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Among the brilliant minds who shaped the Three Kingdoms era, none captured Cao Cao’s trust – or foresaw the future with such uncanny precision – as Guo Jia, styled Fengxiao.
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Chapter 16 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms presents two pivotal events that profoundly altered the balance of power during the late Eastern Han dynasty. One showcases military brilliance and political cunning, while the other reveals the peril of personal indulgence and strategic overreach.
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In the turbulent struggle to unify northern China during the late Eastern Han dynasty, Cao Cao faced two primary threats: Yuan Shao, the dominant warlord of the north, and Lü Bu, the fearsome but unstable warrior who controlled key territories to the southeast. While Yuan Shao commanded vast armies and held sway over four…
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Some say that although Zhang Xiu killed Cao Cao’s son, nephew, and general Dian Wei, Cao Cao did not have him killed—a stroke of luck for Zhang Xiu. However, caught in the turmoil, Zhang Xiu’s life was profoundly tragic.
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The year 197 AD marked a turning point in Cao Cao’s southern expansion—not through victory, but through a catastrophic defeat born of arrogance and personal folly. His campaign against Zhang Xiu in Nanyang Commandery began with a bloodless surrender but ended in humiliation, death, and strategic reversal. What should have been a swift annexation…
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In early 194 AD, Cao Cao launched his second punitive expedition against Xuzhou, targeting Tao Qian, whom he blamed for the murder of his father, Cao Song. His forces advanced deep into Xuzhou, capturing cities and inflicting heavy casualties.
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In the summer of 194 AD, while Cao Cao was deep in Xuzhou, devastating Tao Qian’s forces and advancing toward Tan County, disaster struck at home. News reached him: Chen Gong and Zhang Miao had rebelled, opening the gates of Yanzhou to Lü Bu, the famed warrior fleeing from Dong Zhuo’s downfall.