Yuan Tan faction 袁譚

After defeating Gongsun Zan at Yijing, Yuan Shao sent out his eldest son Yuan Tan to govern Qing Province, and Ju Shou remonstrated that this would surely be the beginning of calamity. In Qing Province Yuan Tan summoned Wang Xiu to be his Headquarters Assistant Officer and later made him his Attendant Officer, and he also granted offices to the local magnates who had rebelled in Changguang Commandery on the coast. In the 4th year of Jian'an (199) he tried to send men from Qing Province to receive Yuan Shu, who had become destitute, and in the 5th year of Jian'an (200), when Liu Bei fled to Qing Province after his defeat by Cao Cao, Yuan Tan met him with foot and horse, went with him as far as Pingyuan, and informed Yuan Shao. When Yuan Shao's army collapsed at Guandu, Yuan Tan abandoned the army together with Yuan Shao and fled across the Yellow River. Records, Wei 6 §49 · 54Records, Wei 11 §58Records, Wei 12 §45Records, Wei 1 §56Records, Shu 2 §16–17

Yuan Shao meant to make his youngest son Yuan Shang, who was handsome, his heir, but did not make it known. Shen Pei and Feng Ji sided with Yuan Shang and Xin Ping and Guo Tu with Yuan Tan, contending for power, and the people wished to set up Yuan Tan, the eldest. But Shen Pei and the others, fearing that if Yuan Tan were set up Xin Ping and the others would harm them, installed Yuan Shang on the pretext of Yuan Shao's long-held wish. When Yuan Shao died in the fifth month of the 7th year of Jian'an (202), Yuan Tan, arriving late, could not take the position, so he styled himself General of Chariots and Cavalry and stationed himself at Liyang. Records, Wei 6 §60Records, Wei 1 §76

In the ninth month of that year, when Cao Cao marched north against them, Yuan Shang gave Yuan Tan at Liyang only a few troops and sent Feng Ji along with him. When Yuan Tan asked for more troops and Shen Pei and the others would not give them, Yuan Tan in his anger killed Feng Ji. Yuan Shang, fearing that Yuan Tan would seize his followers, had Shen Pei hold Ye and came himself to fight alongside him, but the brothers were defeated several times and held fast, and in the third month, in spring, of the 8th year of Jian'an (203) they were crushed in a battle at the outer walls and fled by night. Regarding the attack on Hedong at this time, Volume 18, the Biography of Pang De, recorded that Yuan Tan sent Guo Yuan (郭援), Gao Gan and others, but Volume 13, the Biography of Zhong Yao, called Guo Yuan the Administrator of Hedong appointed by Yuan Shang, and Volume 15, the Biography of Zhang Ji (張既), recorded that Yuan Shang sent Guo Yuan, Administrator of Hedong, Gao Gan, Inspector of Bing Province, and others. Records, Wei 1 §76–77Records, Wei 6 §61–62Records, Wei 18 §68Records, Wei 13 §6Records, Wei 15 §39

When Cao Cao reached Xiping on his way to attack Liu Biao, Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang fought each other over Ji Province, and Yuan Tan was defeated and fled to Pingyuan. His Attendant Officer Wang Xiu came to his rescue leading officials and commoners, but when Liu Xun (劉詢) raised troops at Taiyin and many cities responded, Yuan Tan lamented that the whole province was turning against him. Only Guan Tong, Administrator of Donglai, abandoned his wife and children and hurried to him, and Yuan Tan made him Administrator of Le'an. Wang Xiu remonstrated that brothers were the left and right hands and urged him to behead a few flattering ministers and make peace with Yuan Shang, but Yuan Tan would not listen and attacked Yuan Shang again. Records, Wei 1 §80Records, Wei 6 §62Records, Wei 11 §58–61

When Yuan Shang pressed his attack on Pingyuan, Yuan Tan sent Xin Pi to Cao Cao to surrender and ask for help. Amid the generals' doubts, Xun You urged that although the Yuan held the lands of four provinces and 100,000 armored troops, the brothers had become enemies, so Cao Cao should take advantage of their disorder; Xin Pi too said that if Cao Cao attacked Ye now, Yuan Shang could not hold Ye unless he went back to rescue it, and if he went back, Yuan Tan would follow on his heels. Cao Cao agreed to make peace, reached Liyang in the tenth month, in winter, and arranged a marriage with Yuan Tan for his son Cao Zheng. When Yuan Shang's generals Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang surrendered to Cao Cao, Yuan Tan secretly carved generals' seals and gave them to the two, and Cao Cao, though he knew of Yuan Tan's deceit, reassured him with the marriage and withdrew. Records, Wei 1 §80Records, Wei 10 §61–62Records, Wei 25 §2–7Records, Wei 6 §62–63

In the 9th year of Jian'an (204), while Yuan Shang again attacked Yuan Tan at Pingyuan, Cao Cao attacked Ye. While Ye was under siege, Yuan Tan seized Ganling, Anping, Bohai and Hejian, attacked Yuan Shang, who had withdrawn to Zhongshan, drove him out to Gu'an, and took in all his followers. When Cao Cao was about to attack Yuan Tan, the Wuhuan of Liucheng were about to send cavalry to help Yuan Tan, and King Qiao was on the point of sending 5,000 horsemen he had readied, but he gave it up after being persuaded by Qian Zhao, whom Cao Cao had sent. Records, Wei 1 §81 · 87Records, Wei 6 §63 · 67Records, Wei 26 §47–50

Cao Cao sent a letter rebuking Yuan Tan for breaking their agreement, broke off the marriage and sent the daughter back, and then advanced. Yuan Tan in fear abandoned Pingyuan, took Nanpi as well, and stationed himself at Longcou; in the twelfth month, when Cao Cao drew up his army before the city gate, Yuan Tan did not come out but fled by night to Nanpi and camped by the Qing River. In the first month of the 10th year of Jian'an (205), when Cao Cao surrounded Nanpi, Yuan Tan came out to fight and many of Cao Cao's soldiers died. Cao Cao wanted to ease the attack, but following Cao Chun's advice he pressed it hard, and a horseman under Cao Chun beheaded Yuan Tan. Guo Tu and others were also beheaded and Yuan Tan's wife and children were put to death, and Ji Province was pacified. Records, Wei 1 §87–88Records, Wei 6 §67Records, Wei 9 §45–46

Wang Xiu, who had been transporting provisions at Le'an, heard of Yuan Tan's death at Gaomi and wept aloud, then went to Cao Cao and asked to be allowed to gather up and bury the body, and Cao Cao, admiring his loyalty, granted it. After Yuan Tan's defeat all the cities submitted, but Guan Tong alone held Le'an and would not comply. When Cao Cao told Wang Xiu to bring him Guan Tong's head, Wang Xiu, saying that he was a loyal subject of a fallen state, loosed his bonds and had him go to Cao Cao. Records, Wei 11 §61–62

Chen Shou did not assess the Yuan Tan faction separately. The assessment of Volume 6 wrote that Yuan Shao set aside the rightful heir and set up a younger son, discarding propriety and exalting favoritism, so that the overturning of his successors and the toppling of his state were no mere misfortune. Records, Wei 6 §96