I am not a seventh-generation descendant of Lord Wu'an from the Qin Dynasty.

The Qin Dynasty had existed for a long time, its laws were strict, and its military meritocracy was deeply ingrained in the people's minds. Leading troops into battle and fighting on the battlefield was nothing more than wielding swords and risking one's life, fearless of death.

The voice of the Sword Spirit of Lord Wu'an was deep and resonant, carrying a heavy force that struck straight to the heart.

【Your Majesty demands land from Han, and we demand your royal title. Han refuses, yet dares to incite a coalition with Wei to invade. Are we, the people of Qin, afraid?】

[Don't be afraid! Fight them!]

Bai Qi observed coldly. He realized that his theory of seven victories might fool scholars and gentlemen, but it was not something these tough men in the military tent wanted to hear.

Compared to before, their reaction was no longer feigned enthusiasm; a light of approval shone in their eyes.

This is not to say that Bai Qi is wrong.

What Bai Qi said was what the King and the ministers and civil officials like Wei Xiang needed to hear.

These Qin military officers, who were subject to the strict control of the Qin army's merit-based system, only needed to know who the enemy was, whether they could win, and how to win...

This may be the difference in thinking between keyboard warriors discussing politics and those who engage in actual military operations.

The former is unrestrained and ethereal, while the latter is grounded in reality and based on specific points. Connecting these points into lines and then outlining them into a whole, this becomes the key to victory in every battle.

[First question: Why did Wei come to the aid of Qin when it attacked Xincheng in Han territory?]

Bai Qi's expression turned serious; he knew the important part was coming.

The bloody trial initiated by the sword spirit of Lord Wu'an was never something he could simply follow along with.

Instead, it was to simulate the current state of war that Lord Wu'an was facing at the time, and to specifically teach him military strategies and tactics.

Bai Qi thought about it seriously and replied decisively, "Because if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold."

"The three states of Wei, Qin, and Han are adjacent to each other. Qin's attack on Han is only the first step. If Han is defeated, Qin will surely attack Wei again."

[Second question: If Han and Wei were an allied force, why did they split their troops into two separate locations? Who was the master and who was the servant?]

"The Han and Wei armies were stationed in two separate locations, with the Han army in front and the Wei army slightly to the side and rear, suggesting a lack of unity."

Bai Qi already understood the meaning of Wu Anjun's sword spirit, and continued to ponder.

"When Qin attacked Han, the Han army should have been the main force of the allied forces. However, with 80,000 Han troops and 160,000 Wei troops, Wei general Gongsun happy would certainly not give up his position as commander-in-chief."

Anything else?

"besides?"

Bai Qi frowned slightly. Even with his historical foresight, he couldn't think of anything more for the moment.

He knew that Lord Wu'an was using a strategy of concentrating forces and defeating his enemies one by one in this battle.

Knowing the result and working backwards, one cannot understand why this answer came about.

While he was still in a daze, one of the generals in the tent, whom he thought were just background figures, suddenly spoke up.

【What else could it be? We're fighting South Korea. Do you think Wei Wuxian would risk his life for South Korean pigs?】

Sometimes things are like that; Bai Qi's troubled thoughts were directly opened up by this crude remark.

Bai Qi's eyes lit up: "Both Han and Wei have new kings who have ascended the throne, and the court and the country are unstable. The King of Wei is unwilling to fight a war, but he also has to fight because of the principle that if one of them is lost, the other will be vulnerable."

"Wei general Gongsun Xi led an army of 160,000 to win the command of the combined Han and Wei forces, and sent 80,000 Han troops as the vanguard."

"The intention is to use the strong crossbows and armor of the South to wear down the morale of our Great Qin in the field battles, and then sit back and watch the outcome unfold."

"The Han general Bao Yuan saw through the thoughts of the Wei king and his ministers. If our army were to attack Wei, the name of the Wei Wuzu would terrify the seven kingdoms, and the Han army would surely turn a blind eye."

"The Wei army is strong but unwilling to fight, while the Han army defends its territory and places its hopes on Wei. General, is this your intention?"

Lord Wu'an nodded, but then shook his head.

Since the Battle of Guiling between Qi and Wei sixty years ago, the Wei elite troops have successively fought in the Battle of Maling, the Battle of Guanjin, the Battle of Shiji between Wei and Zhao, the Battle of Xihe between Qin and Wei, the Battle of Shangjun, the Battle of Hedong...

The Wei rulers and ministers misused their elite infantry, leading to the repeated annihilation of this once dominant army that had swept across seven kingdoms.

Although it was later rebuilt, the time was too short and the military was overused, and its military strength had long since become dull.

Too much blood has been shed by the Wei elite troops.

In contrast, the Han crossbows were far superior to the Qin crossbows.

The last two sentences of Lord Wu'an have already determined the order of priority in the battle between the two armies.

If Han were willing to engage in open battle with the Qin army, the Qin people would be overjoyed to directly engage in close combat.

However, if the Han army chooses to defend its strategic location, then the Qin army absolutely cannot engage in an offensive or defensive battle with it.

The Wei army, however, was different.

While everyone believed that the Wei Wu Soldiers were invincible, they overlooked the tragic fact that the Wei Wu Soldiers had been repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt.

As long as the Wei rulers and ministers dare to fight against the Qin army, Bai Qi will show them the strongest confidence that makes the Qin elite troops dare to fight in the field.

in short.

The version of the strongest land force in the Warring States period has changed, but the enemy commander who is facing it is unaware of it.

Now there's only one problem left.

How to entice the Wei army to become so arrogant that they engage in open-field battles with the Qin army?

Coercion? Or enticement?

Seeing that Bai Qi finally seemed to have understood, the sword spirit of Lord Wu'an then said with satisfaction.

What is the terrain like at Yique?

Bai Qi thought for a moment and then repeated: "Yique is the gateway between Han and Wei. Two mountains stand facing each other, with the Yi River flowing between them. It looks like a gate when viewed from afar. The terrain is dangerous and easy to defend, making it a strategic choke point that military strategists must fight for."

"The allied forces have already taken up a strategic position and are holding it, I..."

Bai Qi suddenly frowned, as if he had grasped something, but it wasn't quite clear.

"The sword spirit of Lord Wu'an laughed."

The combined forces of Han and Wei are nearly three times our size, yet they insist on holding their ground and waiting to see who wins and who loses.

[When Bai first led troops, his reputation was not yet established.]

The allied forces of Han and Wei were confident of victory; if the Qin army attacked Han, Wei would not come to Wei's aid; if the Qin army attacked Wei, Han would stand idly by.

Han wanted to borrow the strength of Wei's elite infantry, while Wei wanted to borrow the sharpness of Han's crossbows; neither side wanted to expend troops.

But this place is Yique.

The terrain was treacherous, meaning it was narrow and difficult to transport grain.

If scattered troops are sent to harass the Wei army's supply lines...

Bai Qi already knew what the sword spirit of Lord Wu'an wanted to say, and decisively stepped forward, asking for a fight.

"The commander of the 2500-strong Bai Qiyuan led his troops to flank the Wei army from behind, harass the Han and Wei supply lines, and create an opportunity for General Zuo Geng to win the decisive battle between the Qin and Wei main forces."

【good!】

Seeing that he had finally understood, the sword spirit of Lord Wu'an smiled with relief.

This is the kind of record everyone sees in any regular battle report.

Lord Wu'an, Bai Qi, personally led 80,000 elite Qin troops, taking advantage of the terrain of Yique to secretly circle around to the rear of the Wei army and launch a surprise attack.

After the Wei army was routed, the Han army's flank was completely exposed, morale plummeted, and they had no power to resist. The Qin army took advantage of the victory and launched a pincer attack, causing the Han army to collapse completely.

The Battle of Yique ended in a great victory for the Qin army.

But hidden beneath Lord Wu'an's invincible reputation is the truth:

At that time, it was his first time leading troops, and his military prowess was not yet apparent. The commanders of Han and Wei, on the other hand, were renowned generals from both countries who had participated in the four-nation coalition's attack on Chu and achieved a great victory in the Battle of Chuisha.

Regardless of whether their records are accurate or not, they at least won, and won by a large margin.

The two countries' renowned generals faced off against Bai Qi, a previously unknown general who was led by Wei Ran's highly recommended general.

Before the war, everyone thought that the Qin state was bound to lose.

Even the Qin court held a pessimistic view, believing that Bai Qi could simply lead his troops to hold the line.

After the war, Lord Wu'an's reputation soared, and countless belatedly aware individuals blindly proclaimed that the Qin army was destined to win.

But everyone overlooked a crucial dividing line between a great general and a mediocre one.

Suppose that Bai Qi, then serving as the Left General, led his troops in a fierce attack on the Wei camp, which was located behind the Han army camp.

If Wei's commander Gongsun happy holds his camp and does not come out, then he can join forces with Han's commander Bao Yuan to launch a pincer attack from both sides.

Then the one who would be surrounded and wiped out by the two armies would be General Bai Qi, who only knew how to talk about war on paper.

So at this crucial juncture, how was Bai Qi so certain that if he led his army to attack Wei, the Han army would hold firm and the Wei army would directly engage him in open field battles?

The former is recorded in historical books.

Bai Qi dispatched a small number of feint troops to spread banners in front of the battle lines, creating the illusion that the main Qin army was launching a frontal assault on the Han army, thus firmly restraining the main Han army force.

The latter is lost in the vast sea of ​​historical records and information.

The Yique region is strategically important and has a narrow terrain. The Wei army, numbering 160,000, consumed vast amounts of grain daily, and the disruption of supply routes was one of the reasons for this.

Secondly, Wei general Gongsun happy misjudged the fighting strength of his Wei infantry and the strategic importance of the terrain.

When Bai Qi led his elite Qin army in a surprise attack, the front line suffered a sudden defeat, and Wei general Gongsun happy immediately dispatched troops to provide support.

However, they discovered that the narrow terrain of Yique was not conducive to the full deployment of the 16 Wei troops. Despite their numerical advantage, they could not coordinate their attacks from the front and rear, and the Wei army was too numerous to be of sufficient use.

Simply put, Wei general Gongsun happy wanted to fight Bai Qi in a two-on-one battle, but the battlefield that could be deployed at the front line was only so big.

The vanguard couldn't win, and the rearguard couldn't get up.