The Three Kingdoms Volume 1 (65 page)

Yuan Shao Is Defeated at Guandu

Cao Cao Burns the Wuchao Granary

H
earing
that Yuan Shao was advancing to attack at Guandu, Xiahou Dun wrote to the capital urgently asking for reinforcements, and Cao Cao led 70,000 soldiers to oppose his enemy. Xun Yu was left to guard the capital.

Just as Yuan Shao’s army was starting out, Tian Feng sent up an objection from his prison cell denouncing the attack and advising him to wait upon favorable opportunities as Heaven should bestow.

His rival Feng Ji said to Yuan Shao, “You, sir, are sending forth an army for the cause of humanity and justice yet this Tian Feng utters such ill-omened words.”

Easily moved to anger Yuan Shao was going to execute Tian Feng, but he relented at the earnest entreaties of many of his officials. However, he was not appeased, for he said, “I will punish him when I return from conquering Cao Cao.”

Meanwhile the army hastened to start. Their banners filled the horizon and their swords were like trees in the forest. They marched to Yangwu and there made a strong camp.

Here the advisor Ju Shou once more warned his master of making any hasty movement. He said, “Though our soldiers are many they are not so bold as the enemy—however, old campaigners like them do not have ample supplies as we do. Therefore they will wish to bring on a speedy battle, while our policy should be 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, nevertheless, did not appeal to Yuan Shao, who said furiously, “Tian Feng spoke discouraging words to dishearten my army and I will assuredly put him to death on my return. How dare you follow suit?”

He summoned the guards and sent away the advisor in chains. “When I have overcome Cao Cao I will deal with you and Tian Feng together,” he said.

The huge army was camped in four divisions, one facing in each direction. Camps were linked to other camps, stretching for about a hundred
li
around. The formidable build-up of Yuan Shao’s army was quickly reported by scouts to Cao Cao’s headquarters at Guandu. Cao Cao’s army arrived and were smitten with fear when they heard of the strength of their enemy. Cao Cao called a general council. The advisor Xun You said, “The enemy are many but not terrible. Ours is an army of veterans, each man worth ten, but our advantage lies in a speedy battle, for our stores are insufficient for a protracted war.”

“That is exactly what I think,” said Cao Cao.

Therefore he issued orders to press forward and force a battle. Yuan Shao’s men took up the challenge and then each army formed its own battle array. On Yuan Shao’s side, based on a recommendation from the advisor Shen Pei, 10,000 crossbowmen were placed in ambush on the two wings, while 5,000 archers hid themselves in the center. A bomb exploding would be the signal for attack.

After three rolls of the drum Yuan Shao rode out to the front. He wore a gold helmet and breastplate and an embroidered robe held together by a jeweled belt. He took up his position in the center with his numerous warriors ranged right and left. His banners and ensigns made a magnificent show.

When the center of his army opened and the banners moved aside, Cao Cao appeared on horseback with his retinue of doughty officers, all fully armed. Pointing with his whip at Yuan Shao he cried, “I obtained for you the title of commanding general from the Emperor. Why do you now instigate a rebellion?”

Yuan Shao replied, “You take the title of a minister of Han, but you are really a rebel against the state. Your crimes and evil deeds reach to the heavens, and you are worse than the usurper Wang Mang and the rebel Dong Zhuo. And you dare to address me with such slanderous language?”

“I have the Emperor’s command to capture you.”

“I am commanded by His Majesty’s girdle decree to arrest you,” retorted Yuan Shao.

Then Cao Cao became infuriated and ordered Zhang Liao out. From the other side rode Zhang He on a bounding steed. The two fought forty to fifty bouts with no advantage to either. In his heart Cao Cao was quite impressed by Zhang He’s valor. Then Xu Chu whirled up his sword and went to help. To match him rode out Gao Lan with his spear, and the contestants were now four, battling two and two. Then Cao Cao ordered two other officers, each with 3,000 men, to destroy the opponents’ battle line. With this, on Yuan Shao’s side the signal for the ambushers to attack was given and the crossbowmen and the archers moved to the front and let fly their arrows. Hundreds of thousands of arrows flew all over the field and Cao Cao’s men could not advance. They hastened away toward the south. Yuan Shao threw his soldiers at the retreating enemy, defeating them completely. They ran away toward Guandu and Yuan Shao advanced another stage. He camped near them.

Shen Pei offered further advice to Yuan Shao. “Now send a force to guard Guandu and then throw up observation mounds in front of Cao Cao’s camp to shoot arrows into its midst. If we can force him to evacuate this place we will have gained a strategic advantage. It will not be long before the capital itself can be captured.”

Yuan Shao adopted this advice. From each of the camps they picked out the strongest veterans to dig with iron spades and carry earth to raise mounds opposite Cao Cao’s camp.

Cao Cao’s men saw what their enemies were doing and were anxious to make a sortie to drive them off. But the archers and crossbowmen guarded the narrow passage and blocked their escape. At the end of ten days they had thrown up more than fifty mounds and on top of each was built a high tower, from where the archers shot their arrows at their opponents’ camp. Cao Cao’s men were greatly frightened and held up their small shields to keep off the numerous arrows. At the sound of the clap-per, bang! bang! arrows flew down from the mounds like a fierce rain. The men of Yuan Shao’s army laughed and jeered when they saw their enemies crouching under their shields and crawling on the ground to avoid being hit.

Cao Cao saw that his soldiers were losing discipline under this attack so he called a council. Liu Ye said, “Let us make machines to hurl stones to destroy them.”

Cao Cao at once had him bring forth a model and workmen were ordered to make these machines that very night. 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 they waited for the archers to ascend the towers. As soon as they began to shoot all the machines heaved their stone balls into the sky, creating great havoc. There was no shelter from them and enormous numbers of the archers were killed. Yuan Shao’s men 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 men to dig a tunnel to get into the midst of the enemy’s camp and called this corps “the Sappers.” Cao Cao’s men saw the enemy digging out pits behind the mounds and reported it to him. He immediately consulted Liu Ye for a counter plan.

“As Yuan Shao can no longer attack openly he intends to attack secretly and is digging an underground tunnel to penetrate into the midst of our camp,” he said.

“But how to meet it?”

“We can surround the camp with a deep moat that will render their tunnel useless.”

So a deep moat was dug as quickly as possible and when the enemy arrived through the secret passage, they found to their dismay that their labor had been in vain and the trench was useless.

The confrontation between the two armies continued all through the eighth and ninth months. In Cao Cao’s camp, as men were worn out and provisions running short, 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 dispatch to Xun Yu, whom he had left to guard the capital.

The reply he got was as follows: “I have received your command to decide whether to continue the campaign or retreat. It appears to me that by assembling such a large force at Guandu, Yuan Shao expects to fight a decisive battle with you. Compared to his your army is very small, and if you cannot get the better of him he will be able to dominate you. The victor of this battle will determine who is to rule the land. Your opponents are indeed numerous, but their leader does not know how to use them. With your excellent military acumen you are sure to succeed everywhere. Although the number of men you have is small, it is not so small as when the founder of Han was facing his antagonist at Xingyang and Chenggao. You are now securely positioned at a key strategic point, the very throat of his advance. That state of things cannot endure forever but must change. This is the time to make some surprise move and you must not miss it. Pray consider this.”

This letter greatly pleased Cao Cao and he urged his men to use every effort to maintain the position.

With Yuan Shao having retreated some thirty
li
, Cao Cao sent out scouts to ascertain his real strength. One of Xu Huang’s officers captured an enemy spy and sent him to his chief, who interrogated him and found out that a convoy of supplies was expected and that this spy and others had been sent to explore the risks of the route. Xu Huang went at once to tell Cao Cao. When the advisor Xun You heard that the commander of the convoy was Han Meng he said, “That fellow is valiant but foolish. An officer with several thousand light horsemen sent to intercept him can destroy his supplies and cause much trouble in the enemy’s camp.”

“Who should I send?” asked Cao Cao.

“You can send Xu Huang—he is capable of such a task.”

So Xu Huang set out with Shi Huan and his soldiers, who had captured the spy. He was further supported by Zhang Liao and Xu Chu.

It was night when Han Meng escorted thousands of carts of food supplies toward Yuan Shao’s camp. As they were going through a narrow pass, Xu Huang’s men came out to bar their way. Han Meng galloped up to engage with Xu Huang but while they were fighting, Shi Huan went to scatter his men and burn the supplies of food. Han Meng was overcome and had to get away.

The glow of the flames seen from Yuan Shao’s camp caused great anxiety, which turned to fear when the fleeing 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 men, returning after burning the supply carts. Just as they were about to fight Cao Cao’s reinforcement army came up and Yuan Shao’s men were trapped between two forces. They were soon driven off and Cao Cao’s men rode back successfully to Guandu, where they were richly rewarded. As an additional safeguard Cao Cao established supporting outposts in front of the main camp to set up 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 not to.

Shen Pei said, “Food is very important for an army in the battlefield and must be defended with the greatest diligence. Wuchao is our main depot and must be carefully guarded.”

“I have made my plans,” said Yuan Shao. “You may return to the capital to undertake the control of the supplies. Let there be no shortage.” So Shen Pei took the order and left the army.

Then a force of 20,000 men under six officers was given orders to defend the depot. The commander, Chunyu Qiong, was a harsh fellow and a heavy drinker, who was a terror to the men. Amidst the idle life of guarding the supply depot he gave himself up to indulgence and drank heavily with his colleagues every day.

In Cao Cao’s army food was also getting scarce and a message was sent to the capital to send grain quickly. The messenger, however, had not gone far when he fell into the hands of Yuan Shao’s men, who took him to be questioned by the advisor Xu You. This man had been a friend of Cao Cao’s in his youth but was now in Yuan Shao’s service. Seeing from the letter that Cao Cao was short of supplies, he went to his master and said, “Cao Cao has been grappling with us here for a long time and the capital must be undefended. An army sent quickly there can capture it and an attack here will deliver him into our hands. Now is the moment to strike, for his supplies are short.”

Yuan Shao replied, “Cao Cao is full of tricks and this letter is artfully designed to bring about a battle to suit himself.”

“If you do not take this chance he will harm you by and by.”

Just at this juncture in came a dispatch from the advisor Shen Pei. After giving some details regarding the forwarding of grain, he wrote that Xu You had been in the habit of receiving bribes while in Jizhou and had allowed his son and nephew to collect excess taxes to make more money for himself, so he had put them in prison.