The Nightmare and Glory of Baima Fortress
Cao Cao gestured toward the chair. “Zayul, sit down.”
“Ah, I’m fine. You’re standing too, Uncle.”
“Nonsense. I had one prepared for myself as well.”
Whenever Cao Cao commanded an army from the walls, two chairs were always placed atop the battlements. In this era, chairs were little more than low, foldable stools barely higher than a bath seat, forcing one to sit in an awkward crouch. Still, it was better than standing the entire time. And from this position, one could clearly observe the battlefield beyond the walls with far greater comfort.
“Uncle, the first unit that must move is General Zhang Liao.”
“Zhang Liao, you say?”
The eastern gate had been assigned to Zhang Liao and Xu Chu. The western gate had been given to Dian Wei and Xu Huang. This deployment had been suggested by me and subsequently adopted on Xun You’s recommendation. The concept was simple: at whichever gate opened first, a general capable of charging forward with explosive speed would lead, while a powerful warrior followed behind to anchor the formation and endure the enemy’s counterattack with raw strength.
“Sir Gongda has set the troop count at three thousand and will open the eastern gate first.”
“The number of troops was decided by me. Initially, I told the generals to use two thousand agile soldiers for the first wave and ordered Xun You to prepare five thousand for a generous assault, but we compromised. Do you know why?”
“I understand that the exact thousand-unit count isn’t what matters. You prioritized the ability of the general leading the charge… but is there more to it?”
Cao Cao said nothing. He simply pointed beyond the battlements. Behind the walls, an entire unit of archers lay in wait. They were ready to burst forth and provide covering fire the moment the gates opened and our forces charged out to strike the enemy. It was exactly the tactic that had once caught me off guard. When you charged right up to the enemy’s nose and couldn’t see any archers, a sense of unease would creep in—only for them to suddenly emerge from behind cover and unleash a surprise volley. That was the kind of sniper ambush they represented.
At this very moment, I stood shoulder to shoulder with Cao Cao, watching the flow of battle. Finally, the sound of war drums rang out, signaling the army’s movement.
The eastern gate swung open. Zhang Liao burst forth at the head, crescent blade raised high, roaring a thunderous battle cry as he charged straight into the enemy lines. The Yuan Shao army, which had only been playing the role of attacker during the siege until now, was momentarily stunned to see a small force suddenly pouring out of the gates. But they quickly recovered and prepared to counterattack.
“Charge!”
Zhang Liao bellowed at the top of his lungs, leading from the very front as he smashed through the enemy. The soldiers following him fought with equal ferocity, pushing the Yuan Shao troops back through sheer force of will.
“As expected of Hebei’s army. Their solidity is like diamond.”
“Uncle, even so, General Zhang is not someone who will be pushed back by brute strength. When it comes to charging, he displays truly formidable power.”
“Ah, yes. I heard the story of how the three of you—Zhang Liao, Miao Cai, and yourself—charged the Xiongnu cavalry while defending Chang’an.”
“The soldiers behind him are advancing because they trust in General Zhang’s vanguard charge.”
“Mmm. Indeed.”
After Zhang Liao’s unit had formed the spearhead and charged, Xu Chu came thundering out from the rear. Xu Chu was also a general whose raw, crushing power was second to none within Cao Cao’s army. Three thousand soldiers under Zhang Liao and Xu Chu, launching a ferocious all-out assault. In perfect coordination, the defenders of Baima Fortress under Yu Jin rained arrows down to provide covering fire.
“The main force under Yan Liang at the northern gate will likely dismiss this as insignificant.”
“Mmm… just by looking, it does seem that way. It appears Zhong De was correct after all.”
Before the Battle of Baima, Cheng Yu had spoken these words back at Guandu Fortress: ‘For both defense and reconnaissance, seven hundred men will be sufficient to hold Jiancheng and its surroundings. A fortress defended by fewer than a thousand troops will be completely ignored by Yuan Shao’s army.’
And indeed, that was exactly how Yuan Shao’s forces operated. They only paid attention to armies led by famous generals or those of significant size. No matter how much a small force stirred up trouble, they were regarded as nothing more than ‘a single grain of rice fallen among countless sacks.’ Thanks to this, the upcoming Battle of Guandu seemed like it would be the perfect hunting ground for guerrilla warfare.
“When should we open the western gate?”
“Right now, Yan Liang’s main force at the northern gate will think nothing of it. They’ll assume three thousand men can’t accomplish much. However, if we hold out longer than expected, they will immediately dispatch reinforcements to the eastern gate. That is when we open the western gate.”
“Hmmm. Correct! That is exactly what I was thinking.”
While Cao Cao’s army had many outstanding military advisors, Cao Cao himself was an exceptional strategist who could read the battlefield. Having joined the army from a young age and experienced countless battles since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, his accumulated experience was immense. His ability to spot momentary openings on the battlefield and immediately devise cunning tactics was truly outstanding. And the fact that he had arrived at the exact same conclusion as me meant the others…
“My lord! My lord!”
Xun You, clad in armor, came running up the wall and reported urgently.
“My lord, the fighting at the eastern gate is growing increasingly fierce.”
“What do you believe we should do?”
“Although the eastern battlefield is dangerous, I believe we must prolong the fight a little longer to further disrupt the enemy. Once the central army at the northern gate begins to move, that is when we should open the western gate and order Colonel Jeon to charge, throwing both wings into chaos.”
“As expected, Gongda, you reached the same conclusion!”
“I am unworthy, my lord!”
Perhaps once one reached a certain level, their thoughts naturally aligned, creating mutual understanding? Xun You had proposed the exact same strategy. As Zhang Liao and Xu Chu fought with even greater ferocity, dust clouds finally began to rise from Yan Liang’s forces at the northern gate.
“Enemy reinforcements. Their numbers appear to be around three thousand.”
“We must open the western gate the moment those bastards cross the corner.”
Xun You hurriedly ran down to prepare Dian Wei and Xu Huang. As Zhang Liao’s troops engaged the additional forces rushing in from Yan Liang’s side, the war drums sounded once more.
“Open the gates! I’ve been waiting so long I’m going insane from the itch!”
The western gate flew open. This time, Dian Wei burst out like a cannonball, smashing into the Yuan Shao troops who had been waiting on the opposite side of the battlefield. Caught completely off guard, the Yuan Shao army scrambled to defend themselves, but Dian Wei was a warrior of terrifying strength on par with Zhang Liao.
“Now!”
With six thousand troops suddenly pouring out from both flanks and wreaking havoc, Yan Liang’s main force could be seen moving again. They had clearly received reports of enemies bursting from the western gate as well and were visibly shaken.
“Sending additional troops in this situation would be the middle path. If Yan Liang himself comes down, that would be the worst move.”
“Then what would be their best course of action?”
“To remain unshaken and strike this northern gate area with orthodox tactics. No matter how chaotic it becomes, Yuan Shao’s forty thousand troops have still surrounded the small fortress of Baima, have they not?”
“Hahaha! Hahahahahahaha!”
Cao Cao burst into loud laughter and patted my shoulder. And just as predicted, Yan Liang chose the middle path—continuing to send reinforcements to pin down the forces of Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, Dian Wei, and Xu Chu. As the strength of Yan Liang’s main army gradually dwindled, the northern gate finally opened.
A truly terrifying giant of nine cheok in height mounted on horseback charged out, massive crescent blade in hand. It was a sight that sent chills down the spine.
“He’s here!”
The moment Guan Yu sallied forth from the northern gate, I clenched my fist and shouted. Unlike the times I had fought alongside him on the battlefield, being able to watch Guan Yu’s combat from a step removed was an immense honor and thrill.
“Hmm, even though it’s a hastily assembled cavalry unit, it still looks dangerous…”
But before Cao Cao could finish speaking, Guan Yu swung his enormous Green Dragon Crescent Blade, smashing through the first rank of Yuan Shao troops surrounding the northern gate with pure power. He broke through them one line after another, carving an enormous fissure through the entire enemy formation.
“…This is no longer at the level of mere bravery! Truly a match for ten thousand men!”
Cao Cao immediately changed his tone and began praising Guan Yu until his mouth went dry.
“As expected of Guan Yunchang, the man who captured Lu Bu and is called the greatest warrior under heaven! How reassuring it is to have him on our side!”
He charged straight in, smashing through the enemy ranks with raw power, then drove deep into the very heart of their formation to strike the enemy commander and take his head. In the warfare of this era, there was no more certain path to victory than ‘killing the enemy general during battle.’ That was the ironclad truth.
Yan Liang’s army was clearly thrown into panic as a small cavalry force suddenly broke through all the way to their headquarters. They were running about in confusion. Just like they had done to me last time, they had prepared archers on the siege towers to fire, but the infantry was packed too tightly together. And the three other generals who could have blocked him had already been deployed to different sectors of the battlefield. This meant Yan Liang had to handle it all by himself.
Yuan Shao must have believed that, knowing Yan Liang’s martial talent, leaving him alone would be sufficient. After all, I wasn’t there.
“The wings of the thousand-li horse must have been clipped, making them overconfident. They never realized that thousand-li horse was being protected by a blue dragon!”
Cao Cao exclaimed in admiration. Guan Yu’s momentum showed no signs of stopping. On the contrary, the more enemy ranks he shattered, the faster he became. He needed no tricks or schemes. He simply pushed forward with ‘overwhelming power,’ crushing everything that stood in his path.
“Yan Liang is moving!”
Finally, Yan Liang himself burst out from the main camp, personally moving to stop that insane charge. Of course he would. As a general, his blood must have been boiling. And with his forces being pushed back by such absurd martial prowess, he had to personally step forward to prevent the Yuan Shao army’s morale from collapsing and the formation from disintegrating. If he had instead pulled back further, strengthened his defensive lines, and chosen to hunker down and endure, Guan Yu’s already small force would have had a much harder time… but would he still manage to break through?
BOOOOM!
It was a spectacular sight. Guan Yu and Yan Liang finally met face to face. From where we stood, we could clearly see the two giants clashing, neither giving the other a chance to strike first. But I couldn’t afford to stand here mesmerized by Guan Yu’s fight alone.
“Uncle!”
“W-what is it?”
“Now that Uncle Yunchang’s forces have engaged Yan Liang’s army head-on, we must send reinforcements to the eastern and western gates to ensure the safety of our four generals.”
“Ah, of course! I order two thousand soldiers each to the eastern and western gates to support Zhang Liao and Dian Wei respectively!”
“Yes, Chancellor!”
Even in the midst of all this, Cao Cao immediately accepted my suggestion and ordered support for the units of Zhang Liao, Xu Chu, Dian Wei, and Xu Huang. After confirming his command, I could once again focus on the battlefield.
Even though I already knew the outcome, the sheer intensity and pressure of the fight left sweat pooling in my palms. A magnificent battle unfolded. They exchanged five blows, then ten, racing toward twenty… when Guan Yu struck Yan Liang in the side.
The instant Yan Liang lost his balance and staggered, Guan Yu did not miss the opportunity. Like an executioner beheading a condemned criminal, he brought his blade down and severed Yan Liang’s head cleanly from his shoulders.
Thus, the commander of an entire army, Yan Liang, was slain by Guan Yu.
What followed was a one-sided massacre. The sudden news that their supreme commander Yan Liang had been killed threw both the eastern and western Yuan Shao forces into complete disarray. The already fragmented Yan Liang army abandoned their positions and fled in panic. Guan Yu pursued them with only a few hundred riders all the way to the end. In the end, we could see the scattered remnants desperately scrambling aboard the remaining Mengchong ships on the Yellow River, flailing about in their frantic escape.
Less than half a day after Yan Liang’s death, the Yuan Shao forces at Baima Fortress were completely annihilated. All the anchored Mengchong ships had vanished. We had taken over ten thousand prisoners, and countless corpses lay piled across the fields surrounding Baima Fortress.
“Hahaha! Hahahahahaha!”
Cao Cao was thoroughly satisfied with this incredible comeback victory. Now it was time to prepare for the next battlefield.
“Congratulations, my lord.”
“A great victory, Uncle!”
“Hahahaha, indeed. Gongda, Zayul—what should we do next?”
At that moment, Xun You whispered quietly.
“Let the Colonel speak his thoughts first. If there are any issues, I will correct them.”
So I spoke exactly what had come to mind.
“Uncle, we must immediately reorganize the army, gather all the prisoners along with the civilians from the counties and prefectures around Baima Fortress, and send them to the rear at Dongjun.”
“Hmm?”
“We have already clashed with both Zhang He and Meng Jin. Even larger battles will follow in succession. We should send away the civilians who could get caught in the fighting, the wounded soldiers who would only harm morale if kept here, and disarm the prisoners before sending them all to the military agricultural colonies. Is this not the busy farming season?”
With one hundred thousand soldiers now mobilized, labor in the rear was desperately needed. To solve the food shortage, Cao Cao’s army actively utilized the tuntian system. If vagrants and war prisoners were not killed but instead fully assigned to these colonies, the amount of grain harvested in autumn would double.
“My lord, the Colonel is correct. We must handle the details as he suggests. I will now report on the bigger picture for the next phase of the campaign.”
“Good. Since Zayul has taken care of the internal cleanup, Gongda, tell us about the external military situation!”
“My lord, after Baima comes Yanjin. If we delay organizing this area, Yuan Shao will learn of the situation first. Should he descend in rage, the damage will be far greater. Although our army is stronger than Yuan Shao’s, our numbers are only three or four tenths of theirs. We cannot afford to continue a war of attrition recklessly.”
“We won once, so we should clean everything up, withdraw completely, and hurry to fight at the next battlefield. And the next battlefield you mentioned, Gongda, is Yanjin? Understood!”
Cao Cao issued orders swiftly. Although they had barely managed to hold Baima, the army quickly organized supplies for the next engagement, burned the enemy’s mooring points, sealed the wells, collected weapons and equipment, and prepared to withdraw to Yanjin at full speed. After Yan Liang’s beheading, the next target was Wen Chou.