Chapter 6: The Battle of Ancient City Chu Huai beheads Xi Qiang, Wei army flees in defeat at Mount Xingshan

  In the autumn of 324 BC (the fifth year of King Huai of Chu), King Huai of Chu ordered Zhao Yang to lead an army of 100,000 men to set up defenses in the area of Xuchang (present-day Xuchang City, Henan Province). At the same time, he ordered Tang Mei to lead an army of 100,000 men to set up defenses in the area of Xiangyang and Nanyang. Meanwhile, he led an elite force of 200,000 men (50,000 cavalry and 150,000 infantry) out of Fangcheng (Fangcheng County, Henan Province), claiming to punish the State of Wei for its unjust actions in taking advantage of Chu's mourning period to attack and seize the territories of Yuzhou, Gucheng, and Xianshan (thirty miles southwest of Xinzheng County, Henan Province) from Chu in 329 BC (the eleventh year of King Wu of Chu).

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  The King of Wei heard the news and immediately sent a message to the King of Han, asking him to send 100,000 troops to join forces with Wei to attack Chu and divide the land between them. At the same time, he personally led General Xi and 200,000 troops (50,000 cavalry and 150,000 infantry) to fight against the Chu army.

  The King of Han received the message from the King of Wei and immediately summoned his officials to discuss the matter. The King of Han said: "Now, the King of Chu is leading 200,000 troops to attack Wei, seeking revenge for the time when the King of Wei took advantage of Chu's national mourning to launch a surprise attack on their land.

  In recent years, since the King of Chu defeated the Qi army at Xu State, his military strength has been growing. Three years ago, he defeated the Marquis of Shu at Xi Ba, and last year, he defeated the combined forces of Qin and Shu at Bao Han (Hanzhong), killing over 190,000 enemies. The morale of the Chu army is high, and if we engage in battle with them now, I'm afraid we will suffer a defeat.

  Although Wei is not as strong as it was in the past, the King of Wei is still recognized as the leader of the vassals, and he is also our neighbor. If we don't follow his request, I'm afraid he will cause trouble for us later. This is really a difficult decision to make. Does anyone have any good strategies to help me out?"

  One of the officials suggested: "The Chu army is too powerful to be confronted head-on. Your Majesty can lead 100,000 troops out of Xin Zheng to respond to the situation, but don't engage in battle with the Chu army. Let Wei and Chu fight each other first, and when they are exhausted, we can take advantage of the situation and reap the benefits."

  The King of Han followed this advice and led 100,000 troops out of Xin Zheng.

  In August, the King of Chu led an army of 200,000 to meet the King of Wei's army of 200,000 in the area of Gu Cheng (now Yuzhou City) and Po Hu (now Yuzhou City). The King of Chu rode his horse forward and said, "Is it not the King of Wei who has come?" The King of Wei replied, "It is I." The King of Chu said, "You are the leader of the alliance of all the feudal lords, yet on the day of my father's funeral, you have invaded our territory and taken our land. Is this the behavior of a hegemon?" The King of Wei said, "What do you know? What is your land? The mountains and rivers, including Xuchang, are all part of the great Wei kingdom. Your father took them from me by force, and I am only taking back what belongs to me." The King of Chu said, "If that's the case, then today I will take it back." The King of Wei sneered, "I'm afraid you don't have the ability."

  The King of Chu was enraged and charged at the King of Wei without saying another word. His horse galloped like a wild wind, and in an instant, he arrived before the King of Wei. A dark shadow flashed towards the King of Wei, who raised his halberd to block it. The King of Wei was also a man of great strength, known for his bravery in the alliance of feudal lords at Luoyang.

  This was a clash of titans, with both sides exchanging blows. The sound of their collision echoed through the air, and sparks flew everywhere. The King of Chu's spear struck the King of Wei's halberd, causing it to bend out of shape. The King of Wei stumbled backward, his hands trembling.

  The King of Chu saw this and struck again, hitting the King of Wei's halberd near his left hand. The King of Wei's left hand began to sink, and his halberd tilted. The King of Chu swung his spear horizontally, striking the King of Wei's halberd and sending it flying.

  The King of Wei was shocked and stumbled backward, his horse whinnying in fright. The King of Chu shouted loudly and struck again, hitting the King of Wei's halberd with a loud crash. The King of Wei raised his halberd to block the blow, but it was too late. The King of Chu's spear pierced through the King of Wei's defenses and reached his side.

  The King of Wei cried out in fear, his face pale, and his body leaned backward. He raised his halberd to block the spear, but the King of Chu struck again with all his might. The sound of their collision echoed through the air, and the King of Wei's halberd flew out of his hands.

  Two soldiers from the Wei army rushed out and retrieved the King of Wei's halberd, which was broken into pieces. There were bloodstains on the handle, indicating that the King of Wei's palms had been injured. The King of Wei was terrified and didn't care about his painful hands; he hastily retreated to his camp.

  The King of Chu saw this and pursued him, riding his horse at full speed. His spear was about to reach the back of the King of Wei's head when three riders from the Wei army rushed out, shouting, "Don't harm our king!" Two long spears and a large sword blocked the King of Chu's path.

  The one wielding the sword was General Xi of the Wei army, while the two others were high-ranking generals. The King of Chu didn't actually want to kill the King of Wei but wanted to capture him alive. A loud shout came from the Chu army, "Don't bully us with your numbers!" and a general rode out, swinging his spear at General Xi and the other two generals.

  The battle was intense, with both sides exchanging blows. The sound of their collision echoed through the air, and sparks flew everywhere. In the end, the King of Wei retreated in defeat, and the King of Chu emerged victorious.

  King Hui of Chu saw the situation and swung his long spear to the left and right, making a "ding" sound. This was the sound of the spear colliding with other spears and swords. Two Wei generals on the left had their spears knocked away three steps, while the main general on the right had his large sword knocked away half a step.

  At this time, Zhao She arrived to support General Xi's sword. In an instant, five people formed two groups. King Hui of Chu was fighting against two opponents with long spears. He saw that King Hui's spear was swinging to the left, and the Wei general on the left raised his spear to block it hastily. However, the spear suddenly swung to the right, and the Wei general on the right quickly raised his spear to parry.

  A loud "ding" sound was heard, which was the sound of the spear handles colliding with each other. The Wei general on the right was hit so hard that he almost fell off his horse, and his spear almost flew out of his hand. The Wei general on the left saw this and raised his spear to attack King Hui.

  King Hui used the recoil from his previous strike to deflect the spear to the left and then counterattacked with a thrust. The Wei general on the left hastily dodged and raised his spear to block, but King Hui's spearhead pressed down and swept forward, almost hitting the Wei general's chin. The Wei general was so frightened that he quickly retreated backward.

  King Hui was about to attack the Wei general on the right when the latter raised his spear to attack. King Hui swung his spear to the right, striking the Wei general's spear handle. The impact was so great that the Wei general's hands bled, and he fell back three steps with his horse.

  King Hui then swung his spear to the left with great force, striking the Wei general's spear and sending it flying to the ground. The Wei general's hands were severely injured, and he retreated several steps on horseback. King Hui took advantage of this opportunity to thrust his spear forward, hitting the Wei general in the throat.

  The Wei general fell off his horse and died. The Wei general on the right raised his spear to rescue his comrade but was met with a swing from King Hui's spear. The two spears collided, and the Wei general's spear flew out of his hand. King Hui followed up with another thrust, striking the Wei general in the heart.

  In just five rounds, both Wei generals were killed by King Hui's spear.

  Zhao Ying and Xi were evenly matched, with neither gaining the upper hand. Xi was a top general of Wei, wielding a massive rhinoceros-headed sword. In the tenth year of Chu's King Wu, when the Chu army invaded Wei, the king sent Xi to lead an army against them. The two armies clashed at Lu Mountain, where Xi beheaded three brave generals of the Chu army. No one in the Chu army could match him, and King Wu was forced to retreat back to Fang City. At that time, Xi was only 22 years old; now he is 38, a year older than King Hui of Chu, and at the peak of his strength and vigor. His swordsmanship has improved even further since 16 years ago.

  Just then, King Hui shouted, "Zhao Ying, retreat!" and charged towards Xi on horseback, his long spear flashing in the sunlight. Xi saw that the king's arm was stronger than his own, and his martial arts skills surpassed those of Zhao Ying. He did not dare to be slow, and with both hands, he raised his sword to block the attack.

  The spear struck the sword with a loud clang, causing sparks to fly everywhere. The sword blade was dented, and Xi's body involuntarily retreated. His right hand felt numb, and his left hand was shaken loose. King Hui took advantage of the situation and launched another fierce attack. Xi hastily raised his sword to block it.

  The spear struck with incredible force, causing Xi's left hand to sink and his right hand to rise. His sword was tilted, and he retreated a step, along with his horse. King Hui launched another attack, striking from the left. Xi blocked it with both hands, but his sword was knocked askew, and he stumbled backward.

  King Hui struck again, this time from the right. Xi tried to block it, but his sword was too slow. The spear struck his horse's back, causing it to let out a pained whinny as it fell to the ground. Xi was thrown off and landed on the ground, dropping his sword.

  The Chu army erupted in cheers, their morale reaching new heights. Five Wei generals rushed out of their formation, charging towards King Hui and Xi in an attempt to rescue their commander. But it was too late; King Hui swept his spear downward, striking Xi with a loud crash. Xi was flung over a yard away and died instantly.

  The Chu army's cheers grew even louder, while the Wei army's morale plummeted.

  Chu Huai Wang saw the Wei cavalry charging and clapped his legs together, urging his horse forward. With a loud shout, he charged towards the two Wei generals in front of him. The first Wei general raised his spear to block Chu Huai Wang's attack but was knocked off his horse and fell more than 20 meters away, hitting the second Wei general who was charging from behind, killing them both.

  The third Wei general turned around and fled, and Chu Huai Wang chased after him on horseback. In an instant, he caught up with the fleeing general and stabbed him in the back with his spear, piercing through to the front of his armor. Chu Huai Wang lifted the general's body off the ground and flung it into the Wei army formation, knocking down two cavalrymen.

  The Wei army was stunned, their faces pale as ash. The Chu army cheered loudly, their voices like thunder. The two Wei generals who were fighting against Zhao Hui saw this and didn't dare to fight anymore, hastily retreating back to their own lines.

  Chu Huai Wang drew his sword and led the 60,000-strong Chu cavalry in a charge against the Wei cavalry. The 140,000-strong Chu infantry followed close behind, charging forward like a raging tide. Chu Huai Wang rode at the forefront of the army, his left hand holding a spear and his right hand holding a sword.

  The Wei king saw Chu Huai Wang charging towards him and hastily retreated. The Wei army rushed to protect their king, but their cavalry was thrown into chaos. The Chu generals took advantage of this and charged forward, killing many Wei soldiers.

  Chu Huai Wang struck down the Wei king's charioteer and killed several high-ranking Wei generals. The Wei army formation was already in disarray, unable to withstand Chu Huai Wang's attacks. The Wei cavalry fell one after another, creating a path for Chu Huai Wang to charge forward.

  The Wei generals shouted, "The Wei king must escape!" but the Chu generals were relentless in their pursuit. In an instant, hundreds of Wei soldiers fell to the ground. Chu Huai Wang and Zhao Hui charged forward, their spears and swords slicing through the Wei army like a hot knife through butter.

  The Wei king fled in panic, with his cavalrymen protecting him. But the Chu generals and cavalrymen were too strong, and they broke through the Wei lines. The Wei king's bodyguards were killed one after another, and he was forced to flee for his life.

  Chu Huai Wang and Zhao Hui chased after the Wei king, their spears and swords flashing in the sunlight. They charged forward like a storm, unstoppable and unyielding.

  The Wei army's cavalry gradually decreased, and more than half an hour of fierce battle had passed. The 50,000-strong Wei cavalry was reduced to only 20,000, while the Chu army still had more than 40,000. How could there be such a huge difference? Isn't this just the difference between having a commander and not having one? As soon as the Wei generals engaged in battle, they were all killed by King Huai of Chu. The Wei army immediately lost its morale. When the king of Wei saw King Huai of Chu, he fled. How could the Wei army's morale not be in disarray? Without a commander, how could the soldiers withstand the onslaught of the great generals of the Chu army? It would be strange if they didn't suffer heavy casualties and collapse!

  At this time, King Huai of Chu pulled the horse's head around and looked at the whole situation, then said to Zhao She: "You lead 15,000 cavalrymen in three routes from the side and back to attack the Wei army infantry." Zhao She immediately ordered two generals to each lead 5,000 cavalrymen in three routes to charge at the Wei army infantry. Suddenly, the three routes of Chu army cavalry launched a fierce impact on the Wei army infantry from the side and back. The 150,000 Wei army infantry were originally disheartened and unable to withstand the attack of the 15,000-strong Chu army, and when they were impacted by the three routes of Chu army iron cavalry, they immediately fell down in disorder and became a heap. In this chaos, the 150,000-strong Chu army charged forward like a raging tide, killing and wounding the Wei army heavily, with more than half dead or injured after a short while.

  The King of Wei fled from the battlefield and ordered his troops to retreat. The Chu army took advantage of the situation and launched a pursuit, stopping only after one mile. The Wei army escaped towards Mount Xing, abandoning countless grain and supplies. Outside the ancient city, the Chu army killed over 120,000 Wei soldiers (over 30,000 cavalry and 90,000 infantry), captured 30,000 horses, 1.2 million sets of armor and weapons, and countless grain and supplies. The Chu army lost 50,000 soldiers (10,000 cavalry and 40,000 infantry) but gained 30,000 horses, increasing their cavalry to 70,000. King Hui of Chu ordered his troops to cook meals and rest on the spot. An hour later, the army set off in pursuit of the Wei army towards Mount Xing.

  The Wei army fled to the top of Xian Mountain (now 30 miles southwest of Xinzheng County) and set up camp, planning to use the small hills to block the Chu army. The King of Wei, due to his injured hands, was now feeling severe pain and found that he only had 800,000 soldiers left (200,000 cavalry and 600,000 infantry). Just as the Wei army finished their meal, a messenger rushed in to report to the King of Wei: "The King of Chu has led his army towards Xian Mountain and is now at Zhangzhuang, ten miles away from Xian Mountain." The King of Wei immediately ordered his army to prepare for battle. A general said to the King of Wei: "Our army has just been defeated and morale is low. If we fight the Chu army now, our strength will be greatly inferior. If the Chu army surrounds Xian Mountain, it will be dangerous." The King of Wei replied: "I know that after a while, the King of Han will bring his army to reinforce us. The Chu army will definitely be exhausted from continuous battles, and at that time, we can join forces with the King of Han's army and defeat the Chu army." Half an hour later, the King of Chu arrived at Xian Mountain, but the King of Wei refused to fight and instead defended his position on the mountain. The King of Chu ordered his army to surround Xian Mountain and was about to set up camp when a messenger suddenly came to report: "The King of Han is leading 100,000 soldiers to reinforce the Wei army and has arrived at Tangzhuang, ten miles away, and is heading towards Xian Mountain."

  King Hui of Chu heard the report and ordered the entire army to retreat one mile and form an array. He then said to Zhao Ying, "Although the combined forces of Wei and Han are as many as 1.8 million, the 800,000-strong Wei army has just suffered a defeat and their morale is low, with no great generals. Our army has just won a victory and our morale is high. Therefore, the 1.5 million Chu army can defeat the combined forces of Wei and Han." King Hui continued, "Our cavalry is numerous, which is an advantage. We can charge into the enemy's infantry, making it even more likely that we will win."

  King Hui then ordered Zhao Ying to lead a large army of 700,000 (300,000 cavalry and 400,000 infantry) to attack the 800,000-strong Wei army. He himself led an army of 800,000 Chu soldiers (400,000 cavalry and 400,000 infantry) to attack the 1 million-strong Han army.

  King Hui ordered 40,000 Chu infantrymen to form four rows, with 16,000 cavalry divided into four teams standing on both sides of the infantry, ready to attack the Han army's infantry from the front, left, right, and two flanks. He himself led 24,000 cavalrymen to attack the 25,000 Han cavalry.

  Zhao Ying arranged for 40,000 Chu infantrymen to form four rows, with 10,000 cavalry divided into two teams standing on both sides of the infantry, ready to attack the Wei army's infantry from both flanks. He himself led 20,000 cavalrymen to attack the 20,000 Wei cavalry.

  Before long, King Xuan of Han arrived with an army of 1 million (250,000 cavalry and 750,000 infantry). When King Hui of Wei saw that King Xuan had brought a large army, he also led his entire army down from the mountain. However, they were blocked by Zhao Ying's army.

  King Hui of Chu rode forward on horseback and said, "Is the one who has come King of Han?" The King of Han also rode forward on horseback and said, "It is indeed!" King Hui of Chu said, "What does the conflict between Chu and Wei have to do with you? Why do you want to be hostile towards Chu?" At this time, the King of Han was thinking to himself: I thought that even if the army of Chu won, they would still suffer heavy losses. I didn't expect the army of Wei to be so defeated. If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn't have come with my army. Therefore, he couldn't answer for a moment. King Hui of Chu saw that the King of Han wasn't answering and became enraged. He spurred on his horse, Uzi, which galloped forward like the wind. With a wave of his hand, he charged towards the King of Han with his long spear. The King of Han was greatly startled and turned his horse around to flee back to his camp. A general from the Han army rushed out and shouted, "Don't harm my king!" He swung his sword at King Hui of Chu. King Hui of Chu swung his spear once, and with a loud clang, the general's sword was knocked aside. King Hui of Chu struck again, and with another loud clang, the general's sword fell to the ground. The general was greatly shocked and turned his horse around to flee. King Hui of Chu struck him in the back with his spear, and he fell off his horse, dead on the spot. Two more generals from the Han army rushed forward, but King Hui of Chu charged at them on horseback, swinging his spear. In just one exchange, one general's spear was knocked flying two zhang away, and he himself was thrown to the ground, dead without a sound. The other general thrust his halberd at King Hui of Chu, who swung his spear once, knocking the halberd to the ground. With another swing of his spear, King Hui of Chu struck the general's head, shattering it. The general let out a cry and fell off his horse, dead.

  At that moment, the Chu army's roar shook the sky. The King of Han saw this and his will to fight was completely gone, hastily ordering his troops to retreat back to Xinzheng. King Huai of Chu also did not pursue them, allowing the Han army to withdraw. When he saw the Han army retreating far away, he ordered his generals to lead 20,000 iron cavalry to attack and kill the Wei army infantry. The King of Wei was shocked when he saw the King of Han leading his troops in retreat, hastily ordering his entire army to quickly retreat. Zhao She saw this and ordered the Chu army to launch a full-scale attack. King Huai's 20,000 iron cavalry also charged from the side. When King Hui of Wei saw that all was lost, he fled back to Yangdi under the protection of over 10,000 horsemen. The rest of the Wei army scattered and escaped, with only a small number managing to escape. Most were either killed or captured and surrendered. Zhao She's Chu army killed more than 20,000 Wei soldiers, captured 30,000, obtained 5,000 horses, 50,000 sets of armor and weapons, and a large quantity of grain and other supplies.

  The Chu State, under the leadership of King Hui of Chu, defeated the Wei State in a battle at Gu Cheng and Xianyang, killing 150,000 Wei soldiers (35,000 cavalrymen and 115,000 infantrymen), capturing 30,000, seizing 35,000 horses, and obtaining 1.8 million sets of armor and weapons. The Chu army lost 55,000 men (12,000 cavalrymen and 43,000 infantrymen) but gained 35,000 horses, increasing the number of their cavalry to 80,000. King Hui of Wei's 200,000-strong army was defeated, with only 15,000 cavalrymen escaping back to Yingyang. The rest were eliminated, and from then on, the Wei State no longer had the ability to confront the Chu State head-on. After that, King Hui of Chu ordered his army to occupy Yu Zhou (present-day Yuzhou City, Henan), Xiangcheng (present-day Xiangcheng County, Henan), and Lushan (present-day Lushan County, Henan) in the Wei State. In retaliation for the Han State's dispatch of troops to assist the Wei State, King Hui also ordered his army to occupy Ruzhou (present-day Ruzhou City, Henan) and Yichuan (present-day Yichuan County, Henan) in the Han State, and established a new city called Xincheng Jun to govern these territories.