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Influenced by the famous novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, many people believe that it was Cao Cao who facilitated the military alliance against Dong Zhuo. According to the novel, Cao Cao forged an imperial edict, falsely conveyed the emperor’s order to summon heroes from across the realm to campaign against Dong Zhuo, and…
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In the two preceding articles, we discussed Cao Cao’s recovery of Yan Province and Zhang Miao’s betrayal of Cao Cao. Both accounts involved a key figure: Zhang Chao, Zhang Miao’s younger brother. In December 195, Cao Cao besieged Yongqiu, where Zhang Chao was stationed, eventually conquering the city and executing Zhang Chao and all…
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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.
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In 192 AD, after Li Jue and Guo Si seized Chang’an, murdered Wang Yun, and captured Emperor Xian, they established control over the Sili region and eastern Liang Province(Liangzhou), effectively holding the Han central government hostage for the next four years. Though they nominally ruled in the emperor’s name, real power in the empire…