Chapter Fifty-Nine: Annihilating the Enemy at Yellow Flower Valley

This place was called Yellow Flower Valley. Within the valley, a flat expanse stretched about ten miles across, inhabited by several hundred families. When Ye Chi’s troops saw the orderly, grand houses, they realized they had stumbled upon a prosperous land. Naturally unwilling to let it slip by, they killed several men who dared resist, then began looting indiscriminately—seizing both goods and people. The strong men and beautiful women were lined up, their hands bound together with rope, ready to be taken away.

Because they had met with little resistance in recent days, Ye Chi’s men had grown careless, posting only a dozen mounted sentries. Thus, Cao Wenzhao and his men charged close before being discovered. The Mongol sentries immediately fired warning shots, then galloped toward them.

Cao Wenzhao secretly praised the Mongols’ bravery, drew his arrows, and fired rapidly. Five out of eight arrows found their mark, startling the charging Mongols. Cao Wenzhao cursed under his breath, “Shooting from horseback really is difficult!” He put away his bow, bent to seize the spear from the victory hook, and rushed forward.

Two thousand against two hundred—the outcome was never in doubt. When the fighting ended and the field was cleared, they had beheaded two hundred thirty-seven Mongols, captured five hundred ninety uninjured warhorses, as well as forty-three wounded and numerous dead horses. On their own side, thirty-six men had died, with a little over ten lightly wounded and five seriously wounded.

Cao Wenzhao sought out a few local headmen, arranging for the wounded to recuperate in Yellow Flower Valley, using the dead horses as provisions for their recovery. Then, with his men, he pressed on toward Shenmu Fortress in search.

Along the way, they repeatedly encountered Mongol bands ranging from dozens to at most a hundred men. Each time, victory was assured; yet the number of enemy heads taken was often less than their own wounded. This made Cao Wenzhao long for the flintlock muskets of the Imperial Guards—had they fired a volley, these Mongols would already be lying on the ground.

Approaching Quye River near Shenmu Fortress, Ye Chi received word of their advance and waited with his men by the riverbank. When scouts reported this, Cao Wenzhao ordered camp to be made on a small hill about five miles from Quye River. The hill, thick with saplings, would blunt any Mongol cavalry charge.

Ye Chi, growing impatient for the Ming troops, sent out scouts and learned they had already camped. Upon inquiring about the terrain, he realized an assault would gain little, so he crossed the Quye River, leaving two thousand men to guard the river mouth, while the rest continued their plundering.

Cao Wenzhao’s scouts reported the Mongols’ movements, but he dared not advance further. Two thousand Mongols could have played with his own two thousand new recruits as they pleased—they would never fight a pitched battle, but would instead harass with cavalry, wearing his men down with skirmishes. To deal with Mongols, one needed either the Imperial Guards’ weaponry or a force far outnumbering theirs.

The next day, Sun Chuanting arrived from Yanchuan with two battalions, bringing their numbers to nearly five thousand. The two commanders resolved to attack the Mongols left guarding the Quye River mouth, but disagreed on how to divide their forces.

Sun Chuanting proposed sending two thousand men to block Yongxing Fortress, cutting off the Mongols’ retreat and enabling their annihilation. Cao Wenzhao argued for concentrating all their men against the Mongols, who, burdened by their plunder, could not move swiftly and could be effectively destroyed. Dividing forces, he reasoned, would risk being unable to handle desperate Mongols fighting for survival.

Both had valid points—one intent on annihilation, the other wary of the Mongols’ prowess. In the end, they compromised: Sun Chuanting would take a thousand men to flank and block Yongxing Fortress, while Cao Wenzhao would attack the Mongols head-on. This left Cao Wenzhao with a favorable impression of Sun Chuanting; he was accustomed to civil officials’ disdain for military men, and was much taken with Sun’s willingness to heed the advice of generals.

After Sun Chuanting departed, Cao Wenzhao wasted no time awaiting reinforcements. He led his men to Quye River, where the Mongols, seeing the Ming army, surged across from the opposite bank. Cao Wenzhao mixed spearmen and sword-and-shield soldiers, charging directly to the riverbank to await the Mongols. Arrows shot by the Mongols as their horses forded the river lacked force, so the Ming suffered few losses; though newly trained, their discipline nearly matched that of the Imperial Guards. When men fell to arrows, they made no outcry—only soft groans—before being dragged to the rear for simple bandaging.

Once the Mongols reached the near bank, their bows were of little use, and the dense forest of spears prevented any further charge. They drew their long weapons and fought from horseback at close quarters. The Ming spearmen targeted the horses’ heads, while the sword-and-shield men struck down dismounted Mongols. Officers shouted and commanded tirelessly, transforming initial confusion into growing skill, until the two sides were locked in fierce, evenly matched struggle.

Cao Wenzhao was deeply impressed—who would have guessed these were recruits trained for only half a year to a year? Truly, since ancient times, Qin soldiers had been famed for endurance and valor. Seizing his iron spear, he plunged into the fray.

Guarding the river mouth for Ye Chi’s force was his brother, Su Buye, wielding a spiked mace and charging at the forefront. Spotting Cao Wenzhao, whose armor set him apart, he bellowed and rushed at him.

A cruel smile played at his lips as he raised the mace, intent on smashing this Ming general’s head like a watermelon. As he closed in, his smile grew broader—then a spear flashed like lightning, piercing his throat and withdrawing in an instant, stabbing the next Mongol. The mace fell to the ground; Su Buye clutched his throat, but could not staunch the gushing blood. Eyes full of unwillingness, he collapsed.

Cao Wenzhao killed seven Mongols in quick succession. His spear technique was swift and practical—he struck only at vital points, never wasting movement, and so killed quickly and seemed never to tire.

Su Buye had been the fiercest warrior of Ye Chi’s force. His death sapped the Mongols’ morale, while Cao Wenzhao’s boldness filled them with fear. The tide turned; some Mongols began plotting their escape. Cao Wenzhao rejoiced and cried, “Brothers, follow me!” Then he alone charged into the Mongol ranks.

“When the general is brave, the soldiers are emboldened.” Led by his example, the Ming soldiers’ morale soared, and they drove the Mongols into chaos.

At that moment, Ye Chi, on hearing the news, hastily gathered over a hundred soldiers to reinforce his men, which briefly stabilized the Mongol lines. But when Cao Wenzhao shot him dead with an arrow, the Mongols finally broke, scattering in flight.

Infantry cannot hope to catch cavalry, so Cao Wenzhao organized about four hundred spearmen and two hundred sword-and-shield men, mounted on captured warhorses, and set out in pursuit of the fleeing Mongols.

Knowing their raid had failed, the Mongols only wished to get home as quickly as possible. Once broken, they fled toward Yongxing Fortress. Cao Wenzhao and his men kept up relentless pursuit, and before the gates of Yongxing Fortress, together with Sun Chuanting’s forces, they finally encircled the Mongols in a narrow plain.