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The next day, Huang Shao personally led a troop to counterattack the Cao Army. They formed ranks on the plain when a general stepped forward, wearing a Yellow Turban and a green cloak, wielding a heavy iron staff. He walked to the front of the formation and shouted loudly, "I am He Man, the Night Demon! Who dares to fight me?" His voice boomed like thunder, shaking the soldiers around him.
In the Cao ranks, Cao Hong caught sight of this giant and angrily exclaimed, "A nameless nobody dares to be so arrogant!" He leaped off his horse and charged forward with his blade drawn. The two engaged in fierce combat at the front, their weapons clashing as sparks flew. They exchanged blows back and forth, and in the blink of an eye, they had fought over forty exchanges without a clear victor.
Seeing this, Cao Hong devised a plan. He deliberately exposed a weakness and pretended to retreat, stepping back with feigned unsteadiness. He Man, thinking his opponent was fatigued, raised his iron staff to pursue him with murderous intent, shouting, "You can't escape!" As he closed in, Cao Hong suddenly turned and leaped, swinging his blade back fiercely. The edge of the sword grazed He Man's waist. He Man grunted in surprise and before he could react, another strike came down upon him, causing blood to gush forth as he collapsed to the ground.
"He Man? Is that all you've got!" Cao Hong sneered as he wiped the blood from his blade and called out to Li Dian, "Follow me to break their formation!"
Li Dian raised his arm and shouted triumphantly as he led the cavalry into the Thief Formation like a tiger descending from the mountain. Huang Shao was busy directing his troops and was caught off guard; Li Dian charged in on horseback, knocking away Huang Shao's weapon with a single blow before seizing him by the collar and dragging him off his horse. The Yellow Turban Army saw their commander captured and fell into disarray. The Cao Army seized the opportunity to slaughter them, capturing vast amounts of gold and provisions.
After Huang Shao was taken prisoner, He Yi found himself isolated and could only flee with a few hundred riders towards Ge Bi. They hurried along a mountain path when suddenly shouts erupted from behind them as an ambush sprang forth. Leading them was a robust warrior, standing eight feet tall with a waist as wide as ten spans, wielding a gleaming Dadao that blocked their path.
"He Yi! Where do you think you're going?" the warrior bellowed with a voice like thunder.
He Yi gritted his teeth and raised his spear to confront him, shouting back, "Who are you to block my way?"
"I am the one who will send you to the underworld!" The warrior laughed coldly as he swung his blade. He Yi raised his spear to defend himself but found himself overpowered; when their weapons clashed, he felt a jolt run through his arm as his spear flew from his grasp. The warrior swiftly reached out and grabbed He Yi by the back of his collar, lifting him off his horse as easily as one would pick up a chick and dragging him down to the ground.
The remaining Yellow Turban Army saw their commander captured and immediately fell into chaos, kneeling in surrender. The warrior ordered his men to bind them all and escort them into Ge Bi for Cao Cao's judgment.
Dian Wei pursued relentlessly until he reached Ge Bi, where he found a troop of soldiers standing ready for battle. At their head was a warrior clad in armor, wielding a massive blade that glinted coldly in the light, his gaze piercing. Dian Wei shouted loudly, "Are you also one of the Yellow Turban Rebels?"
The warrior laughed heartily and pointed his blade at Dian Wei. "The hundreds of Yellow Turbans have already been captured by me and are currently held within the fort!"
Dian Wei raised an eyebrow and angrily said, "If that's the case, why not offer them to my lord?"
The warrior let out a cold laugh. "Want people? You must first defeat me and my treasured blade! Come, let me see your skills!"
"You arrogant fool!" Dian Wei's eyes widened as he brandished his Twin Iron Halberds and shouted, "Prepare to face me!"
In an instant, the two were locked in fierce combat, their weapons clashing and sparks flying. The warrior swung his blade with the force of the wind, its power overwhelming; Dian Wei's halberd techniques were fierce, each strike aimed at vital points. They fought from dawn until noon without determining a victor.
The warrior stepped back a few paces, took a deep breath, and called out, "No wonder you are a fierce general of the Cao Army! But this round is not over yet!"
Dian Wei wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and replied with a cold smile, "If you still have strength left, then come at me!"
Moments later, the warrior charged again on horseback, his massive blade gleaming coldly in the sunset. He shouted loudly, "Come to battle! Let’s see who can last until the end!"
Dian Wei did not back down and met him head-on with his halberd. The two clashed once more, the sound of their battle roaring through the air as dust swirled around them. The soldiers nearby held their breath in anticipation. They fought until dusk, both panting heavily, their steeds drenched in sweat. Eventually, they had to call a temporary truce and retreated to their camps to rest.
Seeing the stalemate, Dian Wei's subordinate quickly sent a rider back to report to Cao Cao. When the news reached the camp, Cao Cao set down his wine cup, his expression changing as he exclaimed, "Dian Wei has encountered an opponent? Who could possibly fight him to such a standstill?"
Cao Cao immediately rose and commanded his generals to gather. "Follow me to Ge Bi and see which hero dares to stand against my fierce general!"
The next day, the warrior once again rode out with his blade raised high, exuding confidence. He stood at the front of his formation and called out loudly, "Does yesterday's defeated Dian Wei dare to come and die again?" Cao Cao observed from a high vantage point and noted the warrior's imposing presence with admiration. "If such a person could be used for my cause, what great achievements could we not accomplish?" He then quietly instructed Dian Wei, "Today, feign defeat and draw him into our trap."
Dian Wei acknowledged the order and stepped forward with his twin halberds to engage in close combat with the warrior. Their weapons clashed with thunderous sounds as they exchanged blows rapidly. Suddenly, Dian Wei pretended to expose a weakness and turned his horse to flee while shouting loudly, "It seems today is truly an unlucky day for me, Dian Wei!"
The warrior, upon seeing the situation, let out a hearty laugh and urged his horse to chase after, declaring, "Today, I will take your head to satisfy our bravado!" He was completely unaware as he followed Dian Wei straight into the Cao Army's camp.
Suddenly, the sound of a horn blared from within the camp, and the warrior's steed stumbled, throwing both horse and rider into a pit that had been set up in advance. Soldiers lying in ambush rushed forward, using iron hooks to capture the warrior tightly.
Before long, the warrior was brought before Cao Cao. Cao Cao waved his hand to dismiss the surrounding soldiers and personally approached to untie the ropes binding him. He draped a large cloak over the warrior's shoulders and said gently, "Brave warrior, the cold wind is biting; this is not how we treat our guests. Please, have a seat."
Although captured, the warrior showed no fear in his demeanor. He sat upright and gazed at Cao Cao. Cao Cao smiled and asked, "You are indeed valiant; such courage is rare in this world. May I know your name and where you hail from?"
The warrior straightened his robe and looked firmly at Cao Cao, speaking in a loud and steady voice, "I am from Qiao County. My surname is Xu, my given name is Chu, and my courtesy name is Xu Zhongkang. In my youth, my hometown was ravaged by bandits, causing great suffering among the people who feared for their lives. To protect my clan and fellow villagers, I gathered hundreds of men to build a fort and defend it steadfastly."
He paused for a moment as if recalling those difficult days before continuing, "Once, when bandits launched a large-scale attack, I ordered my clansmen to gather stones and hide them atop the fort walls. As the bandits approached, I climbed to the top of the wall myself and rained down stones upon them. Each throw found its mark, scattering the bandit troops in fear. That day, they did not manage to set foot inside our fort."
Cao Cao nodded slightly, a glimmer of admiration flashing in his eyes. Xu Chu continued, "On another occasion, our supplies ran low inside the fort, and everyone was suffering from hunger. The bandits learned of this and pretended to negotiate peace by suggesting an exchange of rice for plow oxen. I agreed to their trade; however, when they delivered the rice, they attempted to seize the oxen as well. To their surprise, as soon as those oxen were driven outside the fort, they all returned back inside. Seeing this, the thieves were furious and prepared to take them by force. I immediately charged out and grabbed two oxen by their tails with my bare hands, dragging them back over a hundred steps. The thieves were astonished at this sight; they gasped in disbelief and ultimately abandoned their plan and fled. From that day on, no one dared to invade us again."
Cao Cao laughed heartily upon hearing this: "Xu Zhongkang's might is indeed legendary! Meeting you today is truly a blessing from heaven. If you were to serve under me, pledging your loyalty to stabilize the state, what would you say?"
Xu Chu stood up with cupped fists in salute and replied earnestly, "If Lord Cao can accept this rough man, I would gladly devote myself wholeheartedly without hesitation!"
Cao Cao was overjoyed and immediately ordered that Xu Chu's clansmen be summoned to join him with all their forces surrendering. Subsequently, he personally appointed Xu Chu as Commandant and rewarded him with treasures as a sign of his importance.
Not long after, Cao Cao commanded his army to eliminate the remnants of the Yellow Turbans, beheading He Yi and Huang Shao while thoroughly pacifying the regions of Ru and Ying. From then on, Xu Chu officially became an important general by Cao Cao's side, his reputation spreading far and wide.
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