Battle of Chenyu Valley
The autumn chill descended on Chenyu Valley earlier than anywhere else. On the cliffs flanking the valley entrance, maple leaves blazed in full fiery bloom, dyeing the only mountain pass a deep, fierce red. Yet to Yuan Tan, the valley's garrison commander, this scenery held nothing but grim solemnity. On the horizon beyond the valley, dark clouds of dust blotted out the sky—ten thousand troops of the Fontaine Kingdom surged forward like a raging flood, bearing down on this natural stronghold.
"Report—Fontaine's vanguard is ten li outside the valley! Their banner reads 'Mountain Breaker', led by the renowned Fontaine general Shi Lie!" The scout's breathless voice echoed across the makeshift watchtower. Yuan Tan tightened his grip on the sword at his waist, his gaze sweeping over the three calm strategists beside him, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.
Xu You stroked his short beard, a cold, sharp smile tugging at his lips. "The King of Fontaine is making quite a show of force, sending Shi Lie as vanguard. He clearly means to crush Chenyu Valley in a hurry, to intimidate all neighboring kingdoms." Thin of frame, his eyes blazed with sharp insight, as if he already saw through the enemy's formations and strength.
Ju Shou stood to one side, his finger tapping gently on the valley entrance marked on the unfolded map. "Chenyu Valley is easy to defend and hard to take, thanks entirely to this 'Single Thread Sky' terrain. The entrance is no more twenty zhang wide, with steep cliffs on both sides. Though the enemy has superior numbers, they cannot deploy their formations. They seek a swift victory—we will drag this out. We will wear down their morale until the moment to strike arrives."
Tian Feng, the most steady-natured of them all, watched the banners fluttering in the wind above the cliffs and spoke slowly. "The first wave will surely be Shi Lie's elite troops, hoping to break through in one go with numerical superiority. My lord, our top priority is holding that first assault, and letting Fontaine know Chenyu Valley is not so easily breached."
Yuan Tan took a deep breath, calming his racing heart. "What brilliant plans do you three gentlemen propose?"
Xu You stepped forward, his voice clear and firm. "I have already devised a plan. Five hundred archers may lie in ambush on both cliffs, prepared with fire arrows and boulders. Thirty zhang deep into the valley path, set horse tripping ropes and covered pits, masked by camouflage. For the frontline defense, just one thousand elite soldiers under General Zhang He shall hold the low wall fortifications at the valley entrance, standing firm." He paused, a crafty glint in his eyes. "Shi Lie is arrogant. Seeing only a thousand of our troops, he will assume we are cowardly, and launch a full assault. And then…"
"Then we will leave him no path of return!" Tian Feng cut in, his tone resolute.
Ju Shou added, "Archers, hold your fire until the enemy vanguard is three zhang inside the entrance. Boulder crews, aim for dense clusters of troops to shatter their formations. Zhang He's men need only hold the wall—do not seek heavy casualties, only delay. Once the enemy's rear forces are trapped by the narrow valley pass, we counterattack."
Military orders were carried out without delay, and Chenyu Valley burst into activity. Zhang He led one thousand elite soldiers to quickly occupy the low wall fortifications at the entrance, bows drawn, blades unsheathed, their eyes showing no fear. On the cliffs, five hundred archers hid silently behind rocks, their arrows soaked in oil, waiting only for the command. Deep in the valley path, engineers used thick shrubs to secure the final horse tripping ropes; the pits were covered with branches and loose earth, blending perfectly into the ground, leaving no trace of deception.
Half an hour later, Fontaine's vanguard appeared at the valley entrance. Clad in dark armor, Shi Lie sat atop his steed before the formation. Gazing at the narrow pass and the sparse defenders on the wall, he smirked contemptuously. "Yuan Tan, a mere boy, surrounded by useless fools! A thousand men dare block my ten thousand army?" He drew his long blade and pointed forward. "Men, follow me into Chenyu Valley! Once we break through, plunder as you please for three days!"
"Charge! Charge! Charge!" The roar of Fontaine's soldiers shook the mountains. Frontline infantry raised shields and surged toward the entrance like a tidal wave.
Zhang He stood atop the low wall, his expression calm. Only when the enemy vanguard was ten paces from the wall did he sharply wave his command flag. "Loose arrows!"
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—
Archers on both cliffs unleashed a storm of fire. Flaming arrows streaked across the sky like fiery serpents, slamming into the dense ranks of Fontaine's soldiers. The arrows ignited armor and cloth, and screams rose one after another. Worse still, with thunderous crashes, boulders rained down from the cliffs like hailstones. Soldiers who failed to dodge were crushed, their neat formations shattered in an instant.
"Stay steady!" Shi Lie roared, slicing several arrows from the air with his blade. "Press the attack! They have nothing left but this!"
For all their chaos, Fontaine's soldiers were elite. After a brief disarray, they pushed forward again under their officers' shouts. They soon reached the low wall and clashed in close combat with Zhang He's men. Blades flashed, men fell, yet Zhang He's troops held fast behind the fortifications, blocking Fontaine's advance at the entrance.
Growing anxious, Shi Lie sent another two thousand men into the fray. But the valley entrance was far too narrow; the reinforcements crowded the path, unable to fight, and became easy targets for the archers above.
Watching closely from the watchtower, Xu You turned to a messenger. "Order Zhang He to feign defeat and retreat slowly."
Receiving the order, Zhang He immediately had his men fall back while fighting, putting on a show of panic. Shi Lie's face lit up. "They are breaking! Full advance—take the valley in one strike!"
Fontaine's army surged with renewed fury, pouring into the valley in wild pursuit. But when their vanguard reached the thirty-zhang mark deep in the path, sudden splashes and cries rang out. Dozens of frontline soldiers stepped into thin air and fell into hidden pits. Then, with a sharp rattle, horse tripping ropes snapped taut, sending cavalry tumbling. The valley path was instantly blocked.
"Not good—we've been trapped!" Shi Lie finally realized, his heart lurching in terror. He immediately ordered a retreat.
But it was too late. Xu You shouted his command. "Archers, fire at will! Boulder crews, target the middle of the path! Zhang He's men, counterattack!"
In an instant, the valley path became a living hell. Arrows and boulders poured down like rain. Trapped and jammed, Fontaine's soldiers had nowhere to run, only to be struck down. Zhang He's one thousand elite troops wheeled around and plunged back into the fray, a sharp dagger piercing Fontaine's lines.
Shi Lie watched his men fall in droves, his heart aching, yet powerless. The narrow path was clogged front and rear; he could not organize a meaningful counterattack. Only half an hour later did he lead his shattered forces out of Chenyu Valley in humiliation. Glancing back at the entrance, stained red with blood, it blazed in terrible harmony with the maple leaves on the cliffs.
When counting casualties, Shi Lie nearly collapsed. In just the first wave, he had lost four thousand men—while the defenders had fielded merely a thousand.
On Chenyu Valley's low wall, Yuan Tan watched Fontaine's defeated army retreat in panic and let out a long breath. He turned to Xu You, Ju Shou, and Tian Feng, admiration shining in his eyes. "Your brilliant strategies, gentlemen—holding off ten thousand men with a thousand, slaying four thousand of the enemy. Truly divine skill!"
Xu You smiled faintly. "This is not merely our doing, but the power of Chenyu Valley's terrain and the courage of our soldiers. Still, though defeated, Fontaine's army is far from broken. The battles ahead will only grow harder."
Tian Feng nodded in agreement. "Shi Lie has learned a harsh lesson and will grow cautious. We must strengthen our defenses and find new ways to defeat the enemy."
The sun set, painting Chenyu Valley's cliffs in an even deeper crimson. Beyond the valley, Fontaine's camps stretched endlessly, hidden malice lurking within. Inside the valley, the defenders, though battle-worn, burned with high morale. Under the three strategists' plans, they quietly awaited the next clash. This autumn in Chenyu Valley was fated to write a more tragic, heroic chapter in blood and fire.