Han Ji

When the news reached Chang'an, Liu Bei read the intelligence sent by Li Shun and said to Jia Xu, "Wenhe, Cao Cao has diverted water to flood Xiapi. Lü Bu will surely be defeated."

Jia Xu said, "My lord, Lü Bu won't last many more days. At most a month, Xiapi will fall."

Liu Bei said, "With Lü Bu defeated, Xuzhou will fall to Cao Cao. Cao Cao's power will greatly increase after gaining Xuzhou."

Jia Xu said, "My lord, Cao Cao has taken Xuzhou, but he still needs to rest and recuperate. My lord should take this opportunity to settle matters in Wancheng and Danshui."

Liu Bei nodded.

The city of Xiapi was flooded for three months, and Lü Bu's army's morale completely collapsed.

The soldiers had no food, no place to sleep, and spent their days in the water. Some fell ill, some starved to death, and some deserted. The city's food supplies were long gone, all the horses and dogs had been killed, and even the rats had been caught and eaten.

Lu Bu sat on the city wall, his face ashen. His armor was covered in mud, his hair was disheveled, his beard was filthy, and his eyes were red, indicating that he hadn't slept for several days.

Zhang Liao stood beside him. "General, we can't hold on any longer. The soldiers are about to mutinied."

Lü Bu said, "Wen Yuan, what do you suggest we do?"

Zhang Liao said, "Let's break out of the encirclement. I will protect you, General, and head south. We will cross the Huai River and join Sun Ce."

Lu Bu thought for a moment. "Sun Ce? Would he take me in?"

Zhang Liao said, "Let's give it a try."

Chen Gong, standing beside him, said, "General, we cannot break out. Cao Cao has a large force outside; we cannot escape. It would be better to surrender. If we surrender, Cao Cao will not kill you, General."

Lü Bu said, "Surrender? I, Lü Bu, never surrender."

Chen Gong said, "General, we must surrender this time."

Lu Bu fell silent.

That evening, Hou Cheng, Song Xian, and Wei Xu led their troops, bound Chen Gong, opened the city gates, and surrendered to Cao Cao.

Hou Cheng was a subordinate general of Lü Bu. He originally didn't want to rebel, but his horse was stolen, so he went to Lü Bu, who scolded him. In a fit of anger, he conspired with Song Xian and Wei Xu to rebel. The three of them, leading several hundred soldiers, sneaked into Chen Gong's tent and tied him up. Chen Gong did not resist; he sat in the tent and waited.

"What do you want?"

Hou Cheng said, "Mr. Chen, I'm sorry. We must surrender to Cao Cao."

Chen Gong said, "Go ahead. I won't stop you."

Hou Cheng tied up Chen Gong and led his men toward the city gate. Song Xian and Wei Xu walked ahead, opened the city gate, and lowered the drawbridge.

In Cao Cao's camp, the sentries saw the city gate open and quickly reported it. Xiahou Dun led his troops in and entered the city.

Lu Bu, standing atop the White Gate Tower, heard the shouts of battle from within the city and knew that all was lost. He stood up and picked up his halberd. Zhang Liao, standing beside him, also drew his sword.

"General, I'll protect you, charge out!"

Lü Bu said, "You can't get out. Wen Yuan, you should go. Go find Liu Bei. He'll take you in."

Zhang Liao said, "General, this humble general will not leave."

Lu Bu stared at him for a long time. "Go. That's an order."

Zhang Liao knelt down, kowtowed three times, stood up, turned and left.

Lu Bu stood atop the White Gate Tower, watching the flames of war within the city and listening to the shouts of battle. He stood there for a long time before finally lowering his halberd.

Cao Cao rode his horse into Xiapi City.

The streets were flooded, and horses' hooves splashed through the water. Houses on both sides were collapsed by the floodwaters; some were reduced to half a wall, others had vanished completely. The people huddled on their rooftops, shivering and huddled together. They dared not utter a sound upon seeing Cao Cao's army.

When Cao Cao arrived at the foot of the White Gate Tower, he reined in his horse and looked up at the tower.

Lu Bu stood upstairs, wearing tattered armor and with his hair disheveled. His halberd leaned against him, his hand resting on the hilt.

Cao Cao asked, "Lü Bu, will you surrender or not?"

Lü Bu said, "Surrender."

Cao Cao said, "Then get down."

Lu Bu walked down from the White Gate Tower, stood before Cao Cao, and knelt down.

Cao Cao looked at him. Lü Bu knelt on the ground, head bowed. He wasn't kneeling to Cao Cao, he was kneeling to his fate. He didn't want to die.

"Lü Bu, you are fickle. You killed Ding Yuan, you killed Dong Zhuo. You served Yuan Shao, then betrayed Yuan Shao. You served Liu Bei, then betrayed Liu Bei. You served me, then betrayed me. How can I trust you?"

Lü Bu said, "Lord Cao, I am willing to serve you with utmost loyalty. I have cavalry, a halberd, and the Red Hare. If you employ me, you will be invincible."

Cao Cao laughed. "Invincible under heaven? You can't even protect yourself, yet you call yourself invincible?"

Lu Bu fell silent.

Cao Cao turned to look at those around him. "What do you think? Should Lü Bu be killed?"

Xiahou Dun said, "He should be killed. This man is fickle and unpredictable; keeping him alive will only bring disaster."

Guo Jia said, "He should be killed. If Lü Bu is killed, Xu Province will be secured. If he is not killed, Xu Province will remain in chaos."

Cheng Yu said, "He should be killed. If you don't kill Lü Bu, he will rebel sooner or later."

Cao Cao nodded.

"Lu Bu, you heard that. It's not me who wants to kill you, it's everyone who wants to kill you."

Lü Bu raised his head and looked at Cao Cao. "Lord Cao, I have something to say."

Cao Cao said, "Speak."

Lü Bu said, "I will serve Cao Cao and will never betray him."

Cao Cao stared at him for a long time. "You killed Ding Jianyang and Dong Zhuo. And you're telling me you won't betray us?"

Lu Bu fell silent.

Cao Cao waved his hand. "Kill."

Lü Bu was dragged away. He struggled a few times but couldn't break free. He was dragged to the foot of the city gate and pressed to the ground. The sword was raised and brought down.

Lü Bu is dead.

When the message reached Chang'an, Liu Bei was reading documents in the General's Mansion. Li Shun rushed in and knelt on the ground.

"My lord, Lü Bu is dead. Cao Cao killed him at the White Gate Tower."

Liu Bei put down the document and remained silent for a long time.

"Lu Bu was brave, but he was also untrustworthy and unrighteous, and brought disaster upon himself." His voice was not loud, but every word was clear.

Xun Yu, standing nearby, said, "My lord, Lü Bu is dead, and Xu Province has fallen to Cao Cao. Cao Cao's power has grown even greater."

Liu Bei said, "I know."

He stood up and walked to the window. Outside, the sky above Chang'an was a hazy gray. In the distance, flags on the city walls fluttered in the wind.

"Pass on the order: Set up military farms, train troops, and store grain. Do not stop for a moment."

With Lü Bu dead, Xu Province was leaderless.

Cao Cao absorbed Lü Bu's troops and incorporated Zhang Liao, Hou Cheng, Song Xian, and Wei Xu into his army. Zhang Liao initially did not want to surrender, but with Lü Bu dead, he had nowhere to go. Cao Cao personally went to persuade him, saying, "Wen Yuan, following me will not be worse than following Lü Bu." Zhang Liao thought for three days and then surrendered.

Cao Cao entered Xiapi and posted a proclamation to reassure the people. He reduced taxes, released prisoners, and appeased the gentry. The people of Xuzhou peeked through their doors and saw that the flags on the city walls had changed. The flag bearing the character "Lü" was gone, replaced by a flag bearing the character "Cao."

All eight counties of Xuzhou—Langya, Donghai, Pengcheng, Xiapi, Guangling, Dongguan, Taishan, and Lu—became under Cao Cao's control.

When the news reached Chang'an, Liu Bei frowned.

He stood before the map, gazing at the location of Xuzhou. Cao Cao had occupied Xuzhou, thus connecting Yanzhou and Xuzhou into one contiguous area. Cao Wei's territory stretched from the Yellow River to the Huai River, spanning thousands of miles east to west and thousands of miles north to south. It had a population of several million and an army of over ten thousand.