General 12
Translator’s note: Apparently, using italics in certain sentences to distinguish between speaking in the mind and speaking directly ended up being confusing. So, I’ve decided not to use italics at all from now on. ಥ_ಥ
Tang Xi tested Nie Rong’s limits little by little and soon realized that although he had been taken away, Nie Rong didn’t actually treat him badly. As a result, he grew bolder.
In the room, he ordered Nie Rong to fetch hot water for his bath. Once Nie Rong had filled the large wooden tub, Tang Xi promptly dismissed him.
He slipped into the warm water, enjoying a luxurious petal bath. The flower petals had been delivered by the inn’s attendants, and he used them without a second thought.
1551: [He hasn’t left.]
Tang Xi: [Mm, I know.]
If he could have simply left while he’s taking a bath, he wouldn’t be a proper poop scooper.
The fact that Nie Rong was waiting quietly behind the screen was already considered decent behavior.
Tang Xi narrowed his eyes, feeling so comfortable that his small ears and tail emerged.
Ever since he had gained the ability to shift between human and feline features, he had gradually become accustomed to this half-human form.
The rising steam made his triangular ears twitch slightly.
Just as he expected, Nie Rong was indeed waiting behind the screen. He wasn’t staring at it, though—instead, his gaze casually rested on a decoration in the room.
With his profound internal energy, he didn’t need to peek to know exactly what was happening beyond the screen.
Scent and sound were often far more revealing than sight.
A faint but intoxicating fragrance filled the room—a blend of fresh soap, the unique scent of the young emperor’s skin, and a hint of dragon musk. The mix was overwhelming, completely dominating the space.
The soft splashes of water were crystal clear to his ears, as if the emperor were right beside him. Even the subtle movements of his hand stirring the water felt vividly close.
And beneath those floating petals, the faintly visible scene of bare skin…
Nie Rong glanced downward at his now-awake little brother and let out a slow, steady breath.
Awkwardly reaching out a hand.
“Your Majesty.”
Tang Xi tilted his head. “What’s wrong?”
“Is the water temperature okay?”
Tang Xi thought Nie Rong’s voice sounded a bit strange, as if it carried an inexplicable hoarseness.
Nie Rong adjusted his breathing, trying his best to hide what he was doing from the young emperor. “Your Majesty, talk to me more.”
With every sentence the young emperor spoke, Nie Rong grew harder.
Tang Xi ignored him and continued playing with the flower petals.
Nie Rong let out a rough breath. “What would Your Majesty like to eat later?”
When it came to food, Tang Xi immediately perked up and rattled off a long list of dishes.
He even specifically requested that the fish be carefully deboned, the beef be from the tenderest part, and the vegetables be the freshest and sweetest.
Nie Rong patiently guided him into conversation and finally ended it when the young emperor’s mouth had gone dry from talking so much.
Tang Xi suddenly heard a low, muffled grunt and curiously asked, “What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” Nie Rong replied, afraid of scaring the young emperor. He forcibly suppressed his rising desire using his internal energy.
The scent of flower petals and soap masked the lingering traces of anything ambiguous in the room, leaving Tang Xi completely unaware.
Dinner was served quickly, prepared exactly as he had requested.
As an emperor, Tang Xi didn’t care how such an ordinary and remote inn managed to produce such fine dishes.
But he was still curious, so he secretly poked at the system for answers.
1551: [Your villain was afraid you wouldn’t eat well on the road, so he even kidnapped one of your imperial chefs. He didn’t take him along the same route as you, but the food was prepared at another inn and then delivered here.]
Tang Xi was deeply moved. While feeling touched, he also felt justified in ordering Nie Rong to pick out the fish bones for him.
Nie Rong obediently peeled shrimp and removed the bones without complaint.
Those hands—hardened by the battlefield, stained with blood—were now serving another person for the first time. And yet, he was incredibly skilled.
It was as if he had done this for the young emperor countless times before.
. . . . .
The journey, originally a three-to-four-day trip by fast horse, was dragged out to ten days with the precious young emperor in tow.
Tang Xi was practically having too much fun to remember that he had been taken captive in the first place. He seemed more like a willing traveler than a hostage.
Having been confined within the deep palace since childhood, the young emperor had never experienced anything like this. Everything he saw was new and fascinating. And with Nie Rong’s meticulous care, he finally started showing a few friendly expressions toward the villain.
1551 occasionally reported on the palace’s situation.
[Ye Baishang has been sent to Xianshui Town, which has been hit by severe flooding by ‘you’.]
Tang Xi wasn’t worried at all. [The original protagonist shou is so capable. He’ll definitely figure out a way to control the flood.]
[He realized that the one in the palace isn’t you.]
Tang Xi was so shocked that he dropped the pastry in his hand. [What do we do?!]
1551 swayed slightly. [I don’t know. But it seems like he doesn’t intend to expose it.]
The imposter selected by the villain mimicked Tang Xi’s appearance and personality flawlessly.
Even Eunuch De, who served him closely, hadn’t noticed anything amiss.
So how did Ye Baishang figure it out?
Tang Xi suddenly felt a little curious.
His cheek was pinched, and Nie Rong leaned in. “What are you thinking about?”
Tang Xi covered his now-reddened cheek, dazed. “Thinking about Top Scholar Ye.”
The moment he said it, he regretted it.
Nie Rong’s face instantly darkened. “Heh, Your Majesty and he seem to have quite the close relationship.”
Before, the young emperor had even pleaded with him for Ye Baishang’s sake. Was that frail, bookish scholar really so important to him?
“If it were you, would you be able to tell that the one in the palace is a fake?” Tang Xi tilted his head at him.
A few days ago, Nie Rong had told him about finding someone to impersonate him. Now, he was using his curiosity as a way to change the topic.
Nie Rong gave him a meaningful look, as if he could see right through him.
“I would.”
Tang Xi blinked. “Didn’t you say you found someone who looks just like me?”
“Because the only emperor I serve is you.”
Tang Xi’s ears turned a little red.
His expression was too serious—it didn’t sound like sweet talk but more like a solemn vow.
Inside the carriage, the sounds of something indecent echoed, making one’s face flush red. Only when the carriage began to slow did the sounds gradually fade away.
By the time they stopped, Tang Xi’s eyes were tinged with red from the fierce kisses. This world’s poop scooper always kissed him so hard, as if he wanted to devour him whole.
This time was especially intense—his tongue even ended up bleeding.
As usual, the young emperor teared up and scolded him in his soft voice.
But with his delicate voice and soft demeanor, he looked far too easy to bully.
Nie Rong skillfully used his internal energy to suppress his own restlessness, then carried the young emperor out of the carriage.
“Let go of me! I can walk by myself!”
Tang Xi struggled in vain, completely wrapped up in Nie Rong’s black cloak.
Easily restraining him, Nie Rong whispered, “Be good. The roads here are rough. I’ll carry you to the tent first.”
Sensing the many eyes watching them from outside, the embarrassed young emperor fell silent and allowed himself to be carried.
[1551, where exactly has he taken me?]
1551: [To… The military camp.]
So that meant… he was now surrounded, inside and out, by Nie Rong’s people?
It was over. He really had no way to escape now…
Furious, Tang Xi ground his teeth and bit down on Nie Rong’s shoulder, leaving behind a wet mark.
Nie Rong’s steps faltered slightly, but his expression remained unchanged as he carried him into the tent.
Even though Nie Rong’s tent was the largest one, compared to the imperial palace, it was like heaven and earth.
Tang Xi looked around the tent, feeling a little sorry that his poop scooper had always lived in such conditions. But he still had to keep up his spoiled act and pretend to be dissatisfied.
His big, round eyes widened in grievance.
Just then, Xiong Cheng entered and overheard the young emperor’s unreasonable complaints.
The young emperor, who originally thought he would be looked down upon, watched in astonishment as the burly man became flustered just because of a few disdainful words from him.
Xiong Cheng even began to resent the general, thinking that someone as pampered and fragile as the young emperor should never have followed them here to endure such hardships.
Nie Rong glanced at the young emperor and let out a cold snort. “Spoiled.”
Yet, despite his sharp words, his actions were gentler than anyone else’s.
Tang Xi ignored his jealous and sulking poop scooper, slipping out on his own to wander around the military camp.
Before long, word spread throughout the camp—General Nie had brought back a handsome young noble and was doting on him immensely.
Only a select few knew Tang Xi’s true identity, but he roamed the camp freely, completely at ease.
At one point, Tang Xi noticed a few young soldiers assisting with tasks. They looked no older than eleven or twelve.
Soldiers at such a young age?
Nie Rong caught the doubt in his eyes and explained casually, “Some families are too poor to feed their children, so they send them to the army.”
Under Nie Rong’s command, such cases were rare. His Broken Feather Army was made up almost entirely of elite soldiers. The weaker, inexperienced children were usually sent to other units to be worn down by the hardships of military life.
The ones Tang Xi saw had actually been rescued by Nie Rong from elsewhere.
Tang Xi’s gaze softened with sympathy. In his world, children that age should still be in school.
A true tyrant would be indifferent, but Tang Xi—innocent as he was—couldn’t help but ask, “Why are their families poor?”
“My Da’an Kingdom is prosperous and peaceful. There shouldn’t be any poor people,” he declared earnestly. “I personally allocate a large sum from the treasury every year to help those who can’t even afford meat.”
No one had ever told him what the world outside the palace was really like.
Like a child who had never been taught right from wrong.
But the truth was, that money never reached the poor. The people who once couldn’t afford meat had now fallen to the point where they couldn’t even afford food.
Nie Rong guided him patiently, “Because that money ends up in the hands of a few… particular people.”
“Particular people?” Tang Xi tilted his head in confusion.
“The emperor should start reviewing memorials himself,” Nie Rong hinted before smoothly changing the subject.
Tang Xi absentmindedly toyed with his fingers. “But that’s the prime minister’s job.”
“And yet, it is the prime minister’s actions that have left so many starving.” Nie Rong cast a glance at the passing young soldiers.
He knew how soft-hearted the young emperor was.
The seeds of doubt Nie Rong had deliberately planted about Shen Xing were finally starting to take root.
“Then don’t let Shen Xing review them anymore,” Tang Xi said casually, as if he were disposing of an insignificant object. “General Nie, you do it instead. Make sure they have enough to eat.”
Nie Rong’s heart melted like sugar dissolving in warm tea, sweet and overwhelming.
After spending these past few days with the young emperor, he had learned one thing—Tang Xi was like a child who would follow whoever gave him sweets.
Easily swayed. Otherwise, Shen Xing wouldn’t have been able to manipulate him so thoroughly over the past two years.
Even though Nie Rong had taken him away, he had been nothing but attentive.
Though the young emperor fought him tooth and nail at first, his defenses had long since crumbled.
Unlike before—when even the slightest touch would set him off—now, if Nie Rong kissed him just right, he would even take the initiative to reveal his little cat ears, inviting him to rub them.
If Tang Xi was willing to entrust memorials to him, that meant Nie Rong had completely replaced the prime minister in his heart.
Looking down at the person he had sworn to protect, Nie Rong spoke softly, “Da’an Kingdom belongs to you, Your Majesty. You should govern it with your own hands. No one can take that from you.”
For the first time in his life, someone had acknowledged him.
Tang Xi had always wanted to handle state affairs himself, but real power rested with the prime minister and the general. As long as those two refused, he had no choice. His fate was to be raised as a useless emperor.
But now, someone was telling him—this was his kingdom. The nation’s affairs were his to manage.
Tang Xi looked up at Nie Rong, silent for a long moment, before finally responding, “Mm.”