
This time, he truly had to act. He couldn’t break character—some form of punishment was necessary.
If word got out that the emperor had yet to favor any of his consorts, people might start questioning whether he had… certain issues.
“Guards! Take Consort Xiu away and confine her for two months!”
Compared to the original character’s usual punishments—either a beating or execution—this was already merciful.
Realizing her mistake, Song Xiuxiu fell silent, looking stricken.
Just then, her personal maid, who had been left behind earlier, finally arrived, panting from the rush. The moment she heard the emperor’s decree, she was so frightened that she immediately pulled Song Xiuxiu down to kneel.
Neither of them dared to plead for mercy; they simply trembled, too terrified to speak.
Everyone knew that the little tyrant despised people begging on another’s behalf—the more they pleaded, the harsher the punishment.
Tang Xi let out a cold huff, flicked his sleeve, and strode away.
His pace was quick, as if afraid he’d run into another unwanted encounter in the imperial garden.
Otherwise, the poop scooper would throw another ridiculous fit of jealousy, and he’d be the one to suffer for it.
Nie Rong, with his long legs, followed at a leisurely pace.
Thanks to Song Xiuxiu’s earlier words, his mood had vastly improved. The gloom from the past few days had all but vanished. Seeing the young emperor’s face flushed with frustration, he deliberately prodded, “So, Your Majesty truly hasn’t favored any of them? Could it be that you’re still a—” virgin?
Tang Xi shot back without missing a beat. “I hear that General Nie has yet to take a wife. Should I bestow a marriage upon you?”
Nie Rong remained unfazed. Instead, he let out a low chuckle. “I already have someone in my heart.”
Someone in his heart?
Has the poop scooper in this world already found someone they like?
Tang Xi froze, using all his strength to resist the urge to turn around. “Who is she?”
“A pampered nobleman,” Nie Rong said, his expression unreadable.
“Oh.” Tang Xi responded dryly after a long pause.
The two walked in silence for a while.
Nie Rong was so nervous that his palms were sweating. He wondered if the little emperor had caught on to his subtle confession.
Even his first time on the battlefield, taking a life, hadn’t made him this nervous.
But his hopes were destined to be in vain—the little emperor never once turned around to look at him.
. . . . .
Once the emperor speaks, even a four-horse chariot cannot chase his words1.
Tang Xi still ended up following Nie Rong to the general’s residence. He even refused anyone else’s company—he wanted to travel in disguise.
Taking off his dragon robe and changing into a plain blue outfit, the little emperor appeared even more innocent and harmless. His bright eyes and perfect features made him look like a young noble from a secluded paradise.
Nie Rong had arrived on horseback. He patted his prized warhorse and asked, “Does Your Majesty know how to ride?”
Every crown prince was expected to master horseback riding. However, Tang Xi had never been groomed as the heir. He had only ascended to the throne after both the crown prince and the former emperor had passed away, pushed into power with no preparation.
The so-called “useless” Tang Xi naturally shook his head. “I don’t. I want to take a sedan chair.”
And the sedan should come with the finest dried fruits and pastries, lined with the softest, most luxurious cushions.
Nie Rong was merciless. “There isn’t one.”
Then, before Tang Xi could react, Nie Rong grabbed him by the waist and lifted him onto the horse.
Tang Xi gasped, clutching Nie Rong’s sleeve in shock. “Nie Rong! How dare you?!”
Nie Rong’s lips curved into a faint smirk. “Forgive my offense, Your Majesty.”
He showed no sign of repentance.
Tang Xi sulked for a moment, but as the horse began to move, his curiosity got the better of him. He reached down to touch its sleek coat.
“Its fur is so smooth.”
Nie Rong patted the horse’s flank. “His name is Liangxing. He can run five times the distance of an ordinary horse in a day.”
Sensing his master’s praise, Liangxing happily snorted twice.
Tang Xi felt a twinge of envy. The original character had disliked Nie Rong for many reasons, one of which was his looks.
The original character had been jealous of men with strong, masculine features and particularly despised Nie Rong’s sharp, imposing presence.
Yet when it came to warhorses—wild and untamed by nature—the original character had always harbored admiration.
Tang Xi stroked the horse beneath him, completely fascinated.
Nie Rong noticed something and, with one arm still securely around the little emperor’s waist, asked, “Would Your Majesty like a horse of your own?”
“Does my royal stable ever lack horses?” The young emperor, who didn’t know how to ride at all, said without the slightest blush or hesitation.
The palace had no shortage of horses—he had simply never bothered to check.
Nie Rong coaxed him like he was speaking to a child. “Of course, Your Majesty has plenty of horses. But I happen to own a white horse with the same lineage and abilities as Liangxing, and I wish to present it to you.”
Tang Xi’s eyes lit up, his tone growing noticeably cheerful, though he still tried to act composed. “As powerful as Liangxing?”
“Yes.”
“Then I suppose I’ll accept it… reluctantly.”
Nie Rong pretended not to notice the young emperor’s excitement. “It is my honor, Your Majesty.”
In the bustling marketplace, galloping was not allowed, so Nie Rong deliberately had Liangxing walk at a slow pace.
Liangxing was an intelligent horse, and for the sake of its master’s romantic fate, it moved at the slowest speed of its life.
By the time they reached the general’s manor, the sun was already setting.
Nie Rong absentmindedly stroked Tang Xi’s waist, having taken every opportunity during the ride to subtly take advantage of the young emperor.
If only time could stop at this moment.
Tang Xi, oblivious as ever, thought the man behind him was simply keeping a steady grip on his waist to prevent him from falling, so he didn’t resist at all.
He was used to being served—so much so that he needed eunuchs to kneel and act as a step when he got off a sedan chair. So when Nie Rong lifted him off the horse, he didn’t find it awkward in the slightest.
“General, who is this?”
The elderly steward of the general’s manor came out to greet his master, his gaze filled with confusion as he looked at Tang Xi.
Just then, Nie Rong’s subordinates, Xiong Cheng and Zhang Xiaosheng, also came outside.
Xiong Cheng, a burly, rough-mannered soldier, immediately blurted out, “General! Where did you kidnap this obedient little young master from?”
Zhang Xiaosheng swiftly aimed a knifehand strike at Xiong Cheng, wanting to knock him out and drag him away.
That’s no young master—that’s the tyrant himself!
He had been to the palace with the general before, so he recognized the young emperor’s face.
Connecting the dots with what the general had discussed with him the night before, Zhang Xiaosheng, for the first time, had the urge to send Xiong Cheng to the borderlands forever—so he’d never return to the capital again.
Unfortunately, Xiong Cheng remained clueless. Even after being hit, he just scratched his head in confusion. “Zhang Xiaosheng, what’s wrong with you? You wanna fight or something?”
Zhang Xiaosheng shot him a look of warning, then prepared to kneel and pay his respects to the emperor—only to be stopped by a single glance from Nie Rong.
This time, the young emperor was traveling incognito. The lower the profile, the better.
Tang Xi, however, ignored everyone completely and strode straight into the general’s manor, paying no mind to what had just been said.
He was here to see for himself what—or rather, who—Nie Rong was hiding in his residence.
Was the concubine he favored secretly hidden away in the general’s manor?
The original storyline never mentioned this war-hardened villain having someone he cherished.
Nie Rong watched as the young emperor stepped into his territory, a strange sense of satisfaction welling up inside him—like a predator successfully bringing its prey back to its den.
“Go prepare the ingredients. Tell the cooks to make more meat and fish.”
“Yes, sir.” The butler recognized that the guest was of high status and dared not slack off. He hurried off to make the arrangements.
Nie Rong caught up with the young emperor. “Your Majesty, would you like to see my treasured collection?”
He looked like a knight eager to present his very best.
Tang Xi was highly sensitive.
Treasured collection? A hidden beauty?
“Take me to see it.”
Xiong Cheng, completely clueless, followed behind them, whispering to Zhang Xiaosheng, “Hey, don’t you think the general is acting just like a peacock showing off its feathers?”
Knowing the truth, Zhang Xiaosheng silently gave him a look of sympathy.
When you find out the truth, I bet you’ll be scared to death.
Nie Rong led the young emperor to the place where he stored his spoils of war.
Half of the war trophies he acquired had been secretly donated to the poor across the land. Another portion was given as rewards to his soldiers, and he kept a small part for himself. Only a tiny fraction was handed over to the national treasury.
Tang Xi, feeling a little tense, stepped into the room—only to be met with a collection of weapons gleaming with a cold, eerie light.
This is it?
For a moment, he couldn’t even keep a straight face.
Nie Rong pulled him further inside. “Your Majesty, I have lots of pearls.”
He casually took out a luminous pearl about the size of a fist, holding it as if it were just a plush ball cat toy.
With an eager tone, he said, “Your Majesty, show me that again today, and I’ll give you all my pearls.”
Tang Xi was momentarily stunned and instinctively took the luminous pearl. “That?”
Nie Rong, looking completely serious, uttered shameless words: “Your cat ears. I still want to touch them.”
Author’s Note: I want to touch them too!
- 皇帝一言既出驷马难追 (Huángdì yī yán jìchū sìmǎ nán zhuī) This means that a ruler’s words are final and cannot be taken back, emphasizing the importance of keeping one’s promises ↩︎