The Gathering Storm: Origins of the Conflict

In the early spring of 284 BCE, the armies of five states—Yan, Qin, Zhao, Wei, and Han—converged on the banks of the Yi River, poised to strike at the heart of the Qi kingdom. This coalition was the brainchild of Yue Yi, the brilliant Yan general who had spent years meticulously planning Qi’s downfall. The roots of this conflict stretched back decades, fueled by Qi’s aggressive expansion under King Min and its humiliating occupation of Yan decades earlier.

Qi, under King Min, had grown arrogant. Its armies had sacked the Yan capital, executed its rulers, and left the state in ruins. Yet Yan, under King Zhao and the stewardship of Yue Yi, had risen from the ashes. The desire for vengeance burned fiercely in Yan’s heart, and Yue Yi saw an opportunity to exploit Qi’s growing isolation. By forging alliances with states that had their own grievances against Qi—Wei, still smarting from its defeats at Guiling and Maling; Zhao, wary of Qi’s ambitions; and Qin, ever eager to weaken its eastern rivals—Yue Yi assembled a formidable coalition.

The March to Jishui: A Coalition in Motion

The campaign began with remarkable coordination. The Yan army, hardened by years of rigorous training in the harsh Liaodong climate, led the charge. Yue Yi’s strategy was meticulous: he allowed his troops time to acclimate to the warmer central plains before pressing forward. By the time the coalition forces gathered near Nanpi, the stage was set for a decisive confrontation.

Each state brought its own motivations:
– Zhao, under General Zhao Zhuang, saw an opportunity to reclaim lost territories and weaken Qi.
– Wei, led by Xin Yuan, sought revenge for past humiliations at Qi’s hands.
– Qin, with its disciplined cavalry under Hu Shang, aimed to expand its influence eastward.
– Han, though weaker, hoped to secure minor territorial gains.

The coalition’s unity was fragile, however. Suspicion and competing interests simmered beneath the surface. Yue Yi’s leadership would be tested not just on the battlefield, but in managing these tensions.

The Battle of Jishui: A Masterstroke of Deception

The decisive clash came at Jishui, the natural barrier that had long shielded Qi from invasion. The Qi army, led by the inexperienced Chu Zi, was numerically strong but plagued by internal divisions. Its forces were split between veteran troops loyal to the ousted Lord Mengchang and newer units personally loyal to King Min.

Yue Yi exploited these weaknesses brilliantly. Under cover of a spring rainstorm, his forces launched a night assault, catching the Qi army completely off guard. The Yan troops, hardened by years of preparation, tore through Qi’s disorganized ranks. The coalition’s coordinated attacks—Qin and Zhao cavalry flanking, Yan infantry pressing the center—turned the battle into a slaughter.

By dawn, the Qi army was annihilated. Chu Zi, realizing the hopelessness of his position, committed suicide rather than face King Min’s wrath. The coalition’s victory was total, but it came at a moral cost: the sheer scale of the killing shocked even Yue Yi, who vowed never to repeat such brutality.

The Aftermath: Qi’s Collapse and Yan’s Ascendancy

The defeat at Jishui shattered Qi’s military might. King Min, enraged, executed Chu Zi’s entire clan—a move that only deepened the kingdom’s despair. His next general, Da Zi, fared no better, falling in a futile last stand at Zhuke.

With Qi’s defenses in ruins, Yue Yi pressed the advantage. The coalition advanced toward Linzi, Qi’s capital, but internal fractures soon emerged. Wei and Han, eager to seize Song territories, broke away early. Qin and Zhao, though committed, grew wary of Yan’s dominance. Yet Yue Yi’s strategic brilliance ensured that the momentum remained unstoppable.

Legacy and Lessons: The Price of Hubris

The fall of Qi marked a turning point in the Warring States era. Yan, once a victim of Qi’s aggression, emerged as a major power. Yue Yi’s campaign demonstrated the effectiveness of coalition warfare—but also its pitfalls. The alliance’s disintegration foreshadowed the challenges of maintaining unity among self-interested states.

For Qi, the defeat was a catastrophic lesson in overreach. King Min’s arrogance and poor leadership had turned a powerful kingdom into a shattered remnant. The war’s brutality also left a lasting scar, fueling future cycles of vengeance.

In the end, Yue Yi’s victory was as much a triumph of strategy as it was a cautionary tale. The Battle of Jishui remains a defining moment in Chinese military history—a testament to the power of preparation, the dangers of division, and the high cost of unchecked ambition.