Chapter 87 The Grand Phalanx

"In the tenth summer of the Grand Era, the Duke met the barbarian cavalry at the Sea of Flowers. In this campaign, the Duke triumphed, capturing countless barbarian horses, which he distributed among the people; then, riding the momentum of victory, he reached Jade Gate." The historians, who always frowned upon imperial expeditions, recorded Li Wenyuan's personal march west against Li Gui with only a handful of words, glossing over the encounter at the Sea of Flowers with the Turkic cavalry. Yet the tale of Li Wenyuan routing an equal number of Turkic horsemen with a mixed infantry division became a legend cherished by every veteran who fought that battle. After all, they had lived through those days of war, accomplishing feats that contemporaries scarcely dared to imagine.

"Have you truly confirmed that there were no mounted archers among the invading Turkic cavalry?" Li Wenyuan fixed his gaze on the officer before him.

"Reporting to General, our investigation is thorough this time. Upon learning that our formation was pure infantry, the cavalry arrived lightly equipped, without their usual bows and arrows. According to them, they left space to hang our heads, intending to boast of their martial exploits."

"I see. You may go," Li Wenyuan dismissed the officer and turned to Zhang Juntai at his side.

"Where are Wudulu's cavalry now?"

"Reporting to General, Wudulu's cavalry have followed your orders, marching covertly and lying in ambush north of the desert. Should the Turkic cavalry flee northward, we can cut them down immediately." As he spoke, Zhang Juntai handed Li Wenyuan a report.

Li Wenyuan nodded. "This is our first battle west of Jiayuguan, and it will set the tone for our campaign. If we win, we will leave an indelible mark on the minds of these barbarian horsemen. Henceforth, whenever they face our Western Prefecture forces, they will carry the psychological scars of defeat, unable to muster their full strength against us."

Just then, scouts reported that the distant Turkic cavalry had appeared less than two li north of the Sea of Flowers. The news invigorated Li Wenyuan; he stood and ordered the messenger, "Command the First Legion's First Mixed Division to march out and form ranks. I will lead them myself to meet the Turkic cavalry to the north."

After the messenger departed, Zhang Juntai said, "General, it's unwise for you to risk yourself. It would be better for you to observe from the camp and direct the battle; let me lead the First Mixed Division against the Turks."

Li Wenyuan shook his head. "Juntai, you are a rare talent, both scholarly and martial, and in many ways I fall short of you. But in the use of musket infantry, you are less experienced than I. Let me use these Turkic cavalry as your lesson; watch from behind, and I shall show you how musket infantry can break the enemy."

Seeing that Li Wenyuan could not be dissuaded, Zhang Juntai could only smile wryly and nod. He, like the other officers, harbored doubts about the musket infantry's effectiveness, though he trusted Li Wenyuan implicitly. During the reorganization, he had chosen to support Li Wenyuan unconditionally. He had observed the musket training himself, and knew their power exceeded that of bows. Yet their range was only two hundred paces—far less than the killing reach of arrows. Muskets demanded less physical strength and less training time than archers, but after each shot, the lengthy reload made them far less efficient than the rain of arrows archers could unleash.

Meanwhile, as turmoil in the Sui dynasty drove artisans north to the Turks, their armor-forging techniques improved. Occasionally, cavalrymen now wore armor that arrows could not pierce, limiting the Central Plains’ traditional advantage in archery. At this juncture, Li Wenyuan introduced muskets, capable of penetrating the thick, gleaming armor at two hundred paces—a detail that left a lasting impression on Zhang Juntai.

Yet now they faced the swift, elusive Turkic cavalry, and Zhang Juntai doubted the muskets’ potential for significant damage. He had agreed to let Li Wenyuan lead the First Mixed Division against the Turks, largely because the division included nearly two thousand heavy-armored broadsword infantry. Li Wenyuan had personally designed their armor, resembling the infamous "iron canisters" of later eras.

The whole suit left only narrow slits for vision and breathing; all other parts were tightly sealed, protecting against arrows and sabers. To mitigate the cavalry’s shock impact, Li Wenyuan thickened the armor, making each suit—without even counting the broadsword—weigh dozens of pounds. In trials, a soldier clad in such armor stood his ground against a charging horse; the beast broke its bones and collapsed in agony, while the broadsword infantryman, though knocked several steps back, sustained no fatal injury. After catching his breath, he rose again.

Because the armor and broadsword were so heavy, each infantryman was assigned an extra horse to carry his equipment, earning them the nickname "mounted infantry." These nearly two thousand men were handpicked from the four counties under Li Wenyuan’s rule, for not everyone possessed the stamina to bear dozens of pounds of armor in battle. Those with weaker strength would collapse under the weight before the enemy even arrived.

Zhang Juntai trusted Li Wenyuan and allowed him to take command, but he made his own preparations. He assembled the twenty elite cavalrymen from his personal guard, keeping them ready in camp. Should the battle turn against them, they would charge out to retrieve Li Wenyuan from the chaos.

Li Wenyuan, unaware of these precautions, armed himself with a musket and donned the same gear as the musket infantry. He commanded the broadsword and musket troops to form a hollow square. The outer three layers consisted of heavy-armored broadsword infantry; inside, three rows of musket bearers stood in line. Thanks to rigorous training, the troops marched in formation with perfect order, no confusion in their ranks. This gave Li Wenyuan even greater confidence in their coming victory.