Chapter 128: Li Shimin's Thoughts

Inside the Turkic camp.

The Turkic soldiers who had participated in the night raid just the night before were still sleeping in a daze. At first, some of them vaguely heard the sound of horse hooves, but paid no attention to it, assuming it was just Modagan’s division returning.

Moreover, having gone without sleep all day and night yesterday, and having been frightened into a panicked rout before rushing here through the night, the Turks belonging to the division of Duomu Tulu were simply too exhausted to force themselves up.

However, after a long while.

Hearing a flurry of chaotic commotion followed by chilling battle cries, many of the weary Turks finally sensed that something was amiss.

By the time they rose one by one, stepped out of their tents, and looked outside, they were all horrified to discover that Sui cavalrymen were relentlessly hunting down Turks all around the camp.

What is going on?

Seeing this sight, the Turkic men were so terrified they nearly lost control of their bowels. Some stumbled backward and collapsed onto the ground, their limbs turning entirely weak.

Finally, a growing number of Turks realized the danger and began to scramble away in panic.

Within the camp’s horse pastures.

Many Turks, upon seeing the charging Sui cavalry, completely abandoned all other concerns and immediately mounted horses to flee for their lives.

"Kill!!!"

"Kill!!"

Xing Ming, Xue Hong, and Yue Meng led their soldiers directly into the Turkic horse pastures, completely cutting off any hope the remaining Turks had of escaping on horseback.

"Kill!"

With a single sword strike, Xing Ming beheaded a frantically fleeing Turk. Looking at the countless Turks around him running in terror and listening to their cries of fear, neither Xing Ming and his companions nor the rest of the soldiers felt anything less than an intense, exhilarating rush of joy.

They had long forgotten how long it had been since they last saw the Turks reduced to such a state—fleeing in such sheer, trembling terror.

Gazing across the horse pasture at the tens of thousands of horses, even Xing Ming, Xue Hong, and Yue Meng found their throats going dry. The spoils of this great victory made their scalps tingle and left them utterly shaken with awe.

"Kill!!"

"Kill!"

All across the camp, mounted Sui cavalrymen relentlessly pursued the fleeing Turks.

Facing the surging momentum of the Sui troops, facing cavalrymen who had won victory after victory, the completely shattered Turks did not even have the chance to mount a resistance.

The prefectural militia system differed from that of previous dynasties.

Every single militia soldier was a veteran of years of warfare. To put it without exaggeration, every one of them was supported by the common people, and what they trained in day in and day out—what they excelled at above all else—was killing men on the battlefield. Therefore, at this very moment, they showed not the slightest bit of mercy toward the Turks.

Many of the older soldiers had already been stationed on the northern frontier when they were young, striking fear into the hearts of the Turks for over a decade. Now that their morale had been restored, it felt as though they had returned to the early days when the armies of the Central Plains were truly unrivaled. Some of the elder veterans even felt their eyes redden with emotion, and just as they had in their youth, they cast away fear of death to grip their sharp swords and charge at the Turks.

Only the older generation of soldiers understood what that lost glory of yesteryear meant to the northern frontier.

Upon a hill.

Li Shimin and Fu Zihou sat on their warhorses, accompanied by Jishi Wuli and a few trusted guards, overlooking the Turkic camp as the enemy scattered in frantic, blind panic.

"Look! You Turks clearly did not need to march south; clearly, the two of us did not need to fight this battle! Over the years, you have already plundered so many supplies—countless amounts of gold, silver, and jewels!"

Li Shimin spoke, then turned his gaze toward Jishi Wuli.

"We will honor our agreement and let you return to the Turkic lands, but I hope you will keep your word as well! Let today's events never happen again in the future!"

Li Shimin said, his eyes fixed steadily on Jishi Wuli as he sat astride his horse.

"I will!"

Jishi Wuli nodded with a helpless expression, gazing out at the distant camp veiled in curling smoke, filled everywhere with the weeping cries of Turks and the figures of Sui cavalry hunting them down.

"However, I must also ask you to issue an order sparing my men!"

Jishi Wuli pleaded to Li Shimin and Fu Zihou.

"Since an agreement has already been made, we are allies. Now that the Turks possess no capacity to resist whatsoever, I beg you to stop slaughtering our people!"

Jishi Wuli said.

Li Shimin considered that these Turkic soldiers were indeed Jishi Wuli's personal troops. If they were all wiped out, it would certainly hinder Jishi Wuli upon his return.

Yet, whether to kill them or not, and whether to issue an order releasing them...

Ultimately, Li Shimin had to look to Fu Zihou.

Observing the look in Fu Zihou's eyes as he gazed at the camp, coupled with Fu Zihou's earlier inquiry about whether they should kill more Turks this time, Li Shimin vaguely sensed that Fu Zihou harbored the inclination to slaughter every single Turk here.

This made Li Shimin feel somewhat troubled.

However, by the same token, Li Shimin could understand it. Since ancient times, people toward the nomadic tribes of the north—regardless of the dynasty—had always harbored the sentiment that those of a different race must harbor different hearts, wishing nothing more than to wipe out the nomadic tribes completely to deny them any future opportunity to invade the south, burn, kill, and plunder.

Fu Zihou gave Li Shimin precisely this impression.

Back when they fought against the rebel armies of Zhen Di'er, upon seeing the corpses of sixteen- and seventeen-year-old rebels on the battlefield, Fu Zihou's eyes had carried a trace of helplessness and pity.

Yet looking at the deaths of the Turks, Fu Zihou had never once shown such a gaze. He would even eat when hungry, paying no mind whatsoever if the roasted horsemeat he ate was stained with Turkic blood.

At this moment, Li Shimin could not guarantee whether Fu Zihou intended to wipe out all the Turks, striving to kill every last one of these tens of thousands of Turks right here in Yanmen.

"One Turk in exchange for one person you plundered and dragged to the north!"

Fu Zihou, seeing both Li Shimin and Jishi Wuli looking at him, stated directly to Jishi Wuli.

Injured by an arrow and receiving no bandaging, Fu Zihou’s face was caked with dust and sweat, and one of his cheeks was smeared with blood, featuring a wound that looked particularly savage and striking.

"I must bring them back with me before I can release the captives to head south!"

Jishi Wuli did not refuse Fu Zihou's demand. Compared to those captured civilians, Jishi Wuli cared far more about his own subordinate troops.

Just as Jishi Wuli began to worry whether Fu Zihou would agree, the answer came.

"Very well!"

Seeing Fu Zihou’s crisp and decisive manner, Jishi Wuli was somewhat surprised. Yet looking at Fu Zihou's expression and the way he stared back at him,

Jishi Wuli understood clearly: this was a test Fu Zihou was setting for him. He could break his promise, but if he did, in the future—

Any Turk, man or woman, old or young, who fell into Fu Zihou’s hands would likely find it impossible to escape death.

Out on the plain.

As all the fleeing Turks were rounded up and gathered together, numbering over ten thousand—not to mention the other scattered stragglers still roaming Yanmen Commandery who lacked any strength left to resist—

Ultimately, after deliberation, Fu Zihou and Li Shimin agreed to Jishi Wuli's request, sending men to round up all surviving Turks and lead them back to the north.

Because Fu Zihou had sent men to seize all the Turkic warhorses, they had no fear that gathering the Turks together would pose any renewed threat.

The sun hung low in the twilight.

Jishi Wuli finally finished gathering the remnants of his defeated forces. As for the horses, Jishi Wuli did not care; up north, Turkic tribes possessed plenty of mounts, to say nothing of those they could plunder from rival tribes on the eastern steppes.

"Who are they?"

Duomu Tulu was also among the crowd of Turks. Without the cover of a Turkic army, and with scouts swarming both Mayi and Yanmen, Duomu Tulu knew that trying to return north alone would be fraught with immense difficulty and danger.

Learning that Jishi Wuli had successfully negotiated terms with the Central Plains people—trading Turks for captives—Duomu Tulu had changed into ordinary clothes and blended into the crowd. Seeing that Jishi Wuli had not brought him before the Sui generals, he finally set his mind completely at ease and seized the first opportunity to approach Jishi Wuli.

"One is named Li Shimin, and the other is Fu Zihou!"

Jishi Wuli said, looking at Duomu Tulu.

"Last night, it was that Fu Zihou who deduced that you would use golden eagles for a night raid, and further guessed that you would surely return for a second strike!"

Jishi Wuli recounted the events of the previous night to Duomu Tulu.

Hearing this, Duomu Tulu's pupils constricted.

Last night, they had truly been anticipated!

The decision to launch the sneak attack, the timing, and the choice to return—all of these had been decided by himself alone, which was how Duomu Tulu knew Jishi Wuli was not lying to him.

"This man will definitely become a grave, fatal threat to the Turks!"

Duomu Tulu said to Jishi Wuli, his heart filled with dread.

The events of the previous night were simply too bizarre; even recalling them now made Duomu Tulu shiver and his spine run cold.

With such a Sui general in existence, it was by no means a good thing for the Turks.

As Duomu Tulu pondered, he looked toward the young Sui general in the distance, only to suddenly discover that the young general was also looking directly in his direction. His heart skipped a beat, and for some reason, even though they were separated by a great distance, Duomu Tulu felt as though that pair of eyes was fixed entirely upon him.

That gaze seemed to pierce straight through him, filling him with terror.

"Hide..."

Hearing Jishi Wuli's warning, Duomu Tulu quickly averted his gaze.

"What is it?"

Li Shimin asked Fu Zihou with a curious look.

Hearing Li Shimin's voice, Fu Zihou finally turned his head back.

"Nothing, just felt like something was a bit strange just now!"

Fu Zihou said.

He wanted to ponder it further, but watching Li Shimin personally bandage the wounds on his face, feeling the sharp sting, Fu Zihou drew in a breath.

With his armor removed, Fu Zihou’s torso, usually bound in tight cloth wraps, had grown much broader and sturdier over the past few months.

Yet at this moment, several gasps and wounds across his chest and shoulders looked particularly stark.

Li Shimin looked at the bandaged cheek of Fu Zihou and his various injuries, knowing full well that many of those blows had been taken head-on simply so Fu Zihou could free up his hands to protect him.

"Captain! The tally is complete! Thirty-three thousand four hundred horses, excluding the injured ones, leaving twenty-nine thousand sound mounts! And a full forty thousand sheep and livestock!"

Hu Jingyuan and Yin Tianzong hurried over to Fu Zihou, reporting with a mixture of shock and wild excitement.

"So many!"

Hearing the report, Li Shimin looked astonished and delighted, exchanging a mutual glance of disbelief with Fu Zihou.

Neither of them had expected this battle to yield such a massive bounty of completely undamaged warhorses.

Before Fu Zihou could say anything, they saw Jishi Wuli walking over, stating that he was ready to lead his people back to the north.

Fu Zihou nodded. Once Jishi Wuli finished speaking with Li Shimin, he quietly watched Jishi Wuli depart.

"Next up is Zhen Di'er in Taiyuan!"

Li Shimin said.

Fu Zihou nodded, looking down at his blood-stained armor, which was notched with countless battle-dents, and decided not to put it back on.

"Let's go! Time to meet the garrison of Yanmen!"

Fu Zihou said, leading his own warhorse with one hand while handing Li Shimin's reins over to him with the other.

"You truly don't want this horse? This mount of Modagan's is a crossbreed of a sweat-bleeding steed and a Western Region horse; its stamina and speed are far beyond ordinary mounts. You saw it yourself earlier—if not for this horse, Modagan wouldn't have been able to maneuver so effortlessly around our flanks!"

Li Shimin said to Fu Zihou.

"You killed Modagan, so his horse rightfully belongs to you! Under no circumstances can I take this beast. Besides, anyone can see this is a rare, exceptional steed. With your archery skills, having a horse like this will be like adding wings to a tiger!"

Fu Zihou refused to take Modagan's warhorse. Li Shimin was the one who killed him, so the horse naturally belonged to Li Shimin.

Li Shimin excelled at riding and archery, and since enemies frequently closed in on him in combat, he was the one who truly needed this horse.

"..."

Hearing Fu Zihou's words, Li Shimin felt a mix of exasperation and amusement.

To say he wasn't tempted by the horse before him would be a lie.

Fine steeds, beauties, and treasured swords—what man did not love them? The only reason Li Shimin was declining was entirely because of Fu Zihou.

Previously, it was Fu Zihou who led troops to rescue him. Not to mention how Fu Zihou had always quietly cared for his feelings, on the battlefields that followed, Fu Zihou had literally put his life on the line to shield him from enemies, even hurling away his prized *mashe* spear and beloved sword—though fortunately, they managed to retrieve them after the victory, otherwise Fu Zihou's cherished sword would have been lost forever.

Compared to this steed that tempted him so deeply, what Li Shimin cared about far more in his heart was Fu Zihou!

Hearing Fu Zihou's tone and seeing his expression, Li Shimin knew that no matter what, Fu Zihou would never accept the horse, and so he pressed the matter no further.

"I only hope that I, Li Shimin, will never fail..."

Li Shimin raised his hand to stroke the face of the fine steed, muttering softly to himself as if lost in thought.

However, watching Fu Zihou wince in pain as he forced himself back up into the saddle due to his injuries,

A wave of deep warmth and fondness washed over Li Shimin, mingled with a lingering sense of guilt.

No matter what, he vowed that in the future, he would surely find an even better steed and an even greater sword to gift to him!

...

Inside Jinyang East City.

"It has been nearly half a month in the blink of an eye, why is there still no news of him?"

Cui Wenjin looked anxious, then bit her lower lip and marched up to Lady Di with an indignant expression.

"Help me gather information!"

When Cui Wenjin said these words, her face burned with embarrassment. Remembering how she had threatened the other party back in Jinyang West City, she now found herself having to beg the same person.

Born into the Cui clan since childhood, when had Cui Wenjin ever lowered her head like this?

Yet for the sake of that youth!

Cui Wenjin endured it. Whatever pride she lost, she lost—she lowered her head and pleaded with Lady Di.

If there was any news of the youth, if she learned he was in danger, Cui Wenjin could at least think of a way to help.

"There is no news anywhere in Jinyang!"

Lady Di looked at Cui Wenjin's expression and gently shook her head.

"Not just within Jinyang City, but even the rebel forces throughout Taiyuan Commandery outside the city are reportedly searching for Fu Zihou, yet still there is no trace of him!"

As Lady Di spoke, a look of surprise crossed her eyes, for she too could not understand why Fu Zihou and his troops seemed to have vanished completely into thin air.

Word had it that long ago, Fu Zihou had led troops through a rebel encirclement and rescued people.

Where had he gone after that? Why was there not a single shred of news?

"Rest assured! As long as the rebel forces have no news of him, he remains safe. Di Xing is already helping to gather intelligence inside the city!"

Lady Di comforted Cui Wenjin.

Nowadays, regarding her younger brother, it wasn't just Lady Di who noticed a change; even their grandfather and other family members had perceived something different. While traces of his former timidity could still be seen in Di Xing, sometimes the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes carried an entirely different weight.

By now, regarding all intelligence across Jinyang and even news of the rebels outside the city, Di Xing had unwittingly established his own exclusive channels of information, sometimes even acquiring news ahead of the Guo clan.