The General Was Pregnant with the Emperor's Child - Chapter 1

In the first year of the Jian’an era, the new Emperor of the Jing Dynasty ascended the throne. His first act was to issue a special summons for the commander of the Northern Frontier, Ye Mian (styled Ye Wuyou), to return to the capital.

Ye Mian entered the military at fourteen and first made his mark at sixteen. He became famous in a single instance by sniping an enemy officer from a hundred paces while on horseback. At eighteen, he led a thousand light cavalry on a flanking maneuver behind enemy lines, cutting off the barbarians’ supplies before joining the main army to seize three cities in a row piercing straight into the heart of the enemy’s territory.

By the age of twenty, General Ye Mian had already amassed legendary military achievements. The barbarians, terrified by the “Ye Army’s” undefeated reputation, surrendered before battles even began. They retreated until there was nowhere left to run, eventually offering a letter of peace and pledging vassalage to the Jing Dynasty. After being suppressed for decades, the Jing Dynasty finally stood tall. The long-ailing late Emperor laughed heartily for the first time in years; he personally performed the capping ceremony for the young general and bestowed upon him the courtesy name Wuyou (meaning “Without Sorrows”).

The following year, the late Emperor passed away. Crown Prince Xiao Yunan ascended the throne according to the divine will. Honoring the late Emperor’s decree, he promoted Ye Wuyou to Grand General and bestowed upon him the Tiger Tally to command the three armies. Grateful for the General’s service, the new Emperor permitted him to remain in the capital to recuperate.

It had only been half a month since the coronation, and Ye Wuyou, who had been “closing his doors to guests,” was already bored out of his mind. He squatted under the corridor, idly plucking the petals off four or five peonies.

Last night, the wind had howled outside. Ye Wuyou had been startled awake by a bolt of lightning, bolting upright in bed with a cold sweat soaking his back.

“Young General Ye, the medicine to suppress your scent has increased from three times a month to once a day. All medicine has a side effect; if you won’t consider yourself, consider the war! Your Heat cycle can truly be delayed no longer!”

Ye Wuyou opened his eyes, the sharp, nagging voice of the white-haired old physician from his dream still ringing in his ears. He gritted his teeth and clutched his bedding. A plum blossom fragrance leaked from the nape of his neck, slowly filling the room it was even more potent than a typical Kun-origin’s Heat.

Outside, the torrential rain continued. The sudden downpour failed to dampen the beauty of the courtyard, but after the Grand General spent half an hour squatting there, the “beauty” of the peonies was mostly decimated.

“Oh dear! Oh dear! Goodness me!” A voice sighed three times behind him. Ye Wuyou froze and turned around sheepishly.

“Morning, Vice General Yang.” Having had a bizarre dream where the old physician’s face was replaced by the military doctor’s, Ye Wuyou hadn’t slept well. He had dragged himself to the corridor as soon as dawn broke.

“My flowers!” As soon as Ye Wuyou shifted, Yang Nin rushed to the peony pots. Seeing the mangled petals on the ground, his face turned red with anger. “This is rebellion! Ye Wuyou, what are you doing plucking my flowers first thing in the morning?!”

Yang Nin had entered the military at the same time as Ye Wuyou and they shared a close bond. Having returned to the capital together, Yang Nin had been promoted to Vice General and received many rewards thanks to Ye Wuyou’s influence.

As a martial officer, Ye Wuyou stood eight feet tall with sharp, defined features. Beneath his sword-like brows were eyes like stars, carrying the sharp edge unique to youth. Years in the North meant his skin wasn’t as delicate as the “pretty boys” of the South, but he possessed an aura of frost and snow. On the day he entered the city on horseback with a long spear, he had captured countless hearts.

Since his return, his residence had been blocked by crowds. Being the Emperor’s favorite, he was the man of the hour. Matchmakers flooded his gates with portraits of eligible young ladies and gentlemen. It was so overwhelming that Ye Wuyou didn’t even dare to use his own front door; he spent his days sneakily climbing over walls to get in and out.

This ridiculous behavior had even reached the Emperor’s ears. Thinking of the Emperor’s teasing decree, Ye Wuyou blushed. To find peace, he had simply holed up at Yang Nin’s estate.

“The rain was heavy last night; I was just shaking the water off. Your flowers are just flimsy,” Ye Wuyou said, his voice loud despite his lack of logic. “I’ll repay you. The Peony Festival is in two days; I’ll get you whichever one you want!”

Yang Nin’s expression softened slightly. He looked at Ye Wuyou, noticing a faint plum scent beneath the heavy peony fragrance. He frowned. “Young General no, I should call you Grand General now. The Emperor blocked the gifts from the officials, but it’s hard to stop the marriage proposals. Why don’t you pick one? If there happens to be a brave Tian-gan (Alpha), he could solve your urgent problem.”

“The people at my gate are all the same,” Ye Wuyou squatted back down, releasing a bit of pheromones toward a dew-covered peony. “They only want me because of my power. If my identity as a Kun-origin is revealed it doesn’t matter whose hands that secret falls into, it’s bad. Both you and I would be guilty of deceiving the Emperor. I’ll just wait for the festival, pick a handsome man in the chaos, and kidnap him back to the army! Once we’re far away, no one can stop me.”

“My dear General, Alphas are as rare as Omegas. A proper Alpha keeps themselves hidden unless they are in their ‘Rut.’ How can you just ‘kidnap’ one? Besides, with your body, how could you withstand an Alpha’s pheromones” Yang Nin looked worriedly at Ye Wuyou’s calloused hands.

In this world, a few young people underwent a “Second Differentiation” around age eighteen. Those who became Tian-gan (Alpha) were leaders in intellect and strength, occupying the top of the social hierarchy. Conversely, Di-kun (Omega) became more delicate and could bear children, regardless of gender. Those who didn’t differentiate were Ze-dui (Beta). Yang Nin was a Beta, usually insensitive to pheromones, yet even he could now smell Ye Wuyou’s plum scent.

“Pheromones? Don’t look down on me!” Ye Wuyou sneered, his dark eyes flashing. “The barbarian cavalry couldn’t take me down; why would I fear an Alpha? When the time comes, I’ll just pin him down. Who sleeps with whom is yet to be decided!”

“Sigh! When will you learn to restrain that temper? You listen to no one except the late Emperor and the current one,” Yang Nin fretted. “The medicine is toxic. Don’t push yourself”

At the mention of the current Emperor, Ye Wuyou’s lips curled into a proud smile. He pulled the Tiger Tally from his collar and waved it in front of Yang Nin. “His Majesty has been kind to me. Giving me the Tiger Tally makes him like a second father to me. If not for his promotion, I wouldn’t be a General…”

“General! General!” A servant in white rushed into the backyard, breathless.

“Yi An, over here!” Ye Wuyou waved him over.

“The… The Emperor has summoned the General to the palace for attendance. Eunuch Gao is already waiting for you at the Ye residence.”

“Great. My ‘second father’ is calling for my life,” Ye Wuyou’s face fell. “Yang Nin, my medicine…”

“I wouldn’t dare stop your medicine. The kitchen has it warming.”

Ye Wuyou vanished into the kitchen, pinched his nose, and downed the bitter brew in one go. When he emerged, he had changed his clothes, and he smelled only of peonies.

“Ye Mian, think about it,” Yang Nin urged. “While the Emperor still favors you, confess your identity.”

Ye Wuyou looked at the sky, plucked the brightest rose-red peony from the yard, tucked it behind his ear, and hopped over the wall. “We’ll see! We’ll see!”

Moments later, Ye Wuyou appeared before Gao Su.

“Where has General Ye been hiding? I’ve been waiting a while!” Eunuch Gao smiled. He noticed the peony behind the General’s ear and paused, but quickly masked it with a grin.

“Sorry to keep you, Eunuch Gao. I truly didn’t dare go home” Ye Wuyou looked embarrassed. Gao Su gave him a look that said, “I understand.”

Ye Wuyou lowered his head. He figured the news of the “beauties” at his front gate had reached the Emperor’s ears.

“Announcing General Ye Mian for an audience!”

Ye Wuyou crept into the Imperial Study, his heart pounding. Despite the medicine, he felt as though the plum scent was still clinging to him. He was so distracted trying to come up with an excuse for the marriage proposals that he nearly tripped over the threshold.

“General Ye certainly offers a grand greeting,” Xiao Yunan’s teasing voice rang out.

Ye Wuyou froze. His right foot tangled with his left, and he stumbled directly toward the Emperor.

“Rise, no need for such ceremony.” Xiao Yunan instinctively reached out to steady him. His pale fingers brushed past the peony at Ye Wuyou’s temple, and he paused.

In that moment, Ye Wuyou effectively rolled into the Emperor’s arms. He caught the scent of the Emperor’s Alpha pheromones a clean, cold green bamboo and his mind went blank. An indescribable sensation rushed from his lower abdomen to his head.

Black robes brushed against red silk. The two quickly separated.

“This subject has been disrespectful! I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness!” Ye Wuyou stayed bowed, his head buried in his deep red sleeves. His face and ears were burning crimson.

Xiao Yunan asked, “Am I a man-eater?”

Ye Wuyou shook his head vigorously.

“Then what are you afraid of? Stand up and speak.” Xiao Yunan turned around, then added, “I simply think the peony the General is wearing today is quite… unique.”

Ye Wuyou stumbled again while standing up. He hurriedly snatched the peony from his ear.

“Peonies are for beauties… I… I offer it to Your Majesty.”

Xiao Yunan: “…?”