Cao Cao can’t even get a good night’s sleep as he tries to dislodge Liu Bei from the banks of the Han River.

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Welcome to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms Podcast. This is episode 92.

Last time, Liu Bei was on a roll against Cao Cao in the region of Hanzhong. First, Liu Bei’s general Huang Zhong took over a series of key locations and killed one of Cao Cao’s kinsmen and top generals, Xiahou Yuan. Then, when Cao Cao personally came to avenge his kinsman, Liu Bei’s forces burned his provisions and sent him scurrying back to his home base.

Undaunted, Cao Cao set out once again, trying to dislodge Liu Bei from his position along the Han (4) River. Cao Cao sent the generals Xu Huang and Wang Ping to lead the vanguard and attack. When they arrived at the river, Xu Huang, the commander, ordered his troops to cross the river and line up in battle formation, but Wang Ping, his second in command, disagreed.

“If we cross the river, what will we do if we need to retreat quickly?” Wang Ping asked, pointing out that once they cross over to the other side, they will have their backs against the river, which was not a very strategically sound place to be.

Xu Huang, however, was not swayed. “The great Han general Han (2) Xin (4) once had his troops line up with their backs to the water, forcing them to fight to the death so that they may live,” he said.

So what Xu Huang was referencing here was a famous battle during the founding of the Han dynasty. Han (2) Xin (4), the commander of the Han army deployed his forces with their backs against a river, which went against every rule in the book. But Han Xin was a genius, so he could throw out the book. Unfortunately, his success that day has also become a convenient excuse for many a less talented general trying to justify doing the same thing when they really, really shouldn’t, and Wang Ping pointed out as much.

“When Han Xin did that, he knew the enemy was not smart enough to take advantage,” Wang Ping said. “Can you say the same for the enemy generals Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong?”

Xu Huang, however, was done arguing and made an executive decision. “You will lead the infantry into battle, and watch as I break the enemy with the cavalry,” he said as he ordered his men to deploy pontoons and begin crossing.

 

When Liu Bei got word that Xu Huang was setting up camp with his back to the river, his generals Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun both volunteered to go meet the enemy, so Liu Bei sent both of them.

“Xu Huang is pressing ahead on courage alone,” Huang Zhong said to Zhao Yun. “Let’s not fight him just yet. By evening, his men will be tired, and then we can each lead a battalion and attack.”

Zhao Yun agreed, so they each led a battalion and set up barricades. Xu Huang’s army began to challenge for combat at sunrise, but from dawn to dusk, the Shu troops made no movement. Now, Xu Huang sent his archers forward to fire at the Shu camp.

Seeing this, Huang Zhong said to Zhao Yun, “Xu Huang must be preparing to fall back. Let’s get ready to strike.”

He had barely finished speaking when word arrived that the rear of Xu Huang’s army was indeed moving out. Now, the Shu army let loose with its war drums and battle cries as Huang Zhong dashed out from the left and Zhao Yun charged forth from the right. The pincer attack crushed Xu Huang’s army,