Novel scene
Cao Cao Withdraws through Xie Valley 曹阿瞞兵退斜谷
About this event
"Cao Cao Withdraws through Xie Valley" is the latter scene of Chapter 72 of the Romance, whose chapter title reads "Zhuge Liang Takes Hanzhong by Wit; Cao Ah Man Withdraws His Troops to the Xie Valley," and the closing passage of the Hanzhong Campaign. Cao Cao, having abandoned Yangping Pass and fled, is joined by Cao Zhang and stays at the mouth of the Xie Valley, unable either to advance or to retreat; he beheads Yang Xiu, who interpreted the password "chicken rib" and packed his baggage, for unsettling the army, and only after Wei Yan's arrow breaks two of his front teeth does he turn his army back. Romance, Ch. 72 §19–28 · 38–39
Chen Shou's text records this retreat briefly. The Annals of Emperor Wu record that in the 3rd month of the 24th year of Jian'an (219) Cao Cao came out from Chang'an through the Xie Valley and reached Yangping, but when Liu Bei held him off relying on the rugged terrain, he led his army back to Chang'an in the 5th month, summer; the Biography of the First Sovereign says that Cao Cao, unable to win after several months, saw more of his men desert every day and went back in the summer. Records, Wei 1 §166–167Records, Shu 2 §39
In the Romance
In Chapter 72 of the Romance, Cao Cao, having withdrawn to Yangping Pass, sends Xu Chu to meet the provision train, but Xu Chu, drunk, takes the night road into Baozhou, is speared in the shoulder by Zhang Fei and loses all the provision carts. Chasing Liu Feng's feigned flight, Cao Cao falls back in alarm at the sound of cannon on all sides, and when the Shu troops set fire to the four gates of Yangping Pass and beat their drums, he abandons the pass and flees. Pursued in turn by Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong, Cao Cao meets his second son Cao Zhang at the mouth of the Xie Valley. Romance, Ch. 72 §14–20
The Romance says that Cao Zhang, having attacked the Wuhuan of Dai Commandery in the 23rd year of Jian'an (218) and pacified the north, came to help on hearing that Cao Cao had been defeated at Yangping. Having gained "my yellow-bearded boy," Cao Cao sets up camp at the mouth of the Xie Valley, and Cao Zhang drives off Liu Feng in three bouts and spears Wu Lan to death with his halberd. But Ma Chao's troops charge in and Cao Cao's army is defeated, and Cao Cao hesitates: if he advances Ma Chao blocks him, and if he retreats he fears the ridicule of the Shu army. Romance, Ch. 72 §21–24
When Cao Cao, looking at a bowl of chicken-rib soup, gives "chicken rib" as the night's password, Yang Xiu, the Registrar on campaign, says it means something with no meat to eat but too tasty to throw away, so the King of Wei will soon withdraw his troops, and packs his baggage, and Xiahou Dun and the other generals follow suit. Seeing this, Cao Cao says that Yang Xiu has made up words to unsettle the army, and has him beheaded and his head hung outside the camp gate. The Romance explains that Yang Xiu, relying on his talent, had repeatedly guessed Cao Cao's intentions and had helped Cao Zhi, thereby incurring hatred, and that Cao Cao, who already meant to kill him, used this offense as a pretext. Yang Xiu was thirty-four. Romance, Ch. 72 §25–35
The next day Cao Cao, emerging from the mouth of the Xie Valley, runs into Wei Yan, and while Ma Chao raids his camp he watches the fighting from a high hill, is struck by Wei Yan's arrow and falls from his horse. Pang De drives off Wei Yan and rescues him, but the arrow has hit him in the philtrum and broken two of his front teeth; only then does Cao Cao recall Yang Xiu's words, give his body a generous burial, have Pang De cut off pursuit at the rear, and turn his army back. Romance, Ch. 72 §37–39
Where the Romance differs
How the retreat came about: In Chapter 72 of the Romance, Cao Cao turns his army back only after the chicken-rib affair, when Wei Yan's arrow breaks his front teeth. The Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records record only that in the 3rd month he came out through the Xie Valley and reached Yangping, and that when Liu Bei held out relying on the strongpoints, he returned to Chang'an in the 5th month, summer. Romance, Ch. 72 §38–39Records, Wei 1 §166–167
Yang Xiu's death: In Chapter 72 of the Romance, Cao Cao beheads Yang Xiu in camp for unsettling the army by spreading the meaning of "chicken rib." The biography of Cao Zhi in the Biographies of the Princes of Rencheng, Chen and Xiao in Records of Wei 19 records only that Taizu, concerned about troubles to come, had Yang Xiu, who had talent and resourcefulness and was a nephew of the Yuan clan, executed on a charge; it does not record the events in Hanzhong. Romance, Ch. 72 §28 · 35Records, Wei 19 §16
Cao Zhang and Wu Lan: In Chapter 72 of the Romance, Cao Zhang, after pacifying the north, comes to the mouth of the Xie Valley to help in the fighting, drives off Liu Feng and spears Wu Lan to death. In the Records, Cao Zhang, after pacifying the north, was summoned to Taizu's field headquarters at Chang'an and met him there, and the Annals of Emperor Wu record that in the 3rd month of the 23rd year of Jian'an (218) Qiang Duan of the Di of Yinping beheaded Wu Lan and sent his head. Romance, Ch. 72 §22–24Records, Wei 19 §7Records, Wei 1 §160
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.