Night Raid and Harassment

Night fell.

The people inside the military tent still had not reached any consensus. After the meeting, everyone returned to their respective tents one after another.

It was precisely at this moment that a soldier, covered in blood, rode his horse through the western gate into the main camp.

His expression was stern, and the lingering harshness in his eyes had not yet dissipated.

The frontier guards stationed at the gate looked at him and muttered in astonishment, "Which cavalry unit is this? They must have just come down from the battlefield."

"Covered in blood and filth, looking rather gruesome."

This man was none other than the messenger sent by Zhao Mang. He carried Zhao Mang's credentials and countermeasure plan to seek assistance within the main camp.

First, he headed straight to the tent of Company Commander Liu Can.

The moment the soldier stepped inside, Liu Can observed that despite being stained with blood from head to toe, the soldier stood straight with a solemn expression.

Even upon seeing him, a company commander, the soldier's expression remained completely unchanged.

*They train their soldiers really well,* Liu Can thought to himself.

Upon hearing the soldier's message, Liu Can was instantly overjoyed. "You mean that rascal is currently lurking in the south?"

The soldier replied calmly, "Yes, Company Commander!"

Liu Can laughed heartily, "Good lad! I knew I didn't misjudge him. Once you finish delivering your messages here, return immediately and tell the boy!"

"I will certainly coordinate with his actions!"

The soldier bowed and said, "This subordinate takes his leave!"

After leaving Liu Can's tent, the soldier immediately made his way to Zhao Wuji's camp.

At that moment, Zhao Wuji was pacing back and forth inside his tent, a worried look on his face.

He seemed to be deep in thought.

The soldier's visit interrupted his contemplation.

Zhao Mang's message took Zhao Wuji quite by surprise.

"Is that really what he said?"

"This subordinate only knows this much, and sincerely hopes that Commander Zhao will coordinate with our battalion commander."

"Since that is the case, you may return to report."

The soldier turned and left.

Watching the messenger depart, Zhao Wuji paced back and forth inside the tent once more.

After a short while, he stopped in his tracks, as if having made up his mind.

...

...

The enemy tires, we harass!

This was precisely Zhao Mang's true objective.

Relying solely on his four hundred cavalrymen, it was indeed impossible to cause any substantial trouble for the massive Tibetan army.

However.

Four hundred cavalrymen also had their own advantages; they could accomplish smaller tasks.

Just like what they were doing right now.

Leading his four hundred horsemen under the cover of night, Zhao Mang quietly crept up to the rear of the Tibetan army's encampment.

They unleashed a volley of random arrows at the guards patrolling outside the camp!

The injured guards immediately raised the alarm!

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The shouts of the Tibetan night patrols directly awakened Gar Dorje, who had been fast asleep.

"The Han army has attacked?"

"Quickly wake up Mangsong Rangjie! Tell him to go and get rid of that nuisance!"

"As you command!"

The Tibetan guards stationed outside the tent acknowledged the order and ran off immediately to notify Mangsong Rangjie.

Before long, the pitch-black camp was illuminated as bright as day in an instant.

The glaring lights made it impossible for Gar Dorje to fall back asleep.

In irritation, he pulled the quilt over his head, ignoring the noises from the outside.

Seeing a troop of over a hundred enemy cavalry charging out of the Tibetan camp toward their direction, Zhao Mang, knowing when to quit while ahead, immediately led his dozen or so men to quickly withdraw from the scene!

By the time the Tibetan scouting patrols gave chase, Zhao Mang and his men had long since vanished without a trace!

Howling with rage, the Tibetans searched in vain.

Unable to find a direction or a target, they had no choice but to lead their men back to the camp.

This commotion lasted for a full half-hour.

Meanwhile, the chaotic situation at the Tibetan camp had been clearly observed by scouts who had been lying in wait around the perimeter all along.

They rushed back swiftly to report the situation to Zhao Wuji, who had not yet rested. Likewise, Company Commander Liu Can also received the report.

A quarter of an hour later.

On the side of the frontier garrison camp, the two commanders each led several hundred elite soldiers from the east and west, approaching the vicinity of the Tibetan camp.

They, too, decided to join the fray.

Inside the Tibetan camp, Gar Dorje, who had only just laid down to sleep and barely drifted into a dream, was rudely awakened once again.

A raging fury instantly ignited in his heart!

"Why hasn't Mangsong Rangjie gotten rid of those detestable Han Chinese yet?!"

"If they can't wipe them out, don't bother coming back!"

Gar Dorje never expected his angry words to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Mangsong Rangjie once again led several hundred cavalrymen pouring out of the Tibetan camp in single file.

Yet those few men happened to be waiting right there on horseback, holding torches aloft.

Seeing this, Mangsong Rangjie completely lost his sanity and spurred his horse into a frantic pursuit.

The Tibetan troops behind him followed closely behind.

Both sides engaged in a game of cat-and-mouse across the grassland!

The torches split apart, and so did their forces!

Little did they know that they were walking right into the trap set by Liu Can and Zhao Wuji.

Before long!

They reached the location where Liu Can had set his ambush. The decoys instantly extinguished their torches!

The frontier soldiers lying in ambush here pulled taut their rope traps in the gathering dusk.

The wave of Tibetan cavalrymen failed to notice such crude traps at all.

A vast number of Tibetan horsemen were tripped right out of their saddles by the simple rope snares!

The entire cavalry formation instantly fell into utter chaos.

Seeing that the enemy had taken the bait, Liu Can let out a thunderous roar: "Lads, charge with me!"

Leading a force of elite armored cavalry, Liu Can hurled himself toward them.

Like a pack of black phantoms!

They easily pierced straight through the Tibetan formation led by Mangsong Rangjie.

They had no intention of stopping.

After one wave of charge came another, continuing until these several hundred Tibetan cavalrymen were completely slaughtered.

And on the other side!

Using the exact same method, they wreaked bloody havoc.

Once the battles on both ends concluded, they swiftly regrouped and severed the heads of all the enemies.

Then, the two forces converged and hurried to a pre-arranged location to rest and reorganize.

Taking advantage of this breathing room, Liu Can strolled over to chat with Zhao Wuji. "Well, Nephew Zhao! How many Tibetan thieves did your men behead this time?"

Zhao Wuji laughed heartily, "Not many, not many, just two hundred or so."

Liu Can’s lips curled upward as he tilted his head slightly, looking down at Zhao Wuji with lowered eyelids. "We beheaded six hundred!"

Zhao Wuji's laughter, which had been cheerful just a moment before, abruptly cut off.

He gazed at Liu Can with a hint of jealousy.

Seeing the envious look in Zhao Wuji's eyes, Liu Can was immensely satisfied.

With a smile, he said, "No rush, no rush! Don't we still have another opportunity ahead?"

Hearing Liu Can's consolation, Zhao Wuji turned his gaze toward the direction of the Tibetan camp.

Both of them were awaiting the final opportunity of the night.

As for Gar Dorje, he remained utterly oblivious to everything that had transpired, having just drifted back into slumber.

Suddenly!

The shouts of "Enemy attack!" from outside woke him up yet again!

He had previously led campaigns to encircle and suppress frontier troops.

However, tonight's events repeatedly defied his understanding, making it impossible for him to suppress his surging anger.

He violently yanked off the quilt covering his head and roared furiously, "Men! Someone come here! Bring Mangsong Rangjie to me! Where is he?!"

"General, Commander Rangjie has yet to return..."

"Then go wake up the main army for me! Today, I am going to hunt down this rat no matter what!"

Hiding in the distance, Zhao Mang saw that the entire Tibetan camp had been mobilized.

He did not dare to linger for even a second!

Immediately urging his men forward, he whipped his horse and fled!

Two-thirds of the Tibetan army, led personally by Gar Dorje, poured out in full force.

They gave furious chase in the direction of Zhao Mang and his men, having entirely lost the ability to reason.