🎭 Story 21: Cao Cao's Clever Battle Against Jia Xu

1. Cao Cao immediately wrote to the Emperor (Emperor Xian of Han) reporting that the local warlord Zhang Xiu was rebelling and that troops should be sent to suppress him. Knowing that Cao Cao was leading troops to attack, Zhang Xiu hurriedly sent a letter to Liu Biao, requesting him to provide backup.

 

2. ...Cao Cao was furious and ordered Xu Chu to fight. Zhang Xiu ordered Zhang Xian to engage him. In just three rounds, Xu Chu killed Zhang Xian, and Zhang Xiu's army suffered a crushing defeat. Cao Cao led his army to the walls of Nanyang. Zhang Xiu entered the city and refused to leave.

 

3. Cao Cao besieged the city. Seeing that the city's moat was wide and deep, making it difficult to approach the city quickly, he ordered his soldiers to transport soil to fill the moat; he also used burlap sacks filled with firewood and straw, stacking them along the city walls as makeshift ladders; and he erected siege ladders to observe the city.

 

4. Cao Cao personally rode around the city to assess the situation. Three days later, Cao Cao ordered his soldiers to pile up firewood at the west corner of the city gate and gather his generals, preparing to storm the high city walls.

 

5. Jia Xu, the strategist in the city, seeing this, said to Zhang Xiu, "I already know Cao Cao's plan; now we can play along and follow his lead." Indeed: There's always someone stronger, and even those who use deception will encounter someone who recognizes it.

 

6. Jia Xu, having anticipated Cao Cao's intentions, wanted to use the plan against him. He told Zhang Xiu, "From the city wall, I saw Cao Cao circle the city three times. He noticed that the bricks and earthen mounds at the southeast corner were of different colors, some old and some new, and there were deer antlers (obstacles to prevent enemy soldiers from gathering)..." Most of it is destroyed, indicating an intention to attack from here; cunningly, they are making a show of force by piling up firewood in the northwest, trying to lure me into withdrawing my troops to defend the northwest. Under the cover of darkness, when visibility is poor, they will climb in from the southeast corner to attack the city.” Zhang Xiu asked, “I understand, what should we do now?”

 

7. Jia Xu replied, “This is simple. In the next few days, we can order the strong soldiers to eat their fill, wear light uniforms, and hide them all in the houses in the southeast corner. Meanwhile, we can have ordinary civilians disguise themselves as soldiers, pretending to defend the northwest corner, allowing the enemy to climb the city walls in the southeast corner at night. When they climb in, a cannon shot will be fired, allowing the ambushing soldiers to attack, and Cao Cao can be captured alive.”

 

8. Zhang Xiu happily followed Jia Xu's plan and acted accordingly. Scouts had already reported to Cao Cao that Zhang Xiu had completely withdrawn his troops to defend the northwest corner, loudly proclaiming his intention to defend the city, while the southeast was extremely vulnerable. Cao Cao said, "The enemy has fallen for my trap!" He then secretly ordered his army to prepare shovels and hoes (tools for digging and climbing the city walls), and climbing equipment. During the day, he led his army to attack only the northwest corner; at midnight, he led elite troops to climb the southeast corner of the city wall, cross the river, and cut down the deer antlers (obstacles to prevent enemy soldiers from gathering).

 

9. At this time, there was no movement in the city, and all the soldiers rushed into the city. Suddenly, a cannon fired, and Zhang Xiu's ambushing soldiers sprang up. Cao Cao's army retreated hastily, and Zhang Xiu personally led his brave soldiers to attack from behind. Cao Cao's army was utterly defeated, retreating outside the city and fleeing for dozens of miles.

 

10. Zhang Xiu pursued them until dawn before withdrawing his army into the city. Cao Cao calculated and counted his defeated soldiers; he had lost over 50,000 men, and the number of lost supplies and provisions was too great to count. Generals Lu Qian and Yu Jin were both wounded.