In 228 AD, during a lull in the ongoing conflicts between Cao Wei and Eastern Wu, Cao Rui (Emperor Ming of Wei) received an urgent report from Cao Xiu, the Grand Marshal (Da Sima) stationed in Yangzhou.
A Baited Letter
According to Cao Xiu, Zhou Fang, the Administrator of Poyang Commandery under Wu, had grown disillusioned with Sun Quan and secretly offered to defect to Wei. In a detailed letter, Zhou Fang proposed a coordinated attack on Poyang, urging Cao Xiu to lead troops southward while he staged an internal uprising.
Convinced – or perhaps overly eager – Cao Xiu immediately mobilized over 100,000 troops and marched toward Poyang. He also requested reinforcements from the imperial court. Without hesitation, Emperor Cao Rui dispatched Jia Kui, the Inspector of Yuzhou, to support the campaign.
What neither Cao Xiu nor the Wei court realized was that the entire plot was a ruse orchestrated by Sun Quan himself.
The Deception: Zhou Fang’s calculated sacrifice
According to historical accounts in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) by Chen Shou, particularly in the biographies of Lu Xun, Zhou Fang, and Cao Xiu, Sun Quan initially instructed Zhou Fang to use a local militia leader as bait for the feigned defection. But Zhou Fang objected:
“Local chieftains lack sophistication. They might leak the plan. It would be more credible if I myself pretended to rebel.”
Sun Quan agreed. Zhou Fang then composed a meticulously crafted letter to Cao Xiu, complete with strategic details about fortifications, troop dispositions, and timing – making the deception utterly convincing.
To further allay suspicion, Cao Xiu sent spies into Wu territory. They returned reporting that Zhou Fang had indeed clashed with Sun Quan’s officials – in reality, a staged confrontation ordered by Sun Quan. With his doubts eased, Cao Xiu pressed forward.
Yet as noted in Pei Songzhi’s annotations, Cao Xiu’s inexperience was his undoing. Though a high-ranking imperial kinsman, he lacked real battlefield acumen – a fatal flaw in the face of Sun Quan’s seasoned generals.
The three-pronged ambush at Stone Pavilion (Shiting)
Cao Xiu’s army advanced unopposed all the way to Shiting (modern Shucheng County, Anhui), unaware they were walking into a meticulously laid trap.
Sun Quan had appointed Lu Xun as Grand Commander of the Wu forces, with Zhu Huan and Quan Cong serving as left and right commanders respectively. Each led a separate column, forming a three-pronged encirclement around Shiting.
The moment Cao Xiu arrived, Wu forces attacked simultaneously from three directions. Expecting Zhou Fang’s “uprising,” Cao Xiu waited in vain for internal support – but Zhou Fang never appeared. Realizing he’d been duped, Cao Xiu ordered a desperate breakout.
The result was catastrophic. The Wei army collapsed in disarray. Over 10,000 soldiers were killed or captured, and the entire baggage train – oxen, horses, mules, grain, weapons, and supplies – was abandoned. Cao Xiu fled to Jia Shi (Jiashi Gorge), barely escaping with his life, only to find himself still surrounded by Wu cavalry shouting from every ridge.
Last-minute rescue
Just as Cao Xiu prepared to meet his end, reinforcements under Jia Kui arrived from the north, their banners boldly bearing the character “Wei.” The Wu forces, wary of engaging fresh troops in rugged terrain, halted their pursuit and withdrew.
Cao Xiu, humiliated and shaken, later submitted a memorial requesting punishment. Yet Emperor Cao Rui issued no penalty – a decision rooted not in justice, but in kinship. As a member of the imperial Cao clan, Cao Xiu enjoyed protection others would not.
Nevertheless, the shame and stress proved too much. Shortly after the defeat, Cao Xiu died – officially from illness, but widely believed to be from grief and rage.
A strategic victory for Wu
The Battle of Shiting marked one of Eastern Wu’s most decisive victories during the Three Kingdoms period. It not only shattered Wei’s southern offensive capability for years but also solidified Lu Xun’s reputation as Wu’s preeminent strategist.
For Wei, the loss exposed the dangers of appointing commanders based on lineage rather than merit – a recurring flaw in Cao Rui’s early reign.
Meanwhile, Zhou Fang was richly rewarded by Sun Quan and remained a loyal Wu official, his name forever tied to one of the era’s most brilliant acts of strategic deception.
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