Chapter Sixty: The Qin Army
The Mongols numbered about three thousand, while the Ming army had roughly sixteen hundred men. However, Sun Chuanting held a thousand soldiers within the fort, and the Mongols were never adept at storming fortifications. Moreover, with Cao Wenzhao harrying them from outside, the Mongol cavalry could not hope to breach the stronghold at their leisure. Thus, the Mongols resolved to eliminate Cao Wenzhao first, but he refused to engage them directly. Instead, he kept a calculated distance, never too close nor too far, preventing them from turning their assault on Yongxing Fort.
After a day of deadlock, Ming reinforcements arrived, along with the Bao'an troops under Yang Lian. With their forces now swelling to over seven thousand, the Ming army presented a formidable front: a solid fortress ahead, and powerful troops at their rear. Their chief having fallen, the Mongols—now led by Subeitai, another brother of the slain leader—sent envoys to the Ming, requesting safe passage out of the pass and offering a vast tribute of cattle and sheep in gratitude. Yet such promises were but empty words; could the Ming truly expect to retrieve the livestock from the Mongol camps?
Sun Chuanting relayed the Mongols’ intentions to Yang Lian and the others. Yang, eager for stability, advised granting the northern barbarians passage. Lu Xuan, by contrast, deemed the Mongols cunning and insisted on receiving the cattle and sheep before allowing them to leave. Cao Wenzhao weighed in: “Let the barbarians hand over their livestock first. Once they have surrendered their weapons, they will be at our mercy.”
Yang Lian replied, “Even with the northern barbarians, we must keep our word. If they deliver the livestock, surely we must keep our promise and let them go.”
Cao Wenzhao countered, “These savages understand nothing of honor or trust; why should we speak of such things with them?” Though Yang Lian disagreed, he voiced no further opposition.
Upon hearing their decision, Sun Chuanting laughed heartily. “General Cao speaks my mind exactly. Let them surrender their arms first.” He informed the Mongols: passage would be granted only after they disarmed and camped outside the fortress; only when the livestock was delivered would they be allowed to depart.
Subeitai had not foreseen such a deviation from custom by the Ming. Frustrated, he negotiated further, claiming his current authority was insufficient to command the tribe to send livestock, and that he needed to return himself to arrange the delivery. He requested that half his men be allowed to accompany him, with the rest left as hostages.
After lengthy bargaining, they agreed that Subeitai would take four hundred men back to fetch the livestock, but Sun Chuanting insisted all Mongols first dismount and surrender their weapons before Subeitai could depart.
The Ming troops collected weapons and horses from both flanks, then allowed Subeitai to select his four hundred men. Once chosen, they were permitted to enter Yongxing Fort with their horses. As soon as Subeitai set foot within, a host of Ming soldiers with flashing blades and spears surged forth.
Sun Chuanting smiled. “Upon reflection, I think we need not send so many to fetch the livestock. With so many left here, your tribe will have no choice but to bring the cattle and sheep. One rider may suffice to bear the message—what do you say, chief?”
Outnumbered and outmaneuvered, Subeitai realized the Ming had become as untrustworthy as his own people; his plans had come to naught. He surrendered his horses and sent only a single messenger back to the tribe, urging them to send livestock in exchange for their people.
Sun Chuanting left Cao Wenzhao and Lu Xuan with two thousand men to guard Yongxing Fort, then led the rest, along with a large haul of captured horses, and marched the Mongols—bound in a line with ropes—back to Shenmu City.
A dispute arose between Sun Chuanting and Yang Lian over the fate of the Mongol prisoners. Yang Lian argued they should remain in Shenmu until the livestock arrived and then be repatriated. Sun Chuanting, however, pointed out that these Mongols had invaded, pillaged, and murdered; it was already an act of great mercy not to execute them. To feed them Ming rice and grain in Shenmu was wholly unacceptable.
Yang Lian protested anxiously, “Would you have the Mongols starve to death in Shenmu? Heaven cherishes life—my friend, you must not do this!”
Sun Chuanting laughed. “Fear not, my learned friend; I too have read the classics. I would never let them starve.”
The two went to the place where the Mongols were held. Sun Chuanting addressed them: “You knew not the might of Heaven’s army, dared invade our borders, slew our soldiers and civilians. The people would see you dead. Yet, out of compassion, I grant you this: until your ransom arrives, you shall work in the Shenmu coal mines to earn your daily sustenance. Do you consent?”
The Mongols clamored for food, complaining they were near starvation, and paid no heed to the notion of laboring in the mines.
Sun Chuanting replied, “If you will not work, then you may wait here until your ransom comes. I trust that a few days of hunger are nothing to the mighty warriors of the steppe.” With that, he turned to go.
Seeing his resolve, the Mongols panicked. Subeitai hurried after him, crying, “Governor, we are willing to help in the mines! Could you at least give us a little food before we go?”
Sun Chuanting turned and said, “If you wish to eat, work in the mines first. There are no other terms.”
With no alternative, the Mongols went to the mine. The overseer told them, “Haul a basket of coal from within, and you’ll get a steamed bun. If you want to eat, get to work.”
Thus began the Mongols’ new life: trading coal for buns. Subeitai was no exception. Each man could usually haul seven or eight baskets a day, just enough to keep their strength up for another day’s labor.
Twelve days later, the Mongol tribe finally delivered the cattle and sheep: one head of cattle or ten sheep per captive, as previously agreed. Yan’an thus received over two thousand cattle and more than ten thousand sheep.
After the exchange, Subeitai said to Sun Chuanting, “Governor Sun, our tribe has lost so much livestock this time that we will not have enough food for some time. Could you lend us some grain? Next year we will repay you in cattle and sheep.”
Sun Chuanting smiled, produced a roasted potato, and offered it to Subeitai to taste. After he had eaten, Sun asked, “How do you find it, chief?”
Subeitai inquired, “What is this thing? It tastes so good.”
Sun Chuanting replied, “It is a fine food we call the potato—very filling. If you are willing to provide us with labor, I can give your people food, and according to their work, supply your tribe with potatoes as well. What do you think?”
Subeitai’s tribe, having failed to seize anything and instead suffered great losses of horses and livestock, faced a spring in which survival was impossible without raiding others. The Ming, now so difficult to plunder, forced him to look for another way. Meanwhile, Sun Chuanting, desperate to cultivate the vast empty lands but lacking manpower, was equally eager. Thus, the two struck an accord.
Though the Mongols knew nothing of farming, land reclamation needed only strength. Sun Chuanting and Subeitai agreed: Subeitai would provide three thousand Mongols to Yan’an to open up wasteland for three months, and Sun would supply him with three thousand stones of cooked potatoes. This way, Subeitai had three thousand fewer mouths to feed and extra provisions; they might yet survive the spring.
Sun Chuanting reported the matter to the Emperor, who was greatly pleased, believing Sun had found a new path to peaceful coexistence with the Mongols. He ordered Yang Lian and Cao Wenzhao back to the capital, formally renamed the Yan’an army as the Qin Army, transferred over two hundred junior officers from the Imperial Guards to join the Qin Army, and bestowed upon Sun Chuanting the honorary title of Vice Minister of War, temporarily placing him in command of the Qin Army to defend against the northern barbarians.