Following the catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Guandu (200 CE), Yuan Shao refused to accept his fate. In a final attempt to reclaim dominance, he rallied a massive force – some 200,000 to 300,000 troops – and marched once more against Cao Cao. Yet this campaign at Cangting, dramatized in Chapter 31 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ended not in redemption but in total collapse.
Meanwhile, Liu Bei, ever seeking opportunity amid chaos, launched his own strike from Runan – only to suffer another crushing setback that forced him into exile in Jingzhou (Jing Province).
While the novel paints these events with vivid strokes of strategy and pathos, historical records offer a more restrained picture. Together, they reveal a pivotal turning point: Cao Cao consolidating power in the north, while Liu Bei begins his long journey toward eventual resurgence.
Cao Cao’s decisive victory: The fictional “Ten Ambushes” at Cangting
According to Romance of the Three Kingdoms Chapter 31, Yuan Shao, “still burning with resentment” after Guandu, gathered a vast army for one last showdown. Anticipating this, Cao Cao adopted Cheng Yu’s brilliant “Ten Ambushes” stratagem: feigning retreat to lure Yuan forces deep into hostile territory, then springing a coordinated trap with hidden divisions surrounding the enemy on all sides.
The result was utter devastation:
“Yuan Shao fell into the ambush, his army annihilated. With only 800 cavalry, he fled back to Ji Province – never to recover.”
However, historical sources tell a different story about the Battle of Cangting. The Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) and Zizhi Tongjian confirm a post-Guandu engagement at Cangting in 201 CE, but describe it as a limited pursuit operation, not a grand battle involving hundreds of thousands.
There is no mention of Cheng Yu devising such a plan, nor of Yuan Shao personally leading a massive army to near-total destruction. In reality, Yuan Shao’s health was failing, and his regime was already fracturing internally – making such a large-scale offensive unlikely.
Thus, the “great defeat” in the novel serves a literary purpose: to symbolically close the Cao-Yuan rivalry and underscore Cao Cao’s tactical mastery.
Liu Bei’s failed gambit and desperate flight
While Cao Cao dealt with Yuan Shao, Liu Bei seized the moment. Stationed in Runan, he launched a surprise attack toward Xuchang, hoping to exploit Cao Cao’s northern preoccupation. But Cao Cao, ever vigilant, swiftly turned his army south.
As the Romance recounts Liu Bei suffered a rout, fleeing with scattered remnants.
During his escape, Liu Bei reunited with the loyal general Zhao Yun, and received aid from the local warlord Liu Pi. Tragically, Liu Pi was killed in battle while shielding Liu Bei – a poignant moment highlighting the cost of loyalty in turbulent times.
With no allies left in central China and pursued relentlessly, Liu Bei had nowhere to turn but south.
Sanctuary in Jingzhou: The new beginning at Xinye
Liu Bei crossed into Jingzhou (Jing Province) and sought refuge under its governor, Liu Biao. Recognizing Liu Bei’s reputation and shared imperial lineage (both claimed descent from the Han royal house), Liu Biao welcomed him warmly, even riding out of the capital Xiangyang to greet him personally.
He granted Liu Bei control of Xinye, a strategic town on the northern frontier of Jing Province, to station his troops to defend against Cao Cao, just like what he did to Zhang Xiu before. Previously, Zhang Xiu had briefly surrendered to Liu Biao, who then entrusted him with the defense of the northern border. However, Zhang Xiu later followed Jia Xu’s advice and defected to Cao Cao. Now that Liu Bei had arrived from the north, Liu Biao thus entrusted the same task to him. There, Liu Bei:
- Governed with benevolence, winning the hearts of local people;
- Recruited scholars and warriors, quietly rebuilding his faction;
- Laid the groundwork for future alliances – including, crucially, his eventual meeting with Zhuge Liang.
Though portrayed in the novel as a period of humble exile, Xinye became the cradle of Liu Bei’s revival – a quiet interlude before the storms of Red Cliffs and beyond.
Historically, this sequence aligns closely with the Sanguozhi: Liu Bei did flee to Liu Biao after defeats in Runan (around 201 CE) and was indeed stationed at Xinye. His humane governance and talent recruitment are well attested, forming the basis of his later legitimacy in Yi Province (Yizhou).
After Guandu
In the wake of Guandu, Cao Cao emerged as the unchallenged hegemon of northern China, while Liu Bei entered a phase of patient rebuilding. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms amplifies these moments with dramatic flair – ambushes, heroic sacrifices, and noble welcomes – but the core trajectory is grounded in history. Chapter 31 thus marks a narrative and historical hinge: the end of the Yuan threat, and the beginning of Liu Bei’s long road toward founding Shu Han.
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