Battle of Baima 白馬之戰

After crushing Gongsun Zan and bringing four provinces under his control, Yuan Shao put Shen Pei and Feng Ji in charge of military affairs, made Yan Liang and Wen Chou his generals, picked 100,000 elite troops and 10,000 cavalry, and prepared to attack Xu. In Xun Yu's biography, Kong Rong said that Yan Liang and Wen Chou were the bravest in the three armies and Yuan Shao would be hard to beat, but Xun Yu replied that theirs was merely the courage of common fellows and they could be captured in a single battle. In the 1st month of the 5th year of Jian'an (200) Cao Cao defeated Liu Bei in the east, captured Guan Yu, made him Lieutenant General and treated him very generously. Records, Wei 6 §49Records, Wei 10 §29–30Records, Wei 1 §58–59Records, Shu 6 §4

In the 2nd month Yuan Shao sent Guo Tu, Chunyu Qiong and Yan Liang to attack Liu Yan, the Administrator of Dong Commandery, at Baima, and went to Liyang himself, meaning to cross the Yellow River. In the Biography of Yuan Shao, Ju Shou remonstrated that Yan Liang was narrow-minded by nature and, though brave and fierce, should not be given sole command, but Yuan Shao did not listen. Dong Zhao's biography records that when Yuan Shao sent Yan Liang to attack Dong Commandery, Cao Cao transferred Dong Zhao to Administrator of Wei Commandery and had him join the campaign against Yan Liang. Records, Wei 1 §60Records, Wei 6 §51Records, Wei 14 §57

In the 4th month of summer, when Cao Cao set out north to rescue Liu Yan, Xun You said that their troops were now too few to match the enemy, so the enemy's strength had to be divided: if they went to Yanjin and made as if to cross the river and strike his rear, Yuan Shao would surely respond to the west, and then a light force could surprise Baima and strike while it was unprepared, and Yan Liang could be captured. Cao Cao followed this, and Yuan Shao, hearing that troops were crossing the river, at once divided his forces and responded to the west. Records, Wei 1 §60–61

Cao Cao led his troops at double pace toward Baima, and only when they were less than 10-odd li away was Yan Liang greatly alarmed and came out to fight. Cao Cao sent Zhang Liao and Guan Yu ahead, broke the enemy and beheaded Yan Liang. Guan Yu's biography records that Guan Yu, catching sight of Yan Liang's banner and carriage canopy, whipped his horse, stabbed Yan Liang in the midst of ten thousand men and came back with his head, and none of Yuan Shao's generals could stand against him, so that the siege of Baima was finally lifted. Xu Huang's biography records that he too took part in defeating Yan Liang and took Baima. Records, Wei 1 §61Records, Shu 6 §4Records, Wei 17 §58

Cao Cao lifted the siege of Baima, moved its people and went west along the Yellow River. When Yuan Shao crossed the Yellow River in pursuit and reached south of Yanjin, Cao Cao used his baggage train as bait and beheaded Wen Chou. Xun You's biography records that Xun You devised the plan by which Yan Liang was beheaded, and that the matter is in the Annals of Emperor Wu, and Xun Yu's biography records that Yan Liang and Wen Chou lost their heads on the battlefield, exactly as Xun Yu had predicted. The Annals of Emperor Wu record that Yan Liang and Wen Chou were both famous generals of Yuan Shao, and that with both taken in two battles, Yuan Shao's army was badly shaken. Records, Wei 1 §61–63Records, Wei 10 §58 · 32

Cao Cao promptly memorialized the throne to enfeoff Guan Yu as Marquis of Hanshou Precinct. Cao Cao had earlier had Zhang Liao ask Guan Yu his intentions, and Guan Yu had said that he knew well how generously Cao Cao treated him, but since he had sworn to die together with Liu Bei, he would leave after repaying him with a deed of merit. When Guan Yu killed Yan Liang, Cao Cao knew he was sure to leave and rewarded him all the more heavily, but Guan Yu sealed up everything he had received, submitted a letter of farewell, and fled to Liu Bei in Yuan Shao's camp. Cao Cao told those around him who wanted to give chase not to pursue him, since each was serving his own master. Records, Shu 6 §5–6Records, Wei 1 §63