Cao Cao's invasion of Xu Province 曹操攻徐州之戰

During Dong Zhuo's disorder, Tao Qian sent tribute to Chang'an and became General Who Pacifies the East and Governor of Xu Province. The biography of Tao Qian records that at this time Xu Province had a large population and abundant grain, but Tao Qian turned from the right way and acted on his own feelings, distancing the loyal and upright Zhao Yu and favoring slanderers such as Cao Hong (曹宏). In the 4th year of Chuping (193), when Que Xuan of Xiapi gathered several thousand followers and proclaimed himself Son of Heaven, Tao Qian raised troops with him, seized Hua and Fei in Taishan and plundered Rencheng, and later killed Que Xuan and absorbed his followers. Records, Wei 8 §25–26Records, Wei 1 §26

That autumn Cao Cao campaigned against Tao Qian and took more than ten cities. In the Xu Province campaign Cao Ren always led the cavalry as the vanguard, separately defeated Tao Qian's general Lü You and rejoined the main army at Pengcheng, and Zhu Ling, sent by Yuan Shao, also commanded three camps in support of Cao Cao and won merit. According to the biography of Tao Qian, in the great battle at Pengcheng Tao Qian's troops were defeated and fled, and the dead numbered in the tens of thousands, so that the Si River ceased to flow because of them; the Annals of Emperor Wu record that Tao Qian held his city and did not dare come out. Short of provisions, Cao Cao led his army back. Records, Wei 1 §26Records, Wei 9 §30Records, Wei 17 §72Records, Wei 8 §27

When Cao Cao attacked Xu Province, Tao Qian sent envoys to report the emergency to Tian Kai of Qing Province, and Tian Kai and Liu Bei came together to the rescue. Liu Bei had more than a thousand soldiers of his own, Wuhuan and other non-Han cavalry from You Province, and several thousand starving people, and when Tao Qian added four thousand Danyang soldiers to his force, he left Tian Kai and attached himself to Tao Qian. Tao Qian petitioned to make Liu Bei Inspector of Yu Province, and Liu Bei was stationed at Xiaopei. Records, Shu 2 §8–9

In the spring of the 1st year of Xingping (194) Cao Cao returned from Xu Province. The Annals of Emperor Wu record that Cao Cao's father Cao Song had taken refuge in Langya during Dong Zhuo's disorder and been killed by Tao Qian, so Cao Cao was set on attacking eastward to take revenge. In the summer Cao Cao had Xun Yu and Cheng Yu guard Juancheng, attacked Tao Qian again, took five cities and overran territory as far as Donghai. On the way back, Tao Qian's general Cao Bao and Liu Bei blocked him east of Tan, but Cao Cao defeated them and took Xiangben, slaughtering many people wherever he passed. Cao Ren went along in the attacks on Fei, Hua, Jimo and Kaiyang, and with his cavalry defeated the detached generals Tao Qian sent to rescue the counties. Tao Qian, frightened, wanted to flee to Danyang. Records, Wei 1 §28Records, Wei 9 §31Records, Wei 8 §28

While Cao Cao was in Xu Province, Zhang Miao's younger brother Zhang Chao plotted rebellion with Chen Gong, Xu Si and Wang Kai. Cao Cao had at first had Chen Gong stay in Dong Commandery with troops, but Chen Gong persuaded Zhang Miao to use his forces to bring in Lü Bu, make him Governor of Yan Province and take Puyang. The commanderies and counties all responded, and with only Juancheng, Dong'e and Fan County remaining, Cao Cao led his army back. Records, Wei 7 §12–13Records, Wei 1 §29

That year Tao Qian died of illness. When his illness became critical, Tao Qian told his Attendant Officer with Separate Carriage, Mi Zhu, that no one but Liu Bei could secure the province, and Mi Zhu led the people of the province to welcome Liu Bei. The following year, when Cao Cao wanted to take Xu Province again, Xun Yu dissuaded him, saying that since severe punishment had actually been carried out when he attacked Xu Province before, its sons and younger brothers would remember the shame of their fathers and elder brothers and every man would defend himself, and Cao Cao gave up the idea. Records, Wei 8 §28Records, Wei 1 §32Records, Shu 2 §9Records, Wei 10 §9 · 11–12