Treatise on Military Preparedness, Volume 14

A Brief Examination of Historical Records — Part 1

[Wei Rui] established a fortification only a hundred-odd paces away from the Wei city The fortified camp built by the Northern Wei forces. Feng Daogen was able to ride a horse and calculate the ground measurements by the horse’s gait to complete the engineering works. This was achieved with such vigor and speed that Yuan Ying The Northern Wei commander was greatly shocked, exclaiming, "What kind of god is this?"

Cao Jingzong and the other generals possessed weapons and armor that were polished and new, and their military appearance was so magnificent that the Wei soldiers lost heart upon seeing them. Those within the city Zhongli, knowing that outside relief had arrived, found their courage increased a hundredfold.

Yang Dayan A legendary Northern Wei general famed for his strength and speed; it was said he could outrun a horse, whose bravery was supreme throughout the army, led over ten thousand cavalry to join the battle. Wherever he charged, everything gave way. The enemy The Liang reinforcements joined their wagons together to form a battle formation, and Dayan gathered his cavalry to surround them. The Liang forces used three thousand powerful Nu (弩): high-tension crossbows that were the elite long-range weapons of the period, firing them all at once, which killed and wounded a great many. An arrow pierced Dayan’s right arm, and Dayan retreated.

The next morning, Yuan Ying personally led his troops to battle. The commander [Wei Rui] rode in a simple wooden carriage, holding a white horn scepter Ruyi (如意): a ceremonial "as-you-wish" scepter, used here as a baton to signal maneuvers to direct the army. They engaged several times in a single day, until Ying finally withdrew.

The Wei commander again attacked the city at night, with flying arrows gathering like rain. Panic broke out among the troops, but Wei Rui shouted sternly from atop the city walls, and the situation was settled. The Emperor of Liang Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan ordered Cao Jingzong and the others to prepare...