Chapter 129: Night Raid on Yuan’s Camp

A night raid?

In ancient warfare, a night raid was the last tactic generals wanted to employ. It was a desperate measure, a gamble usually reserved for scenarios where a smaller force had to overcome a larger one. When you are outnumbered, you must resort to unconventional tricks to secure victory. Yet here was Cao Ren, commanding one hundred thousand troops against thirty thousand, preparing to launch a night attack.

Why did ancient generals dislike night raids? Due to poor living conditions and widespread nutritional deficiencies, many soldiers suffered from night blindness. While not completely blinded by the dark, those afflicted saw the world through a thick, disorienting haze. A vast majority of Cao’s soldiers suffered from this condition, and their combat effectiveness would plummet significantly under the cover of darkness.

After Cao Ren proposed the plan, Cao Hong nodded in agreement. "In our current situation, a night raid is our only path to victory."

After a moment of contemplation, Cao Ren issued his orders: "You shall lead the vanguard. I will select soldiers from the entire army who do not suffer from night blindness to serve under your command."

Cao Hong bowed and accepted the order. "Rest assured, elder brother. If I cannot break their right-wing defense tonight, I shall bring you my head!"

Cao Ren handpicked ten thousand soldiers free from night blindness and placed them under Cao Hong’s command. By dusk, Cao Hong and his troops were ready, waiting only for Cao Ren’s signal to launch a fierce assault on the right flank of the Yuan army. Before the raid, however, Cao Ren had other preparations to make.

At the Hour of Xu—roughly eight or nine in the evening—Cao Hong approached Cao Ren. "Elder brother, shall we march?"

Cao Ren shook his head. "Not yet. When the time comes, I will give you the order myself."

After dismissing Cao Hong, Cao Ren dispatched a different unit. Their purpose? To act as a drum and gong squad. They approached the perimeter of the Yuan defenses and, without warning, unleashed a thunderous barrage of noise. The Yuan troops, who had already settled in for the night, were jolted awake in a panic. They scrambled to don their armor and grab their weapons, rushing out only to find not a single sign of the Cao army.

After the initial disturbance at the Hour of Xu, Cao Ren sent men to beat the drums again at the Hour of Hai. This time, the Yuan soldiers were once again startled, only to find the Cao army still absent. By the Hour of Zi, the drums sounded a third time. Once again, it was a bluff; no attack followed.

This deceptive behavior was enough to drive the Yuan commander, Jiang Yiqu, to the brink of madness. He suspected it was a tactic to exhaust his men, yet he feared a genuine attack. If he ignored the harassment, his men would become jittery like birds startled by the mere twang of a bowstring. If he kept them up all night, how could they possibly have the strength to fight tomorrow?

Unable to resolve the dilemma, Jiang Yiqu summoned his lieutenant for advice. After hearing the commander’s concerns, the lieutenant replied, "To win with few against many, one must rely on the extraordinary. To win with many against few, one should rely on the orthodox. General, a night raid is an extraordinary tactic. Since ancient times, it has always been the smaller force raiding the larger; there is no logic in a larger force raiding a smaller one. In my view, this is merely a ruse to wear us down for a main assault tomorrow. We must not fall for his trick!"

Finding the lieutenant’s words persuasive, Jiang Yiqu issued a command: aside from scouts, sentries, and patrols, all soldiers were to rest. Regardless of what sounds came from outside, no one was to rise without his direct order. Following this, the Yuan troops shed their armor and returned to their bunks. Some clever soldiers even plugged their ears with cloth to block out the drums.

At the Hour of Chou—around two or three in the morning—the transition from the first half of the night to the second had occurred, the time when sleep is deepest. Having been tormented for the first half of the night, the Yuan soldiers were now in a heavy, death-like slumber.

As the Hour of Chou arrived, Cao Ren sent word to Cao Hong to commence the raid. Cao Hong drew his sword with a sharp metallic ring, pointed it toward the Yuan camp, and shouted, "Brothers, follow me!"

"Whoever enters the Yuan camp first shall be rewarded with one hundred taels of gold! Whoever brings me the head of Jiang Yiqu shall be promoted three ranks and rewarded with one thousand taels of gold!"

As the old saying goes, there is always a brave man under heavy reward. Tempted by such riches, Cao Hong’s soldiers roared like a pack of wolves.

Covered by the darkness, Cao Hong led his ten thousand men toward the enemy camp. The horses’ hooves were wrapped in cloth, and their mouths were muzzled to prevent even the slightest sound. Although the Yuan army had sentries and patrols, they were utterly exhausted. By the time they finally spotted the incoming force, Cao Hong was a mere hundred meters away—the distance of a single charge.

"Charge!"

"Kill!"

Even after being discovered, Cao Hong stopped trying to hide and launched the assault. He took the lead, wielding his spear; any Yuan soldier who stood in his path was run through. The front line of the Yuan camp was instantly thrown into chaos. Though some officers tried to organize a defense, it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Jiang Yiqu had been resting when the frantic sounds of footsteps reached his tent. A soldier burst in, panicked. "General, it is a disaster! The Cao army is raiding our camp!"

Jiang Yiqu bolted upright, shouting, "Quick! Order all soldiers to arm themselves and defend against the Cao troops!"

Before he could even finish donning his armor, he grabbed his great blade and rushed out of his tent. Upon emerging, he saw that the Cao army had already breached the perimeter and was pouring into the camp. His heart sank. He knew it was over—utterly over.

Cao Hong and his vanguard had already carved a path deep into the camp. The Yuan soldiers, scrambling out in disarray, were no match for the fully prepared Cao army. Like a primordial beast, Cao Hong’s force rampaged through the camp, cutting down the disorganized Yuan soldiers like sheep to the slaughter.