Battle of Ruxu 濡須之戰

In the 5th month of the 21st year of Jian'an (216) Cao Cao became King of Wei. Readying his troops in the 10th month, winter, of that year and setting out to attack Sun Quan, he reached Qiao in the 11th month, and the Biography of the Lord of Wu records that in the winter of the 21st year Cao Cao halted at Juchao and then attacked Ruxu. Records, Wei 1 §154–155Records, Wu 2 §23

In the 1st month, spring, of the 22nd year (217) Cao Cao encamped at Juchao, and in the 2nd month he advanced and stationed himself at Haoxi in Jiangxi. The Annals of Emperor Wu record that when Sun Quan built a city at Ruxukou and held it, Cao Cao closed in and attacked, and Sun Quan retreated and fled. The Biography of Lü Meng records that when Cao Cao again came out to Ruxu with a large army, Sun Quan made Lü Meng commander and had him hold the fortification built earlier, placing ten thousand powerful crossbows on top of it to resist, and that Lü Meng attacked and broke Cao Cao's vanguard before it had finished building its camp, whereupon Cao Cao withdrew. Records, Wei 1 §156Records, Wu 9 §76

Zang Ba served as vanguard together with Zhang Liao when attacking Sun Quan at Ruxukou. The Biography of Zang Ba records that on the march they met heavy rains, the waters rose and the enemy ships drew near, so that all the officers and men grew uneasy, and when Zhang Liao wanted to leave, Zang Ba stopped him, asking whether the Duke would abandon them. The next day the order did indeed come, and Cao Cao, approving of this, appointed Zang Ba General Who Spreads Might and granted him a provisional tally. Records, Wei 18 §27–28

The Biographies of Gan Ning, Dong Xi and Zhou Tai in Records of Wu 10 also record events from when Cao Cao came out to Ruxu, but do not give the year. Gan Ning, as Commander of the Front Division, fed wine and food to his more than one hundred men, then at the second watch went out with gags in their mouths and struck the enemy's forward camp, and Dong Xi was stationed at Ruxukou in command of a five-storied tower ship and died when it capsized in a violent wind at night. Zhou Tai stayed behind to supervise Ruxu after Cao Cao withdrew. Records, Wu 10 §62–63 · 51 · 29

In the spring of the 22nd year Sun Quan sent the Commandant Xu Xiang to Cao Cao to ask to surrender, and Cao Cao sent an envoy in reply, restored friendly relations and swore to renew the marriage alliance. In the 3rd month, leading his army back, Cao Cao left Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, Zhang Liao and others stationed at Juchao, and the Biography of Zang Ba records that after Sun Quan asked to surrender, Zang Ba too stayed at Juchao with Xiahou Dun and others. Around this time Sima Lang, who had reached Juchao with Xiahou Dun, Zang Ba and others, died in the Epidemic of 217 that spread among the soldiers. Records, Wu 2 §24Records, Wei 1 §156Records, Wei 18 §28Records, Wei 15 §26