iahou Dun loses an eye but does not fret

Cao Cao planned an ambush and moved his army in suspicious directions. Eventually, Chen
Gong and Lü Bu's armies came across each other and attacked, only after a while did they realise
that they were attacking each other. By the time it was too late, for Cao Cao's army swept upon
them and they were utterly crushed.

Cao Cao then diverted the rivers near Lü Bu's territory, flooding it. Cao Cao then started
attacking and Lü Bu put up a strong defence.

Cao Cao sent Xiahou Dun to lead reinforcements to help Liu Bei, who was under attack by Lü
Bu at Xiaopei. When Xiahou Dun arrived, he encountered Lü Bu's army led by Gao Shun, and
he engaged Gao in a one-on-one fight. Both of them duelled for about 40 rounds. Gao Shun
could not hold on any longer so he retreated, with Xiahou Dun in pursuit. Lü Bu's subordinate
Cao Xing spotted Xiahou Dun on the battlefield, and he fired an arrow which hit Xiahou in his
left eye. Xiahou Dun cried out and pulled out the arrow together with his eyeball. He exclaimed,
"This is the essence of my father and the blood of my mother, I cannot waste it!" He then
swallowed his eyeball and charged towards Cao Xing. Cao Xing was caught off guard and was
killed by Xiahou Dun, who speared him in the face. The soldiers from both sides were shocked
by the scene before them.

Because of the flooding, people had miserable lives. Lü Bu gave in to wine at his wife's advice,
greatly upsetting Chen Gong, who urged him to do something. After a few days, Lü Bu realised
the wine had gotten the better of his health, and he banned wine from the whole Province.
Anyone caught would be flogged.

The lives of the people in Lü Bu's territory were extremely miserable, and Lü Bu did not treat his
subordinates well, often flogging them. Hence, they tied Lü Bu up in his sleep and his own men
surrendered him, Chen Gong, and Zhang Liao to Cao Cao. Chen Gong, wrapped in bounds,
scolded Cao Cao for being a traitor, even worse than Lü Bu, who he commented was a fool.
Chen Gong accepted his execution with dignity, forcing a reluctant executor to chop his head off
as Cao Cao wept bitterly. Chen Gong even stretched his neck for the blow.

Lü Bu groveled and pleaded with Cao Cao to let him live. Cao Cao was keen not to execute him.
However, Liu Bei, sick and tired of Lü Bu, reminded Cao Cao of how Dong Zhuo had been
betrayed by Lü Bu. Lü Bu was then executed.

Cao Cao and Liu Bei discuss about heroes

Liu Bei then followed Cao Cao back to the imperial capital, Xu, where Emperor Xian honored
him as his "Imperial Uncle". During a hunting round, the Emperor struggled to shoot down a
deer. Cao Cao took the Emperor's golden bow and arrows and shot the deer down. The
spectators, thinking the Emperor had shot the deer down, shouted, "Long live the Emperor!"
Emperor Xian was disgusted when Cao Cao laughed. Guan Yu was so offended that he wanted
to kill Cao Cao but Liu Bei stopped him, saying the three would be executed for killing him.
Emperor Xian wrote a secret decree in blood to his father-in-law, Dong Cheng, and ordered him
to get rid of Cao. Dong Cheng secretly contacted Liu Bei and others and they planned to
assassinate Cao Cao.

Liu Bei was afraid that Cao Cao would find out about his plot. Hence, he spent his time learning
how to plant seeds. Cao Cao grew suspicious and his officials told him that Liu Bei's kindness
would end up allowing him to get very popular and dangerous. Cao Cao invited Liu Bei to a
banquet and told him a very famous story where his soldiers were thirsty in a desert. He found
some trees and told his soldiers to run to the forest to get the sweet berries to eat. His soldiers
raced to the forest and Cao Cao's troops moved significantly faster.

Cao Cao then changed the topic and asked Liu Bei who he thought were the heroes of China. Liu
Bei thought that Yuan Shu, Yuan Shao, and Sun Ce were heroes. Cao Cao disagreed, claiming
that Yuan Shu was a weak pretender, Yuan Shao was indecisive and a coward and Sun Ce was
just following his father's legacy. Liu Bei guessed Liu Biao, Liu Zhang, Ma Teng, Han Sui,
Zhang Lu and Zhang Xiu, but Cao Cao deemed them worthless. He said that heroes had great
ambitions.

Cao Cao then announced that he and Liu Bei were the only heroes of China. Liu Bei was
alarmed and his chopsticks dropped to the floor. Just then, lightning struck and Liu Bei took his
own time to recover. Cao Cao asked Liu Bei how a hero can be scared of lightning, and Liu Bei
said that if sages could consider lightning powerful, there is no wrong to be scared. Cao Cao's
suspicions of Liu Bei vanished. Liu Bei then took the opportunity to get out of Cao Cao's
territory by pretending to go to war with Yuan Shu, who had been totally crushed after starting
his own dynasty.

Liu Bei seizes and loses Xu Province again

Yuan Shu perished, unable to swallow the coarse food his soldiers ate. His last request was for
honey water, but his soldiers only had blood. He was received by Che Zhou, the newly appointed
officer. Che Zhou tried to assassinate Liu Bei so Guan Yu slew him. This enraged Cao Cao, who
sent Wang Zhong and Liu Dai to attack. Wang Zhong sent up the banners of Cao Cao to trick
Liu Bei into thinking Cao Cao had come. Liu Bei avoided the ruse and Zhang Fei caught the
hapless warrior. But in prison, he was treated nicely, and when Guan Yu captured Liu Dai
sooner, they were released and told to inform Cao Cao that Liu Bei only killed Che Zhou
because he was nearly killed first.

Meanwhile, the advisor Kong Rong suggested Mi Heng to Cao Cao, who wanted to settle peace
with Liu Biao and Zhang Xiu. Unexpectedly, Mi Heng acted arrogantly and rebuked Cao Cao
and all his advisors, giving insults like saying advisor Xun Yu would make a good tomb
guardian, Zhang Liao was the best drum enthusiast, Xu Huang should be sent to kill cattle and
pigs, and so on, insulting Cao Cao, who banished him. Cao Cao sent him to Liu Biao, who was
also treated poorly. Liu Biao, displeased with Cao Cao because of Mi Heng, made peace with
Yuan Shao instead, and planned a joint attack with Ma Teng to attack the capital.
Meanwhile, the plans to kill Cao Cao were underway as Dong Cheng worked hard day and night.
One day, his physician came and saw that Dong Cheng was stressed. Dong Cheng explained, and
the physician, Ji Ping, bit his finger and pledged to kill Cao Cao. One of Dong Cheng's officers
flirted with his handmaid, annoying Dong Cheng, who flogged him multiple times. This made
the officer furious and reported Dong Cheng and Ji Ping. Cao Cao then feigned a headache, and
Ji Ping fell for it. He came to Cao Cao's room, where Cao Cao refused the poisoned medication,
until Ji Ping realised the plot had been discovered and he forcefully tried to pour the poison into
Cao Cao's eye. Cao Cao's loud screams alerted Xu Chu, who barged in and slew the doctor. Cao
Cao had Dong Cheng and the others arrested and executed along with their families. Only Ma
Teng and Liu Bei escaped, the former fleeing back to his own province.

Cao Cao was still unhappy, so he executed the two and sent an army to attack. Liu Bei called for
Yuan Shao's help, but the latter was tending to his sick son. Yuan Shao spread rumours to the
capital that Cao Cao was a bad and tyrannical person. Back at the capital, the two advisors Xun
Yu and Guo Jia were able to clear the rumors. Cao Cao defeated Liu Bei at Xu, and Liu Bei and
Zhang Fei disappeared in the chaos. Guan Yu was reminded that Liu Bei's two wives were still
in the capital, so he remained at the top of a hill, surrounded by an army led by Zhang Liao.

Guan Yu slays two generals

When Liu Bei fled to Yuan Shao, he had abandoned his wives. Guan Yu stayed back to take care
of them and he was surrounded on a hill. Zhang Liao approached him and asked him to
surrender. Guan Yu refused and asked death. At this, Zhang Liao sniggered and accused Guan
Yu of breaking the oath of the peach garden, the trust between brothers by leaving Liu Bei's
wives alone, and his own reputation if he died. Guan Yu then proposed 3 conditions.

Guan Yu had 3 conditions for surrendering. Firstly, he would only submit to the emperor and not
Cao Cao. Secondly, he would get to decide the safety arrangements of Liu Bei's wives. Lastly, if
he heard news of Liu Bei, he would be allowed to leave.

Zhang Liao hastened to report to Cao Cao. Cao Cao eventually agreed, thinking that he could
win Guan Yu over with immense kindness. He gave Guan Yu a nice home, pretty girls to look
after him and lavish banquets, but Guan Yu refused to surrender to Cao Cao. Cao Cao gave up
persuading Guan Yu after realising that Guan Yu was a true man who never betrays his
principles. Once, Cao Cao noticed Guan Yu's cloak was old, so he made his servants make a new
one. When Cao Cao presented the cloak to Guan Yu, Guan Yu thanked him profusely, but wore
the new cloak under the old and worn-out cloak. Cao Cao asked why, and Guan Yu replied that
the old cloak was a gift from Liu Bei, and he would put nobody above his brother. Cao Cao was
amazed by this, but grew disappointed.

Yuan Shao sent his 2 generals to attack Cao Cao. They were the famed Yan Liang and Wen
Chou. Cao Cao deployed Guan Yu to attack Yan Liang while Zhang Liao and Xu Huang attack
Wen Chou. Guan Yu was given the Red Hare by Cao Cao. Guan Yu was happy about it as he
could ride to his brother quicker. Using the speed if the Red Hare and his skill at fighting, Guan
Yu killed Yan Liang in no time. When Zhang Liao and Xu Huang both struggled against Wen
Chou, Guan Yu rode on his Red Hare to them and cut down Wen Chou in a flash. Yuan Shao
wanted to execute Liu Bei but due to Yuan Shao's indecisiveness, he spared Liu Bei. His
incessant indecisiveness would cost him in his next battle.

Guan Yu crosses five gates and slays six generals

Guan Yu received news of Liu Bei's whereabouts and rushed to Yuan Shao's territory. Cao Cao
gave him a warm towel to express his gratitude. Cao Cao's own generals looked down on him for
letting Guan Yu go so easily. Thus, Guan Yu faced resistance while going to meet Liu Bei.
When Guan Yu had left, he realised the carriage with the two wives were missing. He searched
and found a general named Liao Hua with the two wives. Guan Yu was going to kill Liao Hua
when the two wives stopped him. Then, Liao Hua explained that he had saved the wives from
some bandits and the wives nodded their heads. Guan Yu felt grateful and recruited Liao Hua.

On the first gate, he met Kong Xiu. Kong Xiu was rude and told him to get off or else just leave
the wives here and get consent from Cao Cao. This enraged Guan Yu, so he cut Kong Xiu down
in a flash. On the second gate, he met Meng Tan and Han Fu. Meng Tan was sliced in two while
Han Fu circled behind and prepared to shoot an arrow. The arrow hits, but Guan Yu does not
care and kills Han Fu by slicing him in half.

Guan Yu was about to reach the third gate. News spread to the guard Bian Xi. Bian Xi was a
warrior who used nunchucks. Knowing that three major generals had already fallen to Guan Yu,
he knew that he needed to use trickery if he wanted revenge. Hence, he welcomed Guan Yu and
gave him some food to eat, while he ordered some troops to kill Guan Yu when he get out of the
building. While Guan Yu was alone, a monk came to him and explained Bian Xi's trick. Guan
Yu was furious and dueled Bian Xi, killing him.

At the fourth gate, he met Wang Zhi. Wang Zhi treated him nicely, and knowing Guan Yu was
tired, let him and the wives rest in the city. However, Wang Zhi had planned to burn the city
down during the night. His subordinate Hu Ban knew that. Hu Ban was curious to see how the
respected Guan Yu looked like, so he crept around, and Guan Yu saw him. Hu Ban then revealed
Wang Zhi's ambush, and Guan Yu came with his wives and escaped, while a fire blazed in the
city they had escaped. Wang Zhi came riding after them to kill Guan Yu, but was killed by Guan
Yu. At the fifth gate, he killed Qin Qi, and then Xiahou Dun came and challenged him to a fight.
They were equally matched, and suddenly Zhang Liao came giving Guan Yu consent to cross
over. When Guan Yu reached the border of Yuan Shao's territory, Sun Qian, Liu Bei's follower
and court member, informed Guan Yu that Liu Bei had gone to Runan. Guan Yu then went to
Runan and found an eager follower in Zhou Cang. Then, he received news that Liu Bei was back
in Yuan Shao's territory.

He found a farmer's son and took a liking for him. The farmer let him take the son. Guan Yu
named the son Guan Ping. He found Zhang Fei, but Zhang Fei thought that Guan Yu had
betrayed him as Cao Cao's general Cai Yang was following him. Guan Yu cut the general down
and forgave his brother for the misunderstanding. The two brothers met up with Liu Bei at
Runan and made it their temporary base. Finally, the three brothers met and had a happy reunion.
Just then, Zhou Cang and Liao Hua came back very injured, having arrived from an invading
army camp. When Liu Bei checked it out, he was surprised to see Zhao Yun there. Zhao Yun
immediately stopped attacking and revealed that after Gongsun Zan's death, he had been
searching for Liu Bei.

This famous Chinese story shows the bravery and resilience of Guan Yu and has been adapted
into many films and shows.

Battle of Guandu

Now that Yan Liang and Wen Chou had died, a war between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao seemed
inevitable. Yuan Shao's force was predictably larger than Cao Cao's force, and Cao Cao was
anxious. Seeing this, Guo Jia advised Cao Cao not to be anxious. Then, using evidence, proved
that Cao Cao beat Yuan Shao in many important values such as principle, righteousness,
management, tolerance, strategy, virtue, benevolence, military skill, culture and wisdom. Cao
Cao felt relieved at once and started mobilising his troops.

Yuan Shao asked for help from Liu Biao and Sun Ce in the battle. Liu Biao rejected, but Sun Ce
agreed, unhappy that Cao Cao had denied his request to be promoted. However, he was harassed
by a Taoist magician and died of stress. His younger brother Sun Quan replaced him and did not
send support to Yuan Shao.

After settling the nearby provinces, including a rebellion led by former Yellow Turbans, and
internal affairs with the court, Cao Cao turned his attention north to Yuan Shao, who himself had
eliminated his northern rival Gongsun Zan that same year. Yuan Shao, himself of higher nobility
than Cao Cao, amassed a large army of 700,000 and camped along the northern bank of the
Yellow River.

In the summer of 200, after months of preparations, the armies of Cao Cao and Yuan Shao
clashed at the Battle of Guandu (near present-day Kaifeng). Cao Cao's army was outnumbered
10 to 1 by Yuan Shao. Cao Cao also was running out of supplies. The battle began with Cao Cao
charging head-on. His army was annihilated by hidden archers. For a few weeks, both sides
engaged in trench warfare, with Yuan Shao gaining the upper hand slowly. In desperation, the
scholar Liu Hua proposed to Cao Cao his strategy-an improvised trebuchet. The plan worked,
and Yuan Shao was driven back. Cao Cao then camped at Guandu. However, Cao Cao's food
was running extremely low, and he barely had enough to supply for 3 months.

Yuan Shao's messenger told him about Cao Cao's situation. Surprisingly, Yuan Shao thought that
it was a trick and refused to do anything. Had he sent his army to Cao Cao's base, he would have
won the battle. Angered by this, many of Yuan Shao's generals such as Zhang He left for Cao
Cao. Cao Cao's old friend, Xu You, also left for Cao Cao. When Cao Cao heard about this, he
was so excited he forgot to put on his shoes. Cao Cao's old friend advised Cao Cao to burn Yuan
Shao's supply depot and take as much as he could. With no food, Yuan Shao's army could not
advance. The panicking Yuan Shao then sent 2 forces to Cao Cao's base and his burnt supply
depot. Cao Cao ambushed the group heading to his supply depot and sent a false letter to Yuan
Shao, making the latter think that Cao Cao had been defeated at the supply depot. Then, while
his army clashed with Yuan Shao-s army, Cao Cao led a pincer attack to defeat Yuan Shao's
army. Cao Cao then spread false rumours that he had surrounded Yuan Shao's base, so Yuan
Shao panicked and defended his camp evenly. Cao Cao then broke through the thin line of
defence and sent Yuan Shao running.