Thenceforward Cao Cao planned Yuan Tan's doom.
Shen Pei and his master also discussed the current situation. Yuan Shang said, “Cao Cao is getting grain into the White River, which means an attack on Jizhou; what is to be done?”
Shen Pei replied, “Send letters to Yin Kai, Commander of Wuan, bidding him camp at Maocheng to secure the road to Shangdang, and direct Ju Gu, son of Ju Shou, to maintain Handan as a distant auxiliary. Then you may advance on Pingyuan and attack Cao Cao.”
The plan seemed good. Yuan Shang left Shen Pei and Chen Lin in charge of Yejun, appointed two Commanders Ma Yan and Zhang Yi as Van Leaders, and set out hastily for Pingyuan.
When Yuan Tan heard of the approach of his brother's army, he sent urgent messages to Cao Cao, who said to himself, “I am going to get Jizhou this time.”
Just at this time it happened that Xun You came down from the capital. When he heard that Yuan Shang was attacking his brother Yuan Tan, he sought Cao Cao and said, “You, Sir, sit here on guard; are you waiting till Heaven's thunder shall strike the two Yuans?”
“I have thought it all out,” said Cao Cao.
Then he ordered Cao Hong to go and fight against Yejun, while he led another army against Yin Kai in Maocheng. Yin Kai could make no adequate defense and was killed by Xu Chu. His soldiers ran away and presently joined Cao Cao's army. Next Cao Cao led the army to Handan, and Ju Gu came out to fight him. Zhang Liao advanced to fight with Ju Gu, and after the third encounter Ju Gu was defeated and fled. Zhang Liao went after him, and when their two horses were not far apart, Zhang Liao took his bow and shot. The fleeing warrior fell as the bowstring twanged. Cao Cao completed the rout, and Ju Gu's force was broken up.
Now Cao Cao led his armies to an attack on Yejun. Cao Hong had arrived before; and a regular siege began. The army encompassed the city and began by throwing up great mounds. They also tunneled subterranean ways.
Within the city Shen Pei turned his whole care to the defense and issued the severest commands. The Commandant of the East Gate, Feng Li, got intoxicated and failed to keep his watch for which he was severely punished. Feng Li resented this, sneaked out of the city, went over to the besiegers, and told them how the place could be attacked.
“The earth within the Pearly Gate is solid enough to be tunneled, and entrance can be effected there,” said the traitor.
So Feng Li was sent with three hundred men to carry out his plan under cover of darkness.
After Feng Li had deserted to the enemy, Shen Pei went every night to the wall to inspect the soldiers on duty. The night of the sapping he went there as usual and saw that there were no lights outside the city and all was perfectly quiet.
So he said to himself, “Feng Li is certain to try to come into the city by an underground road.”
Whereupon he ordered his troops to bring up stones and pile them on the cover of the tunnel opening. The opening was stopped up and the attacking party perished in the tunnel they had excavated.
Cao Cao having failed in this attempt abandoned the scheme of underground attack. He drew off the army to a place above the River Huan to await till Yuan Shang should return to relieve the city.
Yuan Shang heard of the defeat of Yin Kai and Ju Gu, and the siege of his own city, and bethought himself of relieving it. One of his commanders, Ma Yan, said, “The high road will surely be ambushed; we must find some other way. We can take a by-road from the Western Hills and get through by River Fu, whence we can fall upon Cao Cao's camp.”
The plan was acceptable and Yuan Shang started off with the main body, Ma Yan and Zhang Yi being rear guard.
Cao Cao's spies soon found out this move, and when they reported it, he said, “If Yuan Shang comes by the high road, I shall have to keep out of the way; if by the Western Hills' by-road, I can settle him in one battle. And I think he will show a blaze as a signal to the besieged that they may make a sortie. I shall prepare to attack both.”
So Cao Cao made his preparations. Now Yuan Shang went out by River Fu east toward Yangping; and near this he camped. Thence to Yejun was five miles. River Fu ran beside the camp. He ordered his soldiers to collect firewood and grass ready for the blaze he intended to make at night as his signal. He also sent Li Fu, a civil officer, disguised as an officer of Cao Cao's army, to inform Shen Pei of his intentions.
Li Fu reached the city wall safely and called out to the guards to open. Shen Pei recognized his voice and let him in. Thus Shen Pei knew of the arrangements for his relief, and it was agreed that a blaze should be raised within the city so that the sortie could be simultaneous with Yuan Shang's attack. Orders were given to collect inflammables. Then said Li Fu, “As your food supply is short, it would be well for the old people, the feeble soldiers and the women to surrender. This will come upon them as a surprise, and we will send the soldiers out behind them.”
Shen Pei promised to do all this, and next day they hoisted on the wall a white flag with the words “The populace of Jizhou surrender!” on it.
“Ho ho! This means no food,” said Cao Cao. “They are sending away the non-combatants to escape feeding them. And the soldiers will follow behind them.”
Cao Cao bade Zhang Liao and Xu Huang laid an ambush of three thousand troops on both sides while he went near the wall in full state. Presently the gates were opened and out came the people supporting their aged folks and leading their little ones by the hand. Each carried a white flag. As soon as the people had passed the gate, the soldiers followed with a rush.
Then Cao Cao showed a red flag, and the ambushing soldiers led by Zhang Liao and Xu Huang fell upon the sortie. The troops tried to return and Cao Cao's force made a direct attack. The chase continued to the drawbridge, but there Cao Cao's force met with a tremendous shower of arrows and crossbow bolts which checked the advance. Cao Cao's helmet was struck and the crest carried away. His leaders came to pull him back, and the army retired.
As soon as Cao Cao had changed his dress and mounted a fresh horse, he set out at the head of the army to attack Yuan Shang's camp.
Yuan Shang led the defense. The attack came simultaneously from many directions, the defenders were quite disorganized and presently defeated. Yuan Shang led his troops back by the Western Hills and made a camp under their shelter. Thence he sent messengers to urge Ma Yan and Zhang Yi to bring up the supports. He did not know that Cao Cao had sent Lu Xiang and Lu Kuang to persuade these two into surrender and that they had already passed under Cao Cao's banner, and he had conferred upon them the title of lordship.
Just before going to attack the Western Hills, Cao Cao sent Lu Xiang, Lu Kuang, Ma Yan, and Zhang Yi to seize the source of Yuan Shang's supplies. Yuan Shang had realized he could not hold the hills, so he went by night to Lankou. Before he could get camped, he saw flaring lights springing up all around him and soon an attack began. He was taken aback and had to oppose the enemy with his men half armed, his steeds unsaddled. His army suffered and he had to retreat another fifteen miles. By that time his force was too enfeebled to show any resistance, and as no other course was possible, he sent the Imperial Protector of Yuzhou, Yin Kui, to Cao Cao's camp and ask that he might surrender.
Cao Cao feigned to consent, but that night he sent Zhang Liao and Xu Huang to raid Yuan Shang's camp. Then it became flight, abandoning everything, seals, emblems of office, and even personal clothing. Yuan Shang made for the Zhongshan Mountains.
Then Cao Cao came to attack Jizhou City, and to help out this Xun You suggested drowning the city by turning the course of the River Zhang. Cao Cao adopted the suggestion and at once sent a small number of men to dig a channel to lead the water to the city. All told, it was seventeen miles.