Is “He stuttered and referred to himself as 'Ai... Ai'” true?
attested in history
The 'New Account of Tales of the World, Speech' records that Deng Ai stuttered, often repeating 'Ai... Ai' when stuck, and Sima Zhao once teased him about it; this is historically accurate.
Deng Ai
In official history, he was a Wei general known for his strategic brilliance and surprise attack through Yinping to conquer Shu; in the novel, his outstanding military achievements are preserved.