Upon hearing that the Crown Prince's concubine was pregnant, Xiao Youcheng's face lit up with surprise.
It's the bloodline of my elder brother! The last descendant of my brother in this world!
"Which concubine in the palace is it?"
"Your Highness, it is Lady Murong, the illegitimate daughter of the Prime Minister. By now, the news should have spread throughout the palace."
Lu Chao frowned. What a coincidence—and the illegitimate daughter of the Prime Minister, no less. Without modern DNA technology in ancient times, he couldn't help but wonder if this was another case of a "switched heir." After all, this child would have a claim to the throne.
"Tomorrow, select some high-quality medicinal herbs from the treasury and send them to the Eastern Palace."
Once the attendant withdrew, Xiao Youcheng's expression turned solemn.
The Prime Minister was cunning and ruthless, always managing to turn disasters into opportunities. This time, he had escaped punishment by saving the Emperor's life. Now that Lady Murong was carrying the late Crown Prince's posthumous child, the Emperor, burdened with guilt over his son's death, would likely favor this child excessively out of remorse.
"Why did His Majesty arrange this marriage for the Crown Prince in the first place?"
Lu Chao was puzzled. The Prime Minister already held immense power, and now with this marriage tying their families closer, wasn't there a risk of the maternal relatives interfering in state affairs?
"Cough... I heard it was an accident."
According to whispers from the Crown Prince's inner circle, during a banquet, Lady Murong had wandered off to admire the flowers in the courtyard and failed to return for a long time. When the servants went searching, they found her and the Crown Prince emerging from the same guest room one after another.
The next day, an imperial decree was issued, betrothing her to the Crown Prince as a concubine. Strangely, the Crown Prince never spoke a word about the incident, and everyone else followed suit, keeping silent.
"Enough dwelling on this. We depart tomorrow—we should focus on our own affairs."
The two sighed deeply. Lu Chao couldn't help but rub his sore backside. After riding hard to reach the capital, they now faced another seven or eight days on horseback. His delicate rear was practically calloused from all the friction.
---
Shuo City
The banner bearing the character "Xiao" fluttered fiercely in the wind. Xiao Zheng gazed beyond the city gates at the vast, desolate land, feeling a profound loneliness.
"General! Rest assured, we will bring Young Master Xiao Huan back safely!"
Several soldiers in civilian attire, carrying packs, stood before their horses, bowing in farewell to Xiao Zheng.
"Then I leave it to you!"
Xiao Zheng clasped his fists solemnly. Where was Xiao Huan now—Yingchuan or Liaodong? With no news for so long, how could he not worry?
He had promised his aunt to protect Ah Huan. Only by seeing Xiao Huan safe with his own eyes could he finally ease his restless heart. Besides, the Xiao Army rightfully belonged to Ah Huan—he had to return and take command.
"General! Scouts report that the Great Yuan Emperor has dispatched Prince Kang with 30,000 troops to reinforce Shuo City!"
Reinforcements?
"Damn it!! They dare show up now?! This time, I'll beat their asses raw!"
"Shuo City is already ours! What reinforcements?! They just want to swoop in and take credit!"
"Shuo City belongs to our General now! We took it back from the Tartars! What business do they have here?!"
"Those spineless cowards! Can't even piss without someone holding it for them! Hope they don’t wet their pants like that fat pig Luo!"
Someone elbowed the speaker sharply.
"Luo Fugui!! Why the hell are you jabbing me?! Don’t like me talking about your Luo family, huh?!"
Luo Fugui flared up.
"What do you mean 'my Luo family'?! Jiang Da, don’t insult me! I, Luo Fugui, have nothing to do with that fat pig Luo! Pah! Disgrace to the Luo name!"
An absolute stain on the Luo clan!
As the conversation veered further off track, Xiao Zheng felt his eardrums might burst from the noise. He raised a hand, and the rowdy men finally fell silent.
If the Great Yuan didn’t want Shuo City, he had taken it. Now that they wanted it back—it wouldn’t be so easy!
"Next report!"
"Yes, sir!"
After Xiao Zheng left, Luo Fugui poked Jiang Da again.
"Are you brain-dead?! I told you the General is a woman! Mind your language! 'Piss' this, 'piss' that—have some decency!"
Jiang Da scratched his head sheepishly. He’d forgotten. Damn it, who’d have thought the General was a woman?!
That day, dressed in a flowing skirt yet wielding a spear with deadly precision, Xiao Zheng had struck down Tartar after Tartar, leaving the men dumbfounded.
The thick-skulled soldiers initially assumed their General was a man forced to cross-dress. Inspired, they fought even harder, blades swinging with renewed vigor.
Amid the fierce battle, the Tartar prince suddenly shrieked like a mad dog.
"You fools! Open your eyes! The 'General' you follow is nothing but a woman!"
His shrill voice pierced the sky, a desperate attempt to sow discord and weaken the Xiao Army’s morale.
"To hell with that! So what if she’s a woman?! Our women aren’t all frail flowers—they can slit your throats just fine on the battlefield!"
Jiang Da, never one to mince words, would’ve gladly cut down that damned prince himself.
After the battle, Xiao Zheng made no effort to hide her identity. One day, she gathered the soldiers at the training grounds and coolly beckoned the murmuring crowd.
"I know what you’re whispering about. Yes, I am a woman. If anyone has a problem, step forward. By military rules, we’ll settle this with a duel."
A few hot-headed young men, egged on by others, took the challenge. Within moments, they were battered and bruised, howling in defeat.
Later, Zhang Hu, his head wrapped in a bloodied bandage, stepped forward.
"I’ve served for five or six years. All I know is that the General led a handful of us straight into the Tartar camp to rescue General Xiao the Second and bring back hundreds of brothers!"
"When you were trapped in Shuo City, it was General Xiao who coordinated the attack and drove the Tartars back!"
"When Shuo City fell, the General used herself as bait to capture their prince and reclaim it! So what if she’s a woman?! She’s worth ten of me! On the battlefield, talk is cheap—all I care about is following someone who leads us to victory!"
"A weak general means a weak army. With her, we take heads. With a coward like that fat pig Luo, we’d die like dogs!"
"I owe my life to the General! Anyone who crosses her answers to me!"
"We pledge our lives to the General!"
"We pledge our lives to the General!"
After that day, no one in the camp dared question Xiao Zheng’s capability as a woman.
Though female, Xiao Zheng carried herself with bold decisiveness, never hesitating or showing favoritism.
She rewarded merit and punished faults without bias, sharing the same rations and hardships as her men. What truly earned their respect was seeing her at the training grounds every dawn, swinging her heavy blade without fail. Through this, she forged unshakable authority.
Later, the officers privately agreed: since their General was a woman, they ought to mind their language. But Jiang Da, being Jiang Da, kept forgetting.
"Ah! This mouth of mine is useless! Next time, remind me again, will you?"
As she walked, Xiao Zheng's steps gradually slowed to a stop in front of a small house. She pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The stove, which had once always kept water warm, now stood cold and desolate. Only a few lifeless charcoal embers remained in the hearth, lying there silently as if drained of all vitality.
Xiao Zheng moved slowly to the side of the stove, then let out a soft sigh. She pulled over a slightly worn wooden stool and sat down, taking a book from her robe and beginning to read intently.
In her younger days, she had been bold and ambitious, dreaming of becoming a great general—majestic and revered, protecting the people. But now, each day began with worry: how to feed the hungry soldiers under her command. If only Lu Chao were here—his clever mind would surely find a way.
