Novel scene
Cao Cao Joins Forces with Three Generals 曹孟德會合三將
About this event
Cao Cao Joins Forces with Three Generals is the scene from the second half of the title of Chapter 17 of the Romance, "Yuan Gonglu Raises Seven Armies on a Grand Scale; Cao Mengde Joins Forces with Three Generals." It is the passage of the Campaign against Yuan Shu in which Cao Cao combines his troops with Sun Ce, Liu Bei and Lü Bu to attack Yuan Shu's Shouchun. The Romance depicts Yuan Shu, who had proclaimed himself emperor, attacking Xu Province along seven routes, suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of Lü Bu, and plundering Chenliu when his provisions ran out, whereupon Cao Cao set out on a southern expedition. Romance, Ch. 17 §1–4 · 13–15 · 20–21
Chen Shou's text also has this expedition. The Annals of Emperor Wu, Records of Wei 1, records that in the 9th month, in autumn, of the 2nd year of Jian'an (197), when Yuan Shu invaded Chen, Cao Cao marched east against him in person and beheaded all the men Yuan Shu had left behind, Qiao Rui and the others. Records, Wei 1 §44
In the Romance
In Chapter 17 of the Romance, Yuan Shu, having returned in defeat, tries to borrow troops from Sun Ce but instead receives a letter breaking off relations. Cao Cao makes Sun Ce Administrator of Kuaiji and has him attack Yuan Shu; on hearing that Yuan Shu is plundering Chenliu, he leaves Xudu in the charge of Cao Ren, sets out south with 170,000 horse and foot, and first sends men to bring Sun Ce, Liu Bei and Lü Bu together with him. Liu Bei, who meets him at the border of Yu Province, presents the heads of Han Xian and Yang Feng, saying he killed them at a banquet because they had plundered the people; Lü Bu, who meets him at the border of Xu Province, is appointed General of the Left. Cao Cao places Lü Bu on the left and Liu Bei on the right, and makes Xiahou Dun and Yu Jin the vanguard. Romance, Ch. 17 §17–23
At the entrance to the Shouchun border, Yuan Shu's vanguard commander Qiao Rui is speared to death by Xiahou Dun, and Sun Ce approaches from the west, Lü Bu from the east, Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei from the south, and Cao Cao from the north. On Yang Dajiang's advice, Yuan Shu gives Li Feng, Yue Jiu, Liang Gang and Chen Ji 100,000 men to hold Shouchun and crosses the Huai River. Romance, Ch. 17 §24–25
When provisions run out after a standoff of more than a month, Cao Cao has the granary officer Wang Hou hand out rations with a small measure; then, when the soldiers grumble, he beheads Wang Hou and displays his head, proclaiming that he stole grain. Cao Cao orders the city taken within three days and carries earth himself to fill the moat, and Shouchun falls; the four captured generals are beheaded in the marketplace and Yuan Shu's palace is burned. On Xun Yu's remonstrance and news of Zhang Xiu's revolt, Cao Cao withdraws his army and tells Liu Bei to stay at Xiaopei and live with Lü Bu as brothers. Romance, Ch. 17 §26–32
Where the Romance differs
The battlefield and Yuan Shu's commanders: In Chapter 17 of the Romance, Qiao Rui is speared to death by Xiahou Dun at the entrance to the Shouchun border, and Li Feng, Yue Jiu, Liang Gang and Chen Ji are captured and beheaded when Shouchun falls. In the Annals of Emperor Wu of the Records, Yuan Shu invaded Chen, but on hearing that Cao Cao was coming in person he abandoned his army and fled, leaving behind Qiao Rui, Li Feng, Liang Gang and Yue Jiu; Cao Cao arrived and beheaded them all, and Yuan Shu fled across the Huai River. Romance, Ch. 17 §24–25 · 30Records, Wei 1 §44
Sun Ce and Lü Bu: In Chapter 17 of the Romance, Sun Ce and Lü Bu join Cao Cao and attack Shouchun from the west and the east. The Biography of Sun Ce in the Records says that when Yuan Shu usurped the imperial title Sun Ce reproached him by letter and broke off relations, and the Annals of Emperor Wu records that when Yuan Shu announced his claim to the throne, Lü Bu seized his envoy and sent the letter to the court, and that the enraged Yuan Shu attacked Lü Bu and was defeated. Romance, Ch. 17 §24Records, Wu 1 §32Records, Wei 1 §44
The deaths of Han Xian and Yang Feng: In Chapter 17 of the Romance, Liu Bei holds a banquet and has Guan Yu and Zhang Fei kill the two at the signal of a thrown wine cup. In the Biography of the Former Lord in the Records, when Yang Feng and Han Xian plundered the region between Xu and Yang Provinces, Liu Bei intercepted and attacked them and beheaded them both. Romance, Ch. 17 §21–22Records, Shu 2 §12
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.