In the turbulent final years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, as warlords carved up the empire, a lesser-known figure emerged in the strategic heartland between the Central Plains and the Yangtze River. Zhang Xiu, a nephew of the fallen warlord Zhang Ji, found himself thrust into leadership after a fateful raid in 196 AD. With the guidance of the brilliant strategist Jia Xu, and under the patronage of Liu Biao, Governor of Jing Province (Jingzhou), Zhang Xiu would become a critical bulwark against Cao Cao’s southern expansion. Drawing from Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) and Luo Guanzhong’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms, this article traces Zhang Xiu’s unexpected rise.
The chaos in Sili region
Following Emperor Xian’s relocation to Xuchang in 196 AD under Cao Cao’s protection, the Sili region—the former imperial heartland—descended into anarchy.
Once the center of Han power, it was now shattered into warlord fiefdoms:
- Ma Teng and Han Sui held Youfufeng.
- Li Jue ruled from Chiyang.
- Guo Si from Meixian.
- Duan Wei in Huayin.
- Wang Yi in Hedong.
- Zhang Ji in Hongnong.
Dozens of other minor warlords, including Liang Xing and Zhang Heng, further fragmented the region.
Years of relentless warfare had devastated the population. Most civilians had fled south to Yizhou (Sichuan), leaving the land unable to sustain large armies.
The raid on Nanyang
Facing severe food shortages, Zhang Ji led his army into Nanyang Commandery, territory under Liu Biao’s control in Jing Province (Jingzhou), to plunder supplies in 196 AD. His nephew, Zhang Xiu, accompanied him.
The campaign ended in disaster. During the assault on Rang County, Zhang Ji was struck by an arrow and killed.
With his uncle’s death, Zhang Xiu assumed command of the remnants of the army. He withdrew north of Rang and established a camp to regroup.
Now leader of a homeless, hungry force, Zhang Xiu faced an uncertain future.
Jia Xu leaves Duan Wei for Zhang Xiu
At this critical juncture, Jia Xu, one of the most astute minds of the era, arrived to join Zhang Xiu.
Jia Xu had previously served under Duan Wei in Huayin, a fellow native of Liang Province (Liangzhou). However, Duan Wei was deeply suspicious of Jia Xu’s influence among the Liang Province faction and feared he might seize command.
Though Duan Wei treated Jia Xu with outward respect, the tension was palpable. Jia Xu, recognizing the danger, felt increasingly uneasy.
When Zhang Xiu, seeking a capable advisor after his failed expansion in Nanyang, sent envoys to invite Jia Xu, the strategist accepted immediately.
When asked why he would leave Duan Wei, who treated him well, Jia Xu explained:
“Duan Wei is paranoid and distrustful. Though he honors me now, he fears my influence. If I stay, disaster will follow. But if I leave, he will be relieved, and to ensure my loyalty, he will treat my family well. Zhang Xiu, however, lacks wise counselors and desperately needs me. I will be truly valued there.”
His prediction proved correct: Duan Wei was delighted by Jia Xu’s departure and protected his family.
The alliance with Liu Biao
Meanwhile, Cao Cao’s power had expanded into southern Runan Commandery in Yu Province (Yuzhou), bringing him into direct contact with Liu Biao’s Jing Province (Jingzhou).
Recognizing the strategic importance of Nanyang, Liu Biao saw an opportunity. The raiding force led by Zhang Xiu was now leaderless and vulnerable, but also battle-hardened and capable. Liu Biao sent envoys to offer Zhang Xiu asylum and alliance.
The proposal was met with enthusiasm among Zhang Xiu’s troops, who had endured years of instability. Under Liu Biao, they would gain security, supplies, and a stable base. With Jia Xu’s approval, Zhang Xiu accepted Liu Biao’s offer.
Liu Biao assigned Zhang Xiu to garrison Wancheng (modern Nanyang, Henan), the key city in northern Nanyang.
Thus, Zhang Xiu became the “Northern Guardian” of Jing Province—a semi-autonomous vassal tasked with defending against Cao Cao’s southern ambitions.
A fateful encounter with Cao Cao
In 197 AD, just one year after his alliance with Liu Biao, Cao Cao launched a southern campaign and marched on Wancheng.
What followed would become one of the most shocking defeats of Cao Cao’s career:
The Battle of Wancheng saw Cao Cao lose his eldest son, Cao Ang, his nephew Cao Anmin, and his beloved general Dian Wei. Zhang Xiu, under Jia Xu’s guidance, inflicted a crushing blow on the Cao army.
This victory, born from strategic foresight, political alliance, and the brilliance of Jia Xu, cemented Zhang Xiu’s place in history—not as a major warlord, but as a pivotal defender of the southern realm against northern domination.
Though often overshadowed by greater figures, Zhang Xiu’s brief but decisive role in the struggle between Cao Cao and Liu Biao highlights the complex web of loyalty, survival, and strategy that defined the Three Kingdoms era.
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