In previous articles, we discussed why Yuan Shu launched an attack on Xuzhou and how he managed to turn Lü Bu against his ally, Liu Bei. Yuan Shu won this war, but after exhausting his efforts and paying a heavy price, he gained nothing. Liu Bei lost—utterly and completely. The only beneficiary was Lü Bu, the third party who had been living under someone else’s roof.
Yuan Shu meticulously calculated every move, only to inadvertently cultivate his destined nemesis, Lü Bu—no doubt he felt bitter at this turn of events. However, one of his strengths was his adaptability. Under the guise of allying with Lü Bu, he quickly organized a containment strategy against him.
The year 196 AD witnessed a dramatic and nearly fatal internal coup within Lü Bu’s fragile regime in Xu Province—a plot orchestrated not by a rival warlord on the battlefield, but by subterfuge and betrayal from within. Though Yuan Shu had recently allied with Lü Bu to defeat Liu Bei, his intentions were never sincere.
What followed was a clever but ultimately failed attempt to exploit divisions within Lü Bu’s ranks, using Chen Gong and Hao Meng as pawns in a “kill two birds with one stone” strategy. This article examines the Hao Meng Rebellion, drawing from Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi), Pei Songzhi’s annotations, and the dramatized narrative of Luo Guanzhong’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms, to reveal how personal loyalty, political calculation, and moral restraint shaped the outcome of this critical moment.
Yuan Shu’s deception: Alliance as a smokescreen
After Lü Bu seized Xu Province from Liu Bei in 196 AD, Yuan Shu—ruler of Jiujiang and self-proclaimed rival to the Han court—saw an opportunity. He temporarily allied with Lü Bu, even proposing a marriage between their families, to use Lü Bu as a tool to eliminate Liu Bei, who was causing trouble along the Huai River.
But Yuan Shu had no intention of sharing power. His true goal was to undermine Lü Bu from within and seize Xu Province for himself. To achieve this, he secretly conspired with key figures in Lü Bu’s camp, notably Chen Gong and Hao Meng, hoping to trigger a mutiny that would hand him Pengcheng (Xiaopi) or even the provincial capital, Xiapi.
This was a classic “the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind” strategy—Yuan Shu intended to let Lü Bu weaken Liu Bei, then destroy Lü Bu himself.
The complex factions within Lü Bu’s army
Lü Bu’s forces were not a unified army, but a coalition of rival factions:
- The Yanzhou faction: Loyalists like Chen Gong and Gao Shun, who had followed Lü Bu since his days in Yan Province and the rebellion against Cao Cao.
- The Henei faction: Soldiers and officers like Hao Meng and Cao Xing, originally sent by Zhang Yang of Henei Commandery as reinforcements.
These ethnic and regional divisions created inherent tensions, which Yuan Shu skillfully exploited.
The Midnight Coup
In the dead of night in June 196 AD, while Liu Bei and Yuan Shu were still locked in conflict along the Huai River, Hao Meng launched his rebellion.
Leading a force of Henei troops, he stormed the governor’s mansion in Xiapi, attacking the very tower where Lü Bu lived and worked.
Lü Bu, caught completely off guard, did not even recognize the rebels. In a scene of utter humiliation, he grabbed his wife, and the two—half-dressed, disheveled, and covered in filth—crawled through a latrine drain to escape.
They fled to the camp of Gao Shun, one of Lü Bu’s most disciplined and loyal commanders.
Gao Shun’s calm and decisive response
When Lü Bu burst into Gao Shun’s tent without announcement, the general remained remarkably composed.
After hearing the news, Gao Shun asked a critical question:
“Did you notice any distinguishing feature about the rebels, General?”
Lü Bu, still shaken, recalled:
“They spoke with a Henei accent.”
With this clue, Gao Shun immediately deduced the identity of the rebel leader—Hao Meng.
He calmly ordered his troops to arm themselves, then led a precise and disciplined counterattack. Using massed crossbow fire, he suppressed the rebels and regained control of the governor’s compound.
By dawn, the Henei soldiers had scattered, many returning to their barracks.
The betrayal within: Cao Xing turns on Hao Meng
During the chaos, Cao Xing, another Henei officer and subordinate of Hao Meng, realized the rebellion was failing. Switching sides, he led his men against Hao Meng.
A brutal duel ensued:
- Hao Meng wounded Cao Xing.
- Cao Xing severed one of Hao Meng’s arms.
At that moment, Gao Shun arrived and beheaded Hao Meng, ending the rebellion.
Cao Xing, severely injured, was carried on a stretcher by Gao Shun’s men to meet Lü Bu.
Chen Gong’s complicity exposed
When Lü Bu questioned Cao Xing about the plot, the wounded officer revealed the truth:
“Hao Meng was incited by Yuan Shu.”
Lü Bu pressed: “Who else was involved?”
Cao Xing answered:
“Chen Gong was his co-conspirator.”
At that moment, Chen Gong was present in the room. Upon hearing his name, his face turned red with guilt, and everyone around noticed.
The evidence was irrefutable.
Lü Bu’s political wisdom: Mercy over retribution
Despite knowing Chen Gong’s betrayal, Lü Bu chose silence. He pretended nothing had happened, avoiding any confrontation.
Instead, he publicly praised Cao Xing for his loyalty and, after his recovery, appointed him to command the former Henei troops.
This decision was not weakness, but strategic brilliance:
- Preserved Unity: By sparing Chen Gong, Lü Bu prevented a split between the Yanzhou and Henei factions.
- Maintained Stability: The immediate crisis was over; further purges would have destabilized his regime.
- Avoided Escalation: Openly accusing Chen Gong would have forced a civil war within his camp.
- Saved Face for Yuan Shu: Lü Bu did not immediately break ties with Yuan Shu, preserving a fragile peace.
Chen Gong, shamed and cowed, never attempted another coup. The Xiapi government stabilized.
The Aftermath: A failed plot, A strengthened rival
Yuan Shu’s “one stone, two birds” plan backfired completely:
- Lü Bu survived, his position strengthened by the purge of disloyal elements.
- Xiapi remained secure, and Lü Bu now controlled a well-supplied Xu Province, free from Liu Bei’s threat.
- Yuan Shu gained nothing—he had burned his bridges with Chen Gong and exposed his treachery, yet failed to eliminate Lü Bu.
Ironically, the plot helped Lü Bu consolidate power, transforming him from a fugitive warlord dependent on others into the undisputed master of Xu Province.
Conclusion: Loyalty, Treachery, and the Fragility of Power
The Hao Meng Rebellion of 196 AD is a microcosm of the Three Kingdoms era—a world where alliances were fleeting, loyalty was tested, and survival depended on both military strength and political cunning.
Though absent from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, this event highlights the real historical complexity behind Lü Bu’s rule—a man often portrayed as brutish and foolish, yet capable of remarkable political restraint when it mattered most.
In the end, Yuan Shu’s greed and deceit were his undoing, while Lü Bu’s mercy and pragmatism—guided by the steadfast loyalty of Gao Shun and the courage of Cao Xing—allowed him to survive another day in the brutal game of warlord politics.
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