Chapter 46: Another Battle at Badou

That night, Li Wenyuan took several leather pouches from the basket and handed them to his subordinate, instructing him to wait near the magistrate’s residence. The pouches contained pine oil, refined by Li Wenyuan after numerous experiments, with added ingredients to prevent solidification over time.

He cautioned, “Once you see lights in the magistrate’s house, douse the place with oil and set it aflame. Leave immediately afterward; be careful not to get caught by the authorities.”

His subordinate nodded and departed, leaving five burly men behind in the house, awaiting further instructions. Li Wenyuan soon assigned them a task as well: wait near Hul’s residence. He himself, accompanied by Zong Luohou, went to the county prison.

After slipping five strings of coins to the gatekeeper, they entered the dungeon where the villagers were held. As soon as they descended, the stench hit them with such force that Li Wenyuan staggered, only managing to steady himself with Zong Luohou’s help. The officer who had brought them stood outside the cell door and said, “I won’t go in. Speak quickly; when you’re done, leave at once.”

With that, the officer turned and left, leaving Zong Luohou and Li Wenyuan in the dungeon. Li Wenyuan signaled Zong Luohou, who nodded and went to stand guard at the door. Li Wenyuan walked alone into the cell, seeing dozens of crowded cells filled with people, and said, “Everyone, I know you’ve been wronged. I have come to tell you, do not act rashly. Eat, drink, and wait—three days from now, it will be the magistrate’s head that falls.”

A villager mustered the courage to say, “We are not rebellious tax evaders. If you intend to kill us, do so; don’t use gentle words to coax us.”

Li Wenyuan met the man’s gaze but did not reply. Instead, he said, “I am Li Wenyuan, Governor of the Western Regions. If you cannot survive in Yongdeng County, come find me in Wuwei Prefecture.”

With these words, Li Wenyuan and Zong Luohou departed the dungeon.

Bang, bang, bang—the sound of the night watchman’s clapper echoed three times. Zong Luohou nudged the sleeping Li Wenyuan and said, “General Li, wake up, see if the man entering is the Hul you spoke of.”

At the mention of Hul’s name, Li Wenyuan’s eyes snapped open. Following Zong Luohou’s gaze, he saw four men enter through the gate, Hul at their lead.

Li Wenyuan nodded, then glanced further off; his subordinates were ready. He removed his disguise, leapt from the rooftop, and called out, “Well, Turkic scoundrel, kneel and surrender!”

Hul and his companions had just returned from a secret meeting with Li Mao, guilty conscience weighing on them, and a sudden shout in the eerily quiet night startled them, making them turn quickly to face the intruder.

By moonlight, Hul recognized Li Wenyuan and asked in surprise, “Who is so rude? Oh, it’s you, young man. What business do you have at my residence at this hour?”

Li Wenyuan chuckled and said, “Heh, Prince Hul, I too wish to be the Khagan of Tokharistan—would you be agreeable?”

Hul was shocked to hear mention of the Khagan, silently cursing Li Mao’s carelessness for letting news slip. His expression darkened. “Young man, I respect your martial skill, but you’d best stay out of this affair. Leave now and save your life.”

Li Wenyuan replied, “Thank you for your regard, Prince Hul. If I were a commoner, I’d indeed avoid such trouble. But as Governor of the Western Regions, I am here to apprehend the Turkic spies infiltrating the Sui. Forgive me, Prince.”

Seeing Li Wenyuan unmoved, Hul frowned and gave orders in Turkic for his men to seize Li Wenyuan and kill him on the spot.

Batu hesitated, but Hul shoved him fiercely, saying, “You servant, don’t overestimate yourself. You, Batu, and your Soqet tribe are but dogs of Ashina. Don’t think your dealings with the Han make you forget who your master is!”

Batu clenched his fists, swallowed his resentment, and nodded, then approached Li Wenyuan with the others. The five men entered the courtyard and took positions beside Li Wenyuan, ready for action.

Seeing the situation change, Hul barked, “All together now! Finish them quickly!” With that, he retreated into the house without looking back.

Batu gave Li Wenyuan an apologetic smile, but before he could speak, Li Wenyuan raised his fist and said, “No matter—each serves his master. I wasn’t satisfied with our last contest; let’s see how we fare this time.”

Batu nodded and charged at Li Wenyuan. As planned, the other two were tightly engaged by Li Wenyuan’s five men, unable to interfere in the duel.

Batu drew near, hands not clenched but reaching to grasp Li Wenyuan’s shoulders, applying no force. Li Wenyuan recognized the challenge—a test of strength. He seized Batu’s shoulders in turn. They nodded, then suddenly exerted themselves, muscles taut, faces flushed, but neither could overpower the other.

Inside, Hul hurriedly gathered his belongings, preparing to flee Yongdeng County as soon as Batu subdued Li Wenyuan. His purpose had been to persuade Li Gui to declare independence, forming an alliance against the Sui. Now discovered by Li Wenyuan, he knew he’d be sent to the capital if captured—there the Sui emperor would not spare him. He also recalled his brothers, long coveting the khanate, and resolved that he must return alive to the steppe.

Distracted, Hul failed to hear footsteps behind him. Suddenly a hand clapped his shoulder; before he could turn, a punch sent him sprawling. Despite his Turkic heritage, years of ease in the Central Plains had softened him, and he could not withstand a blow from Zong Luohou, who could match Li Wenyuan’s strength. Hul was struck so hard he couldn’t even cry out in pain, stars dancing before his eyes as he was quickly bound. To prevent him from biting his tongue and killing himself, Zong Luohou stuffed a rag from the table into his mouth.

Zong Luohou then dragged Hul outside like a dead dog. Meanwhile, Li Wenyuan had gauged Batu’s strength. Releasing his left hand from Batu’s shoulder, he grabbed Batu’s belt, spun, and with a surge of power, flung Batu into the garden, crashing him against a decorative tree, breaking several small trunks before he hit the ground, where Li Wenyuan promptly seized him.

The other two, barely holding their own against the five men, saw Batu—their strongest—thrown aside, fate uncertain, and their resolve faltered. Their defense slackened, and they too were knocked down and bound.