After crossing, I surrounded the capital from the countryside

The atmosphere in the interrogation room became increasingly solemn.

Faced with the silence and resistance of the northern barbarian captives, Xu Qingsong's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness.

He walked slowly to the leading northern barbarian. Although the prisoner was bound by chains, he still held his head high and had a stubborn smile on his lips, as if he didn't care about the coming punishment.

"Do you think that silence can protect your accomplices or the mastermind behind this?" Xu Qingsong's voice was low and powerful, and every word was like a hammer hitting the captives' hearts. "In the Northern Frontier military camp, we have countless ways to make you speak."

The leading northern barbarian sneered and responded in poor northern dialect: "We northern barbarians would rather die than surrender! Don't even think about getting any information from me!"

Xu Qingsong narrowed his eyes when he heard this. He slowly turned around and gave an order to the soldiers beside him: "Get ready. Let them know that the majesty of the Northern Frontier Army cannot be challenged."

When the leading northern barbarian saw this, his face changed slightly, but he still clenched his teeth and refused to utter a word.

Seeing this, Xu Qingsong personally picked up a special branding iron and slowly heated it over the candle flame until it was red. He walked up to the leading northern barbarian, slowly brought the branding iron close to his chest, and said coldly: "This is your last chance."

However, the leading northern barbarian just closed his eyes, clenched his teeth, and endured the severe pain from the branding iron, but still did not make a sound to beg for mercy. Seeing this, his companions also clenched their teeth.

Seeing this, Xu Qingsong couldn't help but secretly admire the courage of this northern barbarian. He glanced at the northern barbarian who showed his cowardice at the beginning and said, "It's just a name. Why risk your lives?"

He leaned close to the man's ear and said in a low, gentle voice, full of temptation: "As long as you tell me the name of your general, I will protect you from death. How about that?"

The man was obviously tempted, but after looking at the leading northern barbarian, he still didn't say anything.

Xu Qingsong sighed regretfully, "Since this is the case, there is nothing I can do. Let's continue."

"Yes!"

Time passed by minute by minute, and the prisoners' painful groans and struggles could be heard from the interrogation room. But even so, the leading northern barbarian still did not give in, and his eyes were full of determination and resoluteness.

Finally, after several hours of torture, the leading northern barbarian finally fainted due to exhaustion. Seeing this, Xu Qingsong sighed and asked the soldiers to stop the punishment.

Xu Qingsong continued to put pressure on them with words: "Your leader has fainted. If you can confess voluntarily, perhaps your guilt can be mitigated."

"Of course, if you're worried about people knowing that you were the one who leaked the information, I can have you all tell me secretly one by one."

These words seemed to touch the hearts of some of the captives. They began to look at each other, with vigilance and a hint of hesitation in their eyes.

Finally, after Xu Qingsong dispersed them, a younger northern barbarian couldn't help but speak: "I... I said. We were instructed by a certain Helian Feiying. He asked us to harass you more often on weekdays to lower your vigilance, and take the opportunity to sneak into the town to spy on intelligence and look for opportunities to create chaos."

Xu Qingsong's eyes narrowed when he heard this. Helian Feiying, the nephew of Helian Temujin, the leader of the northern barbarians, was rumored to be brave and good at martial arts, smart and cunning. He once led the northern barbarians to break through the defenses of the northern border. It was only when Lu Zhenting personally led the troops and mobilized the Tingwei Army that they drove them out of the northern border.

This shows their ability. Now they are on the battlefield again. It seems that the Northern Barbarians are going to make big moves again.

"That's all I know, I don't know anything else."

Xu Qingsong nodded, and had already made up his mind. He understood that these captives knew very little, but their confessions at least provided him with a direction for investigation.

So he waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to take the prisoners away, and ordered: "Continue the interrogation and make sure to dig out more useful information from them. At the same time, strengthen border patrols and increase vigilance to prevent similar incidents from happening again."

As the prisoners left, peace returned to the interrogation room.

Xu Qingsong stood there, staring at the candlelight, thinking about the next action plan in his heart. He knew that although this battle had come to an end temporarily, the real challenge had just begun.

Xu Qingsong returned to the tent, picked up a brush and wrote down what had happened here.

After releasing the carrier pigeon, Xu Qingsong returned to the tent to think about the next series of events in response to the provocations from the northern barbarians.

……

"Qingqing, are we leaving again?" The baby leaned on Xu Qingqing's shoulder and asked softly.

Xu Qingqing looked at the supplies and personnel statistics in her hand and nodded hurriedly: "Yes, we can't stay here forever. After we have repaired, we should continue on our way. Otherwise, when the imperial court comes to suppress us, this place is our own territory now, which is not worth it."

The baby nodded, not quite understanding: "Oh, even if we have to fight, we have to go to someone else's house, otherwise if something gets broken, we will suffer, isn't that the truth?"

Xu Qingqing smiled and nodded: "Yes, the baby is really smart."

The baby was praised and shook his head with a smile, looking at Xiao Yuheng standing beside him and raised his eyebrows, as if saying: Look, Qingqing praised me but not you!

Xiao Yuheng: fake smile.jpg

"Baby, eat an orange." Xiao Yuheng fed the peeled orange in his hand to Xu Qingqing's mouth, his voice low and his smile full of seduction.

The baby opened his eyes wide when he heard this. Baby? ! Why is Xiao Yuheng so disgusting? !

Xu Qingqing also opened her eyes wide, looking at Xiao Yuheng with disgust in her eyes: No, it's ok to secretly scream on weekdays, and it can be called boudoir fun, but this, this, this? !

Xiao Yuheng met Xu Qingqing's eyes, his eyes flickered slightly, and his hand kept feeding the orange: "Ah~"

Xu Qingqing shuddered and quickly opened her mouth to eat the orange.

When Xiao Yuheng saw Xu Qingqing eating the orange, he gently stroked the corner of Xu Qingqing's mouth with his fingers, his eyes dark.

Xu Qingqing quickly shifted her gaze, her ears slightly red.

The baby looks left and right.

When he saw Xiao Yuheng glance at him, he felt his fists stiffen.

The baby pouted: "Qingqing~ You are the baby, I am the baby, our names match so well~"

"What do you mean by a good match? Baby is Qingqing's and my nickname, and your baby is your name. They are different!" Xiao Yuheng frowned and retorted. He couldn't stand others saying that he and Qingqing were a good match. Only he and Qingqing were a good match!

The baby was scolded and pouted in grievance: "Qingqing~ look at him~"

Seeing that the baby was aggrieved, Xu Qingqing looked at Xiao Yuheng and blinked, her eyes full of coaxing, but she scolded him slightly, "Okay, you are as old as the baby, why are you arguing with a child?"

When Baobao saw Qingqing supporting him, his back straightened a lot, and he looked at Xiao Yuheng with eyes full of: You see, Qingqing dotes on me the most!

Xiao Yuheng felt the flattery in Xu Qingqing's eyes, and he didn't bother with the arrogant baby. After all, he was no different in age, so why bother with a little brat.