Chapter 598: The Decisive Battle! Mutual Night Raids! (2/2)
It was no secret to Wang Chong that Dalun Ruozan liked to raid camps at night, conducting hit-and-run assaults. At a time like this, it was already quite good to even think about the idea of raiding a camp.
Alas, he had encountered Wang Chong.
Wang Chong had merely defended against this possibility. He hadn't expected Dalun Ruozan to really walk into the trap and send people on a raid.
”How is it?” Wang Chong asked.
”According to Young Master's orders, we hid ballistae beforehand in ambush. We've killed the majority of them, and only around one thousand were able to escape,” a general reported.
”That's enough; let the rest of them leave. In addition, pass down my order to gather up the armor of those Tibetans and Mengshe Zhao soldiers who died during the day. Although we've already used this move, as long as the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army is still here, we can keep using the move.”
”Yes, Young Master!”
A messenger quickly left with this order.
During the day, sixty to seventy thousand soldiers had died on the mountain. In this era, many armies would choose to either bury these bodies, push them off the mountain, or throw them somewhere else. But to Wang Chong, these bodies were still useful.
Although the Annan Protectorate army was forced into passive defense during the day, the nighttime was completely different. Given Wang Chong's personality, he would never just sit down and wait for death. This was the only and best chance for the Tang to attack.
As long as Ü-Tsang was still allied with Mengshe Zhao, Wang Chong would continue to disguise his troops as Tibetans and attack Mengshe Zhao or disguise his troops as Mengshe Zhao soldiers and attack Tibetans.
”Call General Chen's group back!” Wang Chong said as he looked down at the fiery glow below.
”In addition, tell them to come back around from the Tibetan side and raid the Tibetan camp before coming back. Tell them that they absolutely can't stop and fight at any place.”
”Yes, Young Master!”
……
Raiding a camp had to be done when the enemy was not on their guard, and that period would only last for a moment, so one had to seize the opportunity. In addition, one had to continuously charge forward, not staying in any place for too long.
Hit-and-run attacks meant that one gave a single hit and immediately ran, never remaining in place for long. Otherwise, it would become a proper battle.
”HAHAHA….”
As Luo Ji and Chen Guanshun led the Tang soldiers back, it was possible to hear their roaring laughter from the distance, their delight and pleasure clear in their voices. Disguising as Tibetans to attack Mengshe Zhao, as Mengshe Zhao to attack Tibetans… Only someone like Wang Chong could think of such a thing.
”Milord, this plan was too wonderful.”
”The Tibetans and Mengshe Zhao soldiers are probably about to explode with rage!”
”Dalun Ruozan has been completely suppressed by Young Master this time.”
”With Young Master here, what does our Annan Protectorate army have to fear?”
”That's right! What Geluofeng, what Duan Gequan, what Huoshu Huicang or Dalun Ruozan? Are they even worth mentioning in front of Young Master?”
……
In the flickering light of the torches, one could see that the faces of these soldiers were red with excitement. A mountain had been weighing down on all these soldiers during the southwest war, each day making it difficult for them to draw breath, but things were different now that Wang Chong was here.
Not only could he leave legendary figures of the southwest like Huoshu Huicang and Dalun Ruozan standing helpless at the door, he could even launch an attack in the middle of the night and make complete fools out of them.
It's enough that all the generals are confident.
Wang Chong lightly chuckled. He could tell that this victory had caused their confidence to swell, raising the morale of the entire army with it.
This was one of the reasons Wang Chong had had them go on the raid.
However, although he was happy to hear their first words, Wang Chong couldn't help but frown at the last few words.
”'Know yourself and know your enemies, and you will never be defeated.' Huoshu Huicang doesn't know me, so he would have never expected that I would choose this moment to launch a raid on his camp, causing him to fall into the trap. But this sort of thing can only happen once, not twice. Generals, none of you should get careless. Neither Huoshu Huicang nor Dalun Ruozan is easy to deal with.”
Although he was very happy to hear his soldiers boast about him, if they began to underestimate Huoshu Huicang and Dalun Ruozan, that would be a big problem. Huoshu Huicang and Dalun Ruozan had won their reputation through deeds, not flattery.
Even the Tiger of the Empire, Zhangchou Jianqiong, had been unable to overcome them. How could such people be that easy to deal with?
Even though he had won victory after victory, Wang Chong never dared to look down on them.
It wasn't because he was afraid of them, but because Wang Chong knew that Huoshu Huicang, Dalun Ruozan, Geluofeng, and Duan Gequan had not begun to move because they believed that the time was not right for them to move.
When that moment arrived, the true decisive battle would begin!
No one, not the Great Tang, not Mengshe Zhao or Ü-Tsang, had anywhere to retreat to. And the casualties from that battle would be nothing like they were now.
”Yes, Young Master!”
When they heard Wang Chong's words, the soldiers immediately responded, respect on their faces.
”The rest of the night should be fine. Everyone, go back and rest. Remember to stay on guard!”
”Yes!”
……
The night's ruckus finally settled down. Just as Wang Chong had expected, neither Dalun Ruozan nor Geluofeng made any attempts to fight or counterattack. Wang Chong's plans had been effective. This method of disguising as Tibetan or Mengshe Zhao soldiers was incredibly difficult to defend against, and until they did find an effective method for dealing with it, neither party would dare to rashly launch an attack in the middle of the night.