Interrogating the captive

A flicker of panic crossed the eyes of the man Su Lie was questioning.

He then feigned difficulty, stammering, "The nearest stronghold is two hundred miles to the northwest, with a garrison of ten thousand."

Su Lie shook his head after hearing this and said, "General, you aren't being honest. That area to the northwest is completely barren. What is your intention in trying to trick us into going there?"

The man grew anxious and blurted out, "I am not lying! There really are people there."

Su Lie shook his head once more and turned to a Dragon Cavalry soldier standing beside him. The landscape was filled with mountains and hills, making it effortless to find a high point and use a telescope to survey the area. Since the Dragon Cavalry had planned this operation, how could they not have sent scouts to clarify the surrounding situation? To travel northwest from here, one would not only have to cross a narrow mountain range but also traverse a stretch of desolate, hilly terrain. A round trip of two hundred miles would likely take seven or eight days at the very least. Furthermore, the man's expression revealed he was playing a cunning game.

Su Lie decided not to grant him any more chances. Receiving a signal from Su Lie, the soldier swung his blade and severed the general’s head. The faces of the others turned deathly pale in an instant.

Su Lie then spoke, "Gentlemen, two men have already lost their lives for refusing to cooperate. I suggest you choose your next words wisely." He then turned his gaze toward another man.

The man quickly replied, "Two hundred miles to our northeast is Mount Shuhun, where there is a garrison of twenty thousand."

Su Lie smiled and said, "This general is clearly a reasonable man." He then ordered one of his soldiers, "Go get the general a coat; don't let him freeze." Su Lie then addressed the others, "As long as you all cooperate, I will not treat you unfairly. For the next questions, I suggest you all rush to answer."

The remaining dozen or so men became incredibly nervous. They did not know what punishment would befall them if they failed to answer. To them, Su Lie seemed like a capricious devil, and they feared that one wrong move would cost them their lives. Su Lie was satisfied with their reaction and asked, "Is there any communication between your two strongholds?"

Before the words had even faded, one man shouted, "Yes! Yes! There is!"

Su Lie said, "This general’s performance is excellent. Go get him a coat, too." He then turned to the others, "Everyone else seems rather unenthusiastic. How should I punish you?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than someone cried out, "General! I also know when they are coming and when we are expected to go there!" Others began scrambling to offer whatever information they possessed.

At this point, Su Lie knew their spirits had been broken. They would never dare to lie about anything again. With a smile, he told them, "Since you all have information, please follow my men to the side and detail it clearly." He added, "The more detailed you are, the greater the rewards!"

Tuoba Jun watched his men being led away to separate locations to divulge intelligence and offered a bitter smile. He bowed to Su Lie and said, "General, you have effective methods. Tuoba Jun... is impressed."

Su Lie replied, "General Tuoba, there is no need for that. We each serve our own masters; all methods are merely means to an end."

Tuoba Jun asked, "Do you intend to launch a surprise attack on Mount Shuhun?"

Su Lie answered, "Your assessment is correct. I am indeed going to Mount Shuhun."

Tuoba Jun was shocked. "But there are twenty thousand soldiers stationed there!"

Su Lie laughed, looking up at the sky. "What of twenty thousand? What of one hundred thousand? My Dragon Cavalry has come to Tuyuhun, and we intend to turn this land upside down."

Seeing Su Lie’s composure, Tuoba Jun almost thought he had gone mad. To think a force of only a thousand men would dare to challenge an army of twenty thousand—did these people have no fear of death?

Su Lie certainly feared death, but he had absolute confidence in his ability to defeat the enemy. The information provided by the officers was highly valuable. The most critical detail was that in half a month, a cavalry troop of about a hundred men from Mount Shuhun would arrive to exchange intelligence. This confirmed that the first man had indeed been lying to stall for time.

For the Dragon Cavalry, the number of enemies did not matter; what mattered was the timing of their raid. The supplies here were far too abundant, so Su Lie needed to arrange for reinforcements from Liangzhou City. A round trip would take at least ten days. Moreover, the next enemy stronghold also held vast supplies, forcing a change in the original operational plan. The Great Tang might not need anything else from Tuyuhun, but they could not afford to lose a single one of their warhorses.

The Qinghai Cong, known as the "Dragon-breed Horse," could travel a thousand miles a day, possessing both incredible speed and stamina. The Dragon Cavalry soldiers were currently mounted on these very horses. With a new tactical objective, Tuoba Jun and his men were no longer useful, so Su Lie decided to send them back to the Great Tang. After all, the Tuyuhun people were nomadic, and contact between their tribes relied on advance coordination between neighbors. Thus, Tuoba Jun and his men had no idea where the other tribes were currently located.

What followed was a period of monotonous waiting, which left the Dragon Cavalry soldiers feeling quite frustrated. They craved battle, longing to repay the Emperor’s trust and Li Zhi’s training through victory.

Meanwhile, Li Zhi, whom they wished to honor, was currently in the Medical Academy, reading the newly compiled medical texts. With the aid of microscopes, the medical standards of the Great Tang had made a leap forward. Li Zhi’s concepts regarding drug analysis and extraction had also greatly promoted advancements in pharmacology. With the strong support of Li Shimin, the number of physicians in the academy had grown significantly. Some remained as long-term faculty, while others frequently traveled to practice medicine. Regardless, they all left their clinical experience at the academy while gaining even more from it.

Li Zhi was there to continue his studies. His recent busyness had left a gap between his medical knowledge and the most advanced techniques at the academy. He needed to bridge that gap as quickly as possible—partly to ensure his hard-won skills did not rust, and partly to be prepared for any emergencies that might arise within the palace.