Who is Yuan Tan? A brief biography of Yuan Tan at the end of the Han Dynasty

Yuan Tan made many military achievements in the process of Yuan Shao's pacification of Hebei. In 196 (the first year of Jian'an), Yuan Shao passed Yuan Tan over to his deceased brother Yuan Ji as his stepson, and made Yuan Tan the governor of Qingzhou, and then Cao Cao made him the governor of Qingzhou, and when Yuan Tan arrived in Qingzhou, the only territory he controlled was the plains, so he attacked Kong Rong in the north, attacked Kong Rong in the east, and finally occupied the entire Qingzhou, and then held this place. The people rejoiced, but then they lost the hearts of the people because of their improper employment, plundering everywhere, and unfair rewards and punishments.

　　In the fourth year of Jian'an (199), he wanted to meet Yuan Shu, but was obstructed by Liu Bei.

　　In the fifth year of Jian'an (200), Liu Bei was defeated, and Yuan Shao was led by Yuan Tan. In the same year, Yuan Tan accompanied Yuan Shao to participate in the Battle of Guandu, and when Cao Cao burned Wuchao, Yuan Shao said to Yuan Tan: "Even if Cao Cao defeats Chun Yuqiong and I capture Cao Cao's military camp, he will certainly have no place to return." So he sent Gao Lan, Zhang Gao, and others to attack Cao Cao's military camp, but they could not be captured. The second general heard that Chun Yuqiong and others were defeated, so he defected to Cao Cao. At this time, Yuan Shao's army panicked and completely collapsed. Yuan Shao and Yuan Tan and others, wearing scarves and riding horses, crossed the Yellow River with 800 cavalry, reached Liyang on the north bank, and entered the military camp of their general Jiang Yiqu.

　　Lian Di attacked Cao

　　In the seventh year of Jian'an (202), Yuan Shao died of grief. Previously, Yuan Shao wanted to be the heir because of Yuan Shang's beauty and the favor of his second wife Liu Shi, but did not formally express his position, everyone believed that Yuan Tan as the eldest son should be the heir, but Feng Ji and The Trial Match faction were at odds with Xin Ping, Guo Tu, and Yuan Tan, and the Trial Match and others were afraid that after Yuan Tan took the throne, Xin Ping and others would harm themselves, so they pretended to be Yuan Shao's dispatch and supported Yuan Shang as the heir. Yuan Tan could not succeed to the throne, and called himself a general on horseback, and his troops were stationed in Liyang. Yuan Shang gave him very few troops and sent Feng Ji to follow him. Yuan Tan requested an additional army, and the trial and others discussed not giving it, Yuan Tan became angry, and killed Feng Ji in a rage, and the two brothers gradually became suspicious.

　　In the same year, Cao Cao crossed the Yellow River to attack Yuan Tan, and Yuan Tan told Yuan Shang that Yuan Shang was afraid that Yuan Tan would not return after getting the soldiers, so he stayed in trial and guarded Yi County, and led his army to assist Yuan Tan and confronted Cao Cao at Liyang.

　　In the eighth year of Jian'an (203), Cao Cao attacked Liyang and defeated Yuan Shangyuan Tan, and the two retreated to Yecheng. Cao Cao attacked Ye and harvested his wheat fields. At this time, Cao Cao followed Guo Jia's plan and withdrew his army first to wait for the two to kill each other.

　　Compete with your brother for the throne

　　After the war, Yuan Tan said to Yuan Shang: "Our armor is not refined, so we were defeated by Cao Cao last time. At present, Cao Cao is retreating, everyone wants to go home, taking advantage of the fact that they have not encountered the river, unexpectedly sending troops to attack, can completely crush the Cao army, this strategy can not be lost. Yuan Shang did not agree because of his suspicions, neither sending more troops to Yuan Tan nor changing his armor. Yuan Tan was furious, and Guo Tu and Xin Ping took this opportunity to say to Yuan Tan: "If the general's father passes the general over to his brother as a descendant, it is all used by the judge to frame you." Yuan Tan felt that it was reasonable, so he led his troops to attack Yuan Shang, and the two sides fought at the outer city gate, and Yuan Tan was defeated, so he led his troops back to Nanpi (南pi County, Cangzhou).

　　Don't drive Wang Yu to lead the officials and people from Qingzhou to rescue Yuan Tan, Yuan Tan wanted to go back and attack Yuan Shang again, and asked Wang Huan, "What do you think?" Wang Xuan said: "Brothers are like left and right hands, if a person is ready to fight with a person and breaks his right hand, saying' I will definitely defeat you,' is it okay like this?" If you lose your brotherhood and don't go on a blind date, who else in the world is close to him? Recently, some people have stirred up dissension and caused a fight for temporary benefits, hoping that you will block your ears and not listen. If you kill a few of your flattering subordinates, the brothers will get closer and closer to each other to resist the enemies in all directions, and they can run amok in the world. Yuan Tan refused; Liu Biao also wrote to Yuan Tan to persuade him to reconcile with Yuan Shang, but Yuan Tan still did not accept it.

　　At this time, Yuan Tan's subordinate Liu Qian rebelled in Luoyin, and the counties responded, except for Donglai Taishouguan who abandoned his wife and children to support Yuan Tan in Nanpi. Later, Yuan Shang launched a large-scale attack, and Yuan Tan's troops were defeated and retreated to the plains. Yuan Shang besieged the city, so Yuan Tan sent Xin Bi to Cao Cao for help, but when Xin Bi saw Cao Cao, he suggested that Cao Cao should take this opportunity to annex Hebei, so Cao Cao sent a large army to attack Yuan Shang, and Yuan Shang immediately retreated back to save Yicheng. At this time, Yuan Shang's subordinates Lü Xiang and Lü Kuang rebelled against Cao Cao, but Yuan Tan secretly carved the general Yin Shou with the intention of surrendering the two of them.

　　Decisive battle against Cao Cao

　　Cao Cao knew that Yuan Tan was not bent on submitting to him, but in order to prevent Yuan Tan from joining forces with Yuan Shang again, he asked his son Cao To marry Yuan Tan's daughter as his daughter-in-law to reassure him. Cao Cao also made him the History of The Qingzhou Assassins.

　　In the ninth year of Jian'an (204), Yuan Shang attacked the plains again, and wrote a letter to Yuan Tan, who saw the letter and went to the city and wept. Cao Cao sent troops to besiege Yi to relieve Yuan Tan of his danger. During Cao Cao's siege, Yuan Tan immediately rebelled, taking Ganling, Anping, Bohai, and Hejian. Attacking Yuan Shangyu in Zhongshan, Yuan Shang was defeated and defected to Yuan Xi. Yuan Tan annexed Yuan Shang's people, and Tun Longqiu. Cao Cao learned of Yuan Tan's rebellion and reprimanded him and returned Yuan Tan's daughter. In December, Cao Cao recruited Yuan Tan and set up camp at the city gate, and Yuan Tan fled to Nanpi overnight, near the Qing River. King Wuhuan qiao wanted to lead five thousand horsemen to aid Yuan Tan, but was persuaded by the trick and did not send troops.

　　In the first month of the tenth year of Jian'an (205), Cao Cao Xingbing attacked Nanpi, Yuan Tan struggled to resist, and finally was defeated under Cao Cao's rapid attack, Yuan Tan was scattered in a shawl, and he desperately beat his horse to escape, and the tiger and leopard knights who chased him expected that he was not an ordinary person and stepped up to pursue. Yuan Tan fell from his horse and turned back and said, "Hey, let me go, I can make you rich." Before he could finish speaking, his head had landed on the ground. At this time, Cao Cao killed Guo Tu and others, and killed their wives and children as well.

　　According to the "Nanpi County Chronicle", "Tan Ben's defeated army is already a bird of fright, and the soldiers have no fighting spirit." Cao Cao took the opportunity to launch a fierce attack, breaking the city of Nanpi, and Yuan Tan fled in defeat and was killed by Cao Cao. Yuan Tan was buried in the east of Li Baomin Village, and his tomb has been destroyed. ”