Then he ordered Cao Hong to go and fight against Yejun, while he led another army against Yin Kai in Maocheng. Yin Kai could make no adequate defense and was killed by Xu Chu. His soldiers ran away and presently joined Cao Cao's army. Next Cao Cao led the army to Handan, and Ju Gu came out to fight him. Zhang Liao advanced to fight with Ju Gu, and after the third encounter Ju Gu was defeated and fled. Zhang Liao went after him, and when their two horses were not far apart, Zhang Liao took his bow and shot. The fleeing warrior fell as the bowstring twanged. Cao Cao completed the rout, and Ju Gu's force was broken up.
Now Cao Cao led his armies to an attack on Yejun. Cao Hong had arrived before; and a regular siege began. The army encompassed the city and began by throwing up great mounds. They also tunneled subterranean ways.
Within the city Shen Pei turned his whole care to the defense and issued the severest commands. The Commandant of the East Gate, Feng Li, got intoxicated and failed to keep his watch for which he was severely punished. Feng Li resented this, sneaked out of the city, went over to the besiegers, and told them how the place could be attacked.
“The earth within the Pearly Gate is solid enough to be tunneled, and entrance can be effected there,” said the traitor.
So Feng Li was sent with three hundred men to carry out his plan under cover of darkness.
After Feng Li had deserted to the enemy, Shen Pei went every night to the wall to inspect the soldiers on duty. The night of the sapping he went there as usual and saw that there were no lights outside the city and all was perfectly quiet.
So he said to himself, “Feng Li is certain to try to come into the city by an underground road.”
Whereupon he ordered his troops to bring up stones and pile them on the cover of the tunnel opening. The opening was stopped up and the attacking party perished in the tunnel they had excavated.
Cao Cao having failed in this attempt abandoned the scheme of underground attack. He drew off the army to a place above the River Huan to await till Yuan Shang should return to relieve the city.
Yuan Shang heard of the defeat of Yin Kai and Ju Gu, and the siege of his own city, and bethought himself of relieving it. One of his commanders, Ma Yan, said, “The high road will surely be ambushed; we must find some other way. We can take a by-road from the Western Hills and get through by River Fu, whence we can fall upon Cao Cao's camp.”
The plan was acceptable and Yuan Shang started off with the main body, Ma Yan and Zhang Yi being rear guard.
Cao Cao's spies soon found out this move, and when they reported it, he said, “If Yuan Shang comes by the high road, I shall have to keep out of the way; if by the Western Hills' by-road, I can settle him in one battle. And I think he will show a blaze as a signal to the besieged that they may make a sortie. I shall prepare to attack both.”
So Cao Cao made his preparations. Now Yuan Shang went out by River Fu east toward Yangping; and near this he camped. Thence to Yejun was five miles. River Fu ran beside the camp. He ordered his soldiers to collect firewood and grass ready for the blaze he intended to make at night as his signal. He also sent Li Fu, a civil officer, disguised as an officer of Cao Cao's army, to inform Shen Pei of his intentions.
Li Fu reached the city wall safely and called out to the guards to open. Shen Pei recognized his voice and let him in. Thus Shen Pei knew of the arrangements for his relief, and it was agreed that a blaze should be raised within the city so that the sortie could be simultaneous with Yuan Shang's attack. Orders were given to collect inflammables. Then said Li Fu, “As your food supply is short, it would be well for the old people, the feeble soldiers and the women to surrender. This will come upon them as a surprise, and we will send the soldiers out behind them.”
Shen Pei promised to do all this, and next day they hoisted on the wall a white flag with the words “The populace of Jizhou surrender!” on it.
“Ho ho! This means no food,” said Cao Cao. “They are sending away the non-combatants to escape feeding them. And the soldiers will follow behind them.”
Cao Cao bade Zhang Liao and Xu Huang laid an ambush of three thousand troops on both sides while he went near the wall in full state. Presently the gates were opened and out came the people supporting their aged folks and leading their little ones by the hand. Each carried a white flag. As soon as the people had passed the gate, the soldiers followed with a rush.
