Side Story Chapter 20 (1/2)
A horseman galloped over and reported, “General, everything is ready.”
“Very good!” Blood Butcher said with satisfaction.
His mission was to go around to the rear of the Tang lines and strike directly at the interior, and it was an extremely important mission. If he succeeded, he would be promoted again, perhaps even becoming a subordinate under a Great General.
He suddenly thought of something, and called back the horseman who was heading back to the force.
“A few days ago, the scouts reported that some Third Prince arrived at the Tang army?”
The horseman said with a bowed head, “Yes. The newest reports say that this Third Prince has already arrived at the Longxi base. In addition, we have learned from our men in the capital that this Third Prince seemingly volunteered to come and deal with us.”
Blood Butcher savagely smiled as he coldly said, “Hmph, sending himself to death. These good-for-nothing Princes of the Central Plains are actually a good thing for us. Pass on my order. If you spot that Tang Third Prince, catch him alive. We can bring him back to the plateau and humiliate the Great Tang.”
“Yes!” the horseman replied.
Blood Butcher soon turned his horse and rode to his force of one thousand men, his voice resounding.
“Move out!”
……
It was night, and the moon was bright. The serenity of this quiet hour was disturbed by the thundering hooves of a brash force of Tibetan cavalry.
As they approached, their target was very clear: Feng Village!
There were many people living here, and quite a few were family members of Longxi soldiers. By raiding this place, they could deal the Longxi army a devastating blow.
At the head of the cavalry force, Blood Butcher led the charge, loudly ordering his men, “Faster! Let’s end this quickly and occupy this place. Don’t give the Tang any chance to report this matter.”
The Tibetan horsemen immediately picked up speed.
They were used to things like this. In their eyes, these Tang were just lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
But after galloping some distance, Blood Butcher looked at the nearby village and suddenly frowned.
“Something’s off.”
They were excellent riders, children of the wind, and Blood Butcher felt that something was off. This village was different from the others they had raided.
But this thought almost instantly passed, and Blood Butcher did not linger on it. He continued to lead his Tibetans in their charge.
They were striking right at the heart of the enemy and had kept their operation on Feng Village a top-class secret. Even his men only learned where they were going right before they left, let alone anyone else.
As for the Tang of Longxi… It wasn’t that he looked down on them, but many times before, they had tried to chase them down but hadn’t even been able to eat their farts, let alone catch up. There was no way the Tang would have been able to track them down.
“Hmph, I’m probably overthinking it.”
Blood Butcher mockingly laughed.
Rumble! The thundering of hooves grew louder and louder. But just as they were about to enter Feng Village, Blood Butcher finally realized what was wrong.
And he realized why he had been so uneasy.
Feng Village was too quiet!
Eerily quiet!
When they were still far away, the silence could be written off as everyone still being asleep. But now, they were less than five hundred meters from the village, their hooves like the rumble of thunder. Even the dead would have noticed.
Moreover…
Humans were one thing, but why weren’t the dogs barking?
One of the horsemen frowned and said, “Milord, something is wrong!”
Let alone Blood Butcher, even his subordinates had begun to notice that something was off.
Swish!
At that moment, the cold gleam of a weapon briefly appeared in Blood Butcher’s vision, and his face instantly paled.
“Not good! Ambush! Retreat!”
Blood Butcher’s heart almost jumped to his throat.
Whoosh!
All of the Tibetan horsemen instantly grimaced.
A moment later, before they could react, countless Tang soldiers poured out from the civilian homes, from the roofs, from the alleys… Like a rushing flood, they swiftly surrounded the Tibetan cavalry.
“How could there be so many Tang soldiers?”
The Tibetan cavalry were stunned by this sight, particularly Blood Butcher.
But Blood Butcher quickly got a hold of himself and coldly ordered,” “Don’t panic! Fight!”
These Tibetan horsemen immediately pulled out their sabers and prepared for battle.
Creakcreak!
At this moment, they heard a different sort of sound, and then they heard a shouted order from the distance.
“Release!”
By the time the Tibetan horsemen had realized what was going on, the sky had been blotted out by arrows.
“Take cover!”
“Tang archers!”