Chapter 30

Yuan Shao Is Defeated at Guandu; Cao Cao Raids Wuchao and Burns the Grain

Now Yuan Shao raised his army and advanced toward Guandu. Xiahou Dun sent an urgent dispatch for aid. Cao Cao mustered seventy thousand troops and went forth to meet the enemy, leaving Xun Yu to guard the capital at Xu. As Yuan Shao’s army was about to depart, Tian Feng submitted a memorial from prison, remonstrating: “For the present, we should hold our ground and await Heaven’s time. We must not recklessly set a great army in motion, lest misfortune befall us.” Feng Ji slandered him, saying, “My lord is raising an army of benevolence and righteousness. How dare Tian Feng utter such ominous words?”

Yuan Shao flew into a rage and wished to behead Tian Feng, but the assembled officers pleaded for his life. Yuan Shao said bitterly, “Once I have defeated Cao Cao, I shall formally punish his crime!” He then pressed his army onward. Banners covered the fields, and swords and spears stood thick as a forest. Upon reaching Yangwu, he established his fortified camps. Ju Shou said, “Though our army is numerous, in courage and ferocity it cannot match the enemy; though the enemy’s troops are elite, their grain and fodder cannot match ours. Because they lack provisions, their advantage lies in a swift battle; because we have ample provisions, we should hold back and defend. If we can prolong matters for months, their army will collapse without a battle.” Yuan Shao angrily replied, “Tian Feng has already weakened the spirit of my army, and when I return I shall certainly behead him. How dare you speak in the same fashion!” He ordered his attendants to chain Ju Shou and confine him in the army. “After I have defeated Cao Cao, I shall punish him together with Tian Feng!” He then commanded his seven hundred thousand troops to encamp on every side, east, west, south, and north, their connected camps extending for more than ninety li.

Scouts learned the true state of affairs and reported it at Guandu. Cao Cao’s army had only just arrived, and all were alarmed by the news. Cao Cao consulted with his advisers. Xun You said, “Though Yuan Shao’s army is vast, it is not to be feared. Our men are all seasoned warriors, each capable of facing ten. But our advantage lies in a swift battle. If matters drag on for months and our provisions fail, there will be cause for grave concern.” Cao Cao said, “Your words accord exactly with my own thoughts.” He therefore ordered his commanders to advance with drums beating and shouts of war. Yuan Shao’s forces came out to meet them, and both sides drew up their battle lines. Shen Pei stationed ten thousand crossbowmen in ambush on the two wings and concealed five thousand archers behind the commander’s standard, with orders to discharge their weapons together at the signal.

When the drums had sounded three times, Yuan Shao, wearing a golden helmet and golden armor, a brocade robe and jade belt, reined in his horse before the battle line. To either side stood Zhang He, Gao Lan, Han Meng, Chunyu Qiong, and the other generals. The banners, insignia, and ceremonial axes were arrayed in imposing order. The commander’s standard in Cao Cao’s formation parted, and Cao Cao rode forth. Xu Chu, Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, Li Dian, and the others, each bearing his weapon, guarded him before and behind. Pointing his whip at Yuan Shao, Cao Cao said, “Before the Son of Heaven, I sponsored your appointment as General-in-Chief. Why do you now rebel?” Yuan Shao angrily replied, “You bear the title of Chancellor of Han, but in truth you are a traitor to Han! Your crimes reach to Heaven and surpass those of Wang Mang and Dong Zhuo, yet you dare falsely accuse another of rebellion?” Cao Cao said, “I now bear an imperial edict to punish you!” Yuan Shao answered, “And I bear the Girdle Edict to punish a traitor!”

Enraged, Cao Cao sent Zhang Liao into battle. Zhang He spurred forward to meet him. The two generals fought for forty or fifty bouts without either gaining the advantage. Cao Cao watched and marveled inwardly. Xu Chu brandished his saber, urged on his horse, and charged straight out to assist. Gao Lan leveled his spear and engaged him. Thus the four generals paired off in fierce combat. Cao Cao ordered Xiahou Dun and Cao Hong each to lead three thousand troops in a concerted assault upon the enemy formation. When Shen Pei saw Cao Cao’s troops charging the lines, he ordered the signal cannon fired. Ten thousand crossbows on the two flanks discharged at once, while the archers from the center surged before the formation and loosed their arrows in volleys. Unable to withstand them, Cao Cao’s soldiers fled southward in haste. Yuan Shao drove his troops after them, inflicting a great defeat, and Cao Cao’s entire army retreated to Guandu. Yuan Shao moved his army forward and encamped close beneath Guandu. Shen Pei said, “We should now detach one hundred thousand men to hold Guandu and build earthen hills before Cao Cao’s camp, so our soldiers may look down into it and shoot arrows. If Cao Cao abandons this place and withdraws, we shall possess this strategic pass, and Xuchang can then be taken.”

Yuan Shao followed his advice. From each camp he selected strong, able-bodied soldiers, who came together beside Cao Cao’s stockade with iron spades and earth-baskets and piled up earthen hills. When the men in Cao Cao’s camp saw Yuan Shao’s troops raising the mounds, they attempted to rush out and disrupt the work, but Shen Pei’s archers and crossbowmen blocked the vital approaches, preventing their advance. Within ten days, more than fifty earthen hills had been raised. High wooden towers were erected upon them, and companies of archers and crossbowmen were stationed there to shoot down into the camp. Cao Cao’s troops were greatly afraid and all defended themselves beneath arrow screens. Whenever a wooden clapper sounded from the hills, arrows descended like rain. Cao Cao’s soldiers crouched on the ground under their shields while Yuan Shao’s men shouted and laughed. Seeing the disorder in his army, Cao Cao assembled his advisers and asked for a plan. Liu Ye stepped forward and said, “We can construct stone-hurling carts to destroy them.” Cao Cao ordered Liu Ye to submit a design, and several hundred stone-hurling carts were built overnight. They were placed behind the walls of the camp, directly facing the scaling towers on the earthen hills. Whenever the enemy archers began to shoot, the men inside the camp hauled on the carts together, sending stones hurtling through the air to strike the heights at random. There was nowhere to hide, and countless archers were killed. Yuan Shao’s soldiers called these engines “Thunderbolt Carts.”

From that time onward, Yuan Shao’s troops no longer dared ascend the heights to shoot. Shen Pei then offered another plan: he ordered soldiers with iron spades to dig secret tunnels leading directly into Cao Cao’s camp. They were called the “Burrowing Corps.” Cao Cao’s soldiers saw Yuan Shao’s men digging pits behind the hills and reported it to Cao Cao, who again asked Liu Ye for counsel. Liu Ye said, “Since Yuan Shao’s army cannot prevail by open attack, it is resorting to a hidden one. They are digging secret passages in hopes of entering the camp from underground.” Cao Cao asked, “How can we defend against them?” Liu Ye replied, “Dig a long trench all around the camp, and their secret passages will be useless.” That very night Cao Cao sent soldiers to dig the trench. When Yuan Shao’s tunnels reached its edge, they could go no farther, and all the labor expended on them was wasted.

Now Cao Cao had defended Guandu from the beginning of the eighth month until the end of the ninth. The strength of his army was gradually failing, and his grain and fodder could no longer be replenished. He wished to abandon Guandu and retreat to Xuchang, but remained irresolute. He therefore wrote a letter and sent a messenger to Xuchang to ask Xun Yu’s advice. Xun Yu replied by letter. Its substance was as follows:

I have received your honored command, asking me to resolve your doubts over whether to advance or retreat. In my humble judgment, Yuan Shao has concentrated his entire host at Guandu because he wishes to decide victory or defeat with my enlightened lord. You confront the utmost strength with the utmost weakness. If you cannot control him, he will certainly seize the advantage; this is the great decisive moment for all under Heaven. Though Yuan Shao’s troops are numerous, he cannot employ them properly. With my lord’s divine valor, wisdom, and discernment, where could you turn and fail to prevail? Though your army’s stores are now scant, your plight is not yet so dire as that of Chu and Han at Xingyang and Chenggao. My lord now marks out his ground and holds it, gripping the enemy by the throat so that he cannot advance. Once his condition is exposed and his strength exhausted, a change must surely arise. This is the moment to employ an extraordinary stratagem and must on no account be lost. I pray my enlightened lord will judge the matter carefully.

Cao Cao was overjoyed upon receiving the letter and ordered his officers and men to exert themselves and defend to the death. Yuan Shao’s army had withdrawn more than thirty li, and Cao Cao sent commanders from camp to patrol the approaches. Shi Huan, a subordinate commander under Xu Huang, captured one of Yuan Shao’s spies and brought him before Xu Huang. Xu Huang questioned him about the enemy army’s true condition. The man replied, “Very soon General Han Meng will be escorting grain to the front to resupply the army. We were sent ahead to reconnoiter the road.” Xu Huang at once reported the matter to Cao Cao. Xun You said, “Han Meng possesses nothing but a common brute’s courage. If one man is sent with several thousand light cavalry to strike him midway and cut off his provisions, Yuan Shao’s army will fall into disorder of itself.” Cao Cao asked, “Who can undertake it?” Xun You replied, “Xu Huang is the man to send.”

Cao Cao therefore dispatched Xu Huang ahead with Shi Huan and the troops under their command, then sent Zhang Liao and Xu Chu with another force to support them. That night, Han Meng escorted several thousand grain carts toward Yuan Shao’s camp. As he traveled, Xu Huang and Shi Huan led their troops out from a mountain valley and barred his way. Han Meng galloped forward to fight. Xu Huang met him in fierce combat, while Shi Huan scattered the laborers and set fire to the grain carts. Unable to withstand Xu Huang, Han Meng wheeled his horse and fled. Xu Huang pressed his soldiers on until they had burned all the baggage and supplies. In Yuan Shao’s camp, the men saw flames rising in the northwest and were still wondering in alarm when routed soldiers arrived with the report: “The grain and fodder have been seized.”

Yuan Shao urgently sent Zhang He and Gao Lan to block the main road, and they encountered Xu Huang returning after burning the grain. Just as the two sides were about to engage, Zhang Liao and Xu Chu arrived behind them with their troops. Attacked from both sides, Yuan Shao’s soldiers were scattered. The four generals united their forces and returned to the camp at Guandu. Cao Cao was delighted and richly rewarded them. He then established additional camps before the main stockade, arranged so that each could support the others like the horns of a beast.

Meanwhile, Han Meng returned to camp with his defeated troops. Yuan Shao flew into a rage and wished to behead him, but his officers pleaded for mercy. Shen Pei said, “In war, grain is of supreme importance and must be carefully guarded. Wuchao is the place where our grain is stored; it must be defended by a strong force.” Yuan Shao said, “My plans are already settled. You may return to the capital at Ye and oversee the provisions. See that there is no shortage.” Shen Pei received the order and departed. Yuan Shao sent the general Chunyu Qiong, together with his subordinate commanders Sui Yuanjin, Han Juzi, Lü Weihhuang, Zhao Rui, and others, to lead twenty thousand men and horses in guarding Wuchao. Chunyu Qiong was by nature harsh and fond of wine, and most of his soldiers feared him. Once he reached Wuchao, he spent every day drinking with his fellow commanders.

Now Cao Cao’s military provisions were running out. He urgently dispatched a messenger to Xuchang with orders for Xun Yu to procure grain and fodder as quickly as possible and send them night and day to the front. The messenger departed bearing the letter, but before he had gone thirty li, Yuan Shao’s soldiers captured him, bound him, and brought him before the adviser Xu You. Xu You, whose style name was Ziyuan, had been Cao Cao’s friend in his youth, though at this time he served as an adviser to Yuan Shao. They searched the messenger and found Cao Cao’s letter pressing for grain. Xu You went straight to Yuan Shao and said, “Cao Cao has long been encamped at Guandu, locked in a stalemate with us. Xuchang must therefore be empty and unguarded. If we detach a force and make a surprise march by night against Xuchang, the city can be taken and Cao Cao captured. His grain and fodder are now exhausted. We should seize this opportunity and strike him from both directions.” Yuan Shao said, “Cao Cao has endless cunning schemes. This letter is a stratagem to lure us out.” Xu You replied, “If we do not take this opportunity now, we shall later suffer by our failure.”

While they were speaking, a messenger suddenly arrived from Ye Commandery and presented a letter from Shen Pei. The letter began by discussing the transport of grain, then stated that while Xu You had been in Jizhou, he had often taken money and goods from the common people without restraint, and had allowed his sons and nephews to impose numerous levies of money and grain for their own enrichment. Shen Pei had now arrested those sons and nephews and cast them into prison. On reading the letter, Yuan Shao became furious and said, “Lawless scoundrel! Have you still the face to offer counsel before me? You have an old friendship with Cao Cao. I imagine he has bribed you even now and made you his spy, so that you may deceive and ensnare my army! By rights I should behead you, but for the moment I shall leave your head upon your shoulders. Begone at once! Never appear before me again!”

Xu You went out, raised his face to Heaven, and sighed: “Loyal counsel grates upon the ear. This fool is unworthy of my advice! My sons and nephews have already suffered at Shen Pei’s hands. With what face can I ever again meet the people of Jizhou?” He drew his sword to cut his own throat, but those around him seized the blade and remonstrated: “Why should you hold your life so lightly? Yuan Shao refuses honest counsel and will surely be captured by Cao Cao. Since you have an old friendship with Lord Cao, why not abandon darkness and turn toward the light?” These few words awakened Xu You, and he set out at once to join Cao Cao. A later poet lamented:

Benchu’s proud spirit overshadowed all the realm;Vain were his sighs through the long deadlock at Guandu.Had Xu You’s counsel only been employed,Could hill and stream have passed into the house of Cao?

Xu You secretly left Yuan Shao’s camp on foot and made straight for Cao Cao’s stockade, where the soldiers guarding the approaches seized him. Xu You said, “I am an old friend of Chancellor Cao. Report at once that Xu You of Nanyang has come to see him.” The soldiers hurried to report inside the camp. Cao Cao had just removed his clothing and lain down to rest. When he heard that Xu You had privately deserted and come to his camp, he was overjoyed. Without even waiting to put on his shoes, he ran out barefoot to welcome him. Seeing Xu You from afar, he clapped his hands and laughed with delight, then took him by the hand and led him inside. Cao Cao was the first to bow to the ground. Xu You hastily helped him up and said, “You are Chancellor of Han, while I am merely a commoner. Why do you humble yourself so?” Cao Cao replied, “You are my old friend. How could I presume to rank us by fame or title?” Xu You said, “I lacked the wisdom to choose my lord and demeaned myself in Yuan Shao’s service. My words went unheard and my plans unheeded. Now I have left him expressly to visit an old friend. I pray you will accept me.” Cao Cao said, “Now that you, Ziyuan, have consented to come, my cause will succeed. Pray instruct me at once in a plan to defeat Yuan Shao.” Xu You said, “I once advised Yuan Shao to send light cavalry against the unguarded capital at Xu, thus attacking you at both head and tail.” Cao Cao was greatly startled. “Had Yuan Shao followed your advice, my cause would have been lost.” Xu You asked, “How much grain remains in your army?” Cao Cao replied, “Enough for one year.” Xu You laughed. “Surely not.” Cao Cao said, “For half a year, then.”

Xu You swept up his sleeves, rose, and strode from the tent, saying, “I came to you in sincerity, yet you deceive me in this fashion. Is this what I had reason to expect?” Cao Cao caught hold of him and said, “Do not be angry, Ziyuan. Allow me to tell you the truth. The army has enough grain for only three months.” Xu You laughed. “All the world says that Mengde is a crafty hero. Now I see it is true.” Cao Cao also laughed. “Have you never heard that in war there can never be too much deception?” He then leaned close to Xu You’s ear and whispered, “There is only enough grain in the army for this month.” Xu You cried aloud, “Do not deceive me! Your grain is already exhausted!” Cao Cao stared at him in astonishment. “How do you know?” Xu You took out Cao Cao’s letter to Xun Yu and showed it to him. “Who wrote this letter?” Cao Cao asked in alarm, “Where did you obtain it?” Xu You told him how the messenger had been captured. Cao Cao took his hand and said, “Since you have come out of regard for our former friendship, Ziyuan, I beg you to instruct me.” Xu You said, “My enlightened lord opposes a mighty enemy with a solitary army, yet does not seek a way to win swiftly. This is the road to death. I have a plan that, in no more than three days, will cause Yuan Shao’s host of a million to collapse without a battle. Will my enlightened lord heed it?” Cao Cao said joyfully, “I wish to hear this excellent plan.” Xu You said, “All Yuan Shao’s grain, baggage, and supplies are stored at Wuchao, which Chunyu Qiong has now been assigned to guard. Qiong is a wine-lover and makes no preparations. You may select elite troops and falsely claim to be the Yuan general Jiang Qi arriving with soldiers to protect the grain. Seize the opportunity to burn the grain, fodder, baggage, and stores, and within three days Yuan Shao’s army will fall into disorder of itself.” Cao Cao was overjoyed. He treated Xu You with great honor and kept him in the camp.

The next day, Cao Cao personally selected five thousand horsemen and infantry and prepared to raid the grain at Wuchao. Zhang Liao said, “How could Yuan Shao’s grain depot be left unprepared? The Chancellor must not go there lightly. I fear Xu You may be practicing deceit.” Cao Cao replied, “No. Xu You’s coming means that Heaven intends Yuan Shao’s defeat. Our provisions are now insufficient, and we cannot hold out long. If we do not use Xu You’s plan, we shall merely sit here awaiting ruin. If he intended deceit, how could he consent to remain in our camp? Moreover, I have long wished to raid the enemy’s camp. This attack on the grain must be carried out. Doubt it no further.” Zhang Liao said, “We must also guard against Yuan Shao’s attacking our empty camp.” Cao Cao laughed. “I have already planned for everything.” He ordered Xun You, Jia Xu, and Cao Hong to remain with Xu You and defend the main camp. Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan were to lead one force in ambush on the left; Cao Ren and Li Dian another on the right, to guard against any unforeseen event. Zhang Liao and Xu Chu were placed in the vanguard, with Xu Huang and Yu Jin in the rear. Cao Cao himself led the other generals in the center. Altogether they numbered five thousand men and horses. They carried Yuan Shao’s banners, and every soldier bore bundles of straw and firewood. The men held gags in their mouths, and the horses’ bits were muffled. At dusk they set out toward Wuchao. That night the sky was filled with stars.

Now Ju Shou was being held prisoner in Yuan Shao’s army. That night, seeing the stars arrayed in brilliance, he asked his guards to lead him into the central courtyard so that he might look up and observe the heavens. Suddenly he saw Venus moving against its course and trespassing upon the celestial regions of the Ox and the Dipper. Greatly alarmed, he cried, “Disaster is at hand!” That very night he sought an audience with Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao had already lain down drunk, but when he heard that Ju Shou had a secret matter to report, he summoned him and asked what it was. Ju Shou said, “Just now, while observing the heavens, I saw Venus moving backward between the Willow and the Ghost, its streaming radiance shooting into the regions of the Ox and the Dipper. I fear that raiders will bring disaster upon us. Wuchao is the depot where our grain is stored, and we cannot fail to take precautions. Elite troops and valiant generals should be sent at once to patrol the byways and mountain roads, lest Cao Cao outwit us.” Yuan Shao angrily rebuked him: “You are a man under punishment! How dare you recklessly deceive and confuse the army?” He then shouted at Ju Shou’s guard: “I ordered you to keep him confined. How dare you let him out?” He had the guard beheaded and summoned another man to keep Ju Shou in custody. As Ju Shou left, he covered his face, wept, and sighed: “Our army’s destruction will come before the day is out, and I know not where my bones will lie!” A later poet lamented:

Loyal counsel, harsh to hear, was answered with enmity;The despot Yuan Shao had scant skill in strategy.When Wuchao’s grain was gone, his roots were torn away,Yet still he vainly dreamed of holding Jizhou.

Meanwhile, Cao Cao led his troops through the night. As they passed one of Yuan Shao’s outlying camps, the soldiers there called out to ask whose force it was. Cao Cao had his men answer, “Jiang Qi has been ordered to Wuchao to guard the grain.” Seeing their own army’s banners, Yuan Shao’s soldiers suspected nothing. They passed several more positions, each time falsely claiming to be Jiang Qi’s troops, and met no obstruction. By the time they reached Wuchao, the fourth watch had ended. Cao Cao ordered his soldiers to place their bundles of straw all around the depot and set them alight, while his officers and men charged straight in with drums beating and shouts of war. Chunyu Qiong had been drinking with his fellow commanders and lay drunk in his tent. Hearing the drums and shouting, he leaped up and demanded, “What is the cause of this uproar?” Before he had finished speaking, hooked poles had already dragged him to the ground. Sui Yuanjin and Zhao Rui were just returning from transporting grain when they saw flames rising over the depot and hurried forward to the rescue. Cao Cao’s soldiers swiftly reported: “Enemy troops are behind us. Please detach a force to oppose them.” Cao Cao shouted, “Let every officer press forward with all his might! Only when the enemy reaches our backs may you turn and fight!” At this, every man strove to be first in the assault. In an instant flames rose on every side, and smoke darkened the vast sky. Sui Yuanjin and Zhao Rui drove their troops forward to the rescue, and Cao Cao reined about to meet them. Unable to resist, both generals were slain by Cao Cao’s troops, and all the grain and fodder were burned to ashes. Chunyu Qiong was captured and brought before Cao Cao. Cao Cao ordered his ears, nose, and fingers cut off, then had him bound upon a horse and released to return to Yuan Shao’s camp in disgrace.

Now Yuan Shao was in his tent when word came that flames filled the northern sky. Knowing that Wuchao had been lost, he rushed from the tent, summoned his civil and military officers, and consulted with them about sending troops to the rescue. Zhang He said, “Gao Lan and I will go together to save it.” Guo Tu said, “No. Since Cao Cao’s army is raiding the grain, Cao Cao himself must have gone with it. With Cao Cao away, his camp must be empty. We should send troops to strike his camp first. When Cao Cao hears of it, he will surely hurry back. This is Sun Bin’s stratagem of ‘besieging Wei to rescue Zhao.’” Zhang He said, “No. Cao Cao is resourceful. Whenever he goes out, he will surely prepare his defenses within against unforeseen danger. If we attack his camp now but fail to take it, Chunyu Qiong and the others will be captured, and all of us as well.” Guo Tu said, “Cao Cao is wholly intent upon seizing the grain. How could he have left troops in his camp?” Again and again he urged an attack on Cao Cao’s encampment. Yuan Shao therefore sent Zhang He and Gao Lan with five thousand troops to attack Cao Cao’s camp at Guandu, while Jiang Qi led ten thousand men to the relief of Wuchao.

After Cao Cao had scattered Chunyu Qiong’s troops, he seized all their armor, clothing, and banners. His men disguised themselves as defeated soldiers from Chunyu Qiong’s command returning to camp. On a narrow and secluded mountain road, they encountered Jiang Qi’s force. Jiang Qi’s soldiers questioned them, and they claimed to be defeated troops fleeing back from Wuchao. Jiang Qi suspected nothing and urged his horse straight past. Zhang Liao and Xu Chu suddenly appeared and shouted, “Jiang Qi, do not flee!” Taken completely unawares, Jiang Qi was cut down from his horse by Zhang Liao, and all his troops were slaughtered. Cao Cao then sent men ahead with a false report: “Jiang Qi has already routed the troops at Wuchao.” Yuan Shao therefore sent no further reinforcements to Wuchao, but merely added more troops to the force attacking Guandu.

Meanwhile, Zhang He and Gao Lan attacked Cao Cao’s camp. Xiahou Dun charged out from the left, Cao Ren from the right, and Cao Hong from the center. Assailed from three directions, Yuan Shao’s troops suffered a great defeat. By the time their reinforcements arrived, Cao Cao had also come up from behind. His forces surrounded the enemy on all sides and fell upon them. Zhang He and Gao Lan forced a path through and escaped. Yuan Shao gathered the routed remnants from Wuchao and brought them back to camp. There he saw that Chunyu Qiong had lost his ears and nose and that his fingers and toes had all been cut away. Yuan Shao asked, “How was Wuchao lost?” The defeated soldiers replied, “Chunyu Qiong lay drunk and was therefore unable to resist the enemy.”

In fury, Yuan Shao had Chunyu Qiong beheaded at once. Guo Tu feared that when Zhang He and Gao Lan returned, they would confront him and establish who had been right and wrong. He therefore slandered them before Yuan Shao, saying, “When Zhang He and Gao Lan saw my lord’s army defeated, they must have rejoiced inwardly.” Yuan Shao said, “Why do you say this?” Guo Tu replied, “Those two have long wished to surrender to Cao Cao. When they were sent to attack his camp, they deliberately refused to exert themselves, thus causing the loss of our soldiers.” Yuan Shao flew into a rage and sent messengers to summon the two men back to camp at once to answer for their crimes. Guo Tu first sent someone to warn them: “Our lord means to kill you.” When Yuan Shao’s messenger arrived, Gao Lan asked, “Why has our lord summoned us?” The messenger replied, “I do not know the reason.” Gao Lan drew his sword and struck the messenger dead. Zhang He was greatly startled. Gao Lan said, “Yuan Shao listens to slander and will certainly be captured by Cao Cao. How can we sit here awaiting death? We would do better to join Cao Cao.” Zhang He replied, “I too have long harbored that desire.”

The two men therefore led the troops under their command to Cao Cao’s camp and offered their surrender. Xiahou Dun said, “Zhang He and Gao Lan have come to surrender, but we do not know whether they are sincere.” Cao Cao replied, “I shall treat them with kindness. Even if they harbor other intentions, they can still be changed.” He ordered the camp gate opened and the two men admitted. They reversed their weapons, removed their armor, and bowed prostrate upon the ground. Cao Cao said, “Had Yuan Shao been willing to follow the advice of you two generals, he would not have suffered defeat. Now that you have come to join me, it is as though Weizi had left Yin, or Han Xin had given his allegiance to Han.” He appointed Zhang He General of the Household and Marquis of Duting, and Gao Lan General of the Household and Marquis of Donglai. Both men were overjoyed.

Now Yuan Shao had lost Xu You, then Zhang He and Gao Lan, and finally the grain at Wuchao. The morale of his army was shaken and fearful. Xu You urged Cao Cao to advance without delay, while Zhang He and Gao Lan asked to lead the vanguard. Cao Cao agreed. He immediately ordered Zhang He and Gao Lan to lead troops in a raid on Yuan Shao’s camp. At the third watch that night, three forces went out to attack the enemy camp. The confused battle continued until dawn, when each side withdrew its troops. Yuan Shao’s army had lost more than half its men. Xun You offered a plan: “We should now spread word that we are dividing our forces: one column will take Suanzao and attack Ye Commandery; another will seize Liyang and cut off Yuan Shao’s road of retreat. When Yuan Shao hears of it, he will certainly panic and divide his army to oppose us. If we strike while his troops are in motion, he can be defeated.”

Cao Cao adopted the plan and had every rank of his army spread the rumor far and wide. When Yuan Shao’s soldiers heard the report, they came to his camp and announced: “Cao Cao has divided his troops into two columns. One is marching to seize Ye Commandery, and the other to take Liyang.” Yuan Shao was greatly alarmed. He urgently ordered Yuan Shang to take fifty thousand troops to rescue Ye Commandery and Xin Ming another fifty thousand to save Liyang. Both forces set out during the night. When Cao Cao’s scouts learned that Yuan Shao’s army was on the move, he divided the main body of his troops into eight columns and sent them charging straight into Yuan Shao’s camp. Yuan Shao’s men had no will to fight. They scattered and fled in every direction, and the whole army collapsed. Yuan Shao had no time even to don his armor. Wearing only an unlined robe and a cloth headscarf, he mounted his horse, with his eldest son Yuan Tan following behind. Zhang Liao, Xu Chu, Xu Huang, and Yu Jin led troops in pursuit. Yuan Shao hurriedly crossed the Yellow River, abandoning all his maps, documents, carts, arms, gold, silks, and valuables. With only some eight hundred horsemen in attendance, he fled.

Cao Cao’s troops were unable to overtake him, but captured everything he had left behind. More than eighty thousand men were killed; blood filled the ditches, while those who drowned were beyond counting. Cao Cao had won a complete victory. He distributed the captured gold, treasures, and bolts of silk among his soldiers as rewards. Among the maps and documents, a bundle of letters was discovered, all written by men in the capital at Xu and in Cao Cao’s own army who had secretly communicated with Yuan Shao. Cao Cao’s attendants said, “We should check every name in turn, then arrest and execute them.” Cao Cao replied, “When Yuan Shao was strong, even I could not be certain of preserving myself. How much less could others?” He ordered all the letters burned and made no further inquiry.

Now when Yuan Shao’s army was defeated and fled, Ju Shou, being held in confinement, could not escape in time. Cao Cao’s soldiers captured him and brought him before Cao Cao, who had long been acquainted with him. When Ju Shou saw Cao Cao, he cried aloud, “I will not surrender!” Cao Cao said, “Benchu lacks judgment and would not heed your counsel. Why do you still cling to your delusion? Had I gained your service earlier, nothing under Heaven need have concerned me.” He treated Ju Shou generously and kept him in the army. Ju Shou, however, stole a horse from the camp and attempted to return to the Yuan clan. Cao Cao became angry and had him put to death. Ju Shou’s expression did not change even as he faced death. Cao Cao sighed, “I have wrongly killed a loyal and righteous man!” He ordered Ju Shou’s body prepared for burial with the highest honors and had a tomb erected for him at the Yellow River crossing. Upon it were inscribed the words: “Tomb of Lord Ju, Loyal and Heroic.” A later poet praised him:

Hebei was rich in men of fame,But Lord Ju stood first in loyal constancy.One searching gaze revealed the laws of battle;One upward glance discerned the signs of Heaven.To death his heart remained like iron;In peril his spirit towered like the clouds.Lord Cao revered his righteous heroismAnd built for him this solitary tomb.

Cao Cao gave the order to attack Jizhou. Thus it is said:

The weaker force prevailed through wealth of strategy;The stronger host was ruined by a want of counsel.

What the outcome would be remains unknown. Read on in the next chapter.

Yuan Shao Is Defeated at Guandu; Cao Cao Raids Wuchao and Burns the Grain

Now Yuan Shao raised his army and advanced toward Guandu. Xiahou Dun sent an urgent dispatch asking for help. Cao Cao mobilized seventy thousand troops and went to meet the enemy, leaving Xun Yu to defend the capital at Xu. As Yuan Shao’s army was about to depart, Tian Feng submitted a memorial from prison admonishing him: “For now, we should hold our ground quietly and await the proper time. We must not rashly mobilize a great army, or I fear the outcome will be unfavorable.” Feng Ji slandered him, saying, “My lord is raising an army of benevolence and righteousness. How dare Tian Feng utter such ill-omened words?”

Yuan Shao flew into a rage and wanted to execute Tian Feng, but the assembled officials pleaded for his life. Yuan Shao said bitterly, “Once I have defeated Cao Cao, I will formally establish his guilt!” He then pressed his army forward. Banners covered the fields, and swords and spears stood thick as a forest. Upon reaching Yangwu, he established a fortified camp. Ju Shou said, “Though our army is numerous, it is not as brave and fierce as theirs. Though their army is elite, its provisions are inferior to ours. Because they lack provisions, their advantage lies in a swift battle; because we have provisions, we should hold back and defend. If we can draw this out over many months, their army will collapse without a battle.” Yuan Shao angrily replied, “Tian Feng has already weakened the morale of my army, and I will certainly execute him when I return. How dare you speak this way too!” He ordered his attendants to put Ju Shou in chains and confine him within the army. “After I defeat Cao Cao, I will punish him together with Tian Feng!” Yuan Shao then ordered his great army of seven hundred thousand to establish camps in every direction, east, west, south, and north, forming an unbroken chain extending for more than ninety li.

Scouts learned the true situation and reported it at Guandu. Cao Cao’s army had only just arrived, and everyone was frightened by the news. Cao Cao consulted with his advisers. Xun You said, “Though Yuan Shao’s army is large, it is nothing to fear. Our troops are all elite warriors, and every one of them can take on ten of the enemy. But our advantage lies in a swift battle. If this drags on for months, our provisions will be insufficient, and the situation will become dangerous.” Cao Cao said, “Your words accord exactly with my own thinking.” He then gave orders for his commanders to advance amid a great clamor of drums and shouts. Yuan Shao’s army came out to meet them, and the two sides formed their battle lines. Shen Pei assigned ten thousand crossbowmen to lie in ambush on the two wings and five thousand archers behind the command standard, with orders to fire together at the signal.

After three rolls of the drums, Yuan Shao rode out before his formation, wearing a golden helmet and golden armor, a brocade robe, and a jade belt. Arrayed to either side of him were Zhang He, Gao Lan, Han Meng, Chunyu Qiong, and the other generals. His banners, staffs of authority, and ceremonial axes were arranged with imposing precision. The command standard in Cao Cao’s formation opened, and Cao Cao rode out. Xu Chu, Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, Li Dian, and the others, each holding his weapon, guarded him before and behind. Pointing his whip at Yuan Shao, Cao Cao said, “Before the Son of Heaven, I guaranteed you and recommended you as General-in-Chief. Why are you now plotting rebellion?” Yuan Shao angrily replied, “You bear the title of Chancellor of Han, but in truth you are a traitor to Han! Your crimes reach to Heaven and surpass those of Wang Mang and Dong Zhuo, yet you turn around and falsely accuse another man of rebellion!” Cao Cao said, “I now bear an imperial edict to punish you!” Yuan Shao replied, “And I bear the edict hidden in the girdle to punish a traitor!”

Enraged, Cao Cao sent Zhang Liao into battle. Zhang He spurred his horse forward to meet him. The two generals fought for forty or fifty bouts without either gaining the advantage. Cao Cao watched and secretly marveled. Xu Chu brandished his saber, urged his horse forward, and charged out to assist Zhang Liao. Gao Lan leveled his spear and intercepted him. The four generals paired off and fought furiously. Cao Cao ordered Xiahou Dun and Cao Hong each to lead three thousand men in a simultaneous assault on the enemy formation. When Shen Pei saw Cao Cao’s troops charging the lines, he ordered the signal cannon fired. Ten thousand crossbows on both wings discharged at once, while the archers in the central wagons surged out before the formation and shot wildly. Unable to withstand them, Cao Cao’s troops fled south in haste. Yuan Shao drove his army after them, inflicting a great defeat, and Cao Cao’s entire army retreated to Guandu. Yuan Shao moved his army forward and encamped close to Guandu. Shen Pei said, “We can now assign a hundred thousand troops to secure Guandu and build earthen hills directly in front of Cao Cao’s camp. From them, our soldiers can look down into the camp and shoot arrows. If Cao Cao abandons this place and leaves, we will gain control of this strategic pass, and Xuchang can then be taken.”

Yuan Shao followed his advice. From each camp he selected strong, able-bodied soldiers, who came together carrying iron shovels and baskets of earth and piled up earthen hills beside Cao Cao’s camp. When the men in Cao Cao’s camp saw Yuan Shao’s troops building earthen hills, they wanted to charge out, but Shen Pei’s archers and crossbowmen blocked the crucial approaches, making it impossible for them to advance. Within ten days, more than fifty earthen hills had been built. Tall watchtowers were erected on top, and archers and crossbowmen were assigned to shoot from them. Cao Cao’s troops were terrified and all defended themselves beneath arrow shields. Whenever a wooden clapper sounded from the earthen hills, arrows fell like rain. Cao Cao’s soldiers covered themselves with shields and lay flat on the ground, while Yuan Shao’s troops shouted and laughed. Seeing his army in confusion, Cao Cao assembled his advisers and asked for a plan. Liu Ye stepped forward and said, “We can build stone-throwing carts to destroy them.” Cao Cao ordered Liu Ye to submit a design, and several hundred stone-throwing carts were constructed overnight. They were distributed along the inner walls of the camp, directly facing the elevated platforms atop the earthen hills. When the enemy archers began shooting, the men inside the camp hauled on the stone-throwers all at once. The stone projectiles flew through the air and battered the hilltops indiscriminately. With nowhere to hide, countless archers were killed. Yuan Shao’s troops called these machines “Thunderbolt Carts.”

After this, Yuan Shao’s troops no longer dared climb the heights to shoot arrows. Shen Pei then proposed another plan: he ordered the soldiers to use iron shovels to dig secret tunnels directly into Cao Cao’s camp, and called them the “Tunneling Corps.” Cao Cao’s soldiers saw Yuan Shao’s men digging pits behind the hills and reported it to Cao Cao. Cao Cao again asked Liu Ye for advice. Liu Ye said, “Unable to attack openly, Yuan Shao’s army is attacking in secret. They are digging concealed passages so they can enter the camp from underground.” Cao Cao asked, “How can we defend against this?” Liu Ye replied, “Dig a long trench around the camp. Then their concealed passages will be useless.” Cao Cao immediately assigned soldiers to dig a trench through the night. When Yuan Shao’s tunnels reached the trench, they were indeed unable to proceed, and all their labor was wasted.

Now Cao Cao had defended Guandu from the beginning of the eighth month through the end of the ninth. His army’s strength was gradually failing, and his provisions could no longer be maintained. He wanted to abandon Guandu and retreat to Xuchang, but he hesitated and could not decide, so he wrote a letter and sent a man to Xuchang to ask Xun Yu’s advice. Xun Yu replied by letter. In essence, it said:“I have received your honored command asking me to settle your doubts about whether to advance or retreat. In my humble opinion, Yuan Shao has concentrated his entire army at Guandu because he wishes to decide victory or defeat with you. You are using the very weak to oppose the very strong; if you cannot control him, he will surely seize the advantage. This is a critical turning point for the empire. Though Yuan Shao’s army is numerous, he does not know how to use it. With your divine martial ability, wisdom, and discernment, where could you go without succeeding? Though your military stores are now depleted, your situation is not yet as dire as that of Chu and Han at Xingyang and Chenggao. You have now marked out your ground and are holding it, gripping him by the throat so that he cannot advance. His true condition is exposed, and his strength is exhausted; some change is certain to occur. This is the time to use an unexpected strategy, and the opportunity must not be lost. I trust, my enlightened lord, that you will judge the matter carefully.”

Cao Cao was delighted when he received the letter and ordered his officers and soldiers to exert themselves to the utmost and hold their position to the death. Yuan Shao’s army withdrew about thirty li, and Cao Cao sent commanders out of camp to patrol and scout. Shi Huan, a subordinate commander under Xu Huang, captured one of Yuan Shao’s spies and brought him before Xu Huang. Xu Huang questioned him about the true state of Yuan Shao’s army. The man replied, “Very soon, the general Han Meng will transport provisions to the front to resupply the army. He sent us ahead to scout the road.” Xu Huang immediately reported this to Cao Cao. Xun You said, “Han Meng possesses nothing more than a common brute’s courage. If we send someone with several thousand light cavalry to strike him along the road and cut off his provisions, Yuan Shao’s army will fall into disorder on its own.” Cao Cao asked, “Who can go?” Xun You replied, “Send Xu Huang.”

Cao Cao accordingly sent Xu Huang ahead with Shi Huan and the troops under his command, then ordered Zhang Liao and Xu Chu to lead troops in support. That night, Han Meng escorted several thousand wagons of provisions toward Yuan Shao’s camp. As they were traveling, Xu Huang and Shi Huan led their troops out of a mountain valley and blocked the road. Han Meng galloped forward to fight. Xu Huang met him in furious combat, while Shi Huan scattered the laborers and set fire to the supply wagons. Unable to hold out, Han Meng wheeled his horse and fled. Xu Huang urged his troops on until they had burned all the baggage and supplies. In Yuan Shao’s army, the soldiers saw flames rising in the northwest. While they were still startled and uncertain, defeated troops arrived and reported, “The provisions have been seized.”

Yuan Shao urgently sent Zhang He and Gao Lan to block the main road. They encountered Xu Huang just as he was returning from burning the provisions. They were about to engage when Zhang Liao and Xu Chu arrived behind them with their troops. Attacked from both sides, Yuan Shao’s forces were routed. The four generals joined their troops together and returned to the camp at Guandu. Cao Cao was overjoyed and rewarded them generously. He then divided off troops to establish another camp in front of the main camp, so that the two positions could support each other like the horns of an ox.

Now Han Meng returned to camp with his defeated troops. Yuan Shao was furious and wanted to execute him, but the assembled officials persuaded him to relent. Shen Pei said, “Provisions are of the utmost importance on campaign, and we must guard them with the greatest care. Wuchao is where our provisions are stored, so it must be defended by a strong force.” Yuan Shao said, “I have already settled my plans. You may return to the capital at Ye to supervise the provisions and make sure there is no shortage.” Shen Pei accepted the order and departed. Yuan Shao sent the general Chunyu Qiong, together with his subordinate commanders Sui Yuanjin, Han Juzi, Lü Weihuang, Zhao Rui, and others, to lead twenty thousand troops in guarding Wuchao. Chunyu Qiong was harsh by nature and fond of wine, and most of the soldiers feared him. After reaching Wuchao, he spent every day drinking with the other generals.

Meanwhile, Cao Cao’s military provisions were running out. He urgently sent a messenger to Xuchang with orders for Xun Yu to arrange provisions as quickly as possible and transport them day and night to resupply the army at the front. The messenger departed carrying Cao Cao’s letter, but before he had traveled thirty li, he was captured by Yuan Shao’s troops, who bound him and brought him before the adviser Xu You. Xu You, whose courtesy name was Ziyuan, had been a friend of Cao Cao in his youth, but was now serving as an adviser to Yuan Shao. The letter carried by the messenger, in which Cao Cao pressed for provisions, was found during the search. Xu You went directly to Yuan Shao and said, “Cao Cao has been encamped at Guandu, locked in a standoff with us for a long time. Xuchang must therefore be empty and undefended. If we detach a force and launch a surprise attack on Xuchang by night, the city can be taken and Cao Cao can be captured. Cao Cao’s provisions are now exhausted. We should seize this opportunity and attack him from two directions.” Yuan Shao said, “Cao Cao has countless deceitful schemes. This letter is a trick to lure us into a trap.” Xu You said, “If you do not seize this opportunity now, you will later suffer for it.”

While they were speaking, a messenger suddenly arrived from Ye Commandery and presented a letter from Shen Pei. The first part of the letter discussed the transport of provisions. It then said that while Xu You had been in Ji Province, he had repeatedly accepted illicit gifts from the people and had allowed his sons and nephews to levy numerous taxes in money and grain for their own benefit. Shen Pei had now arrested Xu You’s sons and nephews and thrown them into prison. When Yuan Shao read the letter, he flew into a rage and said, “You corrupt scoundrel! Do you still have the face to offer advice in my presence? You have an old friendship with Cao Cao, and I suppose you have now accepted bribes from him as well. You are acting as his spy and trying to lure my army into a trap! You deserve to be beheaded, but for now I will leave your head on your shoulders. Get out at once, and never appear before me again!”

Xu You went out, looked up to Heaven, and sighed, “Loyal advice offends the ear. That fool is not worth advising! My sons and nephews have already been harmed by Shen Pei. How can I ever again face the people of Ji Province?” He drew his sword and was about to cut his own throat, but those around him seized the sword and urged him, “Why do you take your own life so lightly? Yuan Shao refuses to accept honest advice and will certainly be captured by Cao Cao in the end. Since you have an old friendship with Lord Cao, why not leave darkness and turn toward the light?” Those few words awakened Xu You. He therefore went straight over to Cao Cao. A later poet lamented:“Benchu’s heroic spirit overshadowed all China,Yet the stalemate at Guandu brought him useless grief.Had Xu You’s strategy only been adopted,Could the mountains and rivers have ever belonged to Cao?”

Now Xu You secretly left Yuan Shao’s camp on foot and went straight to Cao Cao’s camp, where the troops guarding the approaches seized him. Xu You said, “I am an old friend of Chancellor Cao. Report me at once and say that Xu You of Nanyang has come to see him.” The soldiers hurriedly reported this inside the camp. Cao Cao had just removed his clothes and lain down to rest. When he heard that Xu You had secretly fled to his camp, he was delighted. Without even taking time to put on his shoes, he ran out barefoot to welcome him. Seeing Xu You from a distance, he clapped his hands and laughed with joy, then took him by the hand and led him inside. Cao Cao was the first to bow to the ground. Xu You hurriedly helped him up and said, “You are Chancellor of Han, while I am merely a commoner. Why are you so humble and courteous?” Cao Cao said, “You are my old friend. How could I rank myself above or below you on account of title or reputation?” Xu You said, “I was unable to choose a worthy lord and demeaned myself in Yuan Shao’s service. He would not listen to my words or follow my plans, so I have now abandoned him and come especially to see an old friend. I hope you will accept me into your service.” Cao Cao said, “Now that you have come, Ziyuan, my cause will succeed. Please instruct me at once in a plan to defeat Yuan Shao.” Xu You said, “I advised Yuan Shao to use light cavalry to exploit Xuchang’s emptiness, make a surprise attack on the city, and strike you from front and rear.” Cao Cao was greatly alarmed. “If Yuan Shao had followed your advice, my cause would have been lost.” Xu You asked, “How much grain do you have left in your army?” Cao Cao replied, “Enough for a year.” Xu You laughed and said, “I doubt that.” Cao Cao said, “Only enough for half a year.”

Xu You flicked his sleeves, rose, and strode out of the tent, saying, “I came to you in good faith, yet you deceive me like this. This is not what I expected!” Cao Cao took hold of him and said, “Do not be angry, Ziyuan. Let me tell you the truth. The army actually has enough grain for only three months.” Xu You laughed and said, “Everyone calls Mengde a treacherous hero, and now I see it is true.” Cao Cao laughed as well and said, “Have you never heard that warfare does not reject deception?” He then leaned close to Xu You’s ear and whispered, “The army has only enough grain for this month.” Xu You cried loudly, “Stop deceiving me! Your grain is already exhausted!” Cao Cao stared at him in astonishment and asked, “How do you know?” Xu You took out Cao Cao’s letter to Xun Yu and showed it to him. “Who wrote this letter?” Cao Cao asked in alarm, “Where did you get it?” Xu You told him about the capture of the messenger. Cao Cao took his hand and said, “Since you have come out of regard for our old friendship, please tell me what I should do.” Xu You said, “My enlightened lord, you are resisting a great enemy with an isolated army, yet you have not sought a way to gain a swift victory. This is the road to death. I have a plan that, within three days, will cause Yuan Shao’s army of a million men to collapse without a battle. Are you willing to listen?” Delighted, Cao Cao said, “I wish to hear your excellent plan.” Xu You said, “All of Yuan Shao’s grain and baggage are stored at Wuchao, which is now guarded by Chunyu Qiong. Qiong is addicted to wine and has made no preparations. You can select elite troops and falsely claim to be the Yuan general Jiang Qi leading soldiers there to protect the provisions. Then seize the opportunity to burn all the grain, fodder, and baggage. Within three days, Yuan Shao’s army will fall into disorder on its own.” Cao Cao was overjoyed. He treated Xu You with great honor and kept him in the camp.

The next day, Cao Cao personally selected five thousand cavalry and infantry and prepared to raid the provisions at Wuchao. Zhang Liao said, “How could Yuan Shao’s supply depot be unprepared? Chancellor, you must not go there lightly. I fear Xu You may be deceiving us.” Cao Cao said, “No. Xu You’s coming here means Heaven intends Yuan Shao’s defeat. Our army is now short of provisions and cannot hold out for long. If we do not use Xu You’s plan, we will merely sit here and wait to be trapped. If he were deceiving us, why would he agree to remain in our camp? Besides, I have long wanted to raid the enemy camp. This strike against their provisions must be carried out, so do not doubt it.” Zhang Liao said, “We must still guard against Yuan Shao attacking while our camp is empty.” Cao Cao laughed and said, “I have already planned for that thoroughly.” He ordered Xun You, Jia Xu, and Cao Hong to remain with Xu You and defend the main camp. Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan were to lead one force in ambush on the left, while Cao Ren and Li Dian led another force in ambush on the right, as a precaution against the unexpected. Zhang Liao and Xu Chu went in front, Xu Huang and Yu Jin followed behind, and Cao Cao personally led the other generals in the center. The force numbered five thousand cavalry and infantry in all and carried Yuan Shao’s banners. Every soldier bound bundles of dry grass to himself and carried firewood. The men held gags in their mouths, and the horses’ mouths were bridled to keep them silent. At dusk they set out for Wuchao. That night, the sky was filled with stars.

Now Ju Shou was being held prisoner within Yuan Shao’s army. That night, seeing the stars arrayed brightly in the sky, he ordered his guard to take him into the central courtyard, where he looked up and observed the heavens. Suddenly he saw the planet Venus moving backward and encroaching upon the regions of the Ox and Dipper. Greatly alarmed, he said, “Disaster is about to strike!” That very night he requested an audience with Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao had already gone to bed drunk, but when he heard that Ju Shou had a secret matter to report, he summoned him and asked what it was. Ju Shou said, “Just now, while observing the heavens, I saw Venus moving backward between the constellations Willow and Ghost, its streaming light shooting into the regions of the Ox and Dipper. I fear we may suffer harm from enemy troops launching a raid. Wuchao is where our provisions are stored, so we must take precautions. You should quickly send elite troops and fierce generals to patrol the side roads and mountain paths, lest Cao Cao outmaneuver us.” Yuan Shao angrily shouted, “You are a convicted offender! How dare you speak recklessly and mislead the army!” He then rebuked the guard, saying, “I ordered you to keep him confined. How dare you let him out!” He ordered the guard beheaded and appointed another man to keep Ju Shou under arrest. As Ju Shou went out, he covered his face and wept, sighing, “Our army will perish at any moment, and I do not know where my bones will come to rest!” A later poet lamented:“Loyal words that jarred the ear earned hatred in return;The despot Yuan Shao had little skill in strategy.When Wuchao’s grain was gone, his foundations were torn out,Yet still he vainly dreamed of holding Ji Province.”

Meanwhile, Cao Cao led his troops through the night. As they passed one of Yuan Shao’s outlying camps, the soldiers there asked which force they belonged to. Cao Cao had a man answer, “Jiang Qi has been ordered to Wuchao to protect the provisions.” Seeing their own army’s banners, Yuan Shao’s troops suspected nothing. They passed several more positions, each time falsely claiming to be Jiang Qi’s troops, and met no obstruction. By the time they reached Wuchao, the fourth watch had ended. Cao Cao ordered his soldiers to spread around the camp and set fire to their bundles of dry grass, while the officers and men charged straight in amid beating drums and deafening shouts. Chunyu Qiong had been drinking with the other generals and was lying drunk in his tent. Hearing the din of drums and shouting, he jumped up in haste and demanded, “Why is there such an uproar?” Before he had finished speaking, he was dragged down by grappling hooks. Sui Yuanjin and Zhao Rui were just returning from transporting provisions. Seeing flames rising from the depot, they hurried forward to the rescue. A messenger galloped to Cao Cao and reported, “Enemy troops are behind us. Please detach a force to resist them.” Cao Cao shouted, “All commanders are to concentrate on fighting forward! Do not turn back to fight until the enemy reaches our rear!” The officers and men therefore vied with one another to be first into the attack. In moments, flames rose on every side, and smoke obscured the heavens. Sui Yuanjin and Zhao Rui drove their troops forward to the rescue, and Cao Cao reined around to meet them. Unable to withstand him, both generals were killed by Cao Cao’s troops, and all the grain and fodder were burned to ashes. Chunyu Qiong was captured and brought before Cao Cao. Cao Cao ordered his ears, nose, and fingers cut off, had him tied to a horse, and sent him back to Yuan Shao’s camp as a humiliation.

Now Yuan Shao was in his tent when word came that flames filled the sky to the north. Knowing that Wuchao had been lost, he hurried out and summoned his civil and military officers to discuss sending troops to the rescue. Zhang He said, “Gao Lan and I will go together to save it.” Guo Tu said, “No. Since Cao Cao’s troops are raiding the provisions, Cao Cao must have gone there in person. With Cao Cao away, his camp must be empty. We should send troops to attack his camp first. When Cao Cao hears of it, he will certainly hurry back. This is Sun Bin’s strategy of ‘besieging Wei to rescue Zhao.’” Zhang He said, “No. Cao Cao is full of schemes. If he goes out, he will certainly prepare the camp behind him against the unexpected. If we attack Cao Cao’s camp and fail to take it, Chunyu Qiong and the others will be captured, and then all of us will be taken as well.” Guo Tu said, “Cao Cao is concerned only with seizing the provisions. How could he have left troops in the camp?” He repeatedly urged an attack on Cao Cao’s camp. Yuan Shao therefore sent Zhang He and Gao Lan with five thousand troops to attack Cao Cao’s camp at Guandu, while Jiang Qi led ten thousand troops to rescue Wuchao.

Meanwhile, Cao Cao routed Chunyu Qiong’s troops and seized all their armor, clothing, and banners. His men then disguised themselves as defeated soldiers from Chunyu Qiong’s command returning to camp. On a remote mountain path, they encountered Jiang Qi’s troops. When Jiang Qi’s soldiers questioned them, they claimed to be defeated troops fleeing back from Wuchao. Jiang Qi suspected nothing and rode straight past them. Zhang Liao and Xu Chu suddenly charged out, shouting, “Jiang Qi, do not run!” Taken completely by surprise, Jiang Qi was cut down from his horse by Zhang Liao, and all his troops were slaughtered. Cao Cao then sent a man ahead to make a false report: “Jiang Qi has already routed the troops attacking Wuchao.” Yuan Shao therefore sent no more men to reinforce Wuchao and merely added troops to the attack on Guandu.

Now Zhang He and Gao Lan attacked Cao Cao’s camp. Xiahou Dun charged out from the left, Cao Ren from the right, and Cao Hong from the center. Attacked from three directions, Yuan Shao’s troops suffered a crushing defeat. By the time their reinforcements arrived, Cao Cao had also attacked from the rear, surrounding them on all sides and slaughtering them. Zhang He and Gao Lan fought their way out and escaped. Yuan Shao gathered the remnants of the defeated army from Wuchao and brought them back to camp. He saw that Chunyu Qiong had neither ears nor nose and that his hands and feet were completely mutilated. Yuan Shao asked, “How was Wuchao lost?” The defeated soldiers told him, “Chunyu Qiong lay drunk and was therefore unable to resist the enemy.”

In his fury, Yuan Shao had Chunyu Qiong beheaded at once. Guo Tu feared that Zhang He and Gao Lan would return to camp and confront him over who had been right or wrong, so he slandered them before Yuan Shao, saying, “When Zhang He and Gao Lan saw that my lord’s army had been defeated, they must have been delighted.” Yuan Shao asked, “Why do you say that?” Guo Tu replied, “The two of them have long intended to surrender to Cao Cao. When they were sent to attack the camp, they deliberately refused to exert themselves, causing the loss of our soldiers.” Yuan Shao flew into a rage and immediately sent a messenger to summon the two men back to camp to answer for their crimes. Guo Tu first sent a man to warn them, “My lord intends to execute you.” When Yuan Shao’s messenger arrived, Gao Lan asked, “Why has my lord summoned us?” The messenger replied, “I do not know the reason.” Gao Lan drew his sword and cut down the messenger. Zhang He was greatly alarmed. Gao Lan said, “Yuan Shao listens to slander and will certainly be captured by Cao Cao. How can we sit here and wait for death? We would do better to go over to Cao Cao.” Zhang He said, “I have long had the same intention.”

The two men therefore led the troops under their command to Cao Cao’s camp and offered their surrender. Xiahou Dun said, “Zhang He and Gao Lan have come to surrender, but we do not yet know whether they are sincere.” Cao Cao said, “I will treat them with generosity. Even if they harbor different intentions, I can still change their hearts.” He ordered the camp gates opened and had the two men admitted. They reversed their weapons, removed their armor, and prostrated themselves on the ground. Cao Cao said, “If Yuan Shao had been willing to follow the advice of you two generals, he would not have suffered this defeat. Now that you are willing to come over to me, it is like Weizi abandoning Shang or Han Xin joining Han.” He then appointed Zhang He General of the Household and Marquis of Duting, and Gao Lan General of the Household and Marquis of Donglai. The two men were overjoyed.

Now Yuan Shao had lost Xu You, then Zhang He and Gao Lan, and had also lost the provisions at Wuchao. The morale of his army was in a panic. Xu You urged Cao Cao to advance as quickly as possible, while Zhang He and Gao Lan asked to serve as the vanguard. Cao Cao agreed. He immediately ordered Zhang He and Gao Lan to lead troops in a raid on Yuan Shao’s camp. During the third watch that night, three separate forces went out to raid the camp. The confused battle lasted until dawn, when each side withdrew its troops. Yuan Shao’s army had lost more than half its men. Xun You proposed a plan: “We should now spread word that we are dividing our forces, with one army going through Suanzao to attack Ye Commandery, and another taking Liyang to cut off Yuan Shao’s route of retreat. When Yuan Shao hears this, he will certainly panic and divide his troops to resist us. We can attack when his forces begin moving, and Yuan Shao will be defeated.”

Cao Cao adopted the plan and had officers and soldiers throughout his army spread the rumor far and wide. When Yuan Shao’s troops heard it, they came to his camp and reported, “Cao Cao has divided his army into two forces. One is going to take Ye Commandery, and the other is going to take Liyang.” Yuan Shao was greatly alarmed. He urgently ordered Yuan Shang to lead fifty thousand troops to save Ye Commandery, and Xin Ming to lead fifty thousand troops to save Liyang. Both forces departed that very night. When Cao Cao’s scouts learned that Yuan Shao’s army was on the move, Cao Cao divided his main army into eight forces and launched a simultaneous assault directly against Yuan Shao’s camp. Yuan Shao’s troops had no will to fight. They scattered in every direction and collapsed completely. Yuan Shao did not even have time to put on his armor. Wearing only a plain robe and cloth headscarf, he mounted his horse, with his eldest son, Yuan Tan, following behind. Zhang Liao, Xu Chu, Xu Huang, and Yu Jin led troops in pursuit of Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao hurriedly crossed the Yellow River, abandoning all his maps, documents, carts, equipment, gold, silk, and valuables. He escaped with only a little more than eight hundred cavalrymen.

Cao Cao’s troops were unable to catch him, but they captured everything he had left behind. More than eighty thousand men were killed; blood filled the ditches, while those who drowned were beyond counting. Cao Cao had won a complete victory. He distributed the captured gold, treasure, and bolts of silk among his soldiers as rewards. Among the maps and documents, a bundle of letters was found, all written by people in the capital at Xu and in Cao Cao’s army who had secretly communicated with Yuan Shao. Cao Cao’s attendants said, “We should check the names one by one, arrest them, and execute them.” Cao Cao said, “When Yuan Shao was powerful, even I could not be certain of preserving myself. How much less could others?” He ordered all the letters burned and never questioned the matter again.

Now Yuan Shao had fled after his defeat, but Ju Shou, being held prisoner, was unable to escape in time. Cao Cao’s troops captured him and brought him before Cao Cao. Cao Cao and Ju Shou had long known each other. When Ju Shou saw Cao Cao, he shouted, “I will not surrender!” Cao Cao said, “Benchu lacks judgment and refused to follow your advice. Why do you remain stubbornly deluded? If I had obtained your service earlier, there would be nothing under Heaven for me to fear.” He treated Ju Shou generously and kept him in the army. Ju Shou then stole a horse from the camp and tried to return to the Yuan family. Cao Cao was angered and had him executed. Ju Shou’s expression did not change even at the moment of death. Cao Cao sighed, “I have mistakenly killed a loyal and righteous man!” He ordered Ju Shou encoffined with full honors and had a tomb built for him at the Yellow River crossing. Its inscription read: “Tomb of the Loyal and Heroic Lord Ju.” A later poet praised him:“Hebei produced many men of fame,But Lord Ju stood first in loyal devotion.With steady gaze, he understood formations;Looking skyward, he interpreted the heavens.To the death, his heart remained like iron;Facing danger, his spirit rose like clouds.Lord Cao revered his righteous heroismAnd specially built this solitary tomb.”

Cao Cao gave orders to attack Ji Province. Truly:“The weaker side prevailed through many clever plans;The stronger army perished for want of strategy.”What the outcome would be remains unknown; read on for the explanation.