"This bastard!!"
The first to speak was not Dalun Ruozan, Huoshu Huizang, or Dusong Mangpoje, but Duwusili, who had little to do with this night raid. No matter how slow he was, he could still understand that in this night battle, they had been completely tricked by that boy of the Tang Dynasty called Wang Chong.
Moreover, if his guess was right, the method he had used for this sneak attack was probably related to the Turks.
"Haaah!"
With a long sigh, Dalun Ruozan looked at the wolf pelts on the ground, an indescribable feeling in his heart. This battle had been going on for most of the night, and he had been in a daze the entire time, unable to understand what had happened. But at this moment, when he saw the discarded wolf pelts, Dalun Ruozan suddenly understood.
"I've lost! I had predicted the beginning of this operation, but I didn't expect it to end. I didn't think that he would even be able to use the beasts brought by Great General Duwusili. I wholeheartedly accept my loss this time! "
Huoshu Huizang couldn't bear to hear these words.
"Prime Minister, the truth still hasn't come to light. Perhaps these wolf pelts have nothing to do with the Tang dynasty, and it was just a coincidence. "
Huoshu Huizang consoled.
"Ha! Do you still not understand? "
Dalun Ruozan shook his head and stopped Huoshu Huizang.
"Once he successfully infiltrated this place, he could have taken these wolf pelts with him. The reason he left them here was to make me understand his method of victory. He wanted to use this method to strike a blow at me! "
The matter was already clear. Dalun Ruozan had spent so much effort, setting up so many sentries and patrols, and had even laid down secret signals, warning his subordinates to be certain of any 'allies' before allowing them to approach … but all of these methods had failed.
Dalun Ruozan had only thought of guarding against people, but he hadn't thought that he would have to guard against "wolves" as well!
Not even if he was beaten to death could he have imagined that Wang Chong would have his several thousand soldiers disguise themselves as Western Turkic wolves and infiltrate his camp. He wholeheartedly accepted his loss in this battle.
"He's just a cowardly and shameless bandit. Why did the Prime Minister make him sound so powerful?!"
Duwusili gritted his teeth.
At this moment, the one who was the most embarrassed was none other than him. These giant green wolves were brought over by him from the grassland. The Turks had as many of these wolves as they wanted, so he wouldn't feel any heartache if they died. He had brought these giant wolves here to restrain the Tang dynasty. But Duwusili had never imagined that in the end, these giant wolves would be used by Wang Chong as a crucial weapon against Dalun Ruozan!
Duwusili was the Irkin of the Western Turkic Khaganate, one of the best Imperial Great Generals. How could Duwusili possibly endure being toyed with by a nameless Tang dynasty youth?
Dalun Ruozan said nothing, and neither did the others.
They naturally understood what Duwusili was thinking, but they couldn't blame him at a time like this. It could only be said that when the righteous rose one foot, the evil rose ten. Wang Chong's methods were far too strange and unfathomable. Even someone like Dalun Ruozan would find it difficult to deal with this sort of person.
"Cloudan Gongbu, how many people did we lose in this night raid?"
Dalun Ruozan suddenly asked.
"Nearly seven thousand!"
One of the stalwart generals at Dalun Ruozan's side loudly said.
Dalun Ruozan said nothing, but the air around him had become extremely heavy. On the side, Huoshu Huizang's brow was deeply furrowed. Seven thousand casualties were insignificant on the scale of a major campaign. Even for a night raid, it wasn't much.
But for the army of the Ouzan and Western Turks, which only had six to seven thousand soldiers and was severely lacking in manpower, this was undoubtedly a massive blow!
"He's coming for our soldiers!"
Huoshu Huizang suddenly said. As a Great General of the Ouzan Empire, Huoshu Huizang instantly understood his strategic intentions.
"If everything goes as expected, he will continue to attack us in the future, making us his primary target. The fewer soldiers we have, the more restrained we will be, and the less of a threat we will be able to pose to him. In the end, the ones who will be stuck between a rock and a hard place won't be him, but us.
"Moreover, whether we know it or not, whether we're willing or unwilling, we can't change this fact. In truth, starting from yesterday's battle, we've already fallen into his rhythm. "
Huoshu Huizang's face was fraught with worry.
If the sneak attack from before was still a 'conspiracy', then now, it had become a 'secret plot', a 'conspiracy', an 'open plot'. Dalun Ruozan was correct. Wang Chong had intentionally left behind the wolf skin to have them discover him. Not only that, everything that was happening now was exactly what he wanted to see.
But to his dismay, even though he understood his opponent's intentions, not only was he unable to mount an effective counterattack, he was even more restrained!
This was a psychological attack, as well as another kind of "overt plot"!
"No, this battle hasn't fallen into his rhythm, nor is it up to him to decide."
Dalun Ruozan suddenly said.
"Huoshu Huizang, has Abu Sangji still not returned?"
"No."
Huoshu Huizang shook his head. It had been a long time since Abu Sangji's raiding party had set out, and they had been completely routed by the Tang people. Even though they had sent many soldiers, very few had returned, and Abu Sangji himself was nowhere to be found. Some said that he had returned long ago, others said that he had been killed by the Tang people. In short, the entire army was in a state of confusion.
But Dalun Ruozan still had a sliver of hope in Abu Sangji, hoping that he would be able to wait for his return.
"It seems like Abu Sangji really is dead."
A hint of sorrow appeared in Dalun Ruozan's eyes. Abu Sangji was a valiant general of the Yarlung Royal Lineage. Abu Sangji had followed him closely from the royal capital's prison and provided him with much assistance. Quite a few of the Yarlung Royal Lineage soldiers in the expedition to Talas had been sent by Abu Sangji.
Abu Sangji's assistance was far greater than anyone else's, and Dalun Ruozan viewed him as his right-hand man. Deep within his heart, Dalun Ruozan truly did not want to believe that Abu Sangji had died in battle.
But the facts were right before his eyes. Abu Sangji's fate truly did not bode well.
"Have the scouts that were sent to investigate returned? What's the news? "
Dalun Ruozan asked.
"I was just about to tell you about this matter. The soldiers sent to confirm the situation have returned. Based on what they found, although Abu Sangji's men were defeated, they truly accomplished their objective. Behind the second defense line of the City of Talas, there are fragments and parts of the Tang Dynasty ballistae everywhere. From the looks of it, there should really be four to five hundred of them. "
"Those soldiers who managed to escape weren't lying. If we didn't count Abu Sangji's death, this operation could truly be considered a great success. "
Huoshu Huizang solemnly said.
"Very good!"
Dalun Ruozan's creased brow finally relaxed. This could be said to be the best news he had heard all day. Although Abu Sangji had died in battle, he had still succeeded in his mission. The destruction of five hundred Tang Dynasty ballistae was a significant blow to the Tang Dynasty army, which only had two-thousand-some ballistae.
In any case, Dalun Ruozan's strategic mission had been accomplished.
"Five hundred ballistae have been destroyed. This mission has been completed, so Abu Sangji's death wasn't in vain. This battle is far from over."
Dalun Ruozan gazed at the distant City of Talas, a harsh light in his eyes.
… …
In the darkness, the Tang Dynasty and the Ouzan were not the only ones surging with undercurrents. To the far west, the Arab camp was also bustling with activity.
"Rahman, has the news arrived?"
In the tent, Abu Muslim gazed at the black-armored and thin Arab commander in front of him, his face covered in a thick beard.
"Lord Governor, the news has arrived. When General Nurman attacked the Tang Dynasty defense line, we succeeded in breaking through the Tang army's defenses and secretly got in touch with the Karluks in the city without attracting the Anxi Protectorate army's attention. "
Rahman lowered his head and bowed.
Rahman was Abu Muslim's trusted aide and deputy. He didn't have many soldiers under his command, so he didn't seem to be very valued. But very few people knew that at Abu Muslim's side, Rahman was actually much more valued than many of the Arab generals.
In this night raid, many people believed that Nurman and his Deathwing Team were the true attacking force, but very few people knew that Rahman and his several dozen infiltrators were the true force.
"Mm, I understand. You may leave."
A satisfied light flashed in Abu Muslim's eyes as he waved his hand. Rahman bowed and quickly left.
"Governor, can the Karluks really be trusted?"
Once Rahman had left, Ziyad, the Arab Deputy Governor of the East, walked out from the rear and asked.
In truth, the two of them did not care much about how many Tang people had been killed in this night raid. What the two of them truly cared about was the Karluk tribe hidden in Talas that had not received much attention.
"The treasures of the Arabs have never been so easy to take. Since the Karluks have accepted our gifts, whether they are trustworthy or not, since they have agreed, they must do it!!"
Abu Muslim gazed at the distant darkness, at the towering behemoth of Talas amidst the flames, and a chilling light flashed through his eyes.
On this continent, no one had ever gone back on their word after making a contract with the Arabs. All those who went back on their word would eventually pay the most grievous price!
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