Chapter 122: A Tricky and Troublesome Enemy

Totem banners fluttered in the wind, and outside their tents, groups of Turks sat upon the ground, chatting idly.

Raiding twice a year, Yanmen no longer held much allure for the Turks. Vast stretches of land were utterly desolate, and for them, apart from hunting down the remaining survivors to use as living targets, there was little sport to be found. They would have been far better off back in the northern grasslands, feasting on prime meats and being attended by servants.

"Horns blared—blared—blared—"

Outside a massive tent emblazoned with totems, a throng of Tujue men surrounded a group of Tujue women who were dancing.

These dozen-plus women held low status within the northern tribes; otherwise, they would never have been brought along on the southward expedition.

Yet, compared to the Central Plains women forced to learn Tujue dances nearby, even the lowest-ranking Tujue women commanded far higher standing than those captives.

Glancing at the fairer-skinned women from the Central Plains, the Tujue men murmured amongst themselves, pointing and gesturing as though somewhat displeased. Examining their looks, many declared them vastly inferior to the women of the Central Plains noble clans, praising the latter for truly possessing skin as white as jade and beauty that outshined all else.

"Run!"

"Flee, quickly!"

Suddenly, a panicked figure dashed into view, his face twisted in utter terror.

Witnessing this, the other Tujue men were utterly bewildered, failing to comprehend what had transpired.

Yet, mere moments later.

A faint rumbling of hooves drifted over, compelling several Tujue men to bypass the tents and gaze in the direction of the sound!

Immediately following, upon beholding the distant plains where a cavalry force bearing the banners of the Great Sui had emerged, the expressions of all the Tujue men shifted dramatically, and they scrambled to scatter in every direction.

"Fetch your weapons! Quick!"

"Enemy attack! It's Sui cavalry! Grab your arms!"

Amidst the frantic shouts of the Tujue men, a number of tattered Central Plains captives hastily seized spears, halberds, and recurve bows, rushing to the forefront of the encampment.

As for the actual Tujue warriors, they had long since darted behind the tents, swiftly untying their horses' reins, vaulting into the saddles, and galloping toward the camp's perimeter.

Accustomed to nomadic life year-round, the speed with which the Tujue men mounted their steeds far surpassed that of ordinary men.

At the front of the Tujue encampment.

Those ragged Central Plains captives, staring at the charging Sui cavalry, obediently fell into the formations they had been drilled in, raising their halberds and drawn bows to aim at the approaching Sui horsemen.

For these people of the Central Plains, they feared defying Tujue commands above all else; disobedience meant not only going without food afterward, but forfeiting their very lives.

As for the Sui Dynasty!

Their hearts had long since turned to absolute ash. Had the Sui Dynasty possessed any utility at all, they would never have been reduced to serving as slaves beneath the Tujue yoke for a mere morsel of food.

Now, beholding the Sui cavalry, these Central Plains men wished nothing more than to slaughter the horsemen in exchange for Tujue rewards.

"Halt!"

Li Shimin pulled hard on his reins.

Fu Zihou raised his arm high, halting his warhorse as well. Beside Li Shimin, he gazed at the Central Plains captives standing outside the Tujue tents.

Those Central Plains men numbered in the thousands, yet they lacked armor and were emaciated to the bone. Observing their chaotic formations and utter lack of morale, Fu Zihou knew that a single cavalry charge would shatter their lines instantly; given an hour, he could slaughter every last one of them.

Yet, just as Li Shimin had reined in his mount for reasons of his own, Fu Zihou had no desire to turn his blade against these Central Plains people.

Nor was Fu Zihou alone in this sentiment.

Every single cavalryman and commander behind him shared the exact same feeling.

If Taiyuan Commandery served as the northern gateway to Chang'an and Luoyang, then Yanmen was the vital pass of Taiyuan. The two commanderies relied upon and supported one another in the north; how could the soldiers of Taiyuan bring themselves to attack the common folk of Yanmen Commandery?

On the open plains.

Fu Zihou led his vast contingent of cavalry, standing locked in a silent standoff with the distant Central Plains captives.

After a long while, Yue Ming returned in haste alongside several soldiers, dragging a wounded Tujue captive struck by an arrow, and cast him before Fu Zihou and Li Shimin, drawing both men's gazes back to the present.

"On this southward raid, who is your commander?"

Li Shimin looked down at the Tujue captive and demanded.

"Bah!"

Hearing the query, the Tujue spat a mouthful of bloody phlegm directly toward Li Shimin, landing it close to the hooves of his mount.

Observing this, Fu Zihou gave a subtle nod, and Yue Ming immediately dismounted, drew his sidearm, and approached the captive to begin his interrogation through torture.

As someone accustomed to dealing with the Tujue year-round, Yue Ming was exceptionally experienced in breaking and tormenting them.

Soon enough.

Amidst the shrieks of the Tujue prisoner, it took but a brief moment for Li Shimin and Fu Zihou to watch him weeping for mercy, blood pouring freely from his nose and mouth.

"It is Ashina Duomudulu, Zhexu Wuli, and Adie Momedagan!"

The captive blurted out between bloody lips, spilling everything he knew.

Li Shimin's expression shifted.

Hu Jingyuan, Yin Tianzong, Xing Ming, Xue Hong, and the others turned pale as well.

"What is it?"

Noticing Li Shimin's changing countenance, Fu Zihou asked with curiosity, unable to fathom why these three names had caused such grim reactions in Li Shimin and Yue Ming.

Meeting Fu Zihou's inquiring gaze, Li Shimin realized that the other man was unfamiliar with these figures.

"Among these three, Ashina Duomudulu bears a wolf totem tattooed upon his cheek, wields a seven-foot spiked iron mace with consummate skill, and once broke through the Sui defenses at Yanmen alone, earning him the moniker 'Azure Wolf' among the tribes. Hailing from a collateral branch of the Ashina royal family, he spent three years as a hostage in Chang'an during his youth and is well-versed in military strategy. Rumor has it that when the Tujue previously besieged Yanmen, he was one of the chief masterminds. Of the thirty-nine cities captured by the tribes, thirty-one were taken by him alongside Adie Momedagan!"

Li Shimin explained solemnly to Fu Zihou.

"Zhexu Wuli hails from the Tujue Zhexu tribe, serving as a tribal commander and superintendent of the Hawk Division. Legend has it he breeds a hundred golden falcons; before every battle, he foretells fortune through their feathers, employing tactics as unpredictable as ghosts. He is also fluent in Western Regions tongues, commands the coalition of the nine northern desert tribes, and year after year manages diplomatic ties between the Eastern and Western Tujue!"

"Adie Momedagan originates from the Tujue Adie tribe—also known as Ashina Momedagan—and holds the post of Right Wing Commander. Marked by a scar across his blind eye, he excels at using a thirty-foot lariat to drag enemy generals from their saddles in the heat of battle. Originally a surrendered general of the Tiele, he earned the prestigious Ashina surname through military merit and possesses a profound understanding of Central Plains fortress architecture!"

Li Shimin had never anticipated that the Tujue forces this time would be spearheaded by these three formidable individuals.

Logically speaking.

Yanmen Commandery, along with its strategic passes and majority of walled towns, had already been thoroughly devastated by the Tujue during the previous raid; there was simply no need for the Tujue host to mobilize on such a massive scale, let alone dispatch these three core commanders.

This far exceeded Li Shimin's expectations.

"They are all elite Tujue forces..."

Hearing Li Shimin's account, Fu Zihou finally understood the gravity of the situation.

He gazed toward the north.

A faint premonition stirred within him that a powerful host lay amassed in that direction, one whose combat strength was equal to, if not greater than, the rebel garrison outside Jinyang City.

Meanwhile, somewhere to the east-northeast, another force seemed to reside, though the sense of threat it posed was far less menacing than the army in the north.

"It's going to rain! And a torrential downpour at that!"

Fu Zihou tilted his head upward, studying the sky as he spoke.

Li Shimin, whose brow was furrowed deeply as he pondered how to engage the Tujue in battle, turned his head in surprise upon hearing these words, then cast a skeptical gaze toward the heavens.

There was not the slightest trace of approaching precipitation in the sky!

"We are heading east-northeast!"

Fu Zihou questioned Yue Ming, confirming the direction in which the fleeing Tujue had scattered, before turning to address Li Shimin.

Having never witnessed his mentor Liu Zhiyuan take the field in personal combat!

When it came to strategic planning, manipulating the overall situation, discerning friend from foe, and direct military engagement, Li Shimin was unquestionably the most formidable person Fu Zihou had ever encountered.

Yet, in this single instance.

The sole blind spot in Li Shimin's foresight was precisely what Fu Zihou was equipped to remedy.

"Agreed!"

At Fu Zihou's pronouncement, Li Shimin nodded. Though the sheer strength of the Tujue arrayed against them surpassed all expectations, he still placed his absolute trust in Fu Zihou.

"Move out!"

Instantly, Li Shimin and Fu Zihou spurred their cavalry forward, leading the grand host amidst a billowing cloud of dust as they galloped away toward the east.

Outside the nomadic encampment.

The ragged Central Plains captives watched in profound astonishment as the Sui cavalry detachment departed.

They had fully expected the Sui horsemen to charge in, slaughter them in the ensuing melee, and then retreat, chalking it up to yet another glorious victory in their reports.

To their utter disbelief, the cavalry simply turned and departed without launching a surprise attack.