The Battle of Dajie

The Battle of Dajie

The thunder of battle drums shattered the silence of the summer night.
“Your Majesty, we are under attack!” The captain in charge of the sentries staggered in to report, two arrows buried in his back.
That was the last thing he said before he collapsed and breathed his last.
“Find out the strength of the enemy,” I ordered.
You-yan, the captain of my bodyguard, rushed out of the command camp immediately.
I did not even have to wait for her report to know we were in an unenviable position.  The Emperor had taken the bulk of the army with him in pursuit of the Qiang rebels, following up our earlier victory.  I had cautioned him for his over-confidence but as expected, he did not heed advice easily.  When he led his troops out of the Dajie camp, I had to brush off an ominous thought that I would never see him again.
For nights, I had nightmare that he had walked into an ambush set by the cunning Yao Chang.  But I was wrong.  Yao was even more cunning that I thought.  Instead of waiting for my husband, Fu Deng, Emperor of Qin, he had made a detour and attacked our main base here in Dajie.
“Your Majesty,” You-yan rushed back to report, “We cannot ascertain the size of enemy force but from the torches they carried, we estimated at least twenty to thirty thousand riders.”
Thirty thousand.
When we had only a token force of no more than ten thousand here, many of them wounded from the previous battle trying to recuperate.  Anyone could see the outcome of the coming battle.
“Send fast riders to inform His Majesty.  We will try to hold out as long as possible.”
Two warriors assigned to such duties went out and leapt on their mounts and sped into the night.  I knew it was mere gesture. Even if the riders could reach my husband, we would be all dead by the time he came back with his troops.
“Your Majesty, can we break out?  We will cover you with our lives.” You-li, the younger sister of Yan came forward.
I shook my head.  Yao-chang was well prepared for this.  The chance of our successful breaking out simply did not exist.
“Most of our troops were foot soldiers.  They would never have a chance to outrun the fresh Qiang heavy cavalry.”
There was silence in the tent.
“We fight and we die.  Those who are not ready to give up their lives can leave now and try her best to stay alive.”
I looked around the faces of the young women who made up my personal guards.
No one made any move.
“Good. Then, we die together. Prepare for battle!”

The battle had already started.
On the outer defense, warriors of our Di tribe were trying to hold back the heavily armored Qiang riders.  Torched arrows criss-crossed the summer sky like a thousand wisps in a mad dance. The noise of dying men and panicky horses mingled the thundering of drums and the blowing of horns. Some of our tents were burning. Flames and smoke was everywhere and the smell of burning flesh wafted with the wind.
“Battle formation!” You-yan shouted.
My bodyguards, the five hundred hand-picked young women warriors, quickly formed three long lines in front with another two in the rear to ensure we would not be surprised from behind.
I had put on my light armour: a leather bustier with metallic breastplates over my white riding shirt. You-li helped me to fasten my helmet as I fastened my sword to my side.  The bow and quiver was then taken up.  Lim-wei, a girl of only eighteen who joined my bodyguard only two months ago brought my stallion.  When she helped me to my saddle, I caught hold of her hand and said, “ Make a run for it.  You are too young to die.”  Lim-wei just smiled and shook her head.  Then, she took up her halberd and joined her sisters in the front rank.
Our outer defense was quickly overrun.  The battle had begun to take the form of a massacre.  Men fell like flies.  Heads rolled down from shoulders even when the rest of the body was still moving forward before they collapsed.  Those who were wounded could expect no mercy.  The Qiang army took no prisoners, apart from beautiful women.  Our men who lost their ability to fight would get a stab from a spear or a slash over the throat.  I could not let them die helpless.
“Attack!” I gave the order.
The first three ranks advanced.  The spears and halberds of the first rank were leveled, poised to strike. Those in the second rank held small round shields and long swords, ready for close combat. And along the third rank, archers notched their arrows.
I led my small contingent of riders forward.  Those on foot moved to the left and right to let us pass.
“May the Qin Empire reign forever!” I shouted the battle-cry and charged.
The archers let go their arrows, ensuring a shower of missiles would shield us in front.
The Qiang soldiers busy slaughtering our wounded were taken by surprise and they broke.  I took hold of my bow, notched an arrow and let go.  An officer in the distance toppled down his saddle as his hand clutched at the shaft of the arrow buried in his neck.  I did not pay any more attention to him, notched another arrow and let go again.  This time, it was the one holding a large banner with the Qiang totem on it, a ram with a huge pair of horns.  The Qiang were original shepherds.
Our men and women cheered.  Toppling the enemy banner was a minor victory.
I continued to shoot, as many of my riders.  The sing of bows was certainly the most pleasant sound to hear on this night.
“Regroup! Do not give chase!” I shouted to You-yan who rode by my side.  She nodded and took up her horn and blew.  Like receding waves, our troop fell back in order, taking those who was wounded but still capable to fight with us.  Not many though.  Our strength grew by around two hundred.  The rest was lost.

We were just in time to reform our defense.  As expected, a second wave of enemies emerged from the smoke. Heavy cavalry!  The pride of the Qiang Army.
Heavily armoured, it would take a very accurate or lucky shot to down one of them.  Even their horses were covered with chain-mails.
“Stand fast.  Do not give in!” You-li, as second-in-command had dismounted and was shouting encouragement to the girls.
“Here they come!”
A wall of metal advanced towards us at a trot.  They did not charge because their armour was just too heavy and the horses would tired out if they were at full speed.
Even so, they were formidable.
“Your Majesty. What should we do?”You-yan asked.
“Use fire!” I said.
You-yan understood immediately.
Quickly, the arrow-tips of the archers were wrapped with cotton-gauze dipped in thick oil.
The first line of enemies were within range.
“Now!”
We did not shoot at the riders. We aimed at the horses, eye level.
It worked.  The flight of hundreds of burning arrows threw the enemy formation into disarray.  Some tumbled down, bringing down the riders together.  Some turned back and clashed with those from behind.  Those who rode on were impaled by our long spears and halberds.
Slain men and braying horses carpeted the space before us.
But we were also in trouble: we were running low on arrows.
It was then the enemy mounted archers launched their attack.
“Argh!” Ling-er, who was holding my battle-banner was hit by an arrow on her right breast.  She rolled down from her saddle. You-yan grabbed the banner just in time so as not to let it fall to the ground. I looked at Ling-Er lying spread-eagled in the dust. She wiggled a little and then was still. She had followed me for five years since she was sixteen.
But I could not afford the luxury to mourn for her.  The battle was raging around us.
Some of the Qiang cavalry had made it through our lines and my girls were battling them with all they had. I emptied my quiver, bringing down at least ten mounted enemies.  You-yang handed me her quiver and I downed another five.  We finally ran out of missiles.  One of my girls handed me my halberd.
“Charge!”
The thin line of female riders crashed into a new wave of heavily armoured riders.
I used my halberd to thrust left and right and felt the satisfaction as metal drilled into flesh.  But we suffered losses too.  Zui-bik was fighting two riders at the same time. She cut down one but the other buried his battle-axe into her chest and she gave a cry and arched back in pain. The axe-wielder pulled the weapon out and in the midst of a curtain of red, brought the axe down and cut off her pretty head.
“See! A good trophy!” He was laughing.
A sudden anger rose in me.
“Aie!” I shouted and spurred my horse into a charge.  The axe-man saw me riding towards him and dropped the head, bracing his pole-axe to meet my onslaught. I found a hole in his defense and made a hole in his neck.  His eyes were open wide when he fell from his horse.
Lim-wei had lost her helmet and armour.  They were torn from her in close fighting.
Her white riding shirt was also in tatters and the indigo underwear was now visible.  So was the better part of her breasts. Still she fought on, her sword swinging at any moving image near her.  It was a futile fight thought. She was quickly overpowered, her sword snatched, the indigo underwear pulled down to expose her beautiful breasts and two daggers were plunged above the nipples.  She arched back, eyes open wide and fell onto the pile of bodies of her slain comrades.
I heard a cry from behind and turned.
It was You-yan.
A halberd from a rider had cut open her breast-plates and continued to slice down the entire length of her body. She rolled off her saddle and upon hitting the ground, tried to rise again but only managed to get into a kneeling position.  A passing rider beheaded her  He did not even stop to pick up her head.
Over half of my body-guards were slain.
The rest fought on, like lionesses.
When their main weapons were blunted, they drew out their daggers to stab and slash and when these too were no longer useable, they used nails and teeth.  They died bravely, their honour as daughters of Di upheld.
I was ready to die too.
Then I saw You-Li in trouble.  She was surrounded by four men with heavy weapons and she was desperately fending off their attacks with a sword.  I charged at the men and decapitated one of them.  You-Li seized the chance and dispatched another.  But the third one had caught hold of the rein of my mount. I hacked at his arm and once he let go, I pulled my horse back to let it stamped him to pulps. But others were rushing in and lacking space to maneuvered, my horse was brought down by a multitude of hands.  I rolled down the saddle but sprang to my feet and warded off the attacks of two spearmen. The halberd was of little use now, being too clumsy to fight on foot.  I used it as a javelin and impaled two Qiang warrior rushing in. Then I drew my sword.  I had lost my helmet in the fall and my long black hair was now flying in the wind.
You-li was now fighting back-to-back with me.
I slew another three enemies with my sword. Then came a sound of metal breaking and I was holding only half a sword in my hand.
Both of us knew the battle was lost.
“Kill me!” I said.
“No!” She shook her head.
“Kill me! I order you as your Empress.  Do not let me fall into their hands alive!”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty.” She finally made up her mind and aimed her sword at my heart.
“Yes, do it!” I open wide my arms.
But she was too late.
Just as her sword was to run me through, her mouth open wide in surprise, dropping her sword.
I put out my arms to hold her falling body.
There were three arrow shafts sticking out from her back.
“I am sorry…” she glided down.
“Rest, my sister. I do not blame you.”
And she died in my arms.
I was taken prisoner.

They striped my armor and had me taken to Yao Chang after binding my wrists behind my back.
He was old, much older than I expected.  But his eyes were still flooded with lust.
“Ah, such a beauty!” He seized me with his wolfish eyes.  With only a flimsy white undergarment to cover my breasts, I felt as if I was naked.
“Kill me!” I said.
“Why so eager to die, Empress Mao?” he said. “You have been an empress.  You can still be an empress if you are willing: the Empress of the Qiang.”
“I would rather die!”
“What a pity?” he chuckled, one of his hands put out and cup my left breast over the silk.
I knew what he was gong to do next.
“You Qiang dog! You have already betrayed your master, the late Emperor Fu Jian, strangling him at Xinping.  Now you wanted to insult the reigning Empress.  How can Heaven and Earth allow this despicable creature like you to live on?”
I saw his face went dark.
The betrayal and murder of the former emperor had always been a heavy burden on him, not that he felt remorse but he feared retribution in form of his ghost.
“So you are not going to yield?”
“Over my dead body!” I spat on his face.
“So be it!” He wiped the saliva off with his hand. “Take her out and behead her. Hang her head high for all to see the sad end of Empress Mao.  But leave her body to me.”
I shuddered at his last words.  What was he planning to do?  But I knew that was outside my power to change anything.
I was taken outside by strong hands.
At the entrance to the camp, they striped me waist up. My breasts bounced free.  I looked at them.  Only one pair of male hands had touched these. Now, they were gazed upon by thousands of eyes.
“Let me pray first.” I said.
The officer nodded and they left me in a kneeling position.
I turned to face the direction where my husband should be and made a silent prayer, asking for forgiveness for dishonouring the imperial banner.
When I finished praying, I looked round once again at the carnage around me.  Many heads were already hanging on poles.  I could see those of You-yan and her sister, and that of young Lim-er, her long raven black hair dancing in the night wind.
They had fought bravely and were loyal to the last.
It was my honour to have fought with them and die with them.
I turned to the officer and said “I am ready.”
One of the soldiers was ordered to hold the tip of my long hair and stretched it in front of me.  In this way, it would not get in the way of the executioner’s sword.
I felt my head being pulled forward, my neck exposed.
In the glow of the dying fire, I saw the shadow of a man, half naked, raising the board sword.
I closed my eyes and waited…

(Epilog)

The Battle of Dajie was a decisive battle that determined the fate of the Qin (former Qin) Empire.  It was fought in AD 389.  The Di tribe lost, Empress Mao was captured and upon refusing to surrender, was decapitated.  Fu Deng never recovered from the loss. He was later killed in battle in AD 394.  Yao Chang crowned himself emperor but he reigned only very shortly and was succeeded by his son Yao Xing, one of the most able rulers among the barbarians who had been controlling the northern half of China since AD 304. This period of incessant wars ended only in AD 589 when China was again united under one ruler.

It was said that Yao Chang, while unable to satiate his lust due to the Empress’s refusal to surrender, committed necrophilia with her corpse after she was beheaded. The body was then burned together with the head, taken down from the pole.

Empress Mao was possibly the only ruling queen to die in battle in the history of China.  Her exploit was recorded in official Chinese history, a rare honour indeed in a male-dominated China. The historian Sima Guang who lived nearly seven hundred years after her demise described her as “young, beautiful and brave; holding off the Qiang army with her few followers and shot dead many enemies before her capture.”  The necrophilia bit was left out.