A surprise attack once again

Wang Gui felt somewhat disappointed by Li Tai’s performance. Li Tai’s fief was not located anywhere near Liangzhou, and in fact, the prosperity of the Silk Road would likely conflict with the interests of his fief in Yangzhou. Yet, at this moment, Li Tai was clearly preoccupied with the minor gains he might secure from the Silk Road, failing to realize that if the Dragon Cavalry were not prevented from remaining within the territory of Tuyuhun, Li Zhi’s prestige would only continue to soar.

The combat effectiveness of the Dragon Cavalry was terrifying; they could easily annihilate an enemy ten times their size without any preparation. If given more time, it was feared that the entire Tuyuhun region would be crippled by their hands. The final conclusion was, unsurprisingly, that it was in the interest of most parties for the Dragon Cavalry to remain in Tuyuhun. At this moment, however, no one knew that the very army they were discussing had already embarked on another operation.

After handing over their duties to the men sent by Li Daliang, the Dragon Cavalry, led by Su Lie, set off on their journey once more. They marched along the edge of Qinghai Lake, heading straight for the Tuyuhun capital, Fusi City. Every village they passed along the way was thoroughly plundered. In the cruelty of war, no one was innocent; that Su Lie and his men did not slaughter them all was already an act of immense restraint.

Five days later, Su Lie’s force discovered a new wave of enemies, numbering around ten thousand. Upon spotting them, Su Lie and his men began to observe from a distance. Although it was nearly February, the weather remained frigid, so the enemy’s yurts were tightly sealed. Only a few scattered patrols wandered listlessly, some not even holding their weapons. Seeing this, Su Lie immediately judged that the enemy was completely off-guard and decided to wait until nightfall to launch an assault.

With their plan set, the Dragon Cavalry soldiers concealed themselves in a wind-sheltered valley, quickly eating and sleeping to conserve their strength for the night’s work. At midnight, all members assembled on time. After a quick meal, they mounted their horses and crept toward the enemy. The operation proceeded just like the last one, though the number of men participating in the assassination phase had increased to three hundred.

By the time Su Lie and his men approached the enemy camp, it was late into the night. Only a few guards remained outside. The roaring campfires did not stop them from feeling the cold; instead, they caused the men to lower their heads and doze off. Seeing this, Su Lie decisively ordered his soldiers to eliminate the guards first. With a single gesture, his men slipped into the enemy camp like ghosts. Over a hundred sentries lost their lives while still in a daze.

Before the blood of their victims had even cooled, Su Lie and his men had already infiltrated the yurts. Each yurt contained about ten enemies, so they operated in groups of five. Once inside, the soldiers would instantly slit the throats of the sleeping men with their daggers. Afterward, they would drag the bodies to the corners of the yurts to ensure blood did not stain the sleeping mats. If all went well, these would be their own sleeping quarters, and they did not want to ruin them.

The techniques taught by Chai Long and Duan Shizi were incredibly efficient, ensuring that no more than two minutes were wasted in any single yurt. Outside every yurt where the task was completed, they planted an enemy saber—a sign for their comrades that the area had been cleared. The camp of over ten thousand men was vast, and without such markers, it was easy to miss a spot.

The assassination proceeded smoothly, with all the enemies trapped in deep slumber. Half a stick of incense later, the Dragon Cavalry finally pushed into the inner circle of the camp, arriving at the dozen or so large tents in the center. At this point, it meant the remaining individuals could be kept as prisoners to serve as guides for the Dragon Cavalry.

Su Lie strode into the largest tent without any attempt at stealth, tearing down the heavy door curtain with a violent tug. The enemy commander was jolted awake by the sudden commotion. Before he could grasp what was happening, Su Lie grabbed him and hauled him off his cot. Now fully awake, the commander let out a roar: "Enemy attack!"

Su Lie slapped the commander across the face. Then, picking at his own ear, he said, "What are you shouting about? I’m already standing right in front of you—can’t you see what’s happening?"

Su Lie pulled the shivering commander, still in his undergarments, out into the open ground. By now, others from the large tents had been dragged out as well, some showing clear signs of having been struck. All of them, without exception, were dressed only in their undergarments. Once everyone was gathered, Su Lie ordered a signal flare to be lit and brought the prisoners to a campfire.

The enemy commander asked, "May I ask which Tang army you belong to? I have never seen your kind before."

Su Lie replied, "It is none of your concern where I am from. You would do better to tell me about the situation here!"

Before the commander could speak, another officer, who had clearly just been beaten, stepped forward. His face twisted with rage, he shouted, "You lot only won by resorting to a sneak attack! How dare you treat our commander with such insolence?"

Su Lie didn't even glance at him; he simply signaled a guard. Without warning, the guard swung his blade and severed the man’s head. Only then did Su Lie speak: "A fool who cannot read the situation—to act so arrogant in such a position, you deserve your end."

His expression softened suddenly, and he asked the commander the same question again. This time, no one dared to step forward and shout. The commander, now thoroughly cowed, revealed everything. The place was called Juru River, a long-term garrison for the Tuyuhun. The commander in charge was named Tuoba Jun, and he had ten thousand men under his command. Because the Tang army rarely ventured this far, their food supplies were abundant. They had over two hundred thousand head of livestock—cattle, sheep, and horses—and enough grain to last them a year. However, these men were cunning, having stored the grain in several different locations.

Seeing that Tuoba Jun was so cooperative, Su Lie ordered his clothes to be brought to him. Once the man was dressed, Su Lie smiled and said, "Since the commander is so reasonable, I naturally cannot treat you poorly." He then turned to the others and added, "You gentlemen should learn from your commander, shouldn't you?"

He then turned to one of them and asked, "How far is the nearest outpost from here, and how many men are stationed there?"