Chapter 8

The camp was set up, and Suning hid in the tent, using the divine Baidu to search for the tool used for climbing city walls. That thing is called a flying claw, which was popular during the Tang Dynasty and was also used in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, but the exact time of its appearance is unknown. It seems similar to the tools used by Japanese ninjas. Could it have been brought by Japanese envoys during the Sui and Tang Dynasties? Perhaps flying claws already existed at this time, but they were not used in military affairs? This is quite possible. Although I can find the specific design of this tool, I can eventually take the blueprint to a blacksmith to have a few made, but it's not possible right now.

So, can we only use our brains?

We can't get in. Without something like a flying claw, how can we get in? Should we shout to make the Turks inside open the door? Sigh, how could that be possible? Although these Turks are not very educated, they are not fools! Can we really make them open the door just by shouting? That's ridiculous!

Sigh! What should we do? Suning was very troubled, but suddenly he sat up abruptly. Oh! The fixed mindset is really harmful! How could I not think of such a good method? Also, the heavy snowfall is a great opportunity! If we can take advantage of it, the city gates will open by themselves!

Overjoyed, Suning ran to Li Jing's tent. The guards recognized Suning and just announced his arrival to Li Jing, then let him in. Inside the tent, Li Jing was reading a book and didn't dare to light a fire. Seeing Suning come in, he smiled and said, "What's up? Do you have some delicious food? Did you know I was hungry and brought it specially?"

Suning inwardly criticized this old man but respectfully smiled and said, "Uncle, it's so cold here, and we can't light a fire, which is very bad for your health. Why don't we go into Dingxiang City, drink a large bowl of wine, and eat a big piece of meat? How about that?"

Li Jing was about to laugh and scold him, but suddenly his face turned serious, and he asked with wide eyes, "What do you mean?"

Suning smiled and said, "Nothing else, just that since we can't get in ourselves, why don't we let the Turks open the city gates and invite us in?" Li Jing's face showed surprise, "How could the Turks be so foolish? How would they let our army into the city? Boy, don't talk nonsense. The army is not where you and your master are."

Suning told Li Jing his thoughts. Li Jing's eyes sparkled, but his brows furrowed tighter. After Suning finished, Li Jing looked troubled, "Isn't this too risky? If you are discovered, our army will be in danger!" Suning said, "If there were no heavy snowfall, it would be difficult, but with the snow, I have a perfect hiding place. This way, I am confident I won't be discovered. As long as we seize the opportunity and strike decisively, we will get the city gates. Then we can quickly go up the wall and kill the guards, signal with fire, and when Uncle sees it, he can lead the army to attack. If he doesn't see it, I will definitely lead the people to escape, and we can discuss the next steps then."

Li Jing hesitated, "Isn't this too risky? If something goes wrong, the Turks will discover us, and what will we do then?"

Suning said, "Uncle, to put it crudely, great wealth comes with great risk. The greater the risk, the greater the reward. We have already come this far. If we attack during the day, the enemy can easily see how many of us there are, which is very disadvantageous. At night, how can the enemy see how many of us there are? Our army can attack from all directions, and with the chaos and darkness, the Turks' military discipline is not strict, so we will surely win!"

Li Jing was deeply moved. Looking at Suning's determined face, he suddenly felt a strange sense of trust and confidence, "Alright! Suning, I will trust you this time. How many people do you need?" Suning was relieved, "A hundred people will be enough!" Li Jing looked at Suning's physique and said, "Your martial arts and strength are not enough. If a real fight breaks out, you will be in trouble!"

Suning immediately showed a resolute and fearless expression, "For the Tang Dynasty, I am willing to die a thousand deaths!"

Li Jing rolled his eyes, thinking that this boy would not do this without being sure of his survival. He didn't expose him and immediately gave orders. In fact, he didn't know that this time, Suning really had no confidence and could only rely on luck and his character, hoping his character would be good enough to pass, and not die here.

Soon, following Suning's instructions, a hundred strong soldiers wearing white capes and holding daggers set out with Suning. The leader was Niu Geng. Suning felt a connection with this guy, always seeing him when he should or shouldn't. On the way, Suning patted Niu Geng's shoulder, "Gengzi, we really have a connection!" Niu Geng smiled foolishly, "Hehe, Brother Ning, if you succeed this time, you will be rich and powerful. Don't forget to take care of your brothers. We auxiliary soldiers have a hard time, but we are risking our lives for wealth."

The Tang Dynasty's military system was mainly the Fubing system, with the main force being the Fubing. However, during battles, there were also auxiliary soldiers who accompanied the army. They mainly did auxiliary work and rarely served as the main force. They were mostly commoners hoping to gain wealth through military merit, and they had to provide their own weapons, food, and even horses. They often had no future, except for a few who could become officers, most just earned some rewards and lived a life of eating and waiting to die.

Niu Geng was chosen for this mission because he had learned some martial arts and was highly regarded by Li Jing, which Suning didn't know yet.

Suning smiled, "Don't worry, you will get your share. Follow closely, and no matter what happens, don't make a sound unless I give the order, even if you die, don't make a sound! Understand? This is the decisive moment! If we succeed, the Tang Dynasty will truly turn the tide! When the Tang Dynasty rises, everyone will benefit! Everyone will have a share!"

The hundred men responded in low voices, "Understood!"

The group moved almost on the ground, fortunately, the snow was thick, so they just had to bend down, wrap themselves in their white capes, and move quickly. The distance from the camp to Dingxiang City was quite far, and Suning was panting, feeling that his sedentary body was not up to the task. It seemed that exercising was a must, otherwise, he might die from lack of stamina! That would be a waste! It would be a shame to die from lack of stamina with his amazing talent and the divine Nokia!

After an unknown amount of time, the group finally reached the foot of Dingxiang City. Suning didn't know if there was a moat outside Dingxiang City, but in this freezing weather, if there was one, it would be frozen. The moat was the most helpless thing in winter, as it froze and eliminated a lot of the trouble for the attacking forces. Otherwise, he really wouldn't know what to do, and he was even prepared to swim across in the cold winter. If he got sick, he would just leave it to fate.

Suning also remembered to tell the soldiers to erase their footprints, which meant covering the holes in the snow with the surrounding snow. They didn't need to do this for all of them, just the footprints after crossing the moat.

Following his plan, he divided the hundred men into two teams, fifty on each side of the city gate, each team tightly hugging the wall in a straight line. The white capes blended with the snow, ensuring they couldn't be seen from the wall. They would have to come out to see, and then a few agile men would seize the opportunity to kill them, rush into the city, kill the soldiers on the main gate tower, open the city gates, lower the drawbridge, signal with fire, and notify Li Jing to attack!

The problem was how to lure the Turks out. Making a slight noise to get the Turks to come out and check, but what kind of noise wouldn't make them realize there was someone here? Using a dagger to scratch the wall and make some noise? In the quiet night, everything was so quiet that Suning could even hear the crackling of the torches on the wall, which meant that any noise he made could be heard by the people on the wall. But how could he make them come down without being too cautious?

The ancients probably didn't have so many tricks, especially soldiers, especially the barbarians, who were straightforward. Suning gripped the dagger in his hand, nodded to Niu Geng, who was lying on the right, and then raised the dagger, slowly scratching the wall. Suning felt his palms sweating, almost unable to hold the dagger, he was so nervous! In the quiet night, the sound of scratching the wall was particularly noticeable...

Sss... sss... sss...

Suning heard voices from the gate tower, but they were in a language he didn't understand, probably Turkic. Suning immediately put away the dagger, buried his head in the snow, and slowly turned to look at the gate tower with his peripheral vision. Sure enough, a light appeared, and there were Turks holding torches checking. After a while, they didn't see anything and put the torches back, and it was quiet again. Suning knew one attempt might not work, so he tried again.

This time, the sound was louder and lasted longer. The light appeared again, and the Turks' voices were louder. Suning heard some footsteps, and then the sound of an old wooden door being pushed open. The drawbridge was slowly lowered, with little noise, and then the city gate slowly opened. Suning felt his heart beating fast.

If his heart wasn't strong, he might have died from tachycardia right then. Three dark figures walked out, holding knives, looking around. The one in the middle cursed, "Damn, the Turks just like to trouble us. In this cold weather, we have to come out. What for? There's no sign of the Tang army!"

Suning was surprised. It was Chinese? They were Han people? Why were Han people with the Turks? A Han-Turk alliance? Oh, right, weren't there "puppet troops" in Dingxiang?

Suning gripped the dagger in his hand, nodded to Niu Geng, who was staring at him, and prepared to act!