Battle of Puyang 濮陽之戰

In the 1st year of Xingping (194), when Cao Cao again went to attack Tao Qian, Zhang Miao's younger brother Zhang Chao plotted rebellion together with Chen Gong, Xu Si and Wang Kai. Chen Gong persuaded Zhang Miao that, since the provincial army had gone on the eastern campaign and the province was empty, they should welcome Lü Bu, govern Yan Province together with him and watch how the situation developed. Chen Gong, whom Cao Cao had left stationed in Dong Commandery with troops, used those troops to welcome Lü Bu, made him Governor of Yan Province and seized Puyang, and the commanderies and counties all went over to them. Records, Wei 7 §12–13Records, Wei 1 §29

Xun Yu, who had been left in charge at Juancheng, realized that a revolt had broken out when Zhang Miao sent word that General Lü had come to attack Tao Qian and should be supplied with provisions; he made preparations, summoned the Administrator of Dong Commandery, Xiahou Dun, and had him behead several dozen plotters that very night. When the Inspector of Yu Province, Guo Gong, came below the walls with tens of thousands of men, Xun Yu met him in person and got him to withdraw. Cheng Yu persuaded Jin Yun, the Prefect of Fan County, and sent cavalry to cut off the Cangting Ford so that Chen Gong could not cross, and the Prefect of Dong'e, Zao Zhi, held his city firmly, so the three cities remained intact. Xiahou Dun, hurrying toward Juancheng, clashed with Lü Bu, and was taken hostage by commanders whom Lü Bu, having entered Puyang, had sent to feign surrender, but his commander Han Hao attacked and beheaded the hostage-takers. Records, Wei 1 §28Records, Wei 10 §5–7Records, Wei 14 §9–11Records, Wei 9 §3–4

Lü Bu attacked Juancheng but could not take it and stationed himself to the west at Puyang. Cao Cao, returning from Xu Province, said that since Lü Bu, having gained a whole province in a single morning, had failed to seize Dongping and cut the roads through Kangfu and Taishan so as to intercept him at the passes, and was instead staying at Puyang, he knew Lü Bu could accomplish nothing. Cao Hong went ahead, took Dongping and Fan County, and gathered grain to supply the army. Records, Wei 1 §29Records, Wei 9 §49

According to the biography of Dian Wei, Lü Bu had a separate camp 40 or 50 li west of Puyang; Cao Cao attacked it by night and broke it around daybreak, but before he could return, Lü Bu's relief force arrived and fighting broke out on three sides. When Lü Bu himself fought dozens of bouts from morning until the sun declined, Cao Cao called for men to charge into the enemy line, and Dian Wei went forward with the several dozen volunteers, wearing double armor and carrying long spears and halberds. Dian Wei said to tell him when the enemy were ten paces away, and then to tell him again at five paces; then, holding a dozen or so halberds, he rose with a great shout and felled everyone he met, Lü Bu's men fell back, and Cao Cao got away only at nightfall. Yu Jin separately broke two of Lü Bu's camps south of the city. Records, Wei 18 §61–62Records, Wei 17 §28

When Cao Cao advanced and attacked Puyang, Lü Bu first charged the Qingzhou troops with his cavalry. When the Qingzhou troops fled and the battle line fell into disorder, Cao Cao galloped out through the flames, fell from his horse and burned the palm of his left hand, and the Major Lou Yi helped him back onto his horse and they withdrew. Before Cao Cao reached camp, the commanders, who had not seen him, were all afraid, but Cao Cao went among the troops to encourage them in person, had siege equipment made in haste and attacked again, and faced Lü Bu for more than a hundred days. Records, Wei 1 §30

When swarms of locusts arose, the people starved severely, and Lü Bu's provisions also ran out, the two armies each withdrew. In the 9th month Cao Cao returned to Juancheng, and Lü Bu, after being defeated by Li Jin at Chengshi, stationed himself to the east at Shanyang. When Yuan Shao sent a man to propose an alliance and tried to have Cao Cao's family moved to Ye, Cao Cao, who had lost Yan Province and run out of provisions, was about to agree, but Cheng Yu dissuaded him, saying that he still had three cities and ten thousand men fit to fight, and he gave up the idea. That year a hu of grain cost more than 500,000 cash. Records, Wei 1 §30–32Records, Wei 14 §13–14

The next year, the 2nd year of Xingping (195), Cao Cao defeated Lü Bu in the Battle of Dingtao, Lü Bu fled east to Liu Bei, and Yan Province was pacified. Records, Wei 1 §33–34