The Battle of Wancheng: A Costly Mistake

The year 197 CE marked a pivotal moment in China’s late Han dynasty, when two of the era’s most formidable warlords – Cao Cao and Liu Bei – faced crucial tests that would shape their futures. For Cao Cao, what began as a routine military campaign nearly ended in catastrophe due to a moment of personal indiscretion.

In the first month of 197, Cao Cao launched a western expedition against Zhang Xiu, seeking to capture Nanyang Commandery – the prosperous northern region of Jing Province that included the ancestral home of Emperor Guangwu. Zhang Xiu, nephew of the late general Zhang Ji, had inherited his uncle’s troops and established himself in Wan City after Zhang Ji’s death during an aborted campaign against Liu Biao.

The campaign initially proceeded smoothly, with Zhang Xiu surrendering without resistance when Cao’s army reached the Yu River. However, Cao Cao’s subsequent actions would prove disastrous. In a fateful lapse of judgment, Cao took Zhang Ji’s widow – Zhang Xiu’s aunt – as his concubine, deeply offending his new ally. When Cao then attempted to bribe Zhang Xiu’s general Hu Che’er, the humiliated warlord decided to strike first.

The Night Attack and Its Consequences

Zhang Xiu’s surprise night attack caught Cao Cao completely unprepared. In the chaotic battle that followed, Cao suffered devastating losses:

– His prized warhorse “Jueying” was crippled by arrows
– He sustained an arrow wound to his right arm
– His eldest son Cao Ang sacrificed himself to ensure his father’s escape
– His nephew Cao Anmin perished in the fighting
– His elite bodyguard Dian Wei died heroically holding off the attackers

Dian Wei’s death represented perhaps the greatest loss. As both Cao’s personal protector and leader of his vanguard shock troops, the mighty warrior had been irreplaceable. Contemporary accounts describe his final stand with almost mythical proportions – after his weapons broke, he allegedly used enemy soldiers as improvised clubs before finally succumbing to dozens of wounds.

Strategic Repercussions and Institutional Changes

The Wancheng disaster forced several significant changes in Cao Cao’s approach:

1. He implemented a hostage system for surrendering officers’ families
2. He became more cautious about accepting surrenders at face value
3. The surviving Qingzhou troops’ misconduct revealed tensions within his army

Most critically, the battle re-established the Zhang Xiu-Liu Biao alliance as a persistent threat to Cao’s southern flank – a vulnerability that would loom large in coming years.

The Rise of Liu Bei: From Refugee to Governor

While Cao Cao licked his wounds, another drama was unfolding in Xu Province. Liu Bei, the perennial underdog of late Han politics, found himself unexpectedly elevated from minor warlord to provincial governor through a combination of charm and circumstance.

Liu’s path to power had been arduous. Despite claiming distant imperial ancestry, he began life in poverty after his father’s early death. His early career saw him:

– Leading militia against the Yellow Turbans
– Serving briefly as a county official before beating his superior and fleeing
– Aligning successively with Gongsun Zan, Tao Qian, and others

By 194, Liu found himself defending Xiaopei for Tao Qian against Cao Cao. When Tao died unexpectedly in 194, the dying governor reportedly named Liu as his successor – an astonishing promotion for what amounted to a hired mercenary.

The Mechanics of a Political Miracle

Liu Bei’s sudden elevation actually reflected deep divisions in Xu Province:

1. Tao Qian’s reliance on his native Danyang troops alienated local elites
2. Powerful families like the Mí and Chen clans saw Liu as preferable
3. Liu had carefully cultivated relationships with key figures like Mi Zhu and Chen Deng

Contemporary accounts suggest the “deathbed appointment” may have been orchestrated by these elites to remove Danyang influence. Liu’s subsequent hesitation – including a theatrical offer to yield to Yuan Shu – was likely part of the political theater.

The Gathering Storm

Liu Bei’s good fortune immediately attracted challenges:

– Yuan Shu, insulted by Liu’s rise, prepared to attack from the south
– Lü Bu, the formidable turncoat, began moving toward Xu Province from the north

As 197 progressed, both Cao Cao and Liu Bei would find their recent experiences – one disastrous, one improbably fortunate – merely preludes to greater struggles. For Cao, the year’s events reinforced the need for discipline and system. For Liu, they confirmed the power of personal charisma and elite connections in an era of crumbling institutions.

The stage was set for the titanic conflicts that would eventually produce the Three Kingdoms.