Chapter 741: Dayan Mangbans Counterattack (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
”Has Dusong Mangpoje gone senile?! Useless thing, completely wasting the chance I gave him. He only dispatched two thousand people to attack a city!
”And this Dayan Mangban—I thought that he was someone of reputation on the steppe. I didn't think… that he was really just trash!
”Does the Tibetan Plateau have no one else except We Tadra Khonglo and Dalon Trinling?”
In the protectorate headquarters, Fumeng Lingcha had spent a restless night on his throne. Ever since his meeting with Wang Chong, he had ordered his spies to report back to him on the City of Steel both day and night. No movement there could evade his gaze. As a result, Fumeng Lingcha almost immediately knew of Dayan Mangban's defeat.
At this very moment, Fumeng Lingcha's veins were bulging out of his forehead like earthworms and his face was red from rage, his hands trembling in both anger and disappointment. 'Colluding' with foreign powers, inviting a wolf into the house—he had taken unimaginable risks, as the consequences of these charges if sent to the Imperial Court would be unthinkable.
But even after he had taken these enormous risks, the Tibetans had still failed. Fumeng Lingcha's rage was easy to imagine.
Wushang was so close that it was like a fishbone in Fumeng Lingcha's throat that he wanted to spit out as quickly as possible.
”Reporting!”
Before one wave had settled, another was rising. At this moment, a panicked voice came from outside the hall. ”Milord, it's bad! The Tibet-Vanquishing Camp was attacked! More than five thousand of our warriors have been killed, as has General Pulan!”
”What?”
Stunned, Fumeng Lingcha immediately stood up.
There was only one General Pulan in the Qixi Protectorate, and that was Pulan He, one of his trusted aides. Just like him, General Pulan was also a Hu.
Pulan He was a powerful warrior and a veteran of many years in the Western Regions. He was incredibly experienced and had contributed many times to the efforts against the Tibetans. He could be considered one of Fumeng Lingcha's most reliable subordinates.
”Impossible! Are you sure you have the right person?!”
Fumeng Lingcha's first reaction was denial.
”Reporting!”
Fumeng Lingcha had just finished speaking when another panicked voice came from outside, followed by the galloping of a horse.
A gust of wind blew in as a travel-worn officer strode in and kneeled.
”The Tibet-Vanquishing Army has sent an urgent report. Their camp was attacked and General Pulan has been killed!”
The officer had a scarlet messenger banner extending from his back. This banner was only used in the army for extremely important news.
Buzz! At the sight of this banner, Fumeng Lingcha's body began to tremble, and he could no longer suppress his bellow of fury.
”Dusong Mangpojeeeee!”
This roar thundered into the heavens and echoed over all of Qixi.
……
The City of Steel was brightly lit and a hive of activity.
”Lord Marquis! We've finished the investigation. Yesterday, a convoy was attacked on the road to Wushang. We sent guards to assist, but because the merchants were uninjured and the goods unharmed, everyone didn't mind and the incident was not reported.”
In his newly-built residence, built in an ancient style with carved beams and painted rafters, Wang Chong was seated cross-legged on the ground, several officers in front of him.
A tall and thin officer was currently perusing a daily register.
Wang Chong raised an eyebrow and asked, ”Did you find the people who transported the steel?”
”Reporting to Lord Marquis: since the incident was only yesterday, they are still within the city. They were planning to leave tomorrow. I have already called them over and they are waiting outside,” Chen Bin said.
Wang Chong nodded, and a few somewhat frightened merchants were brought in. They were closely questioned, and all their answers were as he expected.
The ones who had ambushed them had covered their faces with cloth, leaving only their eyes exposed. The members of the convoy had believed that they were some nearby group of bandits. However, since none of them had been injured and none of the goods had been damaged, they hadn't paid too much attention to the raid.
At the time, for fear of their reputation, the merchants had persuaded the guards to suppress the matter.
But the situation now had clearly left them very uneasy.
As expected!
Wang Chong half-closed his eyes, his body slightly leaning back against his sandalwood chair, the index finger of his right hand lightly tapping against the armrest.
These people had no experience, so they had no idea. However, Wang Chong had taken part in a bandit extermination, so he was well aware that bandits and brigands all had weapons stained in blood, were straightforward acolytes of death. Robbing and raiding were as essential to their lives as eating and drinking.
Thus, if these were actual bandits, they would have never taken that extra step of covering their faces.
It was obvious that the Tibetans had been concealing their identity.
Dayan Mangban is truly quite difficult to deal with!
Wang Chong continued to unwittingly drum his fingers on the armrest as he thought.
Even as an opponent, Wang Chong had to praise Dayan Mangban for thinking of this plan to infiltrate the city. This was truly the only flaw in the entire City of Steel.
Wushang was a barren and deserted land, so all its steel was imported from the capital and the other provinces of the Great Tang. A long journey meant a long supply train, allowing many variables to appear during the process.
Dayan Mangban had exploited this point.
”If we had been able to discover this before the Tibetan assault, it would have been a good thing, not a bad one. Pass on my order that all goods have to be opened for inspection when entering the city. In addition, any incident, no matter how small, must be reported and recorded, even if it wasn't near the City of Steel!” Wang Chong said.
”Yes, Lord Marquis!”
The gathered officers all bowed.