Chapter 8 — The Regent Hides Thousands of Secrets

18. Dat Dat people are more patient than we think. Our army is close to the border, but they still do not move. Only occasionally sent a few small cavalrymen out to harass, then ran away after fighting, never engaging in combat. I know, they are waiting. Waiting for our army's food and supplies to run out, waiting for our soldiers to become exhausted. They wait for the best opportunity to deliver a fatal blow. Of course we won't give them the satisfaction. While reinforcing the defense, we also sent people around the enemy's back to burn their food and grass. Sure enough, when the food was burned, the Dat Dat people immediately panicked. They began to gather large troops, preparing to attack the city. An inevitable battle. The night before the big war, I summoned all the generals to discuss plans. I wore heavy armor, sat in the chair, tried to endure the uncomfortable feeling in my body, and listened to their analysis. At that moment, a strong nausea suddenly came. My face turned pale, I couldn't bear it anymore, I suddenly pushed the table in front of me and rushed out of the tent.

“King!”

The generals were startled and immediately chased after him. I held onto the pillar outside the tent, vomiting until the world was spinning. Bile, sour fluid, all five internal organs seemed to want to spit out.

"Your Majesty! What's wrong with you?"

Lam Phong panicked and supported me, patting my back and calling out:

"Quick! Call the military doctor!"

I weakly waved my hand, wanting to say I was okay. But as soon as he opened his mouth, there was another fierce bout of vomiting. My eyes sparkled, my body staggered as if about to fall. At that moment, a strong arm from behind steadily supported me. As a soldier. He wore the most common soldier's armor, and his face was covered with a scarf, revealing only his familiar dark eyes. Those eyes, at this moment, were filled with panic, anger, and... heartache. My pupils twitched violently, looking at him in disbelief.

“You…”

As soon as he uttered a word, he immediately picked me up, hugged me across my body, and strode back into the main tent.

“Let everything go to this king！”

His voice was no longer the rough voice of a soldier, but the voice of the king, carrying a majesty that could not disobey orders. The whole business was stunned. I could only watch helplessly as he hugged me and disappeared behind the curtain of the main tent. 19. Returning to the tent, Tieu Tuan gently laid me down on the bed. He took off his veil, revealing a face that I was all too familiar with. It's just that, on that face right now, it's covered with wind and dew and fatigue. His chin had a green beard, his whole body became thinner and darker. But those eyes were still incredibly bright.

“Why are you here?”

I leaned against the headboard and asked in a hoarse voice.

“If I hadn't come, would I have had to watch you die?”

He screamed, so angry that his eyes turned red.

“Ta Trieu, what are you hiding from me?”

"You weren't poisoned at all, right?"

He glared at me, like an angry lion cub. I looked at him and suddenly felt very tired. Can't hide it anymore. Everything, I can't hide it anymore. I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, only calmness remained in my eyes.

“You go out first.”

I told him. He was stunned: "What?"

“Get out.”

I repeat. “Call Lam Phong in.” Even though he didn't understand, he still obeyed and left the tent. Very soon, Lam Phong walked in.

“King family, sir…”

“Lam Phong.”

I cut him off. “Help me take off my armor.” Although Lam Phong was skeptical, he still followed. Each piece of heavy armor was removed. In the end, only the underwear remained, soaked with blood and sweat. Along with a protruding belly that can no longer be hidden with a belt. Lam Phong took a sharp breath of cold air, his eyes widened like bronze bells, his trembling hand pointed at my stomach, stammering:

“Your Majesty… You… this is…”

I didn't pay attention to his panic, just calmly said:

“Call your majesty in.”

20. When Tieu Tuan entered the tent again and saw my appearance at that time, he was completely petrified. He stood there blankly, his eyes glued tightly to my stomach, the expression on his face ranged from surprise, to panic, then gradually to disbelief. Finally, become empty.

“This… this is…”

His lips trembled, he couldn't even say a full sentence. I looked at him, gently pulled the hem of his shirt off, revealing the tightly wrapped layers of white fabric inside. These are the sheets we use to bind our breasts. Layer by layer, layer by layer, we remove it all. When the last layer was removed, the features of the female body were completely revealed to him, he suddenly took a step back, as if he saw a demon.

“You... are you a woman?”

His voice trembled. I nodded, calmly meeting his ghost-like gaze.

“Yes.”

"My name is Ta Trieu, not Prince Ta Trieu, but the daughter of Viceroy Ta - Ta Trieu."

My father was the Emperor's deputy. Because of his straightforward interference, he was kissed by the army and exiled the whole family. Only because I was raised as a man from a young age and at the right time to study abroad, was I lucky enough to escape death. After that, I anonymously joined the army, relying on my own abilities, step by step to reach today. Everything I do is for revenge. To reclaim justice for more than a hundred lives of the Ta family. I did not say those words. I just calmly looked at him, waiting for his judgment. He looked at me blankly, then looked at my stomach, as if trying to digest this shocking truth. It was a long, long time before he found his voice again.

“The baby…”

He opened his mouth with difficulty, his eyes fell on my stomach.

“Is… mine?”

“What if not?”

I asked again. His whole body trembled, as if struck by lightning. He stared at my stomach, his eyes suddenly glowing strangely. There was extreme joy, excitement, and even the confusion and confusion of a first-time father. He walked step by step to the bed, carefully reaching out his hand, as if he wanted to touch my stomach, but didn't dare. The hand that once held the jade sister, commanding the country, is now shaking gently.

“I... I'm about to have a baby?”

He whispered.

“My and your child?”

Looking at his stupid appearance, for some reason, the hardest block of ice in my heart quietly melted in one corner. I grabbed his hand, still floating in the air, and placed it on my stomach. At that moment, the baby in his belly seemed to feel his father's touch and kicked hard. Through the skin of his abdomen, the kick clearly transmitted straight to his palm. His whole body trembled, as if he had been electrocuted, and he immediately withdrew his hand. Then he raised his head to look at me, those deep black eyes... were filled with tears. An emperor… cried.

“Ta Trieu.”

He choked, his voice thick and nasal.

“You... you're such a jerk crazy!"

“You are pregnant with my child, and yet you still dare to go to the battlefield?”

“Do you want me to... become extinct?”