Li Jue was originally a general under Dong Zhuo. After Dong Zhuo was killed by Wang Yun and Lü Bu, he declared independence and, following the strategy of his advisor Jia Xu, attacked the capital city of Chang’an. Today, let’s discuss how Li Jue defeated Lü Bu and successfully captured Chang’an.
“Lü Bu is brave, to be sure,” Li Jue said, “but not smart enough to pose any real problem. I will take a detachment to the mouth of the gorge and provoke him to fight. When he does, General Guo Si can harry his rear, using the reverse signaling tactics Peng Yue used to harass Chu, advancing at the gong and retreating at the drum. At the same time I want you two, Zhang Ji and Fan Chou, to attack Chang’an directly with your two armies. A two-fronted assault like this will keep Lü Bu and Wang Yun from coming to each other’s aid, and we can defeat them.” All agreed with Li Jue’s plan.
— Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 9
Origin of Peng Yue’s tactics
Peng Yue’s disruptive strategy was a guerrilla warfare tactic during the Chu-Han Wars. It involved dividing forces into multiple units: some units conducted feint attacks from different directions to pin down the enemy, while others bypassed the main force to strike true targets. Named after the Han general Peng Yue, this tactic proved devastating against the Chu army. In 204 BCE, while Xiang Yu besieged Liu Bang at Xingyang, Peng Yue suddenly seized Xiapi, captured Chu general Xue Gong, and forced Xiang Yu to retreat. Peng Yue’s forces repeatedly cut off Chu’s supply lines (17 times according to records), leading to Chu’s eventual collapse in 203 BCE.
Li Jue’s adaptation against Lü Bu
In 192 CE, after Dong Zhuo’s assassination, Li Jue of the Liang Province armies employed Peng Yue’s tactics against Lü Bu:
Four-Pronged Feints:
Li Jue stationed troops on mountains, luring Lü Bu into repetitive charges while Guo Si attacked from the rear. Both forces withdrew before decisive combat, exhausting Lü Bu’s troops.
Decoy Assaults:
Using drums and gongs to signal false advances, they diverted Lü Bu’s attention while Zhang Ji and Fan Chou secretly marched toward Chang’an.
Fall of Chang’an:
When Lü Bu rushed back to defend Chang’an, his exhausted forces were ambushed. Internal rebellions (led by Shu soldiers or Dong Zhuo’s remnants) opened the gates, allowing Li Jue’s coalition to seize the capital. Lü Bu barely escaped with a few horsemen.
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