Following the Battle of Baima, where Guan Yu famously slew Yan Liang, Cao Cao made no attempt to hold the exposed position at Baima. Instead, he executed a calculated retreat along the Yellow River toward Yanjin, a critical crossing point that had already fallen into Yuan Shao’s hands.
What unfolded next—chronicled in both historical texts like Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) and dramatized in Luo Guanzhong’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms—was not merely another skirmish, but a masterclass in psychological warfare. Through Xun You’s ingenious “bait-the-enemy” tactic, Cao Cao turned apparent vulnerability into devastating victory, culminating in the death of Wen Chou, Yuan Shao’s second great general. This double loss—Yan Liang and Wen Chou within two months—shattered Yuan Shao’s morale and paved the way for Cao Cao’s ultimate triumph at Guandu.
Strategic Retreat and the Loss of Yanjin
After lifting the siege of Baima, Cao Cao withdrew southward along the Yellow River. Earlier, to divert Yuan Shao during the Baima campaign, he had sent Yu Jin and Yue Jin across the river at Yanjin to harass Yuan Shao’s right flank. Though this feint succeeded in drawing enemy forces away from Baima, the detachment was too small to hold ground.
Yuan Shao quickly overwhelmed them and seized control of the Yanjin crossing, turning it into a springboard for his main invasion.
Now firmly in possession of Yanjin, Yuan Shao prepared to lead his entire army across the Yellow River—a move that would bring him directly into Cao Cao’s heartland.
Ju Shou’s Warning: A Voice Ignored
Before the crossing, Ju Shou, one of Yuan Shao’s most prudent advisors, urged caution:
“We should garrison our main force at Yanjin and send only a vanguard to attack Guandu. If we succeed there, we can reinforce; if we fail, our core army remains safe.”
But Yuan Shao, confident in his numerical superiority, dismissed the advice outright.
Ju Shou sighed in despair:
“My lord is driven by grand ambition, yet his officers crave quick glory. Gazing upon this vast river, I wonder what fate awaits me.”
Ignoring all counsel, Yuan Shao committed his entire host across the Yellow River and encamped just south of Yanjin.
Cao Cao’s Feigned Chaos: Setting the Trap
Cao Cao established his camp 20 li (about 10 kilometers) south of Yanjin. Upon learning this, Yuan Shao dispatched Wen Chou and Liu Bei with a rapid pursuit force.
Scouts reported to Cao Cao:
First, “Five or six hundred cavalry are approaching!”
Moments later, “Now thousands more—cavalry and infantry beyond count!”
Instead of panicking, Cao Cao ordered his men to stop reporting enemy movements. He then commanded his cavalry to dismount, remove their saddles, and let their horses graze freely, creating an illusion of disarray and abandonment.
By now, Wen Chou and Liu Bei’s force had swelled to 5,000–6,000 men.
His generals urged immediate retreat to the fortified Guandu camp. But Xun You, ever perceptive, saw opportunity:
“This is the perfect moment to destroy them—why retreat?”
He proposed a bold stratagem: use supply wagons as bait.
The “Bait-and-Ambush” in Action
Cao Cao followed Xun You’s plan. He ordered all baggage and provisions—tents, grain, weapons, even luxury items—to be scattered carelessly along the roadside.
When Wen Chou’s troops arrived, they saw what appeared to be a panicked Cao army fleeing in chaos, leaving behind rich spoils. Discipline collapsed instantly. Soldiers rushed to loot the abandoned goods, breaking formation and losing cohesion.
Cao Cao waited until the enemy was fully engrossed in plunder—then gave the signal.
Six hundred elite cavalry leapt onto their mounts and charged. The surprise was total. Wen Chou’s army disintegrated into panic. In the ensuing rout, Wen Chou himself was cut down in the chaos—his exact killer unnamed in history, though fiction later credits Guan Yu.
The Collapse of Yuan Shao’s Morale
The deaths of Yan Liang and Wen Chou—Yuan Shao’s two most celebrated generals—within just two months dealt a catastrophic blow to his army’s spirit. These were not mere officers; they were symbols of Yuan Shao’s military might. Their sudden, ignoble ends sowed fear and doubt throughout his ranks.
Historically, this sequence of events—Baima and Yanjin—demonstrates Cao Cao’s superior command of deception, timing, and psychological manipulation. Fictionally, Romance of the Three Kingdoms amplifies the drama, casting Guan Yu as Wen Chou’s slayer to heighten his heroic aura. Yet the core truth remains: Xun You’s “bait-the-enemy” stratagem was a decisive turning point on the road to Guandu.
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