Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 208: Conspiracy in the Shadows of Night: Goryeo’s Sneak Attack and the Tang Camp Crisis

Cheng Yaojin rubbed his eyes and was a little hesitant, but the soreness in his legs and the dizziness in his head made him realize that he really needed to rest for a while.

"Okay then, I'll take a nap for a while. Wake me up immediately if anything happens." After saying that, he dragged his heavy steps towards the simple bed in the tent.

As soon as he lay down, Cheng Yaojin felt fatigue all over his body like a tide, but possible battlefield scenes kept appearing in his mind.

He silently told himself in his heart: "It's just a short sleep, I must not miss the important things."

After a while, his light snoring could be heard from the tent.

The soldiers outside still stood firm at their posts, watching their surroundings vigilantly, not daring to relax at all, just waiting for the unknown danger or the dawn to come.

The night was as cool as water, and the tents on the Tang Dynasty border exuded a sense of tranquility under the moonlight.

The sentries resisted sleepiness and stayed at their posts, but the long hours of duty made their eyelids gradually heavy.

At the same time, in the Goryeo military camp, Quan Gaisuwen had quietly dispatched elite troops and took advantage of the night to sneak into a corner under the city wall.

Armed with tools, the soldiers began to carefully dig at the city wall, trying not to make too much noise.

The slight clinking sound of metal colliding with stone was particularly clear in the silent night.

"Work harder and make sure to dig a big hole before dawn!" The Korean officer urged in a low voice.

Fine beads of sweat oozed from the soldiers' foreheads. Although they were exhausted, they did not dare to slack off in the slightest. They knew very well that if this action was successful, they would be able to gain the upper hand in the confrontation with the Tang Dynasty and change the entire situation of the war.

On the other hand, on the Tang Dynasty side, the sentries were still struggling with sleepiness, unaware that danger was quietly approaching.

The elite soldiers sent by the Goryeo military camp were now crouching and gathering in a corner of the Tang Dynasty city wall.

The dim moonlight provided them with some cover, but it also added a touch of eeriness to the tense task.

"Hurry up and keep your voices down. We have to break through the city wall before dawn!" The leader looked solemn. He scolded softly while observing his surroundings vigilantly.

Upon hearing this, the soldiers swung their pickaxes and chisels even faster, each strike accompanied by a slight tremor. Their hearts, like the city walls at night, were filled with tension and anticipation.

Stone chips fell down and piled up into a small hill under the feet. The gradually expanding indentation seemed to be the entrance to victory.

Although the Tang Dynasty defenders were close at hand, they had no time to care about anything else. They were only thinking about completing this crucial task that could turn the tide of the war before dawn.

The curtain of night gradually faded away, and the sky turned pale.

The Goryeo soldiers had been working for a long time at the corner of the city wall. Their clothes were soaked with sweat and their palms were blistered from holding the tools for a long time, but no one dared to stop for a moment.

"Hurry, hurry! Daybreak is about to begin. If we fail now, we will all be to blame!" The leading general urged anxiously, with an unconcealable tremor in his voice.

The soldiers gritted their teeth and swung the instruments in their hands with all their strength. Every time they fell, there was a dull thud, and a shallow gap appeared in the dug-out city wall.

As the sky was about to brighten, the sentry on duty suddenly woke up and looked at the busy Goryeo soldiers under the city wall. His face turned pale in an instant.

"Oh no, oh no!" He muttered to himself in horror, his voice filled with tears.

"Wow, why did I fall asleep? General Cheng won't blame me, will he?" He turned around and ran back in a panic, regretting everything in his heart as he ran, his mind full of the impending disaster.

As he staggered, Cheng Yaojin's majestic face and stern rebuke kept appearing in his mind, but he had no time to think about it at the moment.

I just hope that I can report this critical military situation as soon as possible, perhaps there is still a chance of recovery, even if it means bearing the most severe punishment.

At this time, Cheng Yaojin also woke up. He had been sleeping uneasily and was secretly worried about Goryeo's movements.

At this moment, he heard the hurried footsteps and shouts coming from outside. He jumped up with a start, picked up the axe beside him, and strode out.

Cheng Yaojin's face was solemn, but there was no confusion in his eyes after falling asleep. Instead, there was only the alertness and decisiveness honed through years of experience on the battlefield.

His burly figure shuttled quickly between the tents. Wherever he went, the soldiers woke up, were infected by his aura, and quickly picked up their weapons and assembled.

Cheng Yaojin hurried towards the city wall, shouting, "Don't waste any time, let me go and see if those Korean bastards have done anything weird!"

His voice resounded throughout the camp like a loud bell, dispelling the morning laziness and making every Tang soldier tense up and prepare for the upcoming battle.

At this time, Li Jing also hurried over and said, "General Cheng, don't worry. Let's find out the situation first and then make a decision."

Li Jing's voice was calm and clear, and seemed to have a calming power.

Cheng Yaojin turned around and saw Li Jing. He felt relieved and nodded, saying, "General Li, you are absolutely right. I am impatient and I am afraid that those Koreans will attack our Tang Dynasty defenses at night."

The two men walked side by side quickly towards the city wall, and the soldiers behind them followed in an orderly manner.

At this time, a faint light appeared in the eastern sky, shining on their armor.

Li Jing narrowed his eyes slightly, observing the movements around him. As they walked, he whispered to Cheng Yaojin about the possible situation: "If the Koreans really take action, they must be trying to take advantage of our army's new arrival and catch us off guard. We must respond carefully and not fall into their trap."

Cheng Yaojin clenched his axe and replied, "No matter what schemes they have, I, Old Cheng, will make sure they never return!"

As soon as Cheng Yaojin and Li Jing stood still, the terrified sentry, his face covered in tears, knelt on the ground with a plop and cried, "General, Military Advisor, I am guilty!"

"I accidentally fell asleep while on guard duty, and just now I discovered that the Koreans have found their way to the base of the city wall and have been digging there. It looks like they're about to make a big hole. Woo woo woo."

As he spoke, the sentry's body trembled like a sieve, and he didn't dare to raise his head. His heart was full of regret for his dereliction of duty and fear of the impending punishment.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yaojin's thick eyebrows instantly raised and he shouted angrily, "You bastard, you're so lazy that you almost missed the big opportunity!"

Li Jing raised his hand to signal Cheng Yaojin to calm down. He then looked at the sentry and asked calmly, "So, what's the situation over there now? Please tell me in detail, don't leave out a single detail."

The sentry quickly wiped away his tears and stammered as he described the scene he had seen. While speaking, he secretly glanced at the two generals' expressions and did not dare to breathe.