That night, Huo Xiao burst into the command hall with a furious look on his face. “Your Highness, Xiao Yun’s army has arrived outside the city. They’re hurling insults at the gates!”
Jiang Huaichu calmly asked, “What are they saying?”
“They’re calling us… cowardly turtles,” Huo Xiao seethed. “They said if we’re so capable, we should just stay holed up forever. Told us not to waste their time—just admit we’re spineless grandsons of turtles and they’ll leave. They even said they’d tell the world that Jiang Huaiyi of Nanruo is a giant turtle, and Duan Wang is his little turtle brother…”
The generals erupted in rage. “How dare they?!”
Jiang Huaichu’s face darkened slightly, but he remained composed. “Do not lose your temper.”
The soldiers of Northern Ning had learned from their emperor. Their insults were practically an art form—so potent that many countries had sought lessons. Those mouths alone had already laid low countless generals. It was a true “victory without a fight”—psychological warfare at its finest.
“They even called Duan Wang… shameless and dishonorable, said he had no shame even at his age.”
The generals glanced at the stone-faced prince, fists clenched.
Huo Xiao grit his teeth. “They say if we don’t come out, they’ll just keep yelling until we do. They have endless supplies, and their million-strong reinforcements are on the way…”
“Your Highness, allow me to lead 5,000 troops to battle!”
“We can’t let them run wild! Do they think Nanruo has no warriors?!”
One officer spoke more cautiously: “We must not fight. Nanruo’s defenses are impenetrable. Our troops inside the city are well-equipped with armor, spears, and archers. Defense is our strength. If we open the gates, Xiao Yun’s cavalry will storm in. If the gates fall…”
“Exactly,” said another man with a calm demeanor. “We absolutely must not fall for their provocation.”
One man protested, “So we’re just going to let them insult us? We have the support of Miluo and over 400,000 troops. The enemy is provoking us like this, openly insulting His Majesty and Wangye, and we’re just going to cower and do nothing? What about morale? What will the common people think? What will the world think?”
The calm man replied, “No matter what, we must not open the city gates! We must not act on reckless courage! Endure for the moment—for the sake of the people.”
Another chimed in, “Indeed, we should hold the defense. With Emperor Xiao of Great Ning personally leading the army, their morale is bound to be high. Our troops are already intimidated just hearing it’s the emperor himself. If we face them head-on, how could we possibly match them?”
The generals were in uproar. Most advised ignoring the insults, while a few insisted on going out to fight.
Duan Wang sat with an unshaken calm, his presence alone enough to steady hearts.
A man ran in from outside the camp and whispered something in Jiang Huaichu’s ear. He smiled faintly and waved him off. The man quickly left.
After more bickering, all the generals turned to Duan Wang. When they couldn’t decide, they left it to him—his decisions, even if initially opposed, always earned respect in the end.
“Wangye, please decide! We’ll follow your lead!”
Huo Xiao, who knew Jiang Huaichu well, believed Jiang Huaichu to be calm and prudent—never impulsive, always calculating, never one to fight unprepared battles. He expected him to refuse. But Jiang Huaichu smiled and said, “They’ve insulted both my imperial brother and myself, how can I not respond?”
The generals were stunned. “Wangye?”
Huo Xiao’s surprise quickly turned to excitement. “I request permission to lead troops out to fight!”
Jiang Huaichu shook his head and smiled lightly. “They call us cowards hiding behind closed gates? Then let’s open the gates and see if they dare come in.”
“Wangye?!” the generals gasped.
The Emperor of Great Ning, Xiao Yun, was famed for charging at the front lines. Opening the gates might be exactly what he wanted.
“Is this a ruse? An empty fort strategy?” someone asked.
Even if it was, it seemed too risky. Xiao Yun was notoriously unpredictable. No one could truly grasp his nature—and without that, there was no way to anticipate his decisions.
A cautious defense would seem safest.
Jiang Huaichu didn’t answer directly. He only asked, “Do you all trust me?”
The generals exchanged glances and answered without hesitation: “Of course we trust Your Highness!”
Jiang Huaichu smiled. “Then do as I say. Tonight, go home, drink and enjoy yourselves, reunite with your families. I’m giving you the night off.”
“Wangye…?” The generals were utterly confused. This wasn’t Wangye’s usual style.
Huo Xiao looked at Jiang Huaichu thoughtfully.
He knew what Jiang Huaichu had been doing these past few months.
Jiang Huaichu had likely figured out Xiao Yun’s personality completely—found the intrinsic weakness in his nature—and could now predict his decisions with absolute accuracy. That would explain his bold plan.
He had finally reached full understanding of his enemy. Even the fearsome Emperor of Great Ning was now within his grasp.
“I will capture the enemy general without losing a single soldier,” Jiang Huaichu said. “I stake my life on it. You may rest easy.”
The man seated at the head radiated composure, elegance, and confidence. His deep, calm gaze exuded a strategist’s control—reassuring and compelling loyalty.
With such a heavy pledge, and given Duan Wang’s long-standing reliability, the generals nodded. “Very well!”
Once everyone had left, Jiang Huaichu finally allowed his rigid posture to relax.
A dull ache tugged at his lower back. He furrowed his brow and gently adjusted his robes, eyes falling to the now nearly unhideable bulge beneath his clothes. He sighed.
Taifei was right—he’d underestimated how quickly the child would grow.
In just half a month, even in just his underclothes, standing sideways to the mirror, the curve was already too obvious. His waist had thickened by nearly double.
By day, he had to meet and discuss with his generals. At night, he had to be ready to rise at any moment. So he’d resorted to binding his waist—not too tightly, to avoid harming the child—but enough to make do.
When talking to others, he always sat at his desk—never stood. He moved about less and avoided appearing in public. His clothes had become looser and heavier. Thankfully, he didn’t fear heat, and the city had ice storage to cool the command residence.
Even so, the generals’ glances lingered longer on his midsection. Their looks had shifted from teasing about weight gain to subtle suspicion.
He had at most half a month left. After that, he would no longer be able to hide.
He had to force Xiao Yun to retreat within those two weeks.
Jiang Huaichu clenched his jaw, the image of that laughing, cursing, flamboyant man filling his mind.
It was all his fault.
…
Outside Yeming Pass, under the moonlight, Xiao Yun removed his silver-gleaming helmet and cradled it in one arm. Clad in sharp, heavy armor, the moonlight poured over him in cold, gleaming streams.
He stood tall and lean, shoulders square, waist taut. His face was striking—handsome and stern, like a war god—intimidating and unassailable.
But then he opened his mouth—and ruined the image completely:
“These turtle b*stards could hole up till next year and I wouldn’t bother with them. They’re interrupting my beauty sleep! I’ll just seduce one of their girls into opening the d*mn gate.”
Xie Zhe: “…”
Xiao Yun lazily continued, “Tell our boys: whoever curses loudest or the most creatively gets a silver reward. I’m all about fairness—everyone gets a shot. Rotate every hour.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
Xiao Yun looked up at the stone-faced soldiers on the wall and snorted with satisfaction. “We’ll make sure Duan Wang learns the price of pissing me off. If he’s so proud of his turtle shell, I’ll spit on it for him.”
When Xiao Yun thought about how the esteemed and ceremonious Duan Wang—whose adherence to propriety rivaled even Jiang Huaiyi—must be turning green and pale from the insults, losing his appetite and sleepless, he felt nothing but delight.
Xie Zhe: “…Yes, Your Majesty.”
Xiao Yun said, “If they don’t come out by noon tomorrow, pull everyone back. We’ll prepare for a full assault.”
Xie Zhe was startled: “Tomorrow? That soon?”
Xiao Yun replied impatiently, “I didn’t come here to play a waiting game with Duan Wang. Who does he think he is?”
Then he blinked and grinned: “I came here to find my little sweetheart.”
“…Little sweetheart?” Xie Zhe froze, thoroughly uncomfortable. He thought of how a few days ago, whenever the name Xie Caiqing came up, the emperor would curse and grumble. Hesitantly, he said, “Your Majesty was deceived in both heart and body. Why are you calling him that now…”
“What are you talking about,” Xiao Yun turned to look at him, “Your brain’s gotten way too rigid.”
“…?” Xie Zhe stared at him in complete confusion.
Xiao Yun lazily explained, “Duan Wang told me Jiang Huaiyi never had such a person beside him. I don’t think that’s a lie. People loyal to me inside the palace also found ways to pass the word—Jiang Huaiyi doesn’t have anyone named Xie Caiqing with him. So that means Xie Caiqing isn’t with Jiang Huaiyi—he must be mine. That makes him my little sweetheart, obviously.”
Hearing this line of reasoning, Xie Zhe looked bewildered for a while, speechless. He cautiously said, “But Your Majesty was tricked, both in heart and body…”
“I haven’t forgotten!” Xiao Yun said with a grin and a curse. “I’m not shameless, alright? But think about it: once I find him, I’ll confront him loudly and harshly, and then over the next two and a half months, he’ll think more and more about how I’m so much better than Jiang Huaiyi—more caring, more handsome, and I’m the emperor, the best in the world. He’ll be filled with regret, come crawling back with apologies, begging my forgiveness with his body, swearing undying loyalty. And I’ll generously forgive him, take him back, and we’ll live happily ever after. Isn’t that the definition of a sweetheart?”
Xiao Yun added, “Do I have to walk you through every step for you to get it? Learn to deduce, will you?”
Xie Zhe silently thought: You can’t just skip the whole process and jump straight to calling him your sweetheart…
Xiao Yun lost interest in further discussion: “I’m going back to sleep—”
Suddenly, the endless string of cursing came to an abrupt stop. The generals and soldiers of Great Ning all wore stunned expressions as they looked at the city gates, which had been boldly thrown open before them.
Several commanders rubbed their eyes in disbelief.
Across the wide, seemingly bottomless moat, the sturdy bridge—raised earlier to block them—had been neatly lowered by the defenders, as if they were welcoming them in.
Riding a tall horse, Huo Xiao emerged from the city with his head held high, stopping just at the edge of the bridge. He called out loudly to the dumbfounded enemy troops: “His Majesty the Emperor of Great Ning has honored us with a visit. Your eloquent and passionate demands were heard. Our Duan Wang says that as a junior, he naturally must show respect and cannot afford to be negligent. Thus, the gates have been thrown wide open to welcome the Emperor of Ning and his generals!”
With great flourish, he guided his horse to the side, clearing a wide path, and extended his arm: “Please!”
…
For a moment, chaos broke out on the other side of the moat. After a few seconds of uproar, the noise swiftly dropped to a whisper, as if the soldiers were afraid their hesitation might be seen as cowardice.
Xiao Yun stared at the open gates, his expression unreadable.
Xie Zhe only recovered from his shock after a long moment. He thought: Duan Wang is truly a remarkable man—brave, unpredictable, with a level of unorthodoxy that rivals the emperor himself. No wonder the people of Nanruo revere him as a divine figure.
Zhang Yuanqi approached Xiao Yun and whispered, “Your Majesty, there’s no one manning the gates, but the guards on the walls look extremely smug. There must be an ambush inside the city.”
Meng Heng quickly responded, “Impossible. Just an hour ago, our informants in the city reported no movements. Even if there is an ambush now, there hasn’t been enough time to prepare a proper one. If there is, we’re ready for it, and any losses would be minimal.”
“But if it’s poorly laid, why would they be so blatant in opening the gates? Aren’t they afraid we’ll charge in?”
“Isn’t it obvious? We’ve insulted them to the extreme, they’ve lost face. Of course they want to give us a taste of our own medicine, to humiliate us in turn!”
The fierce-looking, burly Zhang Kui said, “D*mn it! The gates are wide open—how can we not enter?! If we don’t go in, we’ll be the laughingstock of the world! What if it’s just an empty bluff? What if there really is no ambush, and they’re just counting on us being too scared to go in?”
“But Duan Wang is known for being cautious and prudent. Would he really risk everything on such a petty retaliation? There has to be a well-laid trap.”
“Exactly. If it were His Majesty, it wouldn’t be surprising. But this is Duan Wang…”
Xiao Yun frowned.
Though arrogant, he still believed in knowing oneself and one’s enemy. From what he knew, Duan Wang was a restrained, cautious man—he wouldn’t take such a risk just for pride. If he dared to do this, there must be an ambush. But Duan Wang was also a master strategist. What if he’d calculated that Xiao Yun would assume there was an ambush and therefore not enter?
Then Xiao Yun would have walked right into a psychological trap, and Great Ning would be mocked across the realm.
If he entered, there might be an ambush—losses would be high. If he entered and it was a bluff, they could deal a heavy blow to the enemy.
If he didn’t enter, he would avoid an ambush for sure—but they’d be ridiculed no matter what.
And if he entered and there was an ambush, the humiliation and casualties would be devastating.
So of the three possibilities, only the second—no ambush and a decisive victory—favored them.
The other two led to losses: either of face, or of face and troops.
Not entering meant only losing face, which was the “middle” option.
Entering could result in either a great victory or a great defeat—best and worst case scenarios.
Duan Wang was betting that Xiao Yun wouldn’t dare to enter. Because in this game, two out of three outcomes spelled defeat for Xiao Yun—he’d lose either badly or mildly. There was no reason to gamble.
After all, reinforcements for Great Ning had yet to arrive. Once their forces joined, Great Ning would have a clear upper hand. For now, they only had seventy thousand cavalry—not worth risking it all on this unfair bet.
This was a battle in which—even if he simply did nothing and hesitated for three minutes—the other side would put on a show of regret, slamming the gates shut again, and he’d still lose.
Duan Wang’s meaning was very clear—he was forcing him to swallow a bitter loss in silence, mocking him as a cowardly turtle, and reclaiming the upper hand.
Xiao Yun suddenly found himself a little admiring of Duan Wang. So young, yet he could read an enemy’s mind to this extent and had such courage.
But that was against ordinary enemies.
He, however, was Xiao Yun.
The boy was underestimating him far too much.
Was he someone who could be led by the nose by some snot-nosed brat?
Losing would be a minor loss—after all, only an hour had passed, so Duan Wang wouldn’t have had time to set up an elaborate ambush. But if there was no ambush, then winning would be a great win.
Why not gamble with him and play a round? The potential reward far outweighed the risk.
He was not about to let Duan Wang have his way.
He never believed in such superstitions and had never known fear. He loved gambling and games the most.
Duan Wang thought he had predicted the mindset of an average enemy—but that only made it all the more necessary for Xiao Yun to catch him off guard.
Across the river, Huo Xiao tugged his reins arrogantly and laughed, “Our Duan Wang says that Nanruo is a land of etiquette and ceremony—of course we must extend the utmost hospitality. Why hesitate any longer, gentlemen? If you’re truly too scared to enter, then I fear your flowery words from earlier will need to be returned to you exactly as they were spoken!”
The Nanruo soldiers burst into raucous laughter and shouted in agreement.
The generals of Great Ning were flushed red with anger, especially Zhang Kui, who looked like he wanted to leap over and tear Huo Xiao apart with his bare hands, his double axes already itching for blood.
The message was clear—they had earlier called Duan Wang a cowardly turtle for not opening the gates. Now, the enemy was flipping the insult back on them, mocking them for not daring to enter.
An impossible situation.
The generals all turned to Xiao Yun, seething with righteous indignation, waiting for his command.
Xiao Yun smiled more broadly, speaking lazily, “Who will take the field?”
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