💀 Story 27: Lu Bu's Defeat and Death

Chen Gong's Advice Fails

When Lu Bu was stationed in Xiapi, he relied on the ample food supplies and the natural defenses of the Si River, believing he could hold the city safely without fear.

 

His advisor, Chen Gong, suggested, "Cao Cao's army has just arrived and their camp is not yet firmly established. We can take advantage of their exhaustion and the incomplete construction of their palisades, while we are well-rested, to launch a preemptive attack on Cao Cao. We can use our comfortable state to attack their fatigue; such conditions will surely lead to victory."

 

Lu Bu replied, "I have recently suffered repeated defeats and it is not advisable to launch a hasty attack. We should wait for Cao Cao's army to besiege the city, then attack from the city walls and counterattack from the riverbank. Cao Cao's soldiers will fall into the Si River, and we can then shoot them all into the water." Therefore, Lu Bu did not heed Chen Gong's advice. This ultimately led to his defeat, or at least was one of the reasons for it.

027 

Chen Gong advised Lu Bu to deploy guerrilla forces outside major cities, but Lu Bu disagreed. He argued that a single, isolated city was difficult to defend; a strong defense required isolated cities supported by external guerrilla forces.