Chapter 129: Infantry-Cavalry Archery Exchange

“Chen, how’s the situation?”

Gan Ning rode up swiftly. Behind them, the soldiers of Huangmen Pavilion had already formed ranks. Under Shen Chen’s command, part of the troops concealed themselves in the Ziyun Mountains to the left, while the others arrayed along the road.

Shen Chen also sat astride his horse on a small earth mound about two or three meters high, surveying the scene. Hearing Gan Ning’s words, he said, “Cao Cao’s cavalry has arrived.”

Gan Ning’s voice was grave: “I’ve ordered the troops to form ranks immediately, but I fear the enemy will merely encircle us without launching a direct attack.”

“That’s certain,” Shen Chen nodded. “Cavalry can’t charge straight into infantry formations. They’ll strike and retreat, delaying our withdrawal until their infantry arrive. This place isn’t far from Kunyang. We’ll fight while retreating, covering each other.”

“All right,” Gan Ning replied. “I’ll return to arrange the formations. Be careful yourself.”

“Don’t worry,” Shen Chen assured him. Cavalry was indeed powerful, but before the Tang and Song dynasties, its effectiveness was quite limited. The ancient military treatise *The Six Secret Teachings* states: “In battle, one horseman cannot match a single foot soldier.”

In other words, a cavalryman’s combat power was less than that of an infantryman until the Tang and Song eras, when cavalry’s importance truly emerged.

The reason lay in the fact that before the Western Jin dynasty, the stirrup and high-saddle had not yet been invented. Without a stable foothold on horseback, horsemen couldn’t wield the powerful shock weapons of later times—such as large axes, broad swords, lances, or armor-piercing spears.

The so-called great generals of those times became renowned because their horsemanship was superb; they relied solely on the strength of their legs to grip the horse’s belly, using their legs and waist as a fulcrum for upper body force.

Others couldn’t charge with large axes, broad swords, or lances, but these generals could ride alone into the thick of battle atop their horses—figures like Xiang Yu and Guan Yu.

Though later fierce generals such as Li Cunxiao and Yang Zaixing were famed for slaying hundreds, without stirrups and high saddles, they might never have achieved such remarkable feats.

Hence the legendary title of Guan Yu as “the peerless warrior who could take on thousands.”

Before the Western Jin, cavalry had not evolved into the heavy shock troops capable of breaking infantry lines with thunderous force. Instead, they were lightly armed horse archers wielding relatively simple weapons like halberds, spears, and ring-headed sabers, specializing in archery rather than direct melee.

For this reason, cavalry primarily performed reconnaissance, sentry duty, patrols, and surprise attacks.

Take the Battle of Guandu, for instance. Cao Cao led 5,000 cavalry straight to Wuchao, but upon arrival, they dismounted to fight and defeat Chunyu Qiong and burn Wuchao’s supplies.

From the Qin to the Eastern Han, the supposedly invincible Xiongnu cavalry suffered many defeats.

Generals like Meng Tian and Li Mu used infantry, chariots, and crossbows to rout the Xiongnu, exposing their lack of siege capability.

Even in the late reign of Emperor Wu of Han, tens of thousands of Xiongnu horsemen were once stymied by Li Ling’s mere 5,000 infantry arrayed in formation. Their eventual victory was largely due to the Han troops running out of arrows.

All these facts illustrate how difficult it was for cavalry to inflict damage against formed infantry.

Their only role on the front lines was to flank and encircle when friendly infantry engaged enemy foot soldiers.

Such tactics were consistent throughout the Qin, Han, and Roman Imperial wars before the Western Jin—cavalry never charged enemy ranks head-on.

Thus, Shen Chen was not overly concerned about the approaching Cao Cao cavalry.

However, it was clear that Cao’s horsemen did not intend to confront them directly; rather, they sought to harass from the flanks with mounted archery and wait for infantry reinforcements to encircle and crush them.

Shen Chen had never personally experienced such tactics but had read about the Xiongnu’s methods in *Records of the Grand Historian*. He knew he had to respond accordingly.

“Form ranks! Form ranks!”

The loud calls echoed across the open field. Officers blew whistles to hasten the troops. Soldiers promptly arranged themselves, spear tips aimed northward.

At that moment, the thunderous pounding of hooves roared like an earthquake, threatening to crush everything ahead.

Cao Cao himself led the cavalry, now near the Ziyun Mountains. This terrain was not ideal for horsemen, as the official road was narrow, with the Ziyun Mountains—a branch of the Funiu range—to Shen Chen’s left and Cao’s right.

To Shen Chen’s right and Cao’s left lay open fields interspersed with farmland, villages, and woods. Though some meadows existed, the patchwork of fields impeded swift cavalry charges.

Even the central plains posed challenges for cavalry due to cultivated farmland, as history repeatedly showed when northern nomads invaded.

Now, Cao’s cavalry pressed forward like a dark cloud.

Shen Chen stood on a small hill at Ziyun’s foot, watching the northern horizon. First a black dot appeared, then dozens, then hundreds, eventually forming a dense line stretching across the plain, halting about two miles away.

No one moved.

The two sides fell into a tense silence. The earlier clamor of galloping hooves and vigorous shouts subsided. Except for the occasional neigh of restless horses, the air grew still.

Frontline soldiers of Huangmen Pavilion gripped their weapons tightly, nerves taut. No matter how well trained, facing a large enemy cavalry force head-on naturally stirred unease.

Amid this tension, Shen Chen’s forces broke the silence first. The front ranks suddenly received orders to withdraw to the rear lines from both flanks.

The soldiers exhaled in relief and began orderly retreating. The second, third, and fourth ranks followed suit, maintaining battle readiness while gradually pulling back.

Three thousand men was not a large force; even a modern middle or high school assembly often forms denser ranks.

But by splitting and spreading out, they still occupied a sizable area, roughly half a sports field.

The front line numbered only about two hundred, allowing for swift, small-scale movements that maintained efficiency and made it difficult for enemy cavalry to launch a direct assault. If the cavalry attacked one line, others could respond.

Seeing this, Cao Cao waved and commanded, “Loose arrows!”

“Loose arrows!” The messenger shouted.

Over a thousand horsemen swiftly drew bows from their side saddles and charged toward Shen Chen’s troops.

Strictly speaking, mounted archery had existed since the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods—the famous ‘Hu clothing’ cavalry archery being a prime example. But without saddles and stirrups, shooting accurately while riding was impossible.

Such riders required exceptional horsemanship and skill.

In the official records of the Three Kingdoms, only a few generals born in frontier regions—Liu Bei, Dong Zhuo, Gongsun Zan, Lü Bu—could manage it; ordinary soldiers could not.

Thus, these horsemen would ride up to within bowshot of Shen Chen’s ranks, then dismount to shoot.

Effectively, this was little different from a ranged duel.

Li Ling’s 5,000 men, stationed at a mountain foot, used crossbows and shields to hold off 30,000 Xiongnu cavalry, retreating over several days against 80,000 attackers.

Had the Xiongnu possessed heavy armored cavalry with stirrups, Li Ling’s force would likely have been annihilated.

This proves that Han dynasty cavalry, aside from mobility, matched infantry in combat power, with only exceptional warriors able to wield them effectively.

Seeing the enemy advance with bows rather than lances or spears, the Huangmen Pavilion ranks grew restless, officers shouting to restore order.

Shen Chen shouted, “Spearmen fall back! Sword-and-shield men move forward! Archers prepare!”

The 3,000 Huangmen Pavilion soldiers formed a small, well-armed military group by Han standards. Those familiar with Han soldier equipment know troops were categorized: sword-and-shield men, spear-and-shield men, archers and crossbowmen, light cavalry with short swords, and sword-axe wielders without shields.

This was typical of the Western Han; by the Eastern Han, weapons had diversified further. The mass production of ring-headed sabers phased out the sword-and-shield, replaced by saber-and-shield formations. By the late Eastern Han, hooked shields even appeared.

However, Huangmen Pavilion soldiers did not use hooked shields. Their shields were mainly wood with iron plating, small-sized—about 0.6 to 0.8 meters long—light enough to carry. In battle, soldiers could curl behind them to block arrows.

Cao Cao’s order to fire arrows wasn’t the “kite riding” style of Mongol horse archers and offered no real advantage.

Under Shen Chen’s command, troops immediately formed ranks. Spearmen withdrew toward the Ziyun Mountains, sword-and-shield men advanced to cover the archers for a counterattack.

“We fire back!” he declared.

“Loose arrows!”

With the shout, sharp whistles pierced the sky.

“Loose arrows!”

Both sides nearly simultaneously gave the order.

“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Arrows tore through the air, the distance about one arrow’s flight—roughly 140 meters—trajectories high.

Instantly, men and horses on both sides fell in droves. Huangmen Pavilion suffered considerable losses; Cao’s troops lost even more, as their horses bore no shields.

“Retreat!”

Cao’s bugles sounded a clanging call.

The cavalry began withdrawing, leaving behind nearly a hundred horses and fallen soldiers. They turned and fled.

The order came from Cao Cao himself, who frowned, mourning the loss of the precious horses.

Cavalry’s awkwardness against infantry was evident. This explained why, since the Qin and Han, agrarian civilizations often outmaneuvered nomadic horsemen—until the stirrup and high saddle turned the tide.

Now Shen Chen held his ground, exchanging arrow volleys. Both had bows but, without supply wagons, arrows were limited.

Unlike Li Ling’s forces, who had large wagons as mobile camps and could sustain longer fights, these men had only carried arrows. After a few volleys, their quivers would empty.

Cao Cao, seeing this, was reluctant to expend scarce horses and arrows, especially as Gan Ning’s troops closed in.

He dared not unleash all 5,000 cavalry in a wild charge, risking total depletion of arrows.

“Take the fallen comrades’ bodies and withdraw!”

Seeing Cao’s retreat, Shen Chen seized the chance to pull back.

Gan Ning had already formed ranks to press forward and cover Shen Chen’s withdrawal. Soon, Huangmen Pavilion’s soldiers moved south.

Xu Chu asked nearby, “Lord, shall we just let them go?”

Cao Cao gazed at the Ziyun Mountains, shaking his head. “The terrain is extremely unfavorable to us. They have the mountains at their backs and supporting troops nearby. If they cling to us, the consequences are unpredictable.”

“What then?”

Xu Chu inquired.

Cao Cao pointed ahead. “Beyond these mountains lies a flat plain stretching tens of miles to Kunyang. There, we can unleash cavalry’s full power to encircle them. I don’t believe their maneuvering speed will surpass ours.”

Indeed, Cao Cao’s battlefield tactics were genius.

Cavalry’s weaknesses were clear: no shock charges, no mounted archery—just standing and shooting like highly mobile archers. Even close combat with ring-headed sabers against infantry was uncertain without footman cooperation.

But on open plains, they could attempt encirclement. Five thousand cavalry against eight thousand infantry could split forces to surround.

Every cavalryman carried a bow, but among the infantry, archers were relatively few. For instance, Li Ling’s five thousand men had only about a thousand crossbowmen and owed their success to the advantage of mountainous terrain.

If cavalry encircled infantry in the open, infantry archers would be overwhelmed, facing attacks from multiple directions with insufficient defense.

Then Shen Chen’s forces would be utterly vulnerable.

Thus, while Shen Chen held the mountainside where cavalry was ineffective, once he left the Ziyun range, the situation would worsen.

Cao Cao therefore ordered his cavalry to retreat slightly, trailing like a vulture.

Shen Chen understood Cao’s intentions immediately.

He summoned Gan Ning. “Uncle Xingba, we are at the mountain’s foot, shielded by forest. Cao’s men can only attack from one direction. But once we leave the mountains, Cao’s cavalry will encircle us, and our archers cannot respond in every direction. We’d suffer heavy losses under successive arrow volleys, leading to collapse and pursuit.”

“What shall we do?”

Gan Ning frowned. Indeed, a grave problem.

“There is only one way,” Shen Chen said. “Leave a detachment behind to hold them off; the rest retreat to Kunyang and retrieve supply wagons to cover the withdrawal. You must send someone immediately to Kunyang to have Lou Fa prepare the carts and send support.”

This was not Shen Chen’s original idea but one he recalled from *Records of the Grand Historian*. In the Battle of Dingxiang North, General Wei Qing’s main force encountered the Xiongnu chieftain’s army hundreds of miles away on northern grasslands. Wei Qing used supply wagons as cover and powerful crossbows to slaughter thousands of Xiongnu before retreating to Dingxiang to regroup.

Similarly, Li Ling at the Battle of Junji Mountain used supply wagons as fortifications to repel tens of thousands of Xiongnu cavalry.

Thus, the best way to face cavalry in open country was to find cover and prevent encirclement after arrows had been fired. They could do this relying on Ziyun Mountain now, but not on open plains. Hence, the need to fetch supply carts from Kunyang.

But Gan Ning replied, “My troops are numerous. If I return, the enemy will likely bypass you and pursue me. Infantry cannot outrun cavalry, and when you arrive, I’ll have suffered heavy losses. Better to hold here and cover your retreat. You go first, then return with the wagons to support me.”

“Hm...” Shen Chen considered and nodded. “Very well.”

A smaller force is a smaller target.

Cao Cao surely aimed to annihilate Shen Chen’s main force. With Gan Ning’s 5,000 men holding here, Cao would probably allow Shen Chen’s 3,000 to slip away, dispatching only a few thousand riders in pursuit.

But they had to prepare for the worst: Cao might chase Shen Chen, abandoning Gan Ning in the mountains.

Therefore, Gan Ning had to block the entire road.

Locals in Xiangcheng knew that the Ziyun Mountains to the south connected westward with Lingwu Mountain and Baishi Mountain; eastward lay Shou Mountain—a chain stretching over ten kilometers.

This meant mountains flanked both sides, but the gap between them spanned several kilometers, so no narrow valley formed. Cavalry could potentially circumvent Gan Ning’s formation.

Fortunately, numerous farms and villages between these areas severely hindered cavalry pursuit. If Gan Ning deployed widely, the enemy would have to take a long detour, allowing Gan Ning to retreat and support Shen Chen.

Gan Ning and Shen Chen divided their forces. Shen Chen’s troops gradually passed through Gan Ning’s lines to the rear; Gan Ning’s 5,000 men formed a single extended line, standing ready.

From afar, Cao Cao saw this but could not locate Shen Chen precisely. He only observed the enemy splitting: two or three thousand withdrawing, apparently covering a retreat to Kunyang.

“Shen Chen brought little baggage and few arrows. This division likely means he’s returning to Kunyang to gather reinforcements and fetch supply wagons. Once well-equipped, he won’t fear us,” Cao Cao analyzed.

Xu Chu asked, “Then why don’t we bypass these roadblocks and pursue the scattered forces?”

Cao Cao shook his head: “No. The Ziyun Mountains stretch for tens of miles. Even if we chase forward, they will cling to the mountains as now. If our vanguard returns to reinforce, we’ll be in danger.”

“So...” Xu Chu conceded. Cavalry needed open ground to excel, and the enemy remained in the mountains, relying on them for defense. If the front-line troops withdrew, they risked encirclement.

At that moment, Guan Yu spoke: “Commander, why not split forces and pursue?”

“To split forces...” Cao Cao pondered, glancing at Xu Chu, who was an average horseman, unlikely to command cavalry effectively.

This was true.

Throughout his career, Xu Chu performed poorly initially, even being repelled by Guan Yu and losing to Zhang Fei, only later improving his horsemanship to rival Ma Chao.

Compared to foot combat, his cavalry skills were inferior.

During the Battle of Guandu, even top warrior Xu Chu and general Zhang He fought fifty to sixty rounds without a decisive outcome, indicating Xu Chu’s cavalry skills were only average or slightly below.

Seeing Cao hesitate, Guan Yu volunteered, “I am willing to relieve you of this duty.”

“Hm.” Cao Cao considered. Guan Yu was a superb horseman, capable of leading cavalry.

Yet, Cao wondered if Guan Yu might seize this chance to leave.

He glanced skeptically at Guan Yu.

But Guan Yu met his gaze seriously.

Cao suddenly realized: Guan Yu was known for loyalty and righteousness; he would never desert.

“Very well, Yun Chang, take 1,500 men and pursue.”

“As you command!” Guan Yu shouted and galloped off on his Red Hare, leading 1,500 horsemen eastward in pursuit of Shen Chen’s retreating force.

Seeing this, Xu Chu asked, “Commander, might Guan Yu take advantage of this?”

Cao shook his head: “No worry. Yun Chang is loyal and righteous. He won’t do that.”

“Perhaps I have spoken too much,” Xu Chu said, falling silent.

Cao squinted toward Gan Ning’s camp.

He did not know Shen Chen was in the withdrawing force but it mattered little. A few more hours’ delay and this army would be trapped in Yingchuan.

“Brother Shen!”

“Hmm!”

Shen Changqing walked along the road, exchanging nods or greetings with acquaintances.

Yet no one showed more than a neutral expression, as if indifferent to everything.

Shen Changqing was used to this.

This was the Demon Suppression Division—a body maintaining the stability of the Great Qin, chiefly tasked with slaying demons and strange beasts, with other side duties.

Every member was stained with blood.

Having witnessed life and death countless times, they became indifferent to many things.

When Shen Changqing first arrived in this world, he was uneasy, but over time grew accustomed.

The Demon Suppression Division was large.

Those who remained were either powerful experts or had the potential to become so.

Shen Changqing belonged to the latter.

The division split into two professions: Demon Guard and Demon Slayer.

Everyone entered as a low-level Demon Slayer and rose through ranks, ultimately aspiring to become a Demon Guard.

Shen Changqing’s past self had been a trainee Demon Slayer, the lowest rank.

With memories from his former life, he was very familiar with the division’s environment.

He soon stopped before a pavilion.

Unlike the rest of the grim, bloodstained division, this pavilion stood out like a crane among chickens—serene and peaceful.

The pavilion’s door was open, with occasional people coming and going.

Shen Changqing hesitated briefly, then stepped inside.

Upon entering, the atmosphere abruptly changed.

A waft of ink fragrance mixed faintly with the scent of blood hit him, causing a brief furrow of his brow before it relaxed.

The bloodstain on every person in the division was almost impossible to wash away.