The Battle of Hetao 2

Tuoba Yiyi faithfully carried out the mission Zhang Ran had entrusted to him.

As the Wei army began to move, Tuoba Yiyi spread the word among the Xianbei that although Zhang Ran hadn’t given the retreat order yet, it would be the same this time.

Not only was Tuoba Yiyi’s skill remarkable, but because there were three precedents, the Xianbei quickly fell for Tuoba Yiyi’s words. With such public opinion among the Xianbei, how could Tubin be any different?

Tuoba Yiyi approached Tubin, who was grumbling and complaining that Zhang Ran wouldn’t do it, and while agreeing with his words, subtly encouraged him.

He urged an attack, saying that if they attacked before Zhang Ran gave the retreat order, Zhang Ran would have no choice but to attack as well.

Not to be outdone by Tuoba Yiyi, the Xianbei of the Murong clan also pressed Tubin to give the order to attack.

“Since it’s come to this, fine! Let’s attack! If we win, it doesn’t matter if the Commander-in-Chief only runs away!”

Tubin shouted boldly, raising his sword. And he quickly gave the attack order before Zhang Ran could notice.

“Let’s go! Warriors of the Xianbei! Let’s show the Han our strength!”

“Kiiyaaah!!”

With a shrill battle cry, the Xianbei cavalry broke from the formation. In the midst of the Xianbei riding their horses like mad, Tuoba Yiyi quietly slowed his pace and fell to the back of the line.

Tuoba Yiyi knew that Zhang Ran wouldn’t follow the Xianbei to attack, and he also knew that the Xianbei could never win even if they were resurrected.

Until now, they had managed to put up a fight that could be called back-and-forth. However, that was only with local forces, just a part. Once Wei mobilized their main army in earnest, the chances of winning converged to almost zero.

‘If the front collapses like this, I’ll flee without looking back. That’s the answer. But why is there still sound…’

Despite falling quite far back, the sound of hoofbeats still coming from behind made Tuoba Yiyi turn his head.

‘Huh?’

And there he found a familiar face behind him.

It was the face of Fang De, leading the Qiang and following at the rear.

§

“It has begun.”

Fei Yi muttered, looking at the dust cloud of cavalry rushing ahead.

The Xianbei under Tubin’s influence and the Qiang led by Fang De and Chitu Da. In response, the Wei army was also deploying cavalry composed of ethnic minorities.

“Tuoba Yiyi, that fellow’s skill isn’t bad. He’s drawn in most except for the Xianbei centered around the Tuoba clan, who are his opposites.”

This is Tuoba Yiyi, who will later grow the Tuoba clan into one of the two major forces of the Xianbei along with the Tuoba clan. This much probably wasn’t a difficult task for him.

“The vanguard has collapsed. They’ll be here soon.”

Duyi at the forefront fought quite well. However, with lukewarm support from the rear and the enemy’s superior numbers, they were outnumbered.

As Tubin collapsed, the cavalry crumbled like a sand castle. Our nomadic cavalry began to scatter here and there as if each was fending for themselves.

“We should start preparing soon.”

“Yes. Tell each army. Prepare for the enemy’s charge.”

Flap!

The flag bearer who heard my order waved the flag with all his might.

From all over the army, where they confirmed the orders from the center through the flags, voices repeating the orders could be heard.

“Bring the Pian Xiang Ju forward!”

The Pian Xiang Ju were defensive carts placed in front of the army’s front line to block the enemy.

While the Wei army, having defeated the ethnic minority cavalry, was rushing towards our main force, our army calmly formed its formation.

The retreats so far were also training for quick position changes. Under the skilled guidance of each army’s leaders and their subordinate commanders, the army’s formation changed rapidly.

The sight was like a crouched flower bud finally spreading its petals and blooming.

Of course, this formation was quite different from the Eight Array Diagram I learned from Zhuge Liang.

‘The Eight Array Diagram is difficult.’

8 rows and 8 columns. The Eight Array Diagram, consisting of a total of 64 formations, uses various weapons and tools like carts to create systematic and organic movements as its core.

If any one of high proficiency, strict military discipline, and commanders who thoroughly understand the essence of the Eight Array Diagram is lacking, it’s difficult to demonstrate its might.

‘And we were lacking all three of those.’

I wasn’t as well-versed in the Eight Array Diagram as Zhuge Liang, even the Luanling Army hadn’t reached a skilled level in the Eight Array Diagram tactics, and the presence of ethnic minorities compromised the unity of military orders.

A clumsy Eight Array Diagram is worse than not using it at all.

So when I first heard that they had bypassed Hetao and begun their attack, I gave up on the Eight Array Diagram. Time was absolutely lacking.

Something to replace the Eight Array Diagram was needed. A new tactic that was simpler than the Eight Array Diagram, yet could expect no less effectiveness against cavalry.

This time too, history provided the answer.

“Six Flower, deploy.”

Born from the Eight Array Diagram and becoming the standard of battlefields for a long time, a formation of the future. It was the Six Flower Formation.

Created by the famous Tang dynasty general Li Jing by improving the Eight Array Diagram, the Six Flower Formation later spread not only throughout the Tang dynasty but all of Northeast Asia, becoming the foundation of military formations.

In forming the Six Flower Formation, the main force acting as the reserve takes a round formation in the center, and six outer armies form square formations surrounding the main force as the basic structure.

Its shape was like a flower with six petals.

Hence, it is called the Six Flower.

The six outer armies that will become the petals are entrusted to Wang Ping, Jiang Wei, Guo Yi, Fei Yi, Xu Yuan, and Fu Qian. And I, in charge of the central army, am responsible for coordination.

It sounds simple, but in fact, the Six Flower Formation was a tactic as complex and difficult as the Eight Array Diagram.

You might ask what logic there is in using the Six Flower Formation as a substitute for the Eight Array Diagram, but what I’m using is merely one form of the Six Flower Formation.

The Six Flower Formation uses various formations based on the fundamental 7-army organization according to the situation.

The Six Flower Round Formation forming a complete circle, conversely the Six Flower Square Formation making a complete square, the Six Flower Curved Formation overlapping the character 八 vertically, the Six Flower Straight Formation used when a horizontal formation is difficult, and so on.

Our army was merely using the basic Six Flower shape among these.

Thanks to the Six Flower Formation having its roots in the Eight Array Diagram, it was fair to say that the Six Flower Formation we were currently deploying was substituting low proficiency with excellent commanders.

In that aspect, the difficulty of the Six Flower Formation was clearly lower than the Eight Array Diagram.

The most difficult point here was dividing the 7 armies, split into the central army and six outer armies, into 7 smaller armies again.

The retreats so far had the intention of luring the enemy, but that was secondary. The main purpose was part of training to familiarize ourselves with the reorganized formation of 49 units in total.

As six flower petals bloomed into a new single flower, the Six Flower Formation was completed.

Six Square Flower Formations surrounding the outside and the Round Flower Formation of the main force in the center.

Each unit was separated by a certain distance, but from the other side, it would look like a single flower.

‘It will be a formation they’ve never seen before.’

I didn’t miss the wavering occurring among the Wei cavalry who had approached to close range.

The Wei army, confused about how to respond upon encountering an unfamiliar formation, wavered only momentarily.

The Wei army, seemingly conscious of the Thunderclap Bombs and crossbows, looked like they would charge in for close combat, but they split to both sides trying to surround us. It was a rapid dispersion like the parting of the Red Sea.

‘Cao Zhang has the army under perfect control.’

To prepare for the Thunderclap Bombs, the Wei cavalry were carrying round shields. Those alone won’t completely block them, but they will reduce casualties to some extent.

From their choice of shields over bows and arrows, I could roughly guess Cao Zhang’s operational outline.

The top priority was close combat through a frontal breakthrough. However, it failed due to the presence of the Pian Xiang Ju deployed at the front and the never-before-seen formation.

So Cao Zhang chose to bypass, accepting some sacrifices, to first understand our formation.

The Wei army, not knowing when a volley of Thunderclap Bombs might fly, circled around with their shields raised towards us. Their intention must be to find a weak point and break through there.

I didn’t issue separate orders to each army. The Six Flower Formation is still an incomplete tactic. For me, and for others.

Therefore, I judged it better to give autonomy to each army’s commanders to deal with situations on their own, rather than unnecessarily controlling from the center.

After confirming that appropriate checks were being carried out through the Thunderclap Bombs and crossbows, I cast my gaze far away.

Fang De and Tuoba Yiyi moving away without looking back, as if truly trying to leave the battlefield. The ethnic minorities on Wei’s side closely following them also came into view.

‘It will take some time.’

Next was the interior.

The ethnic minorities who didn’t join Tubin were assigned to the central army under my direct command.

As the Wei army surrounded us, anxiety spread among the ethnic minorities.

From the perspective of the ethnic minorities, who were almost all cavalry, they were usually the ones doing the surrounding, not being surrounded. With their good mobility, they probably rarely experienced being surrounded.

Forming square formations in preparation for being surrounded was always a story of settled peoples.

So it’s understandable that they would be nervous now that they were in the position of being surrounded.

But such anxiety soon subsided.

It was thanks to the Six Flower Formation firmly blocking the Wei cavalry, and internally, Tuoba Pigo stepping up to settle things.

‘Internal stability has been secured as well. Now it will become a battle of time.’

Only after finishing all confirmations did I look at Cao Zhang, who had led the cavalry to the vanguard.

‘It has become a test of strength between spear and shield.’

Skilled Wei generals like Cao Zhang, Jian Yong, Cao Zhen, and Yan Yu must be gradually realizing. That the Six Flower Formation is not a formation that can be easily broken through.

“But they can’t retreat like this either.”

Currently, their morale is truly soaring. Piercing the end of the sky.

The morale heated by the enemy’s continuous retreats must have finally exploded after decisively defeating Tubin just now.

As always, the fall from the highest point is the deepest and most desperate.

How much would their morale be shaken if they charged in with high spirits only to return after just taking arrows?

‘Cao Zhang will definitely attack.’

To compensate for the time that has dragged on due to repeated retreats and standoffs.

He will move to crush some difficulties with unprecedentedly heightened morale and numbers.

Yes. Just like now.

“Zhang Ran─! Let’s settle this with this battle!!”