As the previous chapter told, Gao Shun led Zhang Liao to attack Guan Yu's camp, while Lü Bu himself struck at Zhang Fei's position. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei each rode out to meet the assault, and Liu Bei led troops from two directions to support them. But Lü Bu divided his forces, circling around to fall upon their rear. The armies of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were both routed. Liu Bei, with only a few dozen horsemen, fled back toward Xiaopei. Lü Bu gave chase. Liu Bei urgently called for the drawbridge to be lowered. But Lü Bu was right behind him. The defenders on the wall wanted to loose a volley of arrows, but they feared hitting Liu Bei. Lü Bu seized the moment and charged through the gate. The gate guards could not withstand him and scattered in all directions. Lü Bu summoned his men into the city. Seeing the crisis was upon him, Liu Bei had no time to reach his own home. He abandoned his wife and children, cut straight through the city, and fled out the West Gate, a lone horseman in desperate flight.
When Lü Bu arrived at Liu Bei's home, Mi Zhu came out to greet him. "I have heard," said Mi Zhu, "that a true man does not harm another's wife and children. The one who contends with you for the realm, General, is Cao Cao. Lord Liu has always remembered your kindness at the Archery Tower at the camp gate and would never dare turn against you. He has only fled to Cao Cao because he had no other choice. I beg you, General, to show him mercy." Lü Bu replied, "Liu Bei and I are old friends. How could I bear to harm his family?" He then ordered Mi Zhu to escort Liu Bei's wife and children to Xuzhou for their safety. Lü Bu himself led his army toward the borders of Yanzhou in Shandong, leaving Gao Shun and Zhang Liao to hold Xiaopei. By this time, Sun Qian had already escaped the city. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei had each gathered what men they could and were camped in the mountains.
Now Liu Bei, fleeing alone, heard a rider approaching from behind. Turning, he saw it was Sun Qian. "My two brothers—I do not know if they live or die," said Liu Bei. "My wife and children are lost. What am I to do?" Sun Qian replied, "It would be best to throw in your lot with Cao Cao for now and plan for the future." Liu Bei agreed. He took a hidden path toward Xuchang. Along the way, he ran out of food and had to beg for meals in the villages. Everywhere he went, when people heard that it was Liu Bei, the Imperial Uncle, they eagerly brought him food and drink. One day, he sought lodging at a house. A young man came out to greet him. His name was Liu An, a hunter. When Liu An learned that the Governor of Yuzhou was at his door, he wanted to offer wild game for the meal but could not find any in time. So he killed his own wife and cooked her flesh. Liu Bei asked, "What meat is this?" Liu An replied, "Wolf meat." Liu Bei suspected nothing and ate his fill. That night he stayed. At dawn, as he was about to leave, he went to the rear courtyard for his horse and suddenly saw a woman's body in the kitchen, the flesh from her arms already cut away. Shocked, Liu Bei questioned his host and learned that what he had eaten the night before was the flesh of the man's own wife. Overcome with grief, Liu Bei wept, mounted his horse, and rode away. Liu An told him, "I would have followed you, my lord, but my aged mother is still alive, and I dare not travel far." Liu Bei thanked him and parted, taking the road out of Liangcheng. Suddenly, he saw a vast cloud of dust on the horizon—a great army was approaching. Recognizing it as Cao Cao's force, Liu Bei and Sun Qian rode straight to the commander's standard and met with Cao Cao. Liu Bei recounted everything: the loss of Xiaopei, the separation from his brothers, and the fate of his family. Cao Cao wept as well. When Liu Bei told him of Liu An killing his wife for food, Cao Cao ordered Sun Qian to take a hundred pieces of gold and reward the man.
The army marched to Jibei, where Xiahou Yuan and his officers welcomed them into camp. Xiahou Yuan reported that his elder brother, Xiahou Dun, had lost an eye and was still bedridden from his wounds. Cao Cao visited Xiahou Dun's bedside and ordered him to return to Xuchang to recuperate. Meanwhile, he sent scouts to discover Lü Bu's whereabouts. The scouts returned with news: "Lü Bu, along with Chen Gong and Zang Ba, has allied with the bandits of Mount Tai and is attacking the commanderies of Yanzhou." Cao Cao immediately ordered Cao Ren to take three thousand men and attack Xiaopei. He himself led the main army, with Liu Bei, to confront Lü Bu. As they advanced into Shandong, nearing Xiao Pass, they encountered the Mount Tai bandits Sun Guan, Wu Dun, Yin Li, and Chang Xi, leading over thirty thousand men to block their path. Cao Cao ordered Xu Chu to engage them. The four bandit leaders charged together. Xu Chu fought with all his might. The four could not withstand him and fled in defeat. Cao Cao pressed the advantage, pursuing them to Xiao Pass. A scout galloped off to report to Lü Bu.
By this time, Lü Bu had returned to Xuzhou. He intended to take Chen Deng and go to the relief of Xiaopei, leaving Chen Gui to guard Xuzhou. As Chen Deng was about to leave, his father, Chen Gui, said to him, "Cao Cao once said he would entrust all matters east of the capital to you. Now Lü Bu is on the verge of defeat. You must act." Chen Deng replied, "I will handle matters outside the city. If Lü Bu returns in defeat, Father, you must ask Mi Zhu to help you hold the city. Do not let Lü Bu in. I have a plan to escape." Chen Gui asked, "But Lü Bu's wife and children are here, and he has many trusted men. What shall we do?" Chen Deng said, "I have a plan for that too." He then went to see Lü Bu and said, "Xuzhou is vulnerable on all sides. Cao Cao will surely attack with all his strength. We must think of a retreat. We should move the grain and supplies to Xiapi. If Xuzhou is besieged, Xiapi will have provisions to sustain us. My lord, should you not prepare for this early?" Lü Bu replied, "Yuanlong speaks well. I will move my wife and children as well." He ordered Song Xian and Wei Xu to escort his family and the supplies to Xiapi. He then led his army, with Chen Deng, to relieve Xiao Pass. Halfway there, Chen Deng said, "Allow me to go ahead to the pass and scout Cao Cao's strength before you commit your forces." Lü Bu agreed. Chen Deng rode to the pass, where Chen Gong and the others received him. Chen Deng said, "The Marquis of Wen is furious that you have not pressed forward.
He intends to punish you." Chen Gong replied, "Cao Cao's army is vast. We cannot take him lightly. We should hold this pass firmly and advise our lord to secure Xiaopei. That is the best strategy." Chen Deng nodded in agreement. That evening, he climbed the wall and looked out. Seeing Cao Cao's army pressing right up to the pass, he wrote three letters under cover of darkness, tied them to arrows, and shot them down to the enemy camp. The next day, he took leave of Chen Gong and galloped back to Lü Bu. "Sun Guan and the others at the pass are planning to surrender," he reported. "I have left Chen Gong to hold it, but you must attack at dusk to save the situation." Lü Bu said, "Without you, this pass would be lost." He ordered Chen Deng to ride back to the pass and arrange with Chen Gong to light a signal fire as a sign for the attack. Chen Deng went straight to Chen Gong and said, "Cao Cao's troops have already taken a hidden path into the pass. Xuzhou may be lost. You must return at once." Chen Gong abandoned the pass and led his men away. Chen Deng then set the pass on fire. In the darkness, Lü Bu's men and Chen Gong's men, unable to see each other, fell upon one another in confusion. Cao Cao's forces, seeing the signal fire, charged in and attacked. Sun Guan and the others scattered in all directions. Lü Bu fought all the way until dawn before he realized he had been tricked. He hurried back to Xuzhou with Chen Gong. When they reached the city walls and called for the gate to be opened, a storm of arrows rained down from the battlements.
Mi Zhu stood on the gate tower and shouted, "You stole my lord's city! Now it must be returned to him. You shall not enter again!" Lü Bu roared, "Where is Chen Gui?" Mi Zhu replied, "I have already killed him." Lü Bu turned to Chen Gong. "Where is Chen Deng?" Chen Gong said, "Can you still be deceived and ask about that treacherous villain?" Lü Bu searched the army but could not find him. Chen Gong urged him to flee to Xiaopei. Lü Bu agreed.
On the road, they encountered a force approaching at speed. It was Gao Shun and Zhang Liao. When Lü Bu asked why they had come, they replied, "Chen Deng reported that you were surrounded and ordered us to come to your aid." Chen Gong said, "This is another of that villain's tricks." Lü Bu roared, "I will kill that man!" He spurred his horse toward Xiaopei. But when they arrived, they saw Cao Cao's banners flying from the walls. Cao Ren had already taken the city and was holding it. Lü Bu stood beneath the walls and cursed Chen Deng. Chen Deng appeared on the wall and shouted back, "I am a minister of Han. How could I serve a rebel like you?" Enraged, Lü Bu was about to attack the city when a great cry rose behind him. A column of horsemen appeared, and at their head was Zhang Fei. Gao Shun rode out to meet him but could not gain the upper hand. Lü Bu himself joined the fray. As they fought, another shout erupted from beyond the battle lines. Cao Cao himself was leading the main army in a charge. Lü Bu knew he could not hold. He led his men eastward. Cao Cao's forces pursued. Exhausted and spent, Lü Bu and his men were suddenly blocked by another force. At their head, a general sat on his horse, blade held horizontally, and roared, "Do not flee, Lü Bu! Guan Yunchang is here!" Lü Bu hurriedly engaged. But behind him, Zhang Fei was closing in. Lü Bu had no heart for the fight. He and Chen Gong cut a path through and fled straight for Xiapi. Hou Cheng met them with reinforcements and escorted them into the city.
Guan Yu and Zhang Fei met. They wept as they told each other of their separations. Guan Yu said, "I was camped on the road to Haizhou when I heard the news. That is why I am here." Zhang Fei said, "I have been hiding in the Mangdang Mountains all this time. Today, I am fortunate to meet you again." After exchanging words, they led their men to see Liu Bei. They fell to their knees and wept. Liu Bei, torn between grief and joy, brought them before Cao Cao. They then followed Cao Cao into Xuzhou. Mi Zhu came to greet them and reported that Liu Bei's family was safe. Liu Bei was overjoyed. Chen Gui and his son also came to pay their respects to Cao Cao. Cao Cao held a great feast to reward his officers. He sat in the center, with Chen Gui on his right and Liu Bei on his left. The other officers were seated in order of rank. After the feast, Cao Cao praised the achievements of the Chen family, granted them an additional ten districts as their fief, and appointed Chen Deng as General Who Pacifies the Waves.
Now that Cao Cao had taken Xuzhou, he was greatly pleased. He began to discuss plans to attack Xiapi. Cheng Yu advised him, "Lü Bu now holds only Xiapi. If we press him too hard, he will fight to the death and flee to Yuan Shu. If Lü Bu and Yuan Shu unite, they will be difficult to defeat. We should send capable men to guard the road to Huainan, blocking Lü Bu from within and Yuan Shu from without. Moreover, Zang Ba and Sun Guan of Shandong have not yet surrendered. We must not neglect our defenses there." Cao Cao replied, "I will personally deal with the Shandong road. As for the Huainan road, I ask Liu Bei to guard it." Liu Bei said, "How dare I disobey the Chancellor's command?" The next day, Liu Bei left Mi Zhu and Jian Yong in Xuzhou. Taking Sun Qian, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, he led his army to guard the Huainan road. Cao Cao himself led the attack on Xiapi.
In Xiapi, Lü Bu was confident in his position. He had ample grain and supplies, and the Sishui River provided a natural moat. He believed a defensive stand would ensure his safety. Chen Gong said, "Cao Cao's army has just arrived. We should strike while their camp is not yet fortified. Attack them when they are weary from their march, and we will surely win." Lü Bu replied, "I have suffered repeated defeats. I will not risk a sortie. Let them come to us. When they attack, we will drive them into the Sishui." He ignored Chen Gong's advice. After several days, Cao Cao's camp was fully established. Cao Cao led his officers to the city walls and called for Lü Bu to speak with him. Lü Bu stood on the wall. Cao Cao said, "I have heard, Fengxian, that you intend to renew your marriage alliance with Yuan Shu. That is why I have come. Yuan Shu is guilty of rebellion, while you have the merit of slaying Dong Zhuo. Why would you throw away your past achievements to follow a traitor? If this city falls, it will be too late for regrets. If you surrender now and help us support the Han throne, you will not lose your title as a marquis." Lü Bu replied, "Chancellor, withdraw for now. Let me consider this." Chen Gong, standing beside Lü Bu, cursed Cao Cao as a treacherous villain and loosed an arrow that struck the canopy of Cao Cao's chariot. Cao Cao pointed at Chen Gong and swore, "I swear I will kill you!" He then ordered the attack on the city.
Chen Gong said to Lü Bu, "Cao Cao's army has come from afar. They cannot sustain a long campaign. You should take your cavalry and infantry and camp outside the city. I will hold the city with the remaining troops. If Cao Cao attacks you, I will strike his rear. If he attacks the city, you can come to my rescue from behind. Within ten days, Cao Cao's food will run out, and we can crush him with a single charge. This is the strategy of the pincer." Lü Bu said, "Your words are excellent." He returned to his residence to prepare his armor. It was deep winter. He ordered his men to bring extra padded coats. His wife, Lady Yan, heard this and came out to ask, "Where are you going, my lord?" Lü Bu told her of Chen Gong's plan. Lady Yan said, "You would abandon the city, leave your wife and children, and go out alone with a lone army? If something goes wrong, will I still be your wife?" Lü Bu hesitated. Three days passed, and he did not leave. Chen Gong came to see him and said, "Cao Cao's army has surrounded the city on all sides. If you do not act soon, we will be trapped." Lü Bu replied, "I think it is better to hold the city than to go out." Chen Gong said, "I have heard that Cao Cao's army is short of food. He has sent men to Xuchang to fetch more. They will arrive soon. You should take your elite troops and cut his supply line. This is an excellent plan." Lü Bu agreed. He went inside and told Lady Yan. Weeping, she said, "If you leave, can Chen Gong and Gao Shun hold the city? If something goes wrong, it will be too late for regrets! In Chang'an, you abandoned me before. I was only saved by Pang Shu, who hid me. Only then could we be reunited. Now you would abandon me again? My lord, your future is boundless. Do not worry about me!" She wept bitterly. Lü Bu, troubled and uncertain, went to tell Diaochan. She said, "My lord, you must decide for yourself. Do not risk your life lightly." Lü Bu replied, "Do not worry. I have my Sky-Piercing Halberd and Red Hare. Who dares come near me?" He went out and told Chen Gong, "The report about Cao Cao's food supplies is a lie. Cao Cao is full of tricks. I dare not move." Chen Gong left, sighing, "We will all die without a burial place!" From that day on, Lü Bu never left the city. He spent his days drinking with Lady Yan and Diaochan to drown his sorrows.
Two strategists, Xu Si and Wang Kai, came to see Lü Bu with a plan. "Yuan Shu is now powerful in Huainan," they said. "You once made a marriage pact with him. Why not seek his help again? If his army comes, we can attack Cao Cao from within and without. He will be easy to defeat." Lü Bu agreed. He wrote a letter that very day and sent the two men to deliver it. Xu Si said, "We will need an escort to break through the siege." Lü Bu ordered Zhang Liao and Hao Meng to take a thousand men and escort them through the pass. That night, at the second watch, Zhang Liao led the way, with Hao Meng bringing up the rear, protecting Xu Si and Wang Kai as they fought their way out of the city. They skirted Liu Bei's camp. The pursuing generals could not catch them, and they passed through the pass. Hao Meng took five hundred men and followed Xu Si and Wang Kai. Zhang Liao led the remaining half back. At the pass, Guan Yu blocked his path. Before they could engage, Gao Shun led a force out of the city to rescue him, and they were let back inside.
Xu Si and Wang Kai arrived at Shouchun and presented the letter to Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu said, "Previously, you killed my envoy and broke off our marriage. Now you come to ask for my help. Why?" Xu Si replied, "That was a mistake caused by Cao Cao's treachery. I beg Your Illustrious Highness to consider this." Yuan Shu said, "If your master were not in dire straits, would he ever offer me his daughter?" Wang Kai said, "If Your Illustrious Highness does not come to our aid now, I fear that when the lips are gone, the teeth will feel the cold. This will not be to your benefit either." Yuan Shu replied, "Fengxian is fickle and untrustworthy. He must send his daughter first. Then I will send troops." Xu Si and Wang Kai had no choice but to take their leave and return with Hao Meng. When they reached Liu Bei's camp, Xu Si said, "We cannot cross by day. Let us go at midnight, with General Hao Meng covering our rear." They agreed. That night, Xu Si and Wang Kai crossed Liu Bei's camp first. As Hao Meng was passing, Zhang Fei burst out from his camp and blocked the way. They met in combat. After a single exchange, Zhang Fei took Hao Meng alive. His five hundred men were scattered and killed. Zhang Fei delivered Hao Meng to Liu Bei, who sent him to Cao Cao's main camp. Hao Meng told them everything about the plea for help and the marriage pact. Furious, Cao Cao had Hao Meng executed at the camp gate. He then sent word to all the units: "If any man allows Lü Bu or his soldiers to slip through, he will face military justice." The entire army was put on alert. Liu Bei returned to his camp and warned Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, "We hold the key position on the Huainan road. You must be especially careful, my brothers. Do not violate the Chancellor's orders." Zhang Fei grumbled, "We captured an enemy general, and Cao Cao gave us no reward. Instead, he threatens us? What is this?" Liu Bei said, "No. Cao Cao commands a great army. If he does not enforce discipline, how can he maintain control? Do not violate his orders, brother." Guan Yu and Zhang Fei acknowledged this and withdrew.
Xu Si and Wang Kai returned to Lü Bu and told him that Yuan Shu demanded his daughter first. "How shall I send her?" Lü Bu asked. Xu Si said, "Now that Hao Meng has been captured, Cao Cao knows our plans and will be prepared. Only you, my lord, can break through the encirclement and deliver her yourself." Lü Bu asked, "Can I send her today?" Xu Si replied, "Today is an unlucky day. Tomorrow will be more favorable, at the hour of the Dog or the Pig." Lü Bu ordered Zhang Liao and Gao Shun: "Take three thousand men and prepare a small cart. I will escort her two hundred li myself, and then you two will take her the rest of the way." The next night, at the second watch, Lü Bu wrapped his daughter in silk and armor, strapped her to his back, took up his halberd, and mounted his horse. He threw open the city gates and rode out first, with Zhang Liao and Gao Shun following. As they neared Liu Bei's camp, a drum rolled, and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei blocked their path, shouting, "Do not flee!" Lü Bu had no heart for battle. He only wanted to break through. Liu Bei himself led a force to attack. The two armies clashed. Brave as Lü Bu was, he had his daughter bound to his back. Fearing she might be hurt, he could not charge through the encirclement. Then Xu Huang and Xu Chu arrived from behind. The soldiers all shouted, "Do not let Lü Bu escape!" Seeing the enemy closing in, Lü Bu was forced to retreat back into the city. Liu Bei sounded the recall. Xu Huang and the others returned to their camps. Not a single man had slipped through. Back in the city, Lü Bu was deeply troubled. He returned to his drinking.
Cao Cao besieged the city for two months without success. Then a report came: "Zhang Yang, the Grand Administrator of Henei, marched east to rescue Lü Bu. His own officer, Yang Chou, killed him and intended to present his head to you, but one of Zhang Yang's trusted men, Sui Gu, killed Yang Chou and fled to the city of Quan." Upon hearing this, Cao Cao sent Shi Huan to pursue and execute Sui Gu. He then gathered his officers and said, "Zhang Yang has been dealt with, but we still face Yuan Shao to the north and Liu Biao and Zhang Xiu to the east. Xiapi has been besieged for a long time without falling. I am thinking of abandoning the siege and returning to the capital to rest. What do you think?" Xun Yu urgently stopped him. "No," he said. "Lü Bu has been repeatedly defeated. His spirit is broken. An army takes its heart from its general. If the general is weak, the army has no will to fight. Chen Gong may have plans, but he is slow to act. Now Lü Bu's spirit has not recovered, and Chen Gong's plans are not set. Attack quickly, and Lü Bu can be captured." Guo Jia said, "I have a plan that will break Xiapi in an instant, more effective than two hundred thousand troops." Xun Yu asked, "Do you mean to divert the waters of the Yi and Si Rivers?" Guo Jia smiled. "Exactly." Cao Cao was overjoyed. He ordered his men to open the riverbanks. The Cao army took up positions on high ground and watched the waters flood Xiapi. Only the East Gate of the city remained dry. All the others were submerged. The soldiers reported this to Lü Bu. He said, "I have Red Hare. He can cross water as if it were dry land. What have I to fear?" He spent his days and nights drinking heavily with his wives and concubines. His health began to fail from the excess of wine and women. One day, he looked into a mirror and was shocked at his own appearance. "I have been ruined by drink and lust!" he cried. "From this day forward, I will abstain." He issued an order: anyone in the city caught drinking would be executed.
Now it happened that Hou Cheng had fifteen horses stolen by a groom who intended to give them to Liu Bei. Hou Cheng discovered the theft, killed the groom, and recovered the horses. His fellow officers came to congratulate him. Hou Cheng had brewed several measures of wine and wanted to share it with them in celebration. Fearing Lü Bu's wrath, he first took five bottles to Lü Bu's residence and presented them, saying, "By your mighty prestige, I have recovered my stolen horses. The officers came to congratulate me. I have brewed some wine but dared not drink it without your permission. I offer this as a token of my respect." Lü Bu was furious. "I have just forbidden drinking!" he roared. "And you brew wine and plan a feast? Are you plotting against me?" He ordered Hou Cheng to be taken out and executed. Song Xian, Wei Xu, and the other officers all knelt and begged for mercy. Lü Bu said, "He deliberately violated my command. He deserves death. But for your sake, I will spare him. Give him a hundred strokes!" The officers pleaded again. The sentence was reduced to fifty strokes on the back. Then Hou Cheng was released. The officers were all deeply demoralized.
Song Xian and Wei Xu went to Hou Cheng's house to see him. Weeping, Hou Cheng said, "If not for you, I would be dead." Song Xian said, "Lü Bu cares only for his wife and concubines. He treats us like weeds." Wei Xu added, "The army is at the gates. The water surrounds the moat. Our deaths are only a matter of time." Song Xian said, "Lü Bu is without benevolence or righteousness. Why don't we just leave?" Wei Xu replied, "That is not the act of a true man. It would be better to capture him and give him to Cao Cao." Hou Cheng said, "I was beaten for recovering my horses. Lü Bu's greatest reliance is Red Hare. If you two can open the gates and capture him, I will steal the horse first and go to Cao Cao." The three of them agreed. That night, Hou Cheng crept to the stables, stole Red Hare, and galloped to the East Gate. Wei Xu opened the gate and let him out, pretending to give chase. Hou Cheng arrived at Cao Cao's camp, presented the horse, and told them that Song Xian and Wei Xu would fly a white flag as a signal to open the gates. Upon hearing this, Cao Cao had several dozen copies of a proclamation written on arrows and shot into the city. It read: "The Grand General Cao, by sacred imperial decree, has come to punish Lü Bu. Any who resist the great army will have their entire households executed when the city falls. From the highest officers to the lowest commoners, any who capture Lü Bu and deliver him, or who present his head, will be richly rewarded and promoted. Let this proclamation be known to all."
The next morning, a great cry shook the earth outside the walls. Lü Bu was terrified. He took up his halberd and climbed the wall to inspect the defenses. He cursed Wei Xu for letting Hou Cheng escape and losing his warhorse. He was about to punish him when Cao Cao's soldiers, seeing the white flag on the wall, attacked with all their might. Lü Bu had to fight in person. From dawn until noon, the battle raged. Cao Cao's men withdrew slightly. Lü Bu rested for a moment in the gate tower. Exhausted, he fell asleep in his chair. Song Xian drove away the attendants, first stealing the Sky-Piercing Halberd. Then, with Wei Xu, they bound Lü Bu tightly with ropes. Lü Bu woke with a start and called for his men, but Song Xian and Wei Xu had already driven them off. Song Xian waved the white flag. Cao Cao's soldiers rushed to the walls. Wei Xu shouted, "Lü Bu has been taken alive!" Xiahou Yuan did not believe it. Song Xian threw down Lü Bu's halberd from the wall. The gates were thrown open, and Cao Cao's army poured in. Gao Shun and Zhang Liao were trapped by the flood at the West Gate and could not escape. They were captured. Chen Gong fled to the South Gate, where Xu Huang took him.
Cao Cao entered the city. He ordered the waters to be drained and issued a proclamation to reassure the people. He then sat with Liu Bei on White Gate Tower. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei stood at their sides. The prisoners were brought before them. Lü Bu, though a tall man, was bound tightly into a bundle. He cried out, "The ropes are too tight! Loosen them!" Cao Cao replied, "When binding a tiger, one cannot afford to be loose." Lü Bu saw Hou Cheng, Wei Xu, and Song Xian standing nearby and said to them, "I treated you well. How could you betray me?" Song Xian replied, "You listened to your wives and concubines and ignored your officers' advice. Is that treating us well?" Lü Bu fell silent. Soon, Gao Shun was brought in. Cao Cao asked him, "Do you have anything to say?" Gao Shun did not answer. Cao Cao angrily ordered his execution. Then Xu Huang led in Chen Gong. Cao Cao said, "Gongtai, it has been a while." Chen Gong replied, "Your heart is treacherous, so I left you." Cao Cao said, "If my heart is treacherous, why did you serve Lü Bu?" Chen Gong replied, "Lü Bu may lack strategy, but he is not as cunning and vicious as you." Cao Cao asked, "You consider yourself full of wisdom and strategy. What happened?" Chen Gong looked at Lü Bu and said, "I regret that this man would not listen to me! If he had, he might not have been captured." Cao Cao said, "What is to be done now?" Chen Gong shouted, "Today, I die!" Cao Cao said, "If you die, what of your aged mother and your wife and children?" Chen Gong replied, "I have heard that one who rules with filial piety does not harm another's parents. One who governs with benevolence does not end another's family line. My mother and family live or die at your pleasure. Since I am captured, I ask only to be executed. I have no other concerns." Cao Cao hesitated, reluctant to kill him. Chen Gong strode down the tower. The guards could not hold him back. Cao Cao rose and wept as he saw him off. Chen Gong did not look back. Cao Cao said to his attendants, "Send Gongtai's mother and family to Xuchai and care for them. Any who neglect them will be executed." Chen Gong heard this but said nothing. He stretched out his neck and submitted to the blade. All present wept. Cao Cao had his body placed in a coffin and buried in Xuchang.
A poet of the time lamented: "In life and death, his will was single, a true man of magnificent resolve. He would not follow the counsel of gold and stone, and his talents as a pillar of the state were wasted. He was truly worthy of admiration as a servant to his lord, and his parting from his family was pitiable. On the day he died at White Gate Tower, who else would be as steadfast as Gongtai?"
Just as Cao Cao was seeing Chen Gong down the tower, Lü Bu said to Liu Bei, "You are a guest at the table, while I am a prisoner beneath the steps. Will you not say a word to plead for me?" Liu Bei nodded. When Cao Cao returned to the tower, Lü Bu called out, "The only man you fear, Illustrious Sir, is me. Now I submit to you. Let me be your second-in-command, and the realm will be easy to conquer." Cao Cao turned to Liu Bei and asked, "What do you think?" Liu Bei replied, "Have you forgotten, Chancellor, what happened to Ding Yuanyang and Dong Zhuo?" Lü Bu glared at Liu Bei and said, "You are the most faithless of men!" Cao Cao ordered him taken down and strangled. As he was led away, Lü Bu looked back at Liu Bei and shouted, "Big-Eared One! Do you not remember the time I shot the arrow at the camp gate to save you?" Suddenly, a voice roared, "Lü Bu, you wretch! If you must die, then die! What is there to fear?" All eyes turned. The executioners were dragging in Zhang Liao. Cao Cao ordered Lü Bu strangled, then his head cut off.
A poet of the time wrote: "The floodwaters roared and drowned Xiapi, the year Lü Bu was captured. In vain he kept Red Hare, who could gallop a thousand li; in vain he wielded his Sky-Piercing Halberd. He begged for looser bonds, showing his weakness; like a falcon, he should have been kept hungry, never full. He loved his wife and ignored Chen Gong's counsel, and in vain he cursed the 'Big-Eared One' for his ingratitude." Another poet commented on Liu Bei: "The hungry tiger that wounds men is now bound loosely. The blood of Dong Zhuo and Ding Yuan is not yet dry. Since Xuande knew this man would devour his fathers, why did he not keep him alive to harm Cao Man?"
Now the soldiers brought Zhang Liao before Cao Cao. Cao Cao pointed at him and said, "This man looks familiar." Zhang Liao replied, "We met once in Puyang City. How could you forget?" Cao Cao laughed. "So you remember that too." Zhang Liao said, "It is a pity." Cao Cao asked, "A pity for what?" Zhang Liao replied, "A pity that the fire that day was not big enough to burn you alive, you traitor to the state!" Cao Cao was furious. "A defeated general dares to insult me?" He drew his sword and stepped forward to kill Zhang Liao himself. Zhang Liao showed no fear. He stretched out his neck and awaited the blow. But from behind Cao Cao, one man seized his arm, and another knelt before him, saying, "Chancellor, stay your hand!" Truly: "Lü Bu begged for mercy, but no one saved him. Zhang Liao cursed the traitor, yet found his life spared." Who was it that saved Zhang Liao? You must wait for the next chapter to hear.