Hearing
that Yuan Shao was hastening to attack at Guandu, Xiahou Dun wrote to the
capital urgently asking for reinforcements, and Cao Cao told off seventy
thousand troops with which he marched. Xun Yu was left to guard the capital.
Just
as Yuan Shao's army was starting, Tian Feng sent out a remonstrance from his
prison cell, saying, "My lord, a hasty attack in full scale will bring
disaster to our army. It is best now to wait upon such times as Heaven should
appoint."
Peng
Ji said to Yuan Shao, "Why does this Tian Feng utter ill-omened words? My
lord is sending forth an army in the cause of humanity and justice."
Easily
moved to anger, Yuan Shao was going to execute Tian Feng, but this time he
forbore at the entreaties of many of his officers.
However, he was not appeased, for he said, "I will punish Tian Feng
when I return from conquering Cao Cao."
Meanwhile
Yuan Shao hastened to start. The banners of his host filled the horizon, their
swords were as trees in the forest. They marched to Yangwu and there made a
strong camp.
Then Ju Shou once more opposed any hasty movement, saying, "Though
our soldiers are many, they are not so bold as the enemy. However, veterans as
are the enemy, they have not ample supplies. Therefore they will wish to force
on a speedy battle, while our policy is to hold them off and delay. If we can
keep from a decisive battle long enough, the victory will be ours without
fighting."
This
advice did not appeal to Yuan Shao.
Said
he, threateningly, "Tian Feng spoke discouraging words to my armies, and I
will assuredly put him to death on my return. How dare you follow in the same
way?"
Yuan
Shao summoned the lictors and sent away the adviser in chains, saying,
"When I have overcome Cao Cao, then will I deal with you and Tian Feng
together!"
The huge army was camped in
four divisions, one toward each point of the compass. The camps were thirty
miles in circuit. Scouts and spies were sent out to discover the strong and the
weak points of the enemy.
Cao
Cao's army arrived and were smitten with fear when they heard of the strength
of their enemy. The leader called together his council.
Then said Adviser Xun You, "The enemy are many but not terrible.
Ours is an army of veterans, every soldier of ours worth ten of theirs. But our
advantage lies in a speedy battle, for unhappily our stores are insufficient
for a long campaign."
"You
speak to the point," said Cao Cao. "I think the same."
Therefore Cao Cao issued orders to press noisily forward and force on a
battle.
Yuan
Shao's soldiers took up the challenge, and the two sides were arrayed. On Yuan
Shao's side, Shen Pei placed ten thousand of crossbowmen in ambush on the two
wings, while five thousand of archers held the center. The signal for general
attack was a bomb, and the onset was to continue through three rolls of the
drum.
Yuan Shao wore a silver helmet and breastplate and an embroidered robe
held in by a jeweled belt. He took up his post in the center with his
commanders---Gao Lan, Zhang He, Han Meng, Chunyu Qiong, and others---ranged
right and left. His banners and ensigns made a brave show.
When
Cao Cao's army's center opened and the banners moved aside, the chieftain
appeared on horseback with his staff of doughty leaders all fully armed---Xu
Chu, Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, Li Dian, and others.
Pointing
with his whip at Yuan Shao, Cao Cao cried, "In the presence of the
Emperor, I pressed your claims to consideration and obtained for you the title
of Regent Marshal. Why do you now plan rebellion?"
Yuan
Shao replied, "You take the title of a minister of Han, but you are really
a rebel against the House. Your crimes and evil deeds reach to the heavens, and
you are worse than the usurper Wang Mang and the rebel Dong Zhuo. What are
these slanderous words about rebellion that dare you address to me?"
"I
have a command to make you prisoner!"
"I have the Girdle Decree to arrest rebels!" replied Yuan
Shao.
Then
Cao Cao became wrathful and bade Zhang Liao ride forth as his champion.
From the other side rode
Zhang He on a curvetting steed. The two champions fought forty or fifty bouts
with no advantage to either.
In
his heart Cao Cao thought the contest amazing. Then Xu Chu whirled up his sword
and went to help. From the other side, to match him rode out Gao Lan with his
spear set, and the contestants were now four, battling two and two.
Then
Cao Cao ordered three thousand troops under Xiahou Dun and Cao Hong to attack
the opponents' array.
Thereupon
on Yuan Shao's side, Shen Pei gave the signal for attack, and the legion of
crossbowmen on the wings shot and the center archers let fly all together. The
arrows flew all over the field in front, and Cao Cao's troops could not
advance.
They hastened away toward
the south. Yuan Shao threw his soldiers on their rear, and they were broken.
They fled away toward Guandu, and Yuan Shao advanced another stage. He camped
near them.
Then Shen Pei said,
"Now send one hundred thousand soldiers to guard Guandu, and get near Cao
Cao's camp. Then build up observation mounds to get a clear view of the enemy,
and choose vantage points whence to shoot arrows into the midst of their host.
If we can force him to evacuate this place, we shall have gained a strategic
point whence Capital Xuchang can be attacked."
Yuan
Shao adopted this suggestion. From each of the camps, they sought out the
strongest veterans who dug with iron spades and carried earth to raise mounds
near Cao Cao's camp.
Cao Cao's soldiers saw what their enemies were doing and were anxious to
make a sortie and drive them off. But the archers and crossbowmen came out
commanding the narrow throat through which it was necessary to attack and
stayed them.
At the end of ten days,
they had build up more than half a hundred mounds, and on the summit of each
was a lofty tower, whence the archers could command their opponents' camp.
Cao Cao's soldiers were
greatly frightened and held up their bucklers to keep off the various missiles.
From the mounds the arrows flew down like a fierce rain after each roll of
drums. The soldiers of Yuan Shao's army laughed and jeered when they saw their
enemies crouching under their shields and crawling on the ground to avoid their
missiles.
Cao
Cao saw that his troops were getting out of hand under this attack, so he
called a council.
Liu Ye spoke up, saying, "Let us make catapults and so
destroy them."
Cao
Cao at once had models brought and set cunning workers to make these
stone-throwing machines. They soon constructed some hundreds and placed them
along the walls of the camp inside, just opposite the high ladders on the
enemy's mounds.
Then Cao Cao's troops watched for Yuan Shao's archers to ascend the
towers. As soon as the archers began to shoot, all the catapults began to heave
stone balls into the skies and they wrought great havoc. There was no shelter
from the falling stones, and enormous numbers of the archers were killed. Yuan
Shao's troops called these machines "Rumblers," and after their
appearance the archers dared not ascend the mounds to shoot.
Then
Shen Pei, the strategist, thought out another plan. He set troops to tunnel
under the walls into the midst of Cao Cao's camp and called this corps
"The Sappers". Cao Cao's soldiers saw the enemy digging out pits
behind the mounds and told the chief, who at once sought a counter plan from
Liu Ye.
"As Yuan Shao can no longer attack
openly, he is attacking secretly and is tunneling a road under ground into the
midst of our camp," said Liu Ye.
"But
how to meet it?"
"We
can surround the camp with a deep moat which renders their tunnel
useless."
So
a deep moat was dug as quickly as possible, and when the enemy sappers arrived
thereat, lo! their labor had been in vain and the sap was useless.
Cao Cao held Guandu throughout the eighth and ninth months when, his
army being worn out and provisions failing, he began to think of giving up and
returning to the capital.
As
he could not make up his mind, he referred his difficulties by letter to Xun
Yu, whom he had left to guard Xuchang.
The
reply he got was to this effect:
"I have received your
command to decide whether to continue the campaign or retire. It appears to me
that Yuan Shao assembled such large forces at Guandu with the expectation of
winning a decision. You, Sir, are very weak while he is very strong. If you
cannot get the better of him, he will be able to work his will on you, and this
will be a crisis of the empire. Your opponents are indeed numerous, but their
leader knows not how to use them. With your military genius and discernment,
where are you not sure to succeed? Now though your numbers are small, your
situation is still brighter than Liu Bang's when he faced against Xiang Yu in
Jungyang and Chenggao. You are securely entrenched with your hands on Yuan
Shao's throat; and even if you cannot advance, that state of things cannot
endure forever but must change. This is the time to play some unexpected move,
and you must not miss it. The device I leave to your illustrious
ingenuity." |
This letter greatly pleased
Cao Cao, and he urged upon his troops to use every effort to maintain the
position.
Yuan
Shao then retired some ten miles, and Cao Cao sent out scouts to ascertain his
new dispositions. One of Xu Huang's officers, Shi Huan, captured an enemy spy
and sent him to his chief. Xu Huang interrogated him and found out that a
convoy of supplies was expected and that this spy and others had been sent to
find out what the risks of the route were.
Xu
Huang went at once to tell Cao Cao.
When
Xun You heard that the commander of the convoy was Han Meng, he said,
"That fellow is a valiant fool. A few thousand light horse sent to
intercept him can capture the whole train and cause much trouble in the enemy's
camp."
"Whom
should I send?" asked Cao Cao.
"You
might send Xu Huang. He is capable of such a task."
So Xu Huang was deputed, and he took with him Shi Huan, who had captured
the spy, and his company. And this party was supported by Zhang Liao and Xu
Chu.
It was night when the
commissariat train of many thousands of wagons drew near Yuan Shao's camp. As
they passed through a defile, Xu Huang and Shi Huan came out and stopped the
train.
Han
Meng galloped up to give battle but was soon overcome.
The guard was scattered,
and soon the whole train was in flames. The escort and their leader fled away.
The
glow of the flames seen from Yuan Shao's camp caused great consternation, which
became fear when the escaped soldiers rode in and told their tale.
Yuan
Shao sent out Zhang He and Gao Lan to try to intercept the raiders, and they
came upon Xu Huang and his company.
Just
as Zhang He and Gao Lan were attacking, reinforcements from Zhang Liao and Xu
Chu came up, and the Yuan Shao's troops were between two fires. They were cut
to pieces and the successful generals of Cao Cao rode back to Guandu, where
they were richly rewarded.
As
an additional safeguard, Cao Cao made a supporting outpost in front of the main
camp to be the apex of a triangle of defense.
When Han Meng returned with
his woeful tidings, Yuan Shao was angry and threatened to put him to death. His
colleagues begged him off.
Then
said Shen Pei, "Food is very important for an army in the field and must
be defended with the greatest diligence. Wuchao is our main depot and must be
carefully guarded."
"My plans being complete," said Yuan Shao. "You may as
well return to Capital Yejun of Jizhou and undertake the control of the
supplies. Let there be no shortage."
So Shen Pei left the army.
Then a force of twenty thousand troops was told off to defend the depot in
Wuchao. The leaders of this body were Chunyu Qiong, Gui Yuanjin, Han Juzi, Lu
Weihuang, and Zhao Rui.
Of
these generals, Chunyu Qiong was a hard man and a heavy drinker, who in his
cups was a terror to the soldiers. Under the idle life of guarding the supply
depot, the leaders gave themselves up to indulgence and drank heavily.
In Cao Cao's army food was also getting scarce, and a message
was sent to Capital Xuchang to send grain quickly. The messenger with the
letter, however, had not gone far when he fell into the hands of Yuan Shao's
guards, who took him to the adviser Xu You.
Seeing from the letter that Cao Cao was short of supplies, Xu
You went to Yuan Shao and told him, saying, "Cao Cao and we have been at
grips here for a long time, and Capital Xuchang must be undefended. A small
army sent quickly could take it, and at the same moment an attack here would
deliver Cao Cao into our hands. Now is the moment to strike, for his supplies
are short."
Yuan
Shao replied, "Cao Cao is full of ruses, and this letter is artfully
designed to bring about a battle to suit himself."
"If you do not take this chance, he will do you some injury by and
by."
Just
at this juncture in came a dispatch from Yejun in which, after some details regarding
the forwarding of grain, Shen Pei said he had discovered that Xu You had been
in the habit of receiving bribes while in Jizhou and had winked at his
relatives collecting excess taxes. One of his son and nephew were then in
prison.
At this Yuan Shao turned on Xu You angrily and said, "How can you
have the face to stand before me and propose plans, you extortionate fellow?
You and Cao Cao have old liking for each other, and he has bribed you to do his
dirty work for him and help his base schemes. Now you want to betray my army. I
ought to take off your head, but temporarily I will let your neck carry it
away. Get out and never let me see you again."
The
discredited adviser sighed and went out, saying, "Faithful words offend
his ear. He is a pest and unworthy of advice from me. And now that Shen Pei has
injured my son and nephew, how can I look my fellow folks in the face
again?"
And
Xu You drew his sword to end his life. But his people prevented that.
They said, "If Yuan Shao rejects your honest words, then assuredly
he will be taken by Cao Cao. You are an old friend of Cao Cao's: Why not
abandon the shade for the sunlight?"
Just these few words awakened Xu You to consciousness of his
position, and he decided to leave Yuan Shao and go over to Cao Cao for he was
an old friend.
Vainly now for chances lost Yuan Shao sighs; once he was
great.
Had he taken Xu You's advice, Cao Cao had not set up a state.
Xu You stealthily left the camp and set out for Cao Cao's lines.
He was captured on the way.
He told his captors: "I am an old friend of the Prime Minister. Go and
tell the Prime Minister that Xu You of Nanyang wishes to see him."
They did so. Cao Cao was
resting in his tent, his clothing loose and comfortable after the toils of the
day. When he heard who wished to see him, he arose quite joyfully and hastily
ran out, on bare feet, to receive Xu You. Cao Cao went forth to greet him. They
saw each other in the distance, and Cao Cao clapped his hands with gladness,
bowing to the ground when near enough to his visitor.
Xu
You hastened to help him rise, saying, "Sir, you, a great minister, should
not thus salute a simple civilian like me."
"But you are my old friend, and no name or office makes any
difference to us," replied Cao Cao.
"Having
been unable to choose the lord I would serve, I bowed my head before Yuan Shao
wishing to support him sincerely. But he was deaf to my words and disregarded
my plans. Wherefore I have left him and come now to see my old friend from whom
I hope employment."
"If
you are willing to come, then have I indeed a helper," said Cao Cao.
"I desire you to give me a scheme for the destruction of Yuan Shao."
"I
counseled him to send a light force to take Capital Xuchang and at the same
time attack here in full scale so that head and tail be both attacked."
Cao Cao was alarmed, saying, "If he does so, I am lost!"
"How
much grain have you in store?" said the new adviser.
"Enough
for a year."
"I think not quite," said Xu You, smiling.
"Well,
half a year."
The visitor shook out his sleeves, rose and hurried toward the door of
the tent, saying, "I offer him good counsel, and he repays me with deceit.
Could I have expected it?"
Cao
Cao held him back.
"Do
not be angry," said he. "I will tell you the truth. Really I have
here only enough for three months."
"Everybody says you are a marvel of wickedness, and indeed it is
true," said Xu You.
"But
who does not know that in war there is no objection to deceit?" replied
Cao Cao.
Then whispering in Xu You's ear, he said, "Actually here I have
only supplies for this month's use."
"O
do not throw dust in my eyes any more. Your grain is exhausted and I know
it."
Cao
Cao was startled, for he thought no one knew of the straits he was in.
"How
did you find that out?" said Cao Cao.
Xu
You produced the captured letter, saying, "Who wrote that?"
"Where
did you get it?"
Whereupon
Xu You told Cao Cao the story of the captured messenger.
Cao Cao seized him by the hand, saying, "Since our old friendship
has brought you to me, I hope you have some plan to suggest to me."
Xu
You said, "To oppose a great army with a small one is to walk in the way
of destruction, unless you inflict quick defeat. I can propose a plan which
will defeat the innumerable hordes of Yuan Shao without fighting a battle. But
will you follow my advice?"
"I
very much desire to know your plan," said Cao Cao.
"Your
enemy's stores of all kinds are at Wuchao, where the Commander of the Guard is
that drunkard Chunyu Qiong. You can send some of your trusty veterans to
pretend they belong to one of Yuan Shao's generals, Jiang Qi, sent to help
guard the depot. These soldiers can find an opportunity to fire the grain and
stores of all kinds, which will upset all Yuan Shao's calculations. In three
days Yuan Shao is no more."
Cao
Cao greatly approved. He treated Xu You very liberally and kept him in his
camp. Forthwith he chose five thousand of horse and foot ready for the
expedition.
Zhang
Liao protested, saying, "The enterprise will be futile as the grain depot
will certainly be well guarded. Without caution, we may be victims of the
treachery on the part of the newly arrived Xu You."
"Xu You is no traitor," said Cao Cao. "He has come sent
by Heaven to defeat Yuan Shao. If we do not get grain, it will be hard to hold
out. I have to either follow his advice or sit still and be hemmed in. If he
were a traitor, he would hardly remain in my camp. Moreover this raid has been
my desire for a long time. Have no doubts: The raid will certainly
succeed."
"Well,
then, you must look out for an attack here while the camp is undefended."
"That is already well provided for," said Cao Cao
gleefully.
The
arrangements for the raid on the grain depot were made with extreme care to
ensure success. Cao Cao assigned Xun You, Jia Xu, and Cao Hong to guard the
main camp, together with Xu You; Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan to guard the left
camp; Cao Ren and Li Dian to guard the right camp.
When
all was ready they set out, Cao Cao himself in the center, with Zhang Liao and
Xu Chu as van leaders and Xu Huang and Yu Jin as rear guard. The army showed
the ensigns of their opponents. The troops carried bundles of grass and faggots
to make a blaze. The soldiers were gagged and the horses tied round the muzzles
so as to prevent any noise. They set out at dusk.
The night was fine and the stars shone brightly.
Ju
Shou, still a prisoner in Yuan Shao's camp, saw the stars were very brilliant
and told his gaolers to conduct him out to the central pavilion whence he could
study them. While watching he saw the planet Venus invade the quarter of the
Bear and Lyra, which startled him very greatly.
"Some
misfortune is near!" said Ju Shou.
So
although it was still night, he went to see his master. But Yuan Shao was
sleeping after indulgence in too much wine and was in bad humor. However, when
they had roused him saying that the prisoner had a secret message to deliver,
he got up.
"While
I happened to be studying the aspect of the heavens," said the night
visitor, "I saw Venus, then between Hydra and Cancer, suddenly shoot into
the neighborhood of the Bear and Lyra. There is danger of a robber raid, and
special precautions must be taken at the grain depot. Lose no time in sending
good soldiers and vigorous leaders thither, and keep a lookout on the byways
among the hills that you may escape the wiles of Cao Cao."
"You
are a criminal!" said Yuan Shao. "How dare you come with such wild
nonsense to upset my armies."
And
turning to the gaolers Yuan Shao continued, "I bade you confine him. Why
did you let him come?"
Then
he issued orders to put the gaolers to death and appointed others to keep the
prisoner in close custody.
Ju
Shou went away, wiping his falling tears and sighing deeply, "Our
soldiers' destruction is at hand, and I know not where our poor corpses may
find a resting place."
Blunt truth offended Yuan Shao,
Too stupid any plan to make,
His stores destroyed this is evident
That Jizhou also is at stake.
Cao
Cao's raiding party went along through the night. Passing one of Yuan Shao's
outpost camps, they were challenged.
Cao
Cao sent forward a man to say, "Jiang Qi has orders to go to Wuchao to
guard the grain stores."
Seeing that the raiders marched under the ensigns of Yuan Shao, the
guard had no suspicions and let them pass. At every post this ruse was effective,
and they got safely through.
They reached their
objective at the end of the fourth watch, the straw and wood were placed in
position without loss of time, and the blaze started. Then Cao Cao's commanders
beat to attack.
At this time Chunyu Qiong
and his companions were all asleep after a heavy drinking bout. However, when
the alarm was given, they sprang up and asked what was the matter. The hubbub was
indescribable. Very soon the fuddled officers were caught with hooks and hauled
out of their camp.
Yuan
Shao's generals Gui Yuanjin and Zhao Rui were just returning from taking grain
to the camp and seeing the flames arise, they hastened to assist.
Some
of Cao Cao's soldiers ran to him, saying, "The enemy is coming up in the
rear. Send reinforcements."
But Cao Cao only replied, "Press on to the front till the enemy is
actually close at hand and then face about."
So the attack was pressed
on and they all hastened forward. Very soon the fire gained strength, and thick
smoke hung all around filling the sky. When Gui Yuanjin and Zhao Rui drew near,
Cao Cao turned about and attacked them. They could not stand this for a moment,
and both generals were killed. Finally the stores of grain and forage were
utterly destroyed.
The
commander, Chunyu Qiong, was made prisoner and taken to Cao Cao who ordered him
to be deprived of ears, nose, and hands. He was bound on a horse and sent, thus
horribly mutilated, to his master.
From
Yuan Shao's camp, the flames of the burning depot were seen away in the north,
and they knew what they meant. Yuan Shao hastily summoned his officers to a
council to send a rescue party.
Zhang He offered to go with Gao Lan, but Guo Tu said,
"You may not go. It is certain that Cao Cao is there in person, wherefore
his camp is undefended. Let loose our soldiers on the camp, and that will
speedily bring Cao Cao back again. This is how Sun Bin besieged Wei and thereby
rescued Zhao."
But
Zhang He said, "Not so; Cao Cao is too wily not to have fully prepared
against a chance attack. If we attack his camp and fail and Chunyu Qiong should
be caught, we shall all be captured too."
Guo Tu said, "Cao Cao will be too intent on the destruction of the
grain to think of leaving a guard. I entreat you to attack his camp."
So Yuan Shao sent five
thousand soldiers under Zhang He and Gao Lan to attack Cao Cao's camp, and he
sent ten thousand with Jiang Qi to go to recover the grain store.
Now
after overcoming Chunyu Qiong, Cao Cao's troops dressed themselves in the armor
and clothing of the defeated soldiers and put out their emblems, thus posing as
defeated force running back to their own headquarters.
And when they happened upon
Jiang Qi's rescue body, they said they had been beaten at Wuchao and were
retreating. So Cao Cao's troops were suffered to pass without molestation while
Jiang Qi hastened on.
But
soon Jiang Qi came to Zhang Liao and Xu Chu who cried out, "Stop!"
And
before Jiang Qi could make any opposition, Zhang Liao had cut him down.
Soon
his force were killed or dispersed, and the victors sent false messengers to
Yuan Shao's camp to say that Jiang Qi had attacked and driven away the
attackers of the granaries.
So
no more relief were sent that way. However, Yuan Shao sent reinforcements to
Guandu.
In due course, the Yuan
Shao's force came down upon Cao Cao's camp at Guandu, and the
defenders---Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, and Cao Hong---at once came out and fought
them on three sides so that they were worsted.
By
the time reinforcements arrived, Cao Cao's army, returning from the raid, had
also come, and Yuan Shao's army were attacked in the rear. So they were quite
surrounded.
However,
Zhang He and Gao Lan managed to force their way out and got away.
When
the remains of the defenders of the grain stores reached their master's camp,
they were mustered. Seeing the mutilated state of their one time leader, Yuan
Shao asked how Chunyu Qiong had come to betray his trust and to suffer thus.
The
soldiers told their lord, "The General was intoxicated at the time of the
attack."
So Yuan Shao ordered Chunyu Qiong to be forthwith executed.
Guo
Tu, fearing lest Zhang He and Gao Lan would return and testify the whole truth,
began to intrigue against them.
First Guo Tu went to his lord, saying, "Those two, Zhang He and Gao
Lan, were certainly very glad when your armies were defeated."
"Why
do you say this?" asked Yuan Shao.
"O
they have long cherished a desire to go over to Cao Cao. So when you sent them
on the duty of destroying his camp, they did not do their best and so brought
about this disaster."
Yuan
Shao accordingly sent to recall these two to be interrogated as to their
faults.
But Guo Tu sent a messenger
in advance to warn them, as though in friendly guise, of the adverse fate that
awaited them.
So
when the orders reached them to return to answer for their faults, Gao Lan
asked, "For what reason are we recalled?"
"Indeed
I do not know," said the messenger.
Gao Lan drew his sword and
killed the messenger.
Zhang
He was astonished at this demonstration, but Gao Lan said, "Our lord has
allowed someone to malign us and say we have been bought by Cao Cao. What is
the sense in our sitting still and awaiting destruction? Rather let us surrender
to Cao Cao in reality and save our lives."
"I have been wanting to do this for some time," replied Zhang
He.
Wherefore
both, with their companies, made their way to Cao Cao's camp to surrender.
When
they arrived, Xiahou Dun said to his master, "These two have come to
surrender, but I have doubts about them."
Cao
Cao replied, "I will meet them generously and win them over, even if they
have treachery in their hearts."
The camp gates were opened to the two officers, and they were invited to
enter.
They
laid down their weapons, removed their armor, and bowed to the ground before
Cao Cao, who said, "If Yuan Shao had listened to you, he would not have
suffered defeat. Now you two coming to surrender are like Wei Zi leaving the
falling House of Shang to go to Zhou and Han Xin leaving Xiang Yu to go over to
the rising House of Han."
Cao Cao made them Generals and conferred upon Zhang He the title of Lord
of Duting and upon Gao Lan Lord of Donglai, which pleased them much.
And
so as Yuan Shao had formerly driven sway his adviser, Xu You, so now he had
alienated two leaders and had lost his stores at Wuchao, and his army was
depressed and down-hearted.
When Xu You advised Cao Cao to attack Yuan Shao as promptly as he could,
the two newly surrendered generals volunteered to lead the way. So Cao Cao sent
Zhang He and Gao Lan to make a first attack on the camp, and they left in the
night with three thousand troops.
The fighting went on
confusedly all night but stayed at dawn. Yuan Shao had lost half of his army.
Then
Xun You suggested a plan to Cao Cao, saying, "Now is the moment to spread
a report that an army will go to take Suanzao and attack Yejun, and another to
take Liyang and intercept the enemy's retreat. Yuan Shao, when he hears of
this, will be alarmed and tell off his troops to meet this new turn of affairs;
and while he is making these new dispositions, we can have him at great
disadvantage."
Cao Cao adopted the suggestion, and care was taken that the report
spread far around.
It
came to the ears of Yuan Shao's soldiers, and they repeated it in camp.
Yuan
Shao believed it and ordered his son Yuan Tan with fifty thousand troops to
rescue Yejun, and General Xin Ming with another fifty thousand to go to Liyang,
and they marched away at once.
Cao
Cao heard that these armies had started, and at once dispatched troops in eight
divisions to make a simultaneous attack on the nearly empty camp. Yuan Shao's
troops were too dispirited to fight and gave way on all sides.
Yuan
Shao without waiting to don his armor went forth in simple dress with an
ordinary cap upon his head and mounted his steed. His youngest son, Yuan Shang,
followed him. Four of the enemy generals: Zhang Liao, Xu Chu, Xu Huang, and Yu
Jin with their forces pressed in his rear, and Yuan Shao hastened across the
river, abandoning all his documents and papers, baggage, treasure, and stores.
Only
eight hundred horsemen followed him over the stream. Cao Cao's troops followed
hard but could not come up with him.
However,
they captured all his impedimenta, and they slew some eighty thousands of his
army so that the watercourses ran blood and the drowned corpses could not be
counted.
It
was a most complete victory for Cao Cao, and he made over all the spoil to the
army.
Among
the papers of Yuan Shao was found a bundle of letters showing secret
correspondence between him and many persons in the capital and army.
Cao
Cao's personal staff suggested that the names of those concerned should be
abstracted and the persons arrested, but their lord said, "Yuan Shao was
so strong that even I could not be sure of safety. How much less other
people?"
So Cao Cao ordered the papers to be burned and nothing more was said.
Now
when Yuan Shao's soldiers ran away, Ju Shou, being a prisoner, could not get
away and was captured.
Taken before Cao Cao, who knew him, Ju Shou cried aloud,
"I will not surrender!"
Said
Cao Cao, "Yuan Shao was foolish and neglected your advice: Why still cling
to the path of delusion? Had I had you to help me, I should have been sure of
the empire."
Ju Shou was well treated in the camp, but he stole a horse
and tried to get away to Yuan Shao. This angered Cao Cao who recaptured him and
put him to death, which he met with brave composure.
"I
have slain a faithful and righteous man!" then said Cao Cao sadly.
And
the victim was honorably buried at Guandu. His tomb bore the inscription This
is the tomb of Ju Shou the Loyal and Virtuous.
Ju Shou was honest and virtuous,
The best in Yuan Shao's train,
From him the stars no secrets held,
In tactics all was plain.
For him no terrors had grim death.
Too lofty was his spirit,
His captor slew him, but his tomb
Bears witness to his merit.
Cao
Cao now gave orders to attack Jizhou.
In
feeling over confident, that's where one's weakness lay;
The
other bettered him by plans which never went astray.
The
following chapter will tell who won the next campaign.
|
Peng Ji & Lu Weihuang
|
|
Xun You & Ju Shou |
|
Yuan Shao & Cao Cao |