In the turbulent years of the early Northern and Southern Dynasties, Liu Yu, a general who was born with mud legs but had the world in mind, stood at the cusp of history. Although the rebellion in the south has been quelled, the Guanzhong region in the north, the historical royal capital, was controlled by the Later Qin established by the Qiang people, making the situation of the division between the north and the south still acute. At this time, although the strength of the Northern Wei Dynasty should not be underestimated, the instability of internal politics and the wariness of the south made it seem timid. Liu Yu decided to take advantage of this opportunity and began his Northern Expedition, intending to reunify China through a large-scale military campaign.
When the first rays of sunlight in the morning shone on the water in the south of the Yangtze River, Liu Yu was already standing on the deck of the warship, looking north with his eyes like a torch. He knew that only by opening up the passage of the Yellow River could his Northern Expedition proceed smoothly. Tuoba Hei of the Northern Wei Dynasty, a young but suspicious emperor, rejected Liu Yu's request for a passage. This was not only a challenge to Liu Yu, but also a serious obstacle to his Northern Expedition plan.
"General, the army of the Northern Wei Dynasty has assembled on the north bank of the Yellow River, and it seems that they are determined to stop us from advancing." A pro-soldier cautiously reported to Liu Yu.
Liu Yu smiled coldly and responded: "If they can stop it for a while, can they still stop it for a lifetime?" Prepare the warship, we cross the river! ”
Liu Yu's army soon laid an arc-shaped moon formation on the north bank of the Yellow River. The two ends of the formation are close to the river, and the middle is prominent, like the arc of the crescent moon. The main general, Ding Yi, stood in the middle of the formation, holding a battle flag and his eyes firm. He knew that the stakes were too high to be lost.
Although the cavalry of the Northern Wei Dynasty was numerous, in the face of the Yueyue Array, their numerical superiority did not translate into a substantial victory. Ding Yi ordered the soldiers to use only ordinary bows and arrows to provoke at the beginning, luring the enemy deep into the position.
Sure enough, when the Wei army saw that the southern army was only shooting with bows and arrows, they laughed at the southern army for being as cowardly as a mouse. When the Wei cavalry confidently rushed towards the Qiyue array, Ding Yi immediately ordered the soldiers to switch to strong bows and crossbows, which instantly changed the situation on the battlefield.
"Put!" With Ding Yi's order, hundreds of crossbow arrows swept out like angry waves, and the forward cavalry of the Wei army was taken by surprise, the horses were frightened, the soldiers fell to the ground, and the scene was chaotic.
Although the Wei army was outnumbered, their advantage was completely weakened by the ingenious design of the Qiyue Array. The arc-shaped array had almost no dead ends, and the fierce offensive of the strong bow and crossbow gave the Wei army nowhere to escape.
The battle lasted a whole day, and as the sun set, all that remained on the battlefield on the banks of the Yellow River was wailing and neighing horses. Liu Yu stood on the battlefield, looking at the corpses of the Wei army scattered all over the place, but there was no joy in his heart, he knew that this was just a small step in the great cause of reunification.
After the war, Liu Yu did not stay too long, he quickly reorganized his troops and continued to advance towards Guanzhong. He knew very well that although he was victorious today, the power of the Northern Wei Dynasty had not yet fundamentally collapsed, and there was still a long way to go. And this victory also shocked Liu Yu's reputation, and his Northern Expedition added firmness and confidence.
In that era of heroes, Liu Yu used his wisdom and courage to write a remarkable history. The success of the Moon Formation is not only a tactical victory, but also a well-thought-out verification of strategy and layout. This battle was not only a physical slaughter of the enemy's army, but also a destruction of the enemy's will. In the long course of history, although many heroes and tactics have not been passed down to the present day, their spirit and wisdom, like bright stars, have illuminated the course of human civilization. Behind every battle, it is not only a contest of strategy and courage, but also a collision of ideals and beliefs. And Liu Yu is such a historical giant who closely links his personal destiny with the destiny of the country, sees the big with the small, and defeats the strong with the weak.