The Rise and Rivalry of Warlords

The early 3rd century CE was a time of chaos and ambition in China, as the once-mighty Han Dynasty crumbled and regional warlords vied for dominance. Among these figures, two stood out as particularly formidable: the cunning strategist Cao Cao and the peerless warrior Lü Bu. Their rivalry would culminate in a dramatic showdown in 198 CE, a conflict that would reshape the balance of power in northern China.

Lü Bu, often called the “Flying General,” was renowned for his martial prowess but infamous for his shifting loyalties. Having betrayed and killed his former patrons Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo, he had carved out a power base in Xu Province (modern Jiangsu). Meanwhile, Cao Cao, the de facto ruler of the Han court, saw Lü Bu as a persistent threat—one that needed elimination to secure his own dominance.

The Road to Conflict

The tensions between Cao Cao and Lü Bu had simmered for years. After being driven out of Yan Province by Cao Cao in 195 CE, Lü Bu fled to Xu Province, where he allied with—and later betrayed—local warlords. Cao Cao, preoccupied with campaigns against rival warlords like Zhang Xiu, bided his time but never abandoned his goal of destroying Lü Bu.

To contain Lü Bu, Cao Cao sent the minor warlord Liu Bei to Xiaopei, a strategic outpost near Xu Province, hoping Liu would act as a buffer. However, Liu Bei proved ineffective, requiring constant reinforcements from Cao Cao. Ironically, Lü Bu’s own inaction worked in Cao Cao’s favor. Flattered by imperial titles bestowed by Cao Cao’s puppet emperor, Xian, Lü Bu remained passive, unaware of the storm gathering against him.

The War Begins

In the eighth lunar month of 198 CE, Cao Cao secured an imperial edict branding Lü Bu a rebel, justifying a full-scale invasion. Lü Bu, sensing the danger, made two baffling moves: he allied with the fading warlord Yuan Shu, whose power was waning, and launched a reckless attack on Liu Bei’s weakly defended Xiaopei.

Liu Bei fled, and Cao Cao’s general Xiahou Dun suffered a humiliating defeat, losing an eye to Lü Bu’s subordinate Zhang Liao. Yet Cao Cao remained undeterred. Leading his main force, he besieged Pengcheng, a key city in Xu Province. Lü Bu abandoned Xiaopei to defend Pengcheng, but Cao Cao’s relentless assault forced him to retreat to Xiapi, his last stronghold.

The Siege of Xiapi

Cao Cao’s army surrounded Xiapi, cutting off all escape. Lü Bu, famed for his battlefield prowess, attempted several sorties but was repeatedly repelled. Desperate, he considered surrender, but his advisor Chen Gong urged resistance, proposing a daring plan: Lü Bu would break through Cao Cao’s lines with his cavalry while Chen Gong held the city, creating a pincer attack.

However, Lü Bu’s wife dissuaded him, warning that Chen Gong might betray him. The plan collapsed, and Lü Bu’s indecision sealed his fate. He then sought aid from Yuan Shu, who demanded his daughter as a hostage. The risky attempt to smuggle her out failed, leaving Lü Bu isolated.

As winter set in, Cao Cao’s forces grew weary, but strategist Xun You convinced him to press on. In a brutal move, Cao Cao diverted nearby rivers to flood Xiapi, plunging the city into chaos. After weeks of misery, Lü Bu’s morale collapsed. His officers, resentful of his erratic leadership, secretly opened the gates to Cao Cao’s army.

The End of the Flying General

Captured and brought before Cao Cao, Lü Bu pleaded for mercy, boasting that his surrender would ensure Cao Cao’s dominance. Cao Cao, amused, turned to Liu Bei for advice. Liu Bei, recalling Lü Bu’s betrayals of Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo, coldly remarked, “Do you not remember what happened to his previous masters?”

Realizing his fate, Lü Bu cursed Liu Bei as Cao Cao ordered his execution. Chen Gong, defiant to the end, refused to beg for his life and was also put to death. With Lü Bu gone, Cao Cao absorbed Xu Province into his growing domain, while Zhang Liao, the general who had wounded Xiahou Dun, later became one of Cao Cao’s most celebrated commanders.

Legacy of the Conflict

The fall of Lü Bu marked a pivotal moment in the Three Kingdoms period. Cao Cao’s victory solidified his control over northern China, while Lü Bu’s demise became a cautionary tale about the perils of treachery and indecision. The conflict also foreshadowed the eventual tripartite division of China among Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan.

Lü Bu’s legend endured, however, as a symbol of unmatched martial skill undone by flawed character. His story, immortalized in literature like Romance of the Three Kingdoms, continues to captivate audiences as a dramatic episode in China’s turbulent history. Meanwhile, Cao Cao’s triumph at Xiapi demonstrated his ruthless efficiency, setting the stage for his later clashes with Liu Bei and Sun Quan in the struggle for supremacy.