After Scheming Against the Enemy Nation’s Emperor, I Got Pregnant Chapter 90

The person beneath the veil had features too striking—every facial detail flawless, as if carved by hand. That face was unmatched in its beauty, but it was the unfathomable, still depths within those eyes that truly drew one in. Just one glance, and one could easily lose themselves. Xiao Yun stared at him, and his expression shifted from utter shock to overwhelming terror…

“Wife?!”

Xiao Yun wanted to throw the person off him like a hot potato, but found his hands stuck to Xie Caiqing’s waist, unable to move.

“You… aren’t you Duan Wang’s wife? Then that daughter of Duke Yi… are you… are you my wife’s… biological sister?”

The person in front of him said nothing. Xiao Yun knew how foolish he sounded and gave a sheepish smile, “W-wife… wife, what are you doing here?”

Still, not a word from the person before him.

“I-it’s not cheating, you see… she’s you too. Falling for the same person twice just proves how deeply I love you…” Xiao Yun stammered, but his words suddenly halted. His hands had touched something firm and distinctly round twice now—and the terrifying realization hit him.

“W-wife, your… your belly… why is it so big? Y-you just put on some weight while staying at your family’s, right?”

Finally, the person before him responded, voice trembling in fear and shame: “Patriotic, wake up. Let me go. I’m no longer your wife. I’m your younger brother Xiao Yun’s wife, and I’m pregnant with his child…”

“Xiao Patriotic?!” Xiao Yun’s face contorted in horror. “No no no, I’m not Xiao Patriotic! I’m Xiao Yun!”

“Patriotic, wake up.”

“I’m not Xiao Patriotic!!” Xiao Yun jolted upright from the bed, fully awake. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and a cold chill ran down his back. He panted slightly, eyes still clouded with a dark haze.

He recalled the dream, face alternating between ashen and red.

What kind of messed-up nonsense was that?

Xie Caiqing was pregnant…

The absurdity of that thought thoroughly frightened Xiao Yun.

It was all because he’d spent the day thinking about Xie Caiqing and pregnant women—that’s how the two merged in his dream. Terrifying. A grown man with a big pregnant belly… But honestly, Xie Caiqing was so exceptionally beautiful, like a celestial being, and his figure was perfect. Even with a belly, he still looked strangely good… Honestly, he always looked good.

Xiao Yun, bafflingly, had no trouble accepting that dream version of him and even felt they matched surprisingly well. So what if a man was pregnant? Xie Caiqing with a belly looked better than most women.

The thought amused him. If Xie Caiqing could really bear him a child like in the dream—that would be perfect, the pinnacle of happiness.

Their child would undoubtedly be the most outstanding in the world.

But then he thought—wait, he was the most outstanding in the world. If their child became the best, then what about him?

Hold on. The child could be the future number one in the world, while he remained the present number one. That worked. No contradiction.

Satisfied with this reasoning, Xiao Yun smiled—then his face suddenly changed.

Wait a minute…

He was still on medication, wasn’t he? How could Xie Caiqing be pregnant in the dream?!

And giving birth to his child? That couldn’t be his!

Xie Caiqing had only been back at his maiden home for two and a half months, and that belly looked like it was three or four months along!

Did he cheat while still by his side?!

They were only married for a little over a month…

Or did he fool around with Jiang Huaiyi before the marriage?! And now he was using him as a cover to raise Jiang Huaiyi’s son, who would eventually become crown prince and secretly steal the throne of Great Ning?!

Too devious! How could he do that to him?!

Xiao Yun was fuming and just about to start cursing Xie Caiqing when he suddenly remembered—it was just a dream. He sighed in relief and sat on the bed grumbling. Xie Caiqing was always so full from the food he fed him, couldn’t even eat more, where would he get time to cheat?

But still, how dare Xie Caiqing betray him even in a dream… If he found him, he definitely had to bring it up and settle the score.

…

Two days later, the 200,000 troops of Junzhou and the two neighboring provinces assembled, forming a combined force of 300,000—an overwhelming army.

After organizing the troops, Xiao Yun decided not to wait any longer. He prepared to launch a direct assault on Yeming Pass.

He had been campaigning for years and had always lived by the rule: if negotiations fail, fight; once the enemy submits, talk; if they don’t, fight again—until they yield.

Especially after all this time at the border, he had to earn some profit—no way he’d return empty-handed.

He’d never come back empty-handed from any of his campaigns.

Even if Duan Wang got scared now and changed his mind, offering up Xie Caiqing to beg him to withdraw, he still had to fight.

He no longer had the patience.

After all, times had changed. He now had the advantage in both morale and manpower. Yeming Pass was his for the taking. Even if the outcome wasn’t proportional to the effort, he could treat it as removing a long-standing tumor for the sake of the realm—let everyone see that the supposedly impregnable Yeming Pass was nothing special in his hands.

He was destined to unify the world anyway. Jiang Huaiyi’s refusal to bow and his arrogant attitude made war with Nanruo inevitable. The situation with Xie Caiqing only hastened it—it wasn’t reckless.

The old ancestor insisted on going against him, but on the battlefield, sentiment had no place. Even if he was the great-grandfather, there was no reason to hold back. After all, it was life or death—not just his own. He had to take responsibility for every soldier who charged into battle under his command.

As a general, cold-blooded ruthlessness was a principle instilled from day one.

Below the city walls, Xiao Yun sat astride a tall white horse, clad in silver armor that gleamed with a cold light. His figure was upright and commanding, his expression steely and unreadable. The plume on his helmet fluttered in the wind—resolute and gallant.

…

Inside the city, Jiang Huaichu sighed.

His royal brother had sent multiple imperial edicts, even threatening death, insisting that even if it meant exhausting the entire nation’s strength, they must never privately approach Xiao Yun, never surrender him, and never have any further involvement with him.

His brother’s men were stationed around him, monitoring his every move.

But honestly, his royal brother worried too much.

This wasn’t something he could influence. What was he, at most? Just a bed partner that Xiao Yun happened to fancy. In Xiao Yun’s eyes, not only had he deceived him from beginning to end, he was even a spy from an enemy state. Xiao Yun had already said it—if they ever met again, there would be no mercy. What could he possibly stop Xiao Yun from doing?

Not to mention, in his current condition…

Jiang Huaichu lowered his head and looked at his still noticeably protruding belly, even after wrapping it tightly. He gave a helpless smile. How could he possibly go see Xiao Yun like this?

Even when Xiao Yun wasn’t sure whether he was Xie Caiqing, he had already lunged forward and pinned him down. If he were to appear before him now, knowing Xiao Yun’s temperament, he’d most likely end up being questioned in bed. There’s no way he wouldn’t find out.

There’s no room for personal sentiment on the battlefield. Indecision only betrays the soldiers who trust you enough to fight and die for you.

There is only life or death, deceit and trickery.

Xiao Yun surely understood this too.

Each on their own side, merciless to each other—the words Xiao Yun spoke were actually the most fitting way to say goodbye, if both still wished to guard what they believed in.

Any trace of emotion left behind would only be a betrayal to others.

They weren’t just two people—they were two nations.

It’s rare for a general to be sentimental, because emotions are a weakness, a handle to be grasped.

Victory or defeat was still undecided, but casualties were inevitable. Letting Xiao Yun go was already the utmost mercy he could offer. From here on, if swords must be drawn, they would be strangers on opposite sides.

The only thing he knew was that Yeming Pass must not fall.

Xie Caiqing was dead. From now on, he was Jiang Huaichu, Duan Wang of Nanruo.

Huo Xiao approached in armor. “Wangye…”

Jiang Huaichu said calmly, “Let’s go.”

He stood, dressed in white robes, like the bright moon and a clear breeze—serene and elegant.

…

At the foot of the city, Xiao Yun sat atop his horse.

Before him, the grey city wall was tall and imposing.

The walls stretched on like mountain ranges, encircling the city completely, without a single weak spot. They were a full man taller than those of Northern Ning, and exceptionally thick.

Morning light had just broken. The sun from the east cast a solemn glow upon the walls. In this usually quiet hour, the air was filled with the thunderous cries of soldiers, as if the earth itself trembled.

Nanruo’s archers stood in tight formation atop the wall, glaring at the enemy forces surging below like a tide, as if they could kill with a glance.

The enemy was well-disciplined and well-equipped—the dreaded Wolf Division that had made countless foes cower. The commander, wearing a red plume on his helmet, had never lost a siege. He led thousands, invincible wherever he went.

But their Wangye wasn’t easy to deal with either.

It was a pity their Wangye was still young. Had he been born six years earlier, perhaps even the emperor of Great Ning wouldn’t be so brazen.

Above the walls flew blue banners with the word “Jiang,” while below, banners bearing “Xiao” snapped loudly in the wind.

Smoke and fire began to rise, war drums beat steadily—the battle was about to begin.

Xie Zhe rode beside Xiao Yun.

The emperor rode at the very front. Countless soldiers looked at him with admiration—he was a living legend, a symbol of unwavering faith.

Xiao Yun raised his voice amid the soldiers’ cheers: “Pass down my order—this city will be taken! At the first beat of the drum, approach the walls! At the second, scale the city! At the third, if you haven’t scaled the city—kill the soldiers! At the fourth, if you still haven’t scaled the city—kill the generals!”

“Yes, sir!” The commanders responded solemnly and relayed the order. Xiao Yun had always been strict with his troops—his commands were law, and he was ruthlessly impartial. No one dared defy him. The soldiers’ eyes turned bloodshot, morale surging. Siege ladders and battering rams were prepared. All was ready—awaiting the signal.

Atop the wall, Jiang Huaichu was helped up by Huo Xiao, ascending slowly. When Nanruo’s soldiers saw him, their cheers suddenly grew even louder, drowning out even the powerful voices of the Great Ning troops below.

The generals below were stunned—who in Nanruo commanded such authority?

They looked up and saw the famed Nanruo general Huo Xiao supporting a man in white, his posture cautious and respectful, as if he were helping his pregnant wife.

Xiao Yun was talking to Xie Zhe when he heard the commotion and casually looked up.

On the wall, amid the roaring cheers, Jiang Huaichu said calmly: “Pass this down—this city must be defended to the death! Any who flee without a fight—kill! Any who surrender—kill! Any who do not give their all—kill! Behind us are your wives, your children, the nation that has stood for over seven hundred years. You do not fight for the royal family of Nanruo—you fight for Nanruo! For peace, for your families’ future!”

“Yes, sir!” The soldiers’ eyes turned red.

Below, Xiao Yun cast a glance at the man.

That man stood proudly in the wind, his robes fluttering, his black hair swept up to reveal a strikingly elegant and handsome face.

Xiao Yun lazily remarked, “That must be Duan Wang?”

Xie Zhe replied, “It should be.”

With no one else nearby, Xiao Yun chuckled. “Nothing much. The aura is somewhat similar, but he’s nowhere near as good-looking as Xie Caiqing. The folks of Junzhou weren’t wrong.”

Xie Zhe nodded. “Still, he is a Wangye of a nation, born of royal blood, pampered since youth, taught by renowned tutors. In terms of scheming, depth, and vision, Xie Caiqing likely can’t compare.”

“That’s true,” Xiao Yun didn’t argue. The difference in status couldn’t be bridged overnight. But he didn’t mind Xie Caiqing’s humble background—staying by his side, how could Xie Caiqing not gain experience and foresight?

Xiao Yun raised his hand, about to give the order—when his gaze shifted downward and paused on the man’s belly.

The wind atop the wall was strong. The man’s loose robes clung to his body, revealing a slight bulge at the abdomen.