Victory: Commanding the Dragon Cavalry

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Upon hearing the words of the thousand-man commander, Su Lie immediately realized that he might have misunderstood the situation. He hurriedly bowed and said, “General, you misunderstand. It is not that I am unwilling to face you in combat; in truth, this young man’s strength surpasses even mine.”

The thousand-man commander was momentarily stunned by this. Then, he cast a deep, lingering glance at Xue Li. Finally, he reached out and gently patted Xue Li’s shoulder, saying, “Young brother, to have such skill at your age promises a boundless future. I am truly defeated with complete respect.”

Xue Li blushed deeply and bowed in response. Then, somewhat embarrassed, he said, “It is Ren Gui who was reckless; I hope the general can forgive him.”

The thousand-man commander replied, “On the battlefield, strength alone determines victory. It is merely a matter of my own inferiority, and has nothing to do with you.”

Having said this, his gaze shifted toward Hou Junji. He saw that Hou Junji was standing off to the side with a vacant expression. Upon closer observation, he noticed that Hou’s lips were trembling violently.

Just as he was about to approach and offer an apology, he saw Li Shimin and the others emerge from the shadows, full of vigor and spirit. He glanced at Hou Junji once more and found him still in the same dazed state. With a sigh, he stepped forward to greet Li Shimin and his retinue.

When he reached Li Shimin’s side, he dropped to one knee and said, “I, Lin Tao, am unworthy in leading the troops and have brought shame upon His Majesty’s trust. I humbly ask for your punishment.”

Li Shimin laughed heartily and personally helped Lin Tao to his feet. Then he said, “The disparity in strength between the two sides was simply too great. Even if I had commanded personally, the outcome would have been the same. This bears no fault on you.”

After saying this, he turned to look at Hou Junji, who remained lost in thought, prompting a slight frown from the emperor. He approached Hou Junji and patted him on the shoulder. When Hou finally came to his senses, Li Shimin said, “The Dragon Cavalry is the most elite force of our Great Tang. As Minister of War, you should feel honored, so why do you appear so despondent?”

Hou Junji had long suspected that the Dragon Cavalry had ascended from another direction. Yet his shock was not only due to their formidable prowess. The deeper reason lay in the fact that this unit had been co-founded by Li Zhi. This meant that all future achievements of the force would be credited to Li Zhi, thereby posing a significant threat to Li Chengqian’s standing.

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Hearing Li Shimin’s words, Hou Junji immediately displayed a look of anxiety and said, “Your Majesty speaks rightly. I simply did not expect the Dragon Cavalry to be so formidable; I was temporarily unable to comprehend it.”

Li Shimin accepted this explanation without suspicion. He patted Hou Junji’s shoulder once more and said, “We too were quite surprised by the strength of the Dragon Cavalry. However, the facts are now before us, and we should accept them with grace.”

Hou Junji bowed and said, “I congratulate Your Majesty on acquiring such a powerful army.”

Others joined in unison, saying, “Congratulations, Your Majesty! Our heartfelt felicitations!”

Li Shimin laughed heartily, then turned to the Dragon Cavalry officers led by Su Lie. “Before the competition, I declared that each victor would receive a reward of one hundred strings of coins.”

He paused thoughtfully before continuing, “However, the Dragon Cavalry’s performance today has exceeded my expectations. To show my appreciation, I have decided to grant each of you an additional one hundred strings of coins.”

Upon hearing Li Shimin’s generous promise, the Dragon Cavalry soldiers knelt on one knee. Su Lie was the first to speak, “We humbly thank Your Majesty.”

The others echoed, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Li Shimin gestured for them to rise. Then he addressed Li Zhi and Li Jing, “Prince Jin Li Zhi, Right Deputy Minister Li Jing, you two devised excellent strategies and trained a strong force, adding a powerful troop to our Great Tang.”

He hesitated briefly before seeming to resolve himself and continued, “From now on, the Dragon Cavalry will be under the command of Prince Jin Li Zhi. I hope you will live up to my expectations and lead this force to even greater achievements.”

Upon hearing Li Shimin’s decision, Hou Junji’s eyes widened in shock. Just as he was about to object, he noticed Fang Xuanling, Yuchi Jingde, and the others all watching him meaningfully.

This instantly sobered him. Their expressions clearly indicated not only their approval of the emperor’s decision but also their subtle pressure on him.

Hou Junji closed his eyes and chose silence.

After announcing Li Zhi’s appointment, Li Shimin continued, “Right Deputy Minister Li Jing has suffered recurring foot ailments since leading the campaign against the Eastern Turks. Today, I bestow upon him a staff of longevity, wishing the physicians speed in his recovery.”

Li Shimin’s reward for Li Jing carried significant meaning. Since returning from the campaign against the Eastern Turks, Li Jing had been repeatedly accused of distributing the gold, silver, and jewels seized there to his subordinates without authorization.

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Such matters were not serious in themselves, and soon after, Li Jing was appointed as Li Zhi’s tutor. Therefore, Li Shimin, who had intended to reprimand Li Jing, ultimately only chastised him lightly and let the matter drop.

Unexpectedly, after assuming the position of Right Deputy Minister, Li Jing seldom voiced his opinions at court and often cited his foot ailment to excuse his absence from crucial meetings.

Li Shimin understood this as Li Jing signaling his wish to retire gracefully, yet he was reluctant to let him leave the court easily.

Today’s occasion was a chance to make his stance clear to Li Jing, ensuring he could serve at court with peace of mind.

After Li Zhi and Li Jing accepted their imperial edicts and expressed gratitude, others came forward to congratulate them.

By then, the contest was thoroughly concluded.

The Dragon Cavalry soldiers once again entered the tents and released the occupants. The soldiers of the Sixteenth Guards emerged with ashen faces, dejected and dispirited.

They still could not comprehend how they had been ambushed in their sleep.

Seeing their condition, Lin Tao could not help but smile bitterly. He then gathered them together and offered earnest consolation.

At dawn, everyone descended the mountain and returned to Chang’an.

Although Li Zhi gained an additional role, he did not rush to involve himself in the Dragon Cavalry’s affairs. Instead, he entrusted full authority to Su Lie, who continued to train the troops diligently.

Li Zhi had many pressing matters and little energy to manage the Dragon Cavalry. Moreover, he was well aware that, at his age, he had no real opportunity to lead troops into battle.

His father had handed him this force chiefly to secure such a formidable power under his control.