Flying a kite
Page 1/3
Li Shimin gazed upon the battle formations of both sides, hesitating for a moment. To be honest, he had fought many battles with such a disparity in numbers. Yet, none had been quite like this one, where both sides were fully prepared. The other generals felt the same; none believed they could confidently defeat the opponent under such circumstances. Li Shimin then turned his gaze to Li Zhi, who had been standing beside him all along. He found the young prince watching the training ground ahead with unwavering confidence, as if already certain that the Dragon Cavalry would claim victory in this contest. Seeing this, Li Shimin dismissed his doubts. He spoke: “Begin.”
At his command, the messenger standing nearby waved the banner. With that signal, Su Lie and the opposing commander shouted simultaneously: “Charge!” At that cry, both sides, separated by nearly a thousand meters, surged forward almost at the same moment. During the advance, soldiers on both sides raised the bows hanging from their saddles. As the two forces rapidly closed the distance, they were soon entering the effective range of their arrows.
Just as the soldiers of the Sixteenth Guard began to draw their bows, the Dragon Cavalry suddenly split their forces, flanking to both sides. Neither side was yet within shooting range. The elite Sixteenth Guard immediately adjusted their formation to meet the Dragon Cavalry’s divided approach.
As the rearrangement began, an unexpected change occurred. The Dragon Cavalry troops suddenly released a volley of sharp arrows, then swiftly turned their horses to widen the gap between the two sides. The Sixteenth Guard, caught unprepared, charged headlong into the storm of arrows, suffering over a hundred casualties in an instant. Undeterred by their losses, the Sixteenth Guard pressed the pursuit, hoping to use their numerical advantage to deal a fierce blow once they closed in on the Dragon Cavalry.
But fate had other plans. Before the Guards’ archers could come within range, the Dragon Cavalry unleashed a second wave of arrows. Though the Guards were somewhat prepared this time, they still lost another hundred men. The four commanders of the Sixteenth Guard immediately ordered their troops to spread out, aiming to encircle the Dragon Cavalry through sheer numbers.
Yet, this only played into the Dragon Cavalry’s trap.
Page 2/3
Leading the charge, Su Lie and his deputy Zhang Lei suddenly accelerated. Their troops quickly formed a line behind them. Targeting a single direction, they released arrow after arrow, as if practicing on moving targets. The Sixteenth Guard soldiers, bewildered, were struck down one by one before they could grasp what was happening.
At this moment, Li Shimin and the others finally discerned a critical detail: the bows used by the Dragon Cavalry had a far greater range than those of the Sixteenth Guard. Li Shimin, puzzled, asked Li Jing, “Medic, why do the Dragon Cavalry’s bows shoot such a long distance?”
Li Jing replied, “Your Majesty, this is by the order of Prince Jin, who requested the palace armory strengthen the bowstrings’ tension.”
Li Shimin queried further, “Wouldn’t that require much greater effort?”
Li Jing answered, “Naturally, but Prince Jin provided a set of exercises to train arm strength; for the Dragon Cavalry, it poses no difficulty.”
Hearing this, Li Shimin’s gaze shifted to Li Zhi, and he asked, “Could this tactic have been devised by Zinu?”
Li Zhi looked up and said, “Father, I named this strategy ‘Flying the Kite.’”
Li Shimin asked curiously, “Flying the Kite? What does that mean?”
Li Zhi explained, “Father, when flying a kite, do we not use the string in hand to pull and guide it?”
Li Shimin nodded, just about to inquire more when an insight suddenly struck him. He quickly turned to observe the battlefield.
At that moment, the Dragon Cavalry was luring the Sixteenth Guard’s soldiers to run back and forth across the training ground. Each time the Guards neared arrow range, the Dragon Cavalry would abruptly change direction, widening the distance. Then, leveraging their superior range, they struck with deadly arrow volleys. Should the Sixteenth Guard attempt to form a defensive formation, the Dragon Cavalry would swiftly close the gap and engage in swift, mobile archery.
On closer inspection, it was clear the Sixteenth Guard soldiers were being manipulated like kites in the wind, forced to constantly shift their formations. Even the speed of their horses had unknowingly slowed.
Casualties mounted for the Sixteenth Guard; one of their four thousand-man commanders had already been eliminated. Meanwhile, the Dragon Cavalry had yet to sustain a single loss, causing Li Shimin to involuntarily gasp. The reactions of the others were even more pronounced.
Page 3/3
They had been watching the battle intently the entire time. Yet, so far, the Sixteenth Guard had not fired a single arrow. The assembled civil and military officials had never witnessed such combat. All were wide-eyed, mouths agape.
If the onlookers were stunned, the Sixteenth Guard soldiers on the field were on the brink of collapse. This battle was utterly frustrating: from start to finish, they had never closed enough to fire a shot. One after another, the soldiers hung their heads and left the field, lacking even the courage to face their comrades.
Soon, their numbers dwindled to parity with the Dragon Cavalry, and only one of the four thousand-man commanders remained. At this point, they had no strength left to urge their horses forward, gathering instead in a passive cluster, using their weapons merely to block the Dragon Cavalry’s arrows.
The last commander finally broke down, shouting, “Cowards! Relying on bows and arrows—does that make you heroes? Dare you face me in close combat?”
His roar was filled with unrelenting resentment, overpowering even the sound of galloping hooves.
Hearing this, Su Lie suddenly raised his right arm. The Dragon Cavalry, which had been racing like the wind, immediately halted. Without wasting words with the commander, Su Lie rode toward the high platform.
Reaching its base, he dismounted and knelt before Li Shimin, saying, “Your Majesty, the Dragon Cavalry has not yet fought to its full satisfaction. I respectfully request permission to engage the enemy in close combat.”
Li Shimin nodded, “Permission granted.”
To be frank, Li Shimin and the others were eager to see the Dragon Cavalry’s prowess in close quarters. After all, this entire engagement had been one-sided archery, which grew tiresome.
Under the watchful eyes of all, Su Lie mounted his horse once more and slowly advanced toward the remaining enemy.
Approaching the lines, Su Lie said, “Since the general desires close combat, I shall grant you this chance. I only hope you will not regret it.”
The thousand-man commander spat disdainfully, “Cease your empty boasts. Today, I want to see how you children withstand the might of battle-hardened warriors.”