In the year 200AD, a major battle broke out across the Yellow River in China. The region north of the river was governed by Yuan Shao. The region south of the river was governed by Cao Cao. Yuan Shao’s army was 100,000 strong. Cao Cao was left with only 5,000 after many men defected to Yuan Shao. The odds were stacked against Cao Cao who was still recovering from a battle in Xuzhou against Liu Bei. Though he lost many soldiers, Cao Cao captured Guan Yu in that battle.
Guan Yu fought for Cao Cao and crushed 2 Yuan generals, Yan Liang and Wen Chou. But the one who really tipped the scales was Yuan Shao’s strategist Xu You. Xu was insulted by Yuan Shao and his lackeys. Indignant, he crossed the river and revealed to Cao Cao where Yuan Shao’s supplies depot was.
Even though Cao Cao was running low on supplies, he could still forage around to feed his small army. But when Yuan Shao’s supplies depot was burned down, there was no way he could feed 100,000 men. Furthermore, most of the men who fought on Cao Cao’s side believed that Yuan Shao was the villain and the bully while most of Yuan Shao’s men were cowards who thought they were safer with the stronger. The Yuan army disintegrated.
官渡之战曹操大胜
The moral of the story? Our only hope of winning a battle against a rich and powerful army of cowards and mercenaries, it to wait for disgruntled insider to betray them.