三国演义 第二季 逐鹿中原(上)

After Liu Bei left Cao Cao, Cao Cao dispatched troops to attack Liu Bei. Liu Bei's brothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, captured Cao Cao's generals Wang Zhong and Liu Dai respectively. Learning that Cao Cao was bluffing and actually stationing troops at Liyang with a focus on Hebei, Cao Cao later reclaimed Zhang Xiu and Jia Xu, thereby containing both Liu Bei and Yuan Shao's forces. In Xudu, the imperial uncle Dong Cheng received the Girdle Edict and conspired with others to assassinate Cao Cao. In the first month of the fifth year of the Jian'an era, Dong Cheng's plot to kill Cao Cao failed. Imperial physician Ji Ping died by crashing into a pillar, and Cao Cao executed Consort Dong and all those involved with Dong Cheng. The following year, Cao Cao pacified Ma Teng of Xiliang and launched an attack on Xuzhou. In February, he personally led elite troops east to attack Liu Bei, swiftly capturing Peixian before turning to attack Xiapi and forcing Guan Yu to surrender. Liu Bei's army was completely defeated, and he fled alone to Hebei to seek refuge with Yuan Shao. In the second month of the fifth year of the Jian'an era, Yuan Shao advanced to Liyang, attempting to cross the river and seek a decisive battle with Cao Cao's main forces. He first sent Yan Liang to attack Baima to secure the crossing for his main army. At this time, strategist Xun You, considering Yuan Shao's numerical superiority, suggested a diversionary tactic to scatter his forces. Yuan Shao indeed divided his troops to Yanjin. Guan Yu killed Yan Liang and returned with his head, causing Yuan Shao's army to collapse. Yuan Shao then sent Wen Chou and Liu Bei to continue pursuing Cao Cao's forces. Cao Cao ordered his soldiers to unsaddle their horses and abandon supplies along the road. Yuan Shao's army fell for the trap, and Cao Cao's forces launched an attack, with Guan Yu killing Wen Chou. After Yan Liang and Wen Chou were slain in battle, Yuan Shao's morale was severely dampened. By then, Liu Bei had learned that Guan Yu was with Yuan Shao and entrusted Sun Qian to deliver a letter to Guan Yu. Guan Yu embarked on a solo journey, escorting the two ladies over a thousand li to find his sworn brother. Ultimately, the brothers reunited at Gucheng, renewing the oath of the Peach Garden. During this period, Sun Ce defeated Liu Xun, greatly boosting his prestige. Sun Ce killed Xu Gong, the governor of Wu Commandery, and Xu Gong's retainers assassinated Sun Ce during a hunt, leaving him wounded and poisoned. Burdened by the responsibility of fulfilling his father's ambition to conquer Jiangdong, along with events involving Taoist priest Yu Ji, Sun Ce overexerted himself mentally. This led to his illness and death at the age of twenty-six. In the eighth month of the fifth year of the Jian'an era, Yuan Shao's main forces approached Guandu, with their camp stretching dozens of li from east to west. Cao Cao confronted Yuan Shao's army. In September, Yuan Shao constructed watchtowers and piled earth into mounds to shoot arrows down at Cao Cao's camp. Cao Cao's forces created catapults to launch stones and destroy Yuan Shao's watchtowers. The two sides remained deadlocked for three months. With Cao Cao's troops few, supplies scarce, and soldiers exhausted, encouraged by Xun Yu, Cao Cao resolved to hold firm. In October, Yuan Shao ordered Chunyu Qiong to escort supplies and store them at Wuchao, north of Yuan Shao's main camp. At that time, Xu You defected to Cao Cao and suggested a surprise light cavalry attack on Wuchao to burn the supplies. Upon learning of Cao Cao's raid on Wuchao, Yuan Shao sent light cavalry for rescue and ordered Zhang He and Gao Lan to lead heavy troops to attack Cao Cao's camp. Later, Zhang He and Gao Lan surrendered to Cao Cao, causing a动摇 in morale and the collapse of Yuan Shao's army. Yuan Shao retreated to Hebei with eight hundred cavalry. The Battle of Guandu laid a solid foundation for Cao Cao to defeat Yuan Shao and unify the north...