My wife, Wei Gui, was 1.9 meters tall and fought against the Tang dynasty for the throne.

During the Turkic army's march.

The scout rode back quickly and reined in his horse before it was fully erected.

"Khan! Li Ju has abandoned his auxiliary troops and baggage, carrying only three days' worth of dry rations, and has marched north lightly. He has already set out to the Junziguan area, relying on lakes and dikes, to dig trenches and build fortifications, intending to hold the position!"

After listening to the whole thing, he chuckled softly.

"Abandoning logistics and advancing recklessly alone." He shook his head. "Do they think they can stop the Khan with just this one dike? Once their supplies run out, how many days can they hold out?"

Kang Qiaoli spurred his horse and followed.

"Khan, our army also came lightly armed and relied on plunder to sustain itself; we cannot afford to be at war for long either."

"If that's the case, then let's settle this with our true abilities. In open field battles, the Sui army has never been a match for my Turkic cavalry. If he dares to hold his ground on the dike, I, the Khan, will show him just how fast the blades of the steppe warriors can be."

The army continued to urge their horses forward, and before long, the Gentleman's Pavilion came into view.

Shibi rode his horse up to a high ground, followed by Kang Qiaoli, Silifu, Duobi, and several thousand-horse commanders.

He glanced south, his riding whip hovering in mid-air.

The landscape is filled with lakes, ponds, and marshes, crisscrossed by dikes, with endless stretches of puddles and lush reeds.

At its narrowest point, the causeway could only accommodate three or four riders abreast. On both sides was waist-deep water, black silt, and the depth below was unknown.

Occasionally, a small patch of dry land would appear between the ponds and lakes, but it was too narrow to accommodate a team of a hundred people.

The Sui army's position in the distance was situated at the intersection of several main dikes, defending from a high vantage point, with barricades and trenches blocking their path.

This terrain is completely different from the flat plains of the grasslands. Even the seasoned Shibi Khan had never seen such a landscape crisscrossed by waterways.

"What kind of place is this?"

"Khan, this place is neither particularly dangerous nor flat."

Conchaeoli's finger is in front.

"The causeway is too narrow, making it impossible for a large cavalry force to spread out and charge, and also hindering any flanking maneuvers. If we were to take this position by force, it would likely cost many lives."

Shi Bi put the whip away.

"In your opinion?"

"I suggest that we first send a vassal tribe to probe and find out the strength and weakness of the Sui army's defenses before making a decision."

"As you say. Issue the order—the Khitan tribe, send three thousand cavalry to probe the strength of the Sui army's vanguard!"

The Khitan troops were on the front lines.

The Khitan leader, Dahe Duluo, received the order, but his face showed no joy whatsoever.

He understood Shibi Khan's intentions—the three thousand Khitan soldiers were merely cannon fodder, pebbles used to scout ahead for the Turkic main force.

But he dared not disobey orders.

The old and young of the tribe were still held captive in the pastures under the rule of the Turks. If they disobeyed the Khan's military orders, the iron cavalry would turn around and crush the entire Khitan tribe.

"Sijin, the Khan is going too far. He always lets us go first, and they get all the credit, but we have to suffer the consequences."

"Then what do you suggest we do? Our cattle and sheep are still being kept on the Turkic pastures. If we don't go, will they ever be able to return?"

Dahe Dulu tightened the reins.

"Order—the whole team mount their horses and spread out along the causeway. On my command, push forward."

Three thousand Khitan cavalrymen lined up along several causeways.

Each causeway had three or four riders in its narrowest parts and no more than six or seven riders in its widest parts.

The Sui army's vanguard was at the main embankment pass.

Qin Qiong and Luo Shixin stood at the front of the battle, gazing at the dust rising in the distance.

"They're here! Prepare for battle!"

The Khitan cavalry began their advance.

Three thousand riders were scattered along seven or eight dikes, forming a long, continuous line.

The group's charge was completely ineffective; those in front were slow, those behind were blocked, and there were puddles on both sides, making it impossible to get around them.

The riders on horseback drew their bows and launched arrows, which struck the Sui soldiers' shields with a thud.

Occasionally, a bullet would pierce through the gaps in the shield and hit a soldier behind him. The soldier next to him would immediately drag the wounded away, and the soldier behind would fill the gap, keeping the shield wall perfectly intact.

"Second Brother, let's go! Kill these beasts!"

"Don't rush," Qin Qiong said, pressing down on Luo Shixin's shoulder. "Go deeper."

Luo Shixin gritted his teeth, staring at the Khitan cavalry getting closer and closer on the causeway, his hand gripping the long spear until it turned white.

"Put it deeper."

When the Khitan cavalry charged into the middle section, they were crowded together and unable to advance or retreat.

Qin Qiong suddenly raised his hand and gave an order.

"Fire the crossbows!"

Suddenly, the sound of clappers came from the reeds on both sides.

The crossbowmen deep in the reeds on both sides pulled their triggers at the same time, and a dense barrage of crossbow bolts whistled out, raining down on the Khitan riders crowded in the middle of the causeway.

After the first volley was fired, he crouched down to reload; the second volley was already fully drawn, and when the clapper sounded again, another volley of arrows rained down.

The third layer was then fired out, and then the first layer, having already been loaded, stood up again.

A dense rain of arrows swept across both sides, knocking swathes of cavalry off their horses along the causeway.

Those Khitan soldiers who wanted to fire a second wave of arrows were all hit by arrows, screaming and falling from their horses.

The warhorses, startled, neighed and trampled each other in chaos on the narrow embankment.

Those in front collapsed, and those behind were blocked on the embankment, unable to retreat or rush forward.

Some people panicked and tried to go around the shallow depression beside the embankment, but as soon as their horses stepped in, they sank into the mud. The more they struggled, the deeper they sank, until both the horses and the riders were submerged up to their bellies and could not move.

Qin Qiong then ordered: "Crossbowmen—specifically, shoot the horses!"

The crossbow bolts changed targets.

The warhorse, struck by an arrow, neighed, its front hooves buckled, and it threw its rider into the mud.

Those behind wanted to turn back, but the embankment was too narrow, and they couldn't turn around at all.

Dahe Duluo, who was watching from behind, saw it clearly and his heart sank.

The Sui army was able to organize dense crossbow formations according to the terrain and block the dikes.

His cavalry primarily relied on hit-and-run tactics. Although their archery skills were accurate, they were unable to form a long-range firepower suppression of equal scale in this terrain, and could only be trapped in narrow passages and subjected to gunfire.

A messenger rushed up the embankment from behind, shouting before his horse had even come to a complete stop.

"Khitan Sijin! Khan, I ask you—three thousand cavalry couldn't even clear a dam only a few hundred paces wide. Do you want all the tribes of the steppe to laugh at your Khitan men for only knowing how to herd sheep?"

Ōga Tōro's face darkened.

The initial rebuke wasn't really about his cowardice; it was clearly an attempt to force him to take the lives of Khitan soldiers to fill the hole in the dike and to find out the true strength of the Sui army for the Turkic forces.

The embankment was littered with the corpses of Khitan soldiers, and there were others who were still alive but stuck in the mud, reaching out their hands and calling for help.

But Shi Bi had already made his decision; if he retreated, the Khitan tribe would have no place to stand on the grasslands.

He drew his knife.

"Pass on my order—the whole team, advance! Break through the dike!"

The Khitan cavalry regrouped at the headland entrance, no longer splitting up to probe, but instead charging fiercely towards the main headland pass.