After Scheming Against the Enemy Nation’s Emperor, I Got Pregnant Chapter 83

Xiao Yun sat there, his face going green then white for a long time, before roaring, “That d*mn old con man tricked me!”

“…Wasn’t that your great-grandfather?” Xie Zhe said in despair. “How could this happen?”

Xiao Yun’s mind flashed through the blurry memories before he passed out: he’d asked if the old man would agree, and the old man had laughed and said, Come, come, let’s drink…

“D*mn it! He never said he agreed! He played me! Got me drunk, sweet-talked me—he was waiting for me to get wasted so he could throw me out!”

Xiao Yun completely lost it, his rage flaring wildly as he nearly flipped the roof off the carriage.

“…How could this happen?” Xie Zhe asked. “Your Majesty didn’t even ask him for troops, didn’t make things difficult, and the two requests were so simple…”

Xiao Yun gnashed his teeth. “D*mn it, can’t you see? I told him I was going to attack Nanruo, so he played dirty and kicked me out. He clearly plans to openly help Nanruo now!”

Xie Zhe’s eyes widened. After a moment, he asked quietly, “Are you really his great-grandson?”

“…Shut up! Who the h*ll wants to be?!” Xiao Yun sneered. “So what if they have 200,000 more troops? If I don’t take Nanruo, I’m no man!”

Xie Zhe felt both bitter and amused. Xiao Yun had never been played like this in his life.

Clearly, only a hustler like his great-grandfather could out-hustle him.

Their forces were all still outside the border. Only a few guards had come with them. Though Xiao Yun was furious, he hadn’t lost his rationality. Knowing the disparity in power, he didn’t resist recklessly but rode ahead with a grim face.

Seeing his mood, Xie Zhe cautiously asked, “…How do we find Xie Caiqing?”

Xiao Yun scoffed, “Find? No need. Just go ask Jiang Huaiyi directly! If he won’t give him up—we fight!”

Xie Zhe nodded solemnly.

Indeed, threats and robbery suited Xiao Yun best.

He frowned and said, “Our men won’t arrive for a few more days, and even then, we’ll only have seventy or eighty thousand. Duan Wang’s poison arrow battalion is terrifyingly deadly…”

Xiao Yun snorted, “I’ve already developed the antidote. My cavalry is second to none under heaven—it’s time they witnessed it. Let’s see if that snot-nosed Duan Wang can handle it.”

Xie Zhe felt somewhat reassured. Xiao Yun was a veteran of countless battles, known for defeating larger armies with fewer men and for achieving miraculous victories. There wasn’t a city in the world he couldn’t break through. Even the most impregnable fortresses crumbled before him.

…

The next morning, as Taifei was serving porridge, she couldn’t help but laugh upon seeing Jiang Huaichu.

Last night, she had watched him with her own eyes imitating the old master’s handwriting, confidently writing the three bold characters: “Deported From Country.” Each stroke had been powerful and satisfying.

“Didn’t sleep well again? Is it tormenting you?” she asked.

Jiang Huaichu shook his head, smiling faintly. “I slept very soundly.”

Taifei blinked in surprise and stared at him. Indeed, he looked noticeably more refreshed and radiant than the day before.

Jiang Huaichu gently touched his slightly rounded belly. “I don’t know what happened, but ever since Xiao Yun arrived, it’s stopped tormenting me. Maybe it’s afraid of its uncle. Pretty clever.”

Taifei: “…”

It was true. Last night, Jiang Huaichu had rushed back to the palace to report everything to the emperor. Upon hearing Xiao Yun was planning to attack Nanruo, Jiang Huaiyi had stared at the little Wangye’s belly like he wanted to tear it apart.

If Jiang Huaichu had thrown up at that moment, once the child was born, Jiang Huaiyi really might have beaten its butt to a pulp.

Taifei asked, “What about Xiao Yun’s military action?”

Jiang Huaichu replied, “I’ve postponed my marriage with Yan Er.”

Taifei blinked. “You… surely you’re not thinking of going to the border?!”

Jiang Huaichu said nothing.

Taifei’s voice trembled with fear. “You… you can’t go like this!”

Now she understood what the steward had been fussing about all morning.

“Didn’t you say you’d be staying at Miluo for a few days?”

Jiang Huaichu calmly said, “With the enemy at our gates, everything else can wait. I can’t rest easy if I don’t go to the border. Huo Xiao and the others can’t handle this alone, especially with Xiao Yun. I know Xiao—”

“No!” Taifei was beside herself.

“The pregnancy is stable,” Jiang Huaichu tried to reassure her. “I know my own body. I won’t risk myself. You don’t—”

“It’s not just that!” The usually thick-skinned Taifei blushed, lowering her voice. “Don’t take it lightly—do you know what happens in the fourth month? The child changes every two days! Right now, maybe you can still hide it, but who knows how long you’ll be stuck at the border dealing with Xiao Yun? When your belly really starts to show…”

Jiang Huaichu lowered his eyes. “I have to go. No one knows Xiao Yun better than I do. Besides…”

He paused, then said lightly, “If Xiao Yun really breaks through the city, I can always go to him. Didn’t he say he came to find me anyway? Worst case, I marry him and become his concubine. That’s the worst possible outcome.”

Jiang Huaichu hated wishful thinking and always prepared for the worst.

“You—!” Taifei was furious. She knew with Miluo’s full support, things wouldn’t get as bad as he said, but still she fretted, “You’re carrying a huge belly—what if your own men don’t realize, but the enemy does? What if they slander and mock you, spread rumors saying you’re pregnant out of wedlock, don’t know who the father is, pretend to be chaste but are shameless… Wouldn’t that shake morale?”

She took a deep breath.

Her words were harsh, but this was no time for sugarcoating.

Having spent so much time with Jiang Huaichu, she had heard plenty about the filthy tactics used in wartime.

Once real war broke out, enemies played dirty, and anything could happen.

Jiang Huaichu was silent for a while. “Even if they find out, they won’t suspect. I’m a man after all…”

“You’ve got a growing belly but no weight gain—of course they’ll suspect! And your bump is bigger than average!” Taifei was growing desperate.

“…Then I’ll try to gain some weight.”

This was getting more and more ridiculous. But one thing was clear—he was determined to go. Taifei finally understood.

“In any case, the pros outweigh the cons. I have to go,” Jiang Huaichu said with finality. “I don’t know martial arts, I won’t be on the battlefield. I’ll stay in the command tent, out of sight. You don’t have to worry—I won’t even see the enemy.”

Taifei pointed at him, gritting her teeth. “Xiao Yun is sly and ruthless—don’t you dare let him find out!”

Jiang Huaichu found amusement even in hardship, smiling with curved eyes: “So what if he finds out? It’s not his child anyway.”

“…” Taifei suddenly remembered that Xiao Yun took monthly medicine and was completely speechless.

Jiang Huaichu said seriously, “There are many things I can’t control. For example, if Wanliang finds out I’m pregnant, who knows what he’ll think. Time is precious, and there are more important things to do, so I don’t like dwelling on it. I just prepare myself mentally. What I can control is doing my part for Nanruo.”

He gently stroked his slightly rounded belly, and his expression softened noticeably: “I love it very much, and I’m willing to give everything to keep it away from rumors and gossip, to let it grow up happily. But I also love its uncle, and I love this country. There are other important people I need to protect.”

Taifei stared at him for a long while, her eyes growing misty. In the end, she sighed. “…Then go.”

…..

The news that the Emperor of Great Ning had gathered troops at the border to prepare for war against Nanruo spread across the country within two days, plunging the populace into panic.

Nanruo people were shrewd and gentle, skilled in trade—not like the naturally battle-hardened, strong-limbed people of Great Ning. Great Ning boasted large armies, countless renowned generals, and its emperor was publicly acknowledged as the second greatest commander in the world, capable of leading a million troops.

Before rumors of a possible national downfall could take root, word spread like wildfire that the old master of Miluo had personally gone to Duan Wang’s residence and publicly handed over the Miluo military seal, placing over 200,000 private troops under the prince’s command unconditionally.

That very evening, Duan Wang delayed his wedding, cast aside personal matters, and resolutely set off for the border to defend against foreign invasion—greatly calming public anxiety.

The hearts of Nanruo’s people were united in their hatred for Great Ning, especially its emperor Xiao Yun. Some women had already started using his name to frighten disobedient children: “If you don’t behave, that dog Xiao Yun will come kill you.”

…

Half a month later, outside the border of Nanruo.

Since Xiao Yun had gathered his forces there, Nanruo had completely closed its borders to Great Ning people.

The city gates were tightly shut, and the bridge over the moat had been raised. The moat surrounding the city was wide, fast-flowing, and formidable.

This was Nanruo’s second most important border fortress, Yeming Pass, directly bordering Great Ning. Once this gate was breached, the path into Nanruo would be wide open.

Yeming Pass sat atop rugged terrain, surrounded by lowlands, offering a clear vantage point from the watchtower. Dense forests and swamps, crawling with poisonous creatures, encircled the area, and the summer heat thickened the miasma.

Beyond Yeming Pass lay Junzhou, part of Great Ning.

Near the foot of the reverse slope below the city gate, countless military camps had been established. Seen from above, the tents were so neatly arranged that the layout itself formed the character “Xiao”.

Banners embroidered with the flamboyant character “Xiao” fluttered in the wind, bold and imposing, flapping loudly with every gust.

Inside the command tent:

“D*mn it! Two more bites!” Xiao Yun stared at the two bloody welts on his arm, looking thoroughly frustrated.

“…” Xie Zhe wiped the sweat from his brow. “Last night some soldiers reported hearing something rustling on their faces while sleeping. When they touched it—two fat, red centipedes, each thicker than a finger…”

“…” Xiao Yun muttered, “No wonder Xie Caiqing gave me that sachet. There’re way too many bugs here!”

Xie Zhe added, “The soldiers have started frying insects to eat.”

“…” Xiao Yun sighed, “Good thing I had the foresight to tell the rest not to come.”

Xie Zhe frowned. “But we’ve only got 70,000 cavalry.”

Right after being “escorted” out of the city, the Emperor had sent word that aside from the 200,000 troops stationed in the capital and the three border provinces including Junzhou, no more reinforcements were needed.

Xiao Yun said, “It’s fine.”

Xie Zhe hesitated. “But Nanruo has over 500,000 troops…”

“Fan harder,” Xiao Yun barked lazily at the aide with the giant fan. “So what if they’ve got 500,000? I’ve got over 2 million.”

Xie Zhe blinked. “Didn’t you send most of them back…?”

“Those fools in Nanruo and its neighboring countries think having two million troops assembled is a real threat,” Xiao Yun chuckled as he bit into a pear. “A threat only works when you haven’t made a move—that’s when it’s scariest.”

“…” Xie Zhe asked, “So that’s why you haven’t acted?”

He’d thought Xiao Yun had been laying low in the camp, swatting mosquitoes while cooking up a masterstroke. But it turned out he was just bluffing.

“That’s not all. The current troops are enough. They’re cavalry—attack or retreat at will. We’ll act when the moment’s right.”

Xie Zhe twitched a little. Was this really the legendary commander everyone feared?

Xiao Yun said lazily, “The reinforcements from the three provinces are here. If I can’t beat their 500,000 with 200,000, what kind of general am I? No rush. Their Duan Wang has locked the city up like a turtle—what’s the hurry?”

“…So Your Majesty’s done nothing for three or four days?”

They’d been camped here for over two weeks. The second wave of troops had arrived, and they’d settled in comfortably for days.

“Don’t underestimate me!” Xiao Yun snatched the fan and started fanning himself. “I’m negotiating with Duan Wang.”

Xie Zhe blinked. He’d been too busy with army logistics lately and hadn’t been in Xiao Yun’s tent much.

“Negotiating?”

“He’s helping me find Xie Caiqing. Give me the man, and I’ll withdraw.”

“…” Xie Zhe was silent for a long time before cautiously asking, “Didn’t you swear you wouldn’t be a man until you took Nanruo…?”

Xiao Yun replied without a hint of shame: “If I take it next year, or the year after, or the year after that, it still counts.”

Xie Zhe: “…”

He understood now—Xiao Yun had cooled down, gotten tired, and decided it wasn’t worth it. After all, if Nanruo holed up and refused to come out, it might take months of feeding the mosquitoes before any real progress was made.

Nanruo’s city walls were famously strong. With only two gates and 200,000 defenders inside, breaching the city would be extremely difficult.

Yeming Pass stood at a high elevation, allowing Duan Wang’s poison-arrow battalion to strike from above, turning the enemy into easy targets. A direct assault would be a sure path to heavy casualties—killing two thousand of the enemy while losing eight hundred of one’s own.

This was also why Nanruo had never been conquered in hundreds of years. The terrain made it easy to defend and hard to attack. To outsiders, the cost of invasion was too high and the rewards too low. Even if you did conquer it, it would be more trouble than it was worth—potentially even fatal due to poison or illness.

If things could be resolved through negotiation, that would be ideal for both sides.

Xie Zhe asked, “Didn’t Jiang Huaiyi refuse? Duan Wang agreed?”

Xiao Yun smiled meaningfully, “Yes. You don’t know—Jiang Huaiyi may have a deadpan face, but his younger brother is quite the clever one. Insightful, reasonable, easy to talk to—every word sincere. And very well-mannered.”

It was rare for Xie Zhe to hear the emperor praise an opposing commander like this.

Xiao Yun continued, “The kid may be young, but he’s way more reliable than his older brother—”

“Report!” A soldier burst into the command tent, breathless.

Xiao Yun’s smile widened. “There we go! Got a reply.”

….

Inside the main command post of the city.

Ice melted slowly in the basin, cooling the air. Mist swirled in the room.

Duan Wang, dressed in white, stood before a board where he had neatly pinned two letters from Xiao Yun in chronological order and was now reviewing them.

One of the letters had a hole in it—Xiao Yun had literally shot it into the gate of the command post from outside the city, brazenly threatening that if Nanruo didn’t hand over the “cheap little slut” Xie Caiqing who had offended him, he would show no mercy, and if they delayed, he’d chop off both the royal brother’s heads and hang them from the city gates as a warning.

Duan Wang hadn’t even known he had such a colorful nickname until he saw it with his own eyes.

He replied that no such person existed at his brother’s side, but agreed to help search.

Xiao Yun’s second letter was more ambiguous but included disturbingly detailed information about the person he sought—at first normal, but later including descriptions like: “skin smooth and fair like a luminous pearl, two moles between the collarbones aligned with the ones on the face, waist 29 inches, hips 27…”