General 11
[Host, someone is following you.] 1551 suddenly warned.
Tang Xi tensed up. [Is it Shen Xing’s men?]
[Yes, it’s his shadow guards.]
[What should I do? If he sees me entering the palace and reports back to Shen Xing, my identity will be exposed!]
Tang Xi tried his best to stay calm, afraid that Nie Rong would notice something was off.
But as it turned out, his worry was unnecessary. How could the poop scooper not notice they were being followed?
Nie Rong led him through several winding streets before suddenly coming to a stop and patted Tang Xi’s head. “Your Majesty, please wait here. I’ll be right back.”
Tang Xi obediently stood in place. About three minutes later, the system informed him that the shadow guards had been dealt with.
Nie Rong wiped the blood off his hands. The air around him was so oppressive that even stray cats would flee at the sight of him.
Yet the moment his gaze fell on the obedient young emperor waiting for his return, his expression softened instantly. A certain part of his heart seemed to be struck.
“I’m back.”
His voice was low, tinged with an indescribable tenderness.
Tang Xi’s face reddened slightly. Thankfully, his mask covered it.
Under Nie Rong’s escort, he returned safely to the palace. In this world, martial arts and inner strength existed, and in the villain’s embrace, Tang Xi experienced firsthand what it was like to move with lightness skill.
Tang Xi: [In the next world, I want to be strong too.]
1551 glanced at the script in its hands. [That can be arranged.]
Thus, a cat and a system reached another agreement.
. . . . .
The next day.
Tang Xi stormed into court, fury written all over his face. The palace attendants trailing behind him dared not make a sound.
They merely assumed their young emperor was moody as always and thought nothing more of it.
For someone with the original character’s personality, being forcibly taken from the palace yesterday and then acting like nothing had happened today would have been completely out of character.
Since he still had use for Nie Rong, Tang Xi restrained himself for now.
Patiently, he waited for Shen Xing to finish speaking. As expected, Shen Xing suggested assigning Ye Baishang to the Ministry of Revenue—just as the original storyline dictated.
Tang Xi let out a cold snort. He still remembered how the Prime Minister had humiliated him the night before.
The man had treated him—the dignified emperor of a nation—like a mere courtesan.
For once, instead of giving his usual immediate approval, Tang Xi turned to Nie Rong instead.
“General Nie, what do you think?”
The court fell into an uproar.
The young emperor, consulting Nie Rong after the Prime Minister’s recommendation?
Had he truly changed?
This was a direct slap to Shen Xing’s face.
His jaw tightened sharply, a flash of anger flickering across his expression before he quickly suppressed it, maintaining his usual polite demeanor.
He was a master of scheming.
Nie Rong, without even sparing Shen Xing a glance, fixed his gaze on the young emperor. “This minister personally believes that sending Scholar Ye to the Ministry of Works would be more appropriate.”
At a mere glance from Shen Xing, a minister immediately stepped forward to oppose him.
The court quickly descended into a shouting match between two factions.
Tang Xi propped his forehead up, watching the spectacle with great amusement. Only when he sensed that Nie Rong’s side had gained the upper hand did he feign anger, putting on a show before decisively concluding, “It will be as General Nie suggests.”
The hall fell silent.
The lesser officials, fearing they might become scapegoats, dared not speak. The higher-ranking ministers, knowing that with Nie Rong’s presence any further argument was meaningless, also held their tongues.
Ye Baishang immediately stepped forward to express his gratitude.
Shen Xing nearly lost control of his expression. He stared at the young emperor, unable to believe that he had actually sided with Nie Rong.
But it was only a minor surprise. He had other ways to deal with Nie Rong.
The tiger tally.
Thanks to Shen Xing’s previous manipulations, this tyrant had long been itching to reclaim military authority. Even though he knew the timing wasn’t ideal, Shen Xing still spoke up. “Your Majesty, since the border regions have stabilized significantly, this minister believes it is no longer appropriate for General Nie to continue holding the tiger tally.”
A nearby minister shot him a look, subtly warning him that he was being too hasty. Shen Xing ignored it, suppressing the burning frustration in his chest.
The once docile emperor had humiliated him today. This lack of control was intolerable.
Advancing his plans slightly wouldn’t change the outcome.
What Shen Xing himself didn’t realize was how obsessive his gaze had become as he looked at Tang Xi.
Finally, Nie Rong deigned to acknowledge him. The corner of his lips curled up, just about to deliver a mocking retort—until Tang Xi’s next words sent him straight to hell.
“The Prime Minister is absolutely right.”
Tang Xi didn’t even dare look at his poop scooper.
He must be furious.
And he was. Nie Rong’s expression instantly turned cold. “What did Your Majesty say?”
Tang Xi, word by word, repeated himself—his gaze locked onto Shen Xing’s the entire time.
Nie Rong had never been this enraged before. His heart felt like it had been plunged into ice water.
It wasn’t that the young emperor wanted his tiger tally—it was that he had joined forces with Shen Xing to take it from him.
After using him to pave the way for Ye Baishang, he had turned around and stabbed him in the back.
Did he not understand what kind of person Shen Xing was? Was last night’s lesson not enough?
Nie Rong stared at that seemingly innocent face.
How could someone so sweet—like candied fruit—do something so infuriating?
He didn’t know how much time passed before he finally heard his own voice.
“This minister obeys the order.”
The tiger tally was something he always carried with him. If the young emperor wanted it, he could give it to him anytime.
“However, Your Majesty, I told you before that I would treat the tiger tally as a betrothal gift. If you accept it, that means you are my wife.” Nie Rong deliberately emphasized the word “wife.”
He watched with satisfaction as the young emperor’s face turned red.
A pair of clear, cat-like eyes burned with fury as they glared at him.
The others hadn’t reacted yet, but Huang Fanpei was the first to shout.
“Presumptuous!” He glared at Nie Rong like an unyielding young calf, his eyes no longer holding even a trace of admiration.
1551 sighed: [Host, you really are a bringer of chaos.]
Tang Xi was confused: [Isn’t Huang Fanpei supposed to be on the villain’s side?]
1551 chuckled without answering.
Tang Xi threw a full-blown tantrum in court and then swiftly slipped away.
[That was intense! I thought I was going to get beaten up just now. QAQ]
1551: [Relax, your poop scooper wouldn’t hit you. But in bed… that’s another story.]
Tang Xi was stunned: [??? Give me back the innocent system I used to have!]
Just as he was bickering with 1551 in his head, the door suddenly swung open.
Nie Rong swaggered in.
Behind him, Tang Xi saw the unconscious bodies of Eunuch De and the palace guards lying on the ground.
Oh no. Things were about to go south.
Nie Rong hadn’t even left the palace after court. Instead, he had come straight to find the young emperor, knocking out everyone he encountered along the way.
He stepped closer and closer, watching as the young emperor retreated in fear. He chuckled softly. “Now you know fear?”
Tang Xi bristled like a cat baring its claws. “Stay back! I-I’ll call for someone to arrest you!”
Nie Rong’s gaze was amused. “Call who? Those useless imperial guards?”
He finally stood right in front of the young emperor, reaching out to pinch the soft skin at the back of his neck. Watching the fear in those cat-like eyes well up into tears, he let out a slow sigh. “Now you’re scared? But just a moment ago, you had the guts to stab me in the back?”
Tang Xi immediately surrendered. “I was wrong! I don’t want your tiger tally anymore!”
“Too late.”
Nie Rong gently scattered some powder, watching with satisfaction as the young emperor collapsed weakly into his arms.
He should have done this sooner. Such a fragile, delicate little thing—he needed to be protected properly.
. . . . .
When Tang Xi opened his eyes again, he found himself inside a swaying carriage.
If he had known his poop scooper would be this angry, he wouldn’t have asked for the tiger tally.
Tang Xi felt like crying but had no tears.
1551: [Silly cat, the problem isn’t the tiger tally. The villain feels betrayed.]
Nie Rong had once been betrayed on the battlefield by his closest brother. Ever since then, he hated nothing more than being stabbed in the back.
Even though Tang Xi knew that taking the tiger tally wasn’t a big deal in itself, from Nie Rong’s perspective, the young emperor had genuinely tried to seize his military power—perhaps even conspiring with Shen Xing.
Tang Xi: […Why didn’t you tell me earlier?]
1551 played dead.
Hearing the sounds of movement inside, Nie Rong swung himself off his horse and entered the carriage.
The once-spacious compartment suddenly felt cramped with him inside.
Tang Xi curled up into a small ball, trying to look as frightened as possible.
The original character of this body had always responded better to force than to kindness.
Seeing the young emperor so afraid of him, Nie Rong felt a sharp pain in his chest.
To avoid giving himself away, he forced a smile and spoke casually, “We’ll be there soon.”
His tone was so natural that it sounded as if they were simply out for a leisurely spring outing.
Tang Xi shrank into the corner warily. “Where are we going?”
“To my territory.” Nie Rong suddenly smirked mischievously and reached out to touch him.
His poop scooper seemed… upset.
Tang Xi was keenly aware of Nie Rong’s sadness, even though he was smiling.
He wanted to hold him, to tell him that he felt the same way. But he couldn’t say anything, couldn’t do anything—he had to put on an act, to stab at his heart with feigned resistance.
“I was wrong… The palace can’t be without me,” Tang Xi muttered, lowering his head.
Nie Rong reassured him, “Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, no one can take your throne away.”
He had only wanted to scare the young emperor a little, to give him a small punishment. He never actually intended to harm him.
Though it looked like he had recklessly abducted him, in reality, everything had been arranged. Aside from his most trusted subordinates, no one would know that the person inside the palace was no longer the real emperor.
Since he couldn’t resist, he might as well endure it. Tang Xi sulked the entire journey, trying every trick in the book—threats, persuasion, bribes—but Nie Rong remained unmoved. By the time they arrived at an unfamiliar town and checked into an inn, Tang Xi gave up completely.
As an emperor, he was accustomed to the finest luxuries. How could an ordinary inn possibly be acceptable?
“I don’t want to stay here. I want a big house,” Tang Xi demanded.
Nie Rong coaxed him patiently, “It’s just for one night. Bear with it.”
Tang Xi frowned and pointed at a chair. “Wipe it down for me.”
Without hesitation, Nie Rong wiped the chair and helped him sit down before pouring him a cup of water. “Do your feet hurt?”
He suddenly recalled the time he had held the young emperor’s foot—it was so soft, so delicate. There was no way he was suited for walking.
He was only suited to being carried in Nie Rong’s arms.
Tang Xi shot him a puzzled look.
He had spent most of the journey in the sedan chair and had only taken a few steps. How could his feet possibly hurt?
The inn was rather remote, so aside from their group, the main hall was empty. With his back to the others, Nie Rong knelt down and removed the emperor’s shoes and socks without asking for permission, taking one of his small, pink feet into his hands and resting it on his knee.
The rough calluses on Nie Rong’s palm rubbed against the tender skin, sending a strange, tingling sensation through Tang Xi’s foot.
His waist nearly gave out from the shock, and he angrily hit Nie Rong with his fist.
But Nie Rong remained unfazed, seriously examining the emperor’s feet, making sure both of them were unscathed and as pale and delicate as ever.
His expression was so serious that, for a brief moment, Tang Xi actually doubted whether he was messing with him.
Maybe… he was genuinely concerned.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Nie Rong rubbed the sole of his foot a few more times.
Tang Xi’s face flushed red.
This man was definitely toying with him!
Nie Rong’s tall figure completely shielded what he was doing from view. To the others, it simply looked like the spoiled young emperor was making yet another unreasonable demand.
As he helped the emperor put his shoes back on, Nie Rong instructed the innkeeper to prepare three upper-class rooms.
Tang Xi looked at him, then at Zhang Xiaosheng and Xiong Cheng, who had traveled with them. He kicked Nie Rong with his foot. “Why are there only three rooms when there are four of us?”
Xiong Cheng, who had already learned that this young man was the emperor, still didn’t understand why the general had abducted him. But watching how casually the emperor treated Nie Rong, he couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat on his behalf.
Having followed the general for years, he knew firsthand that Nie Rong’s reputation as a “God of Slaughter” wasn’t just an exaggeration. And yet, the young emperor treated him so nonchalantly—it was terrifying to watch.
And this time was no different.
Xiong Cheng stared blankly as the general, with a patient expression, gently spoke words that sent chills down his spine:
“Because you have to stay under my watch at all times.”
As expected, the young emperor was furious and kicked him twice more.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, they had all started referring to each other as commoners. Fortunately, the emperor didn’t want to be recognized either, so he cooperated on that front.
Xiong Cheng thought to himself: For the life of me, I can’t tell which is scarier—the general, who dared to abduct the Son of Heaven, or the emperor, who has the audacity to boss him around.
Author’s Note:
He accomplished what the last world’s villain failed to do—forcefully abduct and keep the little emperor! (kidding)