One day in 221 AD, an old man with snow-white hair and beard and a thin face came to see the Wei lord Cao Pi, who had been captured by Guan Yu in the Battle of Fancheng and had just been released by Eastern Wu. When Yu Ban saw Cao Pi, he pleaded guilty one after another. Cao Pi comforted him and said, "The famous generals of the Spring and Autumn Period, Xun Linfu and Meng Mingzhi, had lost battles and been captured, and after returning, the monarch still used them, and finally took revenge and defeated the enemy. So he was named General Anyuan. Then, when he asked him to visit Cao Cao's mausoleum, Cao Pi ordered people to paint Guan Yu's victory, Pound's anger, and Yu Forbidden surrendered, and after Yu Forbidden saw it, he died of illness because he felt embarrassed and was posthumously honored as Lihou.
What made Cao Pi do this? Let's also start at the beginning and introduce Yu Ban's life:
Yu Forbidden Wenze is a native of Juping County, Taishan County. In 184, he was recruited by Bao Xin to join the army, and after Bao Xin's death, he was led by Wang Lang, a general of the Yanzhou army, who admired Yu Ban's talents and recommended Yu Ban to Cao Cao. Cao Cao summoned Yu Ban and paid homage to Sima. Later, he followed Cao Cao to attack Lü Bu, woo Liu Pi, and fight Yuan Shu, and repeatedly made battle merits. Finally ushered in the first highlight of the ban - the battle of Wancheng.
In 197, Yu Ban accompanied Cao Cao to Wancheng, and Zhang Xiu surrendered. Immediately, Zhang Xiu rebelled, and Cao Cao's camp was suddenly attacked by Zhang Xiu's army, and it was too late to deal with it, so they retreated separately, which was very chaotic. Only forbidden to restrain his subordinates, and fight and retreat. Although some soldiers died in battle, Yu Ban was not allowed to scatter.
Before returning to the base camp of the Cao Army, more than a dozen wounded soldiers in disheveled clothes were found on the forbidden road, and when asked, it turned out that the original Qingzhou soldiers were raiding homes and houses. Qingzhou soldiers were originally yellow turban thieves, but later surrendered to Cao Cao, still called Qingzhou soldiers. Cao Cao was very tolerant of them, so they were often presumptuous and took advantage of the opportunity to rob. As soon as Yu Ban heard this, he pursued these Qingzhou soldiers who were also his own. Some Qingzhou soldiers were defeated and fled back to Cao Ying to make a small report, falsely accusing Yu Ban of rebellion. Some people advised Yu Ban to report to Cao Cao first, but Yu Ban said: "Now that the thief soldiers are chasing after him, I will first resist the enemy, as for Cao Gong, he is a wise person, it is the rumors that stop at the wise, what are you afraid of?" Therefore, Yu Ban first built a ditch to prevent the enemy from attacking, and then asked Cao Cao to be informed and explained to him. Cao Cao listened to the whole process and thought that Yu Ban's approach was very correct, and said in public: "When the enemy came to attack, the situation was quite chaotic, and Yu Ban was able to rectify the army in the chaos, pursue the evil deeds of looting, set up camp and fortification, and hold on, which is really an example of a good general." Therefore, he was recorded in the forbidden and made Marquis of Yishou Ting.
In the first month of 200, Cao Cao fought with Yuan Shao, and Yuan Shao was prosperous, and Yu Ban was willing to serve as the first leader. Cao Cao praised Yu Ban, so he sent 2,000 men to defend Yanjin to resist Yuan Shao because of the ban on command, and Cao Cao led the army back to Guandu.
In many subsequent battles, Yu Forbidden will kill the enemy. After the Battle of Guandu, he was made a partial general by Cao Cao.
After the Battle of Chibi in 208, the Battle of Tianzhu Mountain in 209, and the Battle of Hanzhong in 215, Yu made outstanding achievements in the Forbidden War, rising all the way to the rank of General Zuo. The status among generals with foreign surnames reached its peak.
Here it is necessary to talk about a small stain in the ban. In 206, an old friend of Yu Ban's, Chang Yan, rebelled again after surrendering to Cao Cao, and Cao Cao sent Yu Ban to rebel. Yu forbidden to attack Changyan, but failed to conquer Changyan's stronghold. Therefore, Cao Cao sent Xiahou Yuan to lead troops to fight with Yu Ban. Xiahou Yuan captured more than ten strongholds of Changyan. However, because Changyan and Yu Ban were old friends, they surrendered to Yu Ban.
After Chang Yan surrendered, all the generals thought that Chang Yan had surrendered and should be put at Cao Cao's disposal, but Yu Ban said: "Don't you know the orders that Cao Gong often says!" Those who surrender after the siege of the army cannot be forgiven for their sins. Obeying and enforcing the law is the honor of serving the king. Although Changyun is my old friend, how can I lose my temper because of this!" Zi Lin said goodbye to Chang Yan and killed him with tears. Cao Cao heard this and said, "It is fate that Changyun does not surrender to me, but to the forbidden!" After the East China Sea was pacified, Cao Cao offered Emperor Han to the ban, Lejin, and Zhang Liao, and Yu Ban was therefore worshiped as a general of Huwei. This is too much forbidden, if a good friend doesn't help, forget it, leave it to Cao Cao to watch the head office. He also fished for fame to please the boss, showed loyalty, and killed his friends in his own hands! This is not done properly! Learn how Zhang Liao did to Guan Yu!
Retribution has finally come, and Yu Forbidden ushered in the darkest moment of life. In 219, Guan Yu besieged Lü Chang in Xiangyang and Cao Ren at Fancheng. Yu Ban led the Seventh Army, totaling 30,000 people, to Fancheng to assist Cao Ren. At that time, Fancheng, which Cao Ren was defending, was attacked by Guan Yu, but was not surrounded. Therefore, Cao Ren ordered the general Zuo Yu Ban and the Liyi general Pang De to garrison in the low-lying area north of Fancheng (the diversion of the Hanshui River). In autumn, Guan Yu took advantage of the excessive autumn rain and the surging Han water, and the entire army of the ban and Pound was destroyed. Pang Dening died unyielding, surrendered to the forbidden army, and was imprisoned in Jiangling, Jingzhou. After Cao Cao learned of the defeat of the forbidden army, he lamented for a long time, saying: "Yu Ban and I have known each other for thirty years, how can we face danger, but it is not as good as Pound!"
After Lü Meng attacked Jiangling, Yu Ban was released from Jingzhou and went to Eastern Wu. Cao Pi ascended the throne, and Sun Quan became a courtier. In 221, Sun Quan was sent back to the Wei state. And then there is the opening scene.
Chen Shou commented on Yu Ban and said: "Taizu Jianzi martial arts, and the good general of time, the five sons first." Yu Forbidden is the most resolute, but Fok is the end." Chen Shou believed that Yu forbidden old Cheng was one of the five good generals, but he was not guaranteed in the late festival.
But when we analyze it carefully, we feel that Yu Ban is a bit wronged. The defeat of Yu Ban Fancheng was an order given by Cao Ren, allowing Yu Ban and Pound to camp in a low-lying place, which is not at all Yu Ban jealous of Pound and Yu Forbidden in the TV series, so the responsibility for defeat does not lie with Forbidden.
Speaking of surrender, there are two kinds of surrender, one is to lay down arms, save life, and no longer resist. One is to do things for the enemy and become a member of the enemy. Yuban is the first, which is not a surrender in the full sense. European and American armies are encouraged, and when the ammunition is exhausted and resistance is ineffective, it is allowed. I remember that during World War II, an American general led 60,000 people in the Philippines to surrender to the Japanese army, and he was still hailed as a hero after returning home. Only those monarchs who do not value others or anything demand that soldiers only die in battle and cannot lay down their arms. Although Yu Ban is not as good as Pound, it is also excusable.
In short, from the perspective of modern people, although the behavior of the ban in his later years is not honorable, it is also not shameful.