Cao Cao encountered many difficult opponents in his life, and Zhang Xiu was one of them if he suffered the most losses. Cao Cao's two personal conquests of Zhang Xiu were defeated, and the first pro-conquest took the lives of his eldest son Cao Ang, nephew Cao Anmin, and ai general Dianwei, which can be described as a heavy loss. One of the key reasons why Zhang Xiu was able to defeat Cao Cao was that Jia Xu was around to advise him.
Zhang Xiu is a native of Zuli County, Wuwei County, and is in the same county as Jia Xu. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, a group of people such as BianZhang and Han Sui of Jincheng were in liangzhou, and Ju Sheng led his troops to Zuli County to plunder, and Zuli County Ling was killed in battle during the defense. Zhang Xiu later found an opportunity to kill Ju Sheng and avenge the county order, so the people in the county admired him, and he also took advantage of the situation to take the county to raise an army.
Zhang Ji was Zhang Xiu's uncle, and after the death of Dong Zhuo and Niu Fu, he became one of the three pillars of the Western Liang Army, attacking Chang'an with Li Dai and Guo Feng, and defeating Wang Yun and Lü Bu. During this period, Zhang Xiu followed Zhang Jinan in his conquest of the Northern War, made many military achievements, and was given the title of General of Jianzhong and Marquis of Xuanwei.
Later, Zhang Ji led his troops to garrison the area of Gongnong, and because the troops were short of food and food, they went to attack Liu Biao's Yongcheng for food, and as a result, Zhang Ji died in the battle, and Zhang Xiu took over. At this time, Zhang Xiu's situation was more critical, and Liu Biao also intended to take Zhang Xiu for his own use, so the two came together. Liu Biao gave him Wancheng and asked him to guard his northern realm here. Cao Cao regarded Zhang Xiu, who was active in the Wancheng area, as a major problem, so he personally led an army to attack Zhang Xiu in the second year of Jian'an.
Cao Cao's first personal conquest
As soon as Cao Cao's army reached Shuishui, Zhang Xiu surrendered... Very decisive, very harmonious, if this is the end, there will be no many unpleasant things behind. However, Cao Cao took a fancy to Zhang Ji's wife and took her as a concubine, she was Zhang Xiu's aunt!
This is tantamount to pressing Zhang Xiu's dignity to the ground and rubbing it, without giving any face. Zhang Xiu regarded it as a great shame and humiliation, and he had the intention of being unhappy in his heart. This emotion was detected by Cao Cao, and he began to conspire to get rid of him, and Cao Cao's plot also happened to be learned by Zhang Xiu, and the two were still harmonious on the surface, but secretly they were already fighting.
The direct trigger was that Zhang Xiu's love would send Hu Che'er to see Cao Cao, and Cao Cao had always appreciated him, so he was treated with courtesy. Zhang Xiu only knew that Cao Cao was good to Hu Che'er, but he did not know the reason, mistakenly thought that Hu Che'er had been bribed by him, and thought that the two people were already plotting against him, so he decided to preemptively attack.
Zhang Xiu used Jia Xu's tactics to trick Cao Cao into saying that his troops were going to change their garrisons and should pass through Cao Cao's military camp. Cao Cao didn't think much about it, he probably didn't expect Zhang Xiu to suddenly rebel, so he agreed. Zhang Xiu lied to him again, there is too much armor, the heavy truck can not be transported, I let the soldiers wear the armor on their bodies, you will not worry too much, right? Cao Cao didn't think much of it and agreed.
In this way, Zhang Xiu's troops were fully armed into Cao Cao's garrison camp, and at this time, the soldiers under Cao Cao's tent may still be resting freely. They launched a surprise attack, and the Cao army was defenseless and suffered a big defeat. Cao Cao's eldest son Cao Ang, nephew Cao Anguo, and ai general Dianwei were all killed in the melee.
After all, Zhang Xiu's strength was still weak, and after winning the battle, he immediately led his troops to flee into Yongcheng, Cao Cao ordered the troops to besiege, and besieged for more than a year without fighting, so a year later, in jian'an for three years, Cao Cao once again personally recruited Zhang Xiu.
Cao Cao's second personal conquest
This time Cao Cao personally came to command the siege of the city, and after a period of siege, news came from the rear that Yuan Shao was preparing to cross the river to the south, and Cao Cao could only withdraw the siege and return with his troops for reinforcements.
Zhang Xiu worked as a "shrunken-headed turtle" in Yongcheng for more than a year, when he saw the Cao army suddenly retreating, the desire to "steal the tail" became very strong for a while, and he wanted to lead the troops out of the city to attack the rear troops of the Cao army. Jia Xu advised him: Can't go! Zhang Xiu did not comply and insisted on attacking the retreating Cao army, but he was ambushed by Cao Cao and suffered a major defeat.
Zhang Xiu returned to the city with the defeated remnants of the army, and when he was chafing at his failure to heed Jia Xu's persuasion, Jia Xu said to him again: Go after Cao Jun! Suddenly Zhang Xiu said that he was confused, before I let me not go, I did not listen to the result and suffered defeat, how can I now support me to pursue it? Jia Xu said: The situation has changed, and now the pursuit is correct! Zhang Xiu obeyed, and as a result, he really won a big victory.
After returning, Zhang Xiu asked Jia Xu why, and Jia Xu explained: You are good at leading soldiers, but you are not as good as Cao Cao. Cao Cao knew that you would pursue, so he would personally break the back and set up an ambush, at which time the pursuit would be equivalent to throwing himself into the net. The reason why he suddenly retreated must be because of the change in the rear, and since the pursuit had been thwarted, he would let the troops move forward lightly and arrange for other generals to cut off the rear. These broken generals are not your opponents, so you will win.
In this way, under jia Xu's strategy, Cao Cao still suffered a big defeat before leaving.
Zhang Xiu surrendered
A year later, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao's army confronted each other near Guandu, and with "the principle that the enemy of the enemy is a friend", Yuan Shao sent an emissary to Zhang Xiu to recruit him. Zhang Xiu was of course happy, they had a common enemy, and judging from the situation at that time, it was indeed a very wise choice to throw himself into Yuan Shao's account.
However, at the banquet to receive Yuan Shao's emissaries, Jia Xu directly faced the emissaries and said, "Thank you for Yuan Shao's kindness, but Yuan Shao, a man, can't even tolerate his own brothers, how can he tolerate a worldly hero like Zhang Xiu?" Zhang Xiu was stunned and asked at a loss, "Why say such a thing!" ”
Later, the two conspired privately, and Jia Xu said to Zhang Xiu: It is better to submit to Cao Cao. Zhang Xiu asked: Yuan Shao's strength is obviously stronger, and I have a vendetta against Cao Cao, can this work?
Jia Xu analyzed three main points for him: First, the Son of Heaven was in Cao Cao's hands. Second, Yuan Shao has many soldiers and horses, and after we surrender, we certainly do not attach importance to us; Cao Cao has few soldiers and horses, and after we surrender, he will not only attach importance to it, but also be grateful. Third, Cao Cao, a person who aspires to the world, will not be concerned with small revenge and resentment.
From when he was under Dong Zhuo's account, to now standing on his own, Zhang Xiu's ability to do Jia Xu has long been sincerely convinced. He finally decided to take this dangerous step and submit to Cao Cao.
As Jia Xu said, Cao Cao was overjoyed by Zhang Xiu's submission and immediately married and let his son marry Zhang Xiu's daughter. In the Battle of Guandu, Zhang Xiu made meritorious contributions and was given the title of General of the Broken Qiang, and later when he attacked Yuan Tan, he also had merit, adding a total of 2,000 households to The Imperial Household. Among the generals under Cao Cao at that time, only Zhang Xiu had more than a thousand households.
Later, during the conquest of Karasuma, Zhang Xiu died on the march. The Wei Luo records that Cao Pi, who was then a general in the five senses, repeatedly accused Zhang Xiu in person: "You killed my brother, how come you still have the face to see me!" Zhang Xiu was not at ease with himself, so he committed suicide.
There is an error in this record, at that time, Cao Pi had not yet become a general in the five senses. However, there is also a reasonable point, Cao Ang died at the hands of Zhang Xiu, even if Cao Cao can put it down, Cao Ang's brothers may not be able to put it down. They did not give Zhang Xiu a good face, and it was reasonable for Zhang Xiu to be afraid and even commit suicide.