| Siege of Shouchun | |||||||
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| Forces | |||||||
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| Alliance against Yuan Shu | Yuan Shu's Forces | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| Cao Cao Sun Ce Liu Bei |
Yuan Shu | ||||||
The Siege of Shouchun was the last battle of Yuan Shu.
Biography[]
Cao Cao, Sun Ce, Liu Bei, and other warlords marched on Yuan Shu's capital of Shouchun Castle in Hefei. Lu Bu commanded the left wing, Liu Bei to the right, and Cao Cao to the center, while Sun Ce led the naval forces. Yuan Shu's Van Leader Qiao Rui tried to attack Cao Cao, but was slain by Xiahou Dun. Then came news that Sun Ce's fleet was near and would attack on the west. The other three land corps took each one face-Cao Cao on the north, Lu Bu on the east, and Liu Bei on the south. The city of Shouchun was in a parlous state. At this juncture Yuan Shu summoned his officers. Yang Dajiang explained the case, "Shouchun has suffered from drought for several years and the people are on the verge of famine. Sending an army would add to the distress and anger the people, and victory would be uncertain. I advise not to send any more soldiers there, but to hold on till the besiegers are conquered by lack of supplies. Meanwhile, you, with regiment of guards, will move over to the other side of River Yangtze, which is quite ready, and we shall also escape the enemy's ferocity". So due arrangements were made. 100,000 troops under Li Feng, Yue Jiu, Liang Gang, and Chen Ji were appointed to guard Shouchun. Then a general move was made to the other side of the Yangtze River. Not only the remained army went over, but all the accumulated wealth of the Yuan family, gold and silver, jewels and precious stones, were moved also. Cao Cao's army of 170,000 needed daily no inconsiderable quantity of food; and as the country around had been famine-stricken for several years, nothing could be got there. So he tried to hasten the military operations and capture the city. On the other hand, the defenders knew the value of delay and simply held on. After a month's vigorous siege, the fall of Shouchun seemed as far off as it was at first, and supplies were very short. Letters were sent to Sun Ce who sent 100,000 carts of grain. When the usual distribution became impossible, Ren Jun and Wang Hou presented a statement asking what was to be done. Cao Cao ordered to serve out a smaller measure, but the two asked what would happen if the soldiers murmured. Wang Hou was beheaded to prevent mutiny, so the cure to their morale problems was solved. Next followed a general order threatening death to all commanders if the city was not taken within three days. Cao Cao in person went up to the very walls to superintend the work of filling up the moat. The defenders kept up constant showers of stones and arrows. Two inferior officers, who left their stations in fear, were slain by Cao Cao himself. Thereafter he went on foot to work with his soldiers and to see that work went on continuously and no one dared be a laggard. Thus encouraged, the army became invincible, and no defense could withstand their onslaught. In a very short time the walls were scaled, the gates battered in and the besiegers were in possession. The officers, Li Feng, Yue Jiu, Liang Gang, and Chen Ji, were captured alive and were executed in the market place. All the paraphernalia of imperial state were burned, and the whole city wrecked.