Gongsun Zan, styled Bo Gui, was a native of Zhiren in Liaoxi. At first, he served as a minor official in the county, serving as a scribe. He was a handsome young man with a booming voice, which the county prefect admired, leading him to marry off his daughter to Gongsun Zan. Later, Gongsun Zan was sent to Zhuo County to study under Lu Zhi. After completing his studies, he returned to the county to serve as an official.
Later, Prefect Liu was summoned by the court for questioning over a misconduct, and Gongsun Zan accompanied him, personally attending to Prefect Liu's daily needs. When Prefect Liu was exiled to Jinan, Gongsun Zan held a feast on Beimang Mountain, offering sacrifices to his ancestors, raising a wine cup, he said, "I was once a son, but now I'm an official heading to Jinan. Jinan is plagued by disease; I might not return, so I’m saying goodbye to my ancestors." After saying this, he bowed deeply twice, then got up and left, causing everyone present to cry. Unexpectedly, Prefect Liu was later pardoned and returned.
Gongsun Zan was recommended for his filial piety and became a lang official, and later became the Chief Historian of the Liaodong vassal state. Once, he led a few dozen cavalrymen on patrol beyond the borders and ran into hundreds of Xianbei cavalry. Gongsun Zan quickly retreated with his men to an empty pavilion, telling his men, "If we charge out now, we’re all dead!" He grabbed two sharpened spears and charged out to take on the Xianbei, killing dozens of them, but he also lost half of his men and horses before barely escaping. The Xianbei were terrified by the slaughter and never dared to invade our borders again.
Gongsun Zan later rose to become the magistrate of Zhuo County. During the Guanghe era, there was a rebellion in Liangzhou, and the court gathered three thousand cavalry from Youzhou, appointing Gongsun Zan as the commander to quell the rebellion. Upon the army's arrival at Ji County, Zhang Chun from Yuyang conspired with Qiu Liju and others from the Wuhuan tribe in Liaoxi to revolt, looting Ji County, proclaiming himself a general, and attacking cities in areas such as Right Beiping and Liaoxi, wreaking havoc everywhere. Gongsun Zan led the army to pursue Zhang Chun and others, gaining numerous military achievements and was promoted to Cavalry Commandant. Later, Wang, the leader of a vassal state of the Wuhuan tribe, surrendered to Gongsun Zan. Gongsun Zan was granted the title of Marquis of Duting, stationed in the vassal state, where he fought against the Xiongnu for five or six years. However, Qiu Liju and others continued to harass Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Youzhou, and Jizhou, inflicting significant harm on these four provinces, which Gongsun Zan failed to effectively stop.
Rumor has it that everyone in the court believed that Zong Zheng and Liu Bo'an from Donghai were good people, highly respected; during his time as governor of Youzhou, he was both kind and firm, earning a solid reputation, and even the nomads held him in high regard. If he were sent to oversee Youzhou, he would surely be able to stabilize the region with little effort. Thus, Liu Yu was appointed as the governor of Youzhou.
After Liu Yu arrived in Youzhou, he sent people to the Hu to clarify the stakes and demand that they hand over their leader, Chun. Qiu Li heard that Liu Yu had come and was very happy, so they all sent people to surrender. Because Gongsun Zan felt that Liu Yu had made achievements and was not happy, he secretly sent assassins to kill the envoy of the Hu. When the Hu learned of this, they secretly went to see Liu Yu. Liu Yu withdrew his other troops and only left Gongsun Zan's ten thousand infantry and cavalry stationed at Youbeiping. Seeing that the situation was dire, Chun fled to the Xianbei with his family and was eventually killed by Wang Zheng, the guest king of the Xianbei, who then sent Liu Yu his head. Liu Yu granted Wang Zheng the title of marquis. Because of this, Liu Yu was promoted to Grand Commandant and also granted the title of Marquis of Xiangben. Around this time, Dong Zhuo entered Luoyang, and Liu Yu was reassigned to the central government as Grand Marshal, while Gongsun Zan was appointed as General of Valor and also granted the title of Marquis of Ji.
The Guandong rebels rose up, Dong Zhuo took the Emperor hostage and fled to Chang'an, and issued an edict appointing Liu Yu as Grand Preceptor. However, all the roads were blocked, so the edict could not be delivered. Yuan Shao and Han Fu discussed and felt that the Emperor was controlled by treacherous officials, causing unrest among the people, leaving them without a strong leader. Liu Yu, being of imperial descent and having a good reputation, was someone the common people hoped for, so they supported Liu Yu as Emperor. They even sent someone to invite Liu Yu, but Liu Yu refused. Yuan Shao and his supporters persuaded Liu Yu to become Minister of Works and take control of the government, but Liu Yu still refused, though he maintained an alliance with Yuan Shao and others. Liu Yu's son Liu He served as an attendant in Chang'an. The Emperor wanted to return east, so he instructed Liu He to feign an escape from Dong Zhuo's control, secretly leave Wuguan, and go find Liu Yu to lead troops to meet him. On the way, Liu He passed through Yuan Shu's territory and told Yuan Shu about the Emperor's intentions. Yuan Shu thought Liu Yu could help him, so he detained Liu He, promised him troops, and agreed to head west together, even letting Liu He write a letter to Liu Yu. After receiving Liu He's letter, Liu Yu sent several thousand cavalry to meet Liu He. Gongsun Zan knew that Yuan Shu had other intentions and did not want to send troops, but Liu Yu disagreed. Gongsun Zan was afraid that Yuan Shu would blame him if he found out, so he sent his brother Gongsun Yue with a thousand cavalry to meet Yuan Shu, under the guise of friendship, but secretly instigating Yuan Shu to capture Liu He and seize his military power. Consequently, the relationship between Liu Yu and Gongsun Zan soured. Liu He managed to escape from Yuan Shu's territory and headed north, but was soon detained by Yuan Shao.
At that time, Yuan Shu sent Sun Jian to Yangcheng to counter Dong Zhuo, while Yuan Shao sent Zhou Ang to occupy Yangcheng. Yuan Shu then sent Lu Bu and Sun Jian to attack Zhou Ang together, but they were defeated, and Lu Bu was shot by a stray arrow and died. Upon hearing of his brother's death, Liu Yan was furious and said, "Yuan Shao is to blame for my brother's death!" So he stationed his troops at Panhe, planning his revenge against Yuan Shao.
Yuan Shao was alarmed upon hearing this, so he quickly gave Liu Fan, Liu Yan's brother, the seal of Bohai Prefect and sent him to Bohai County in hopes of winning Liu Yan as an ally. Liu Fan brought Bohai's troops to assist Liu Yan in defeating the Yellow Turban Army in Qingzhou and Xuzhou, significantly boosting his strength, and then stationed his troops at Jieqiao. Yuan Shao then appointed Yan Gang as the Governor of Jizhou, Tian Kai as the Governor of Qingzhou, and Shan Jing as the Governor of Yanzhou, providing them with county officials.
Yuan Shao's army was stationed in Guangchuan, and he ordered General Qu Yichongfeng to fight Liu Yan, resulting in the capture of Yan Gang. Liu Yan's army was defeated and retreated all the way back to Bohai, where he returned with Liu Fan to Jixian, where they built a small town southeast of the city, adjacent to Yuzhou, constantly shooting each other angry glares.
Yu Juzan wanted to rebel, so he led his troops to attack Zan. As a result, Yu was defeated by Zan and fled to Juyong. Zan captured Juyong and took Yu alive, bringing him back to Jicheng. At this time, Dong Zhuo died, and the emperor sent an envoy, Duan Xun, to grant Yu additional territories, entrusting him with governance over six states; Zan was promoted to General and titled Marquis Yi. Zan falsely accused Yu of plotting to become emperor, pressuring Duan Xun into executing Yu. Zan subsequently appointed Duan Xun as the Governor of Youzhou.
Zan became proud and arrogant, remembering his achievements while forgetting his debts of gratitude, and committed numerous misdeeds. Yu's subordinates, Xian Yu Fu, Qi Zhou, and Cavalry Captain Xian Yu Yin, led the troops in the province to seek revenge for Yu. Since Yan Rou from Yan State had always been highly respected, everyone elected Yan Rou as the commander of the Wuman. Yan Rou recruited tens of thousands of Hu and Han soldiers. They fought against the Fishyang Prefect that Zan had appointed in Lubei, achieved a resounding victory, and killed the prefect. Yuan Shao then sent Ju Yi and Yu Zihuan to attack Zan with Xian Yu Fu. Zan’s army faced numerous defeats and retreated to Yijing to make their stand. He dug ten moats and constructed a city within them, with walls five to six zhang high, topped with towers. The central wall was particularly tall, reaching ten zhang, where he resided and stored over three million hu of grain. Zan said, "I used to believe I could control everything effortlessly, but now it appears that’s not the case. It’s better to stop fighting and focus on farming and stockpiling food. The Art of War states, 'You don’t need to attack a hundred floors.' Now that I have thousands of floors, once we run out of food, everything will become clear." He aimed to use this strategy to wear down Yuan Shao.
Yuan Shao sent troops to attack him, but they were unable to capture him for several years. In the fourth year of the Jian'an era, Yuan Shao concentrated all his troops to besiege Yijing. Zan sent his son to seek help from the Black Mountain bandits and also planned to personally lead the elite cavalry to break through from the southwestern mountains to join forces with the Black Mountain bandits to attack Jizhou and cut off Yuan Shao's escape. Chief Clerk Guan Jing advised Zan, saying: "The generals and soldiers are already losing heart. They are thinking of their families and their loyalty to you, the general. If the general can just hold on and buy some time, Yuan Shao will definitely retreat on his own; after Yuan Shao retreats, troops from all directions will surely gather again. If the general gives up and leaves now, the army will lose its morale, and Yijing will fall right away. If the general loses the foundation and is alone in the wilderness, what great things can he achieve?"
Zan then stopped his plan to send out troops. When reinforcements arrived, they planned to attack Yuan Shao from both inside and outside. Zan sent a letter to his son, arranging a time for the arrival of the reinforcements, using a signal of lighting a fire. Yuan Shao's spies got hold of this letter and lit the fire at the agreed time. Zan thought the reinforcements had arrived, so he sent out his troops to fight Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao set up an ambush, defeated Zan's army, and Zan retreated back to Yijing to defend. Yuan Shao dug tunnels, destroyed Zan's towers, and gradually advanced to the inner city. Zan knew defeat was inevitable, so he killed his wife and children before taking his own life.
Xian Yufu, this guy, obeyed the emperor's orders and was appointed as General Jianzhong (General of Loyalty), overseeing six counties in Youzhou. At that time, our leader (the founding emperor) was in a standoff with Yuan Shao at Guandu. Yan Rou sent a representative to ally with our leader, was promoted to Protector of the Wuhuan, and became the Protector of the Wuhuan Xiongwei. Xian Yufu personally visited our leader, was given the title of Marquis, and then was sent back to continue overseeing Youzhou. Later, our leader captured Nanpi, and Yan Rou brought his troops and Xianbei people to deliver many good horses to the army, joining the campaign against the Wuhuan tribes in the three counties. Due to his achievements, he was appointed Marquis of Guannei. Xian Yufu also brought his troops along. When Emperor Wen ascended the throne, Xian Yufu was appointed as General Huya, and Yan Rou was appointed as General Duliao; both were promoted to County Marquis and held high-ranking positions.
Tao Qian, courtesy name Gongzu, was a native of Danyang. He loved learning from a young age and was well-educated. He held minor government positions in the local administration, was recommended as a talented individual, became the magistrate of Lu County, was promoted to the post of Governor of Youzhou, was later appointed as a councilor, and joined General Zhang Wen in a campaign against Han Sui in the west. When the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out in Xuzhou, he became the Inspector of Xuzhou and defeated the Yellow Turban army. When Dong Zhuo rebelled and chaos erupted across the land, the Emperor fled to Chang'an, and all communications were cut off, but Tao Qian discreetly sent tributes. He was later promoted to General of the East and Governor of Xuzhou, and was granted the title of Marquis of Liyang. At that time, the people of Xuzhou lived in abundance, with plenty of food, and many refugees flocked to him for refuge. However, Tao Qian had a reputation for being unreliable: he neglected the virtuous Langye Zhao Yu, the Prefect of Guangling, and instead favored the likes of Cao Hong and others who were dishonest. He caused confusion in the legal system, resulting in the wrongful conviction of many innocent people, which led to increasing chaos in Xuzhou. Que Xuan of Xiapi even proclaimed himself Emperor, and Tao Qian initially joined forces with him in looting, but later killed Que Xuan and absorbed his army.
In the fourth year of Chuping, our leader, Taizu, attacked Tao Qian, capturing more than ten cities and fighting a major battle in Pengcheng. Tao Qian's army was defeated and fled, with tens of thousands dead and the Si River obstructed. Tao Qian retreated to Tancheng, and our leader withdrew due to a shortage of supplies. In the first year of Xingping, our leader launched another expedition, occupying many counties in Langye and Donghai. Tao Qian, fearing for his safety, tried to escape back to his hometown of Danyang. However, Zhang Miao betrayed him by siding with Lu Bu, and our leader was forced to confront Lu Bu. That year, Tao Qian passed away due to illness.
Zhang Yang, styled Zhishu, was a man from Yunzhong. Because of his strong martial arts skills, he was appointed to serve in Bingzhou and became a military officer. During the chaos of the dying Emperor Ling, the highly favored eunuch Jianshuo was appointed as the Colonel of the Western Garden Army, stationed in the capital, with the intention of using him to control the realm and recruiting heroes and talented individuals from across the land to serve under him. Cao Cao and Yuan Shao also became Colonels, serving under Jianshuo. Ding Yuan, the Inspector of Bingzhou, sent Zhang Yang to meet with Jianshuo, temporarily appointing him as a Marshal. After Emperor Ling's death, Jianshuo was killed by He Jin. Zhang Yang was then sent back to Bingzhou by He Jin to recruit soldiers, gathering over a thousand men, and stationed in Shangdang to combat mountain bandits. After He Jin's death, Dong Zhuo rebelled. Zhang Yang launched an attack on the Prefect of Shangdang but was unsuccessful in capturing it, so he began raiding other counties, expanding his forces to several thousand men.
In Shandong, another uprising aimed to kill Dong Zhuo. When Yuan Shao arrived in He'nan, Zhang Yang joined forces with him and set up camp by the Zhang River alongside the Xiongnu chieftain Yufu Luo. When Yufu Luo plotted to betray Yuan Shao, Zhang Yang opposed him. Yufu Luo then captured Zhang Yang, but Yuan Shao sent Ju Yi to pursue and defeat him in Yenan. Yufu Luo brought Zhang Yang to Liyang, defeated General Gengzhi's army, and Zhang Yang's forces continued to grow stronger. Dong Zhuo appointed Zhang Yang as General Jianyi and Prefect of He'nan. When the Emperor was in Hedong, Zhang Yang led his troops to Anyi and was appointed as General of Anguo and Marquis of Jinyang. Zhang Yang wanted to welcome the Emperor back to Luoyang, but other generals opposed the idea, leading him to return to Yewang.
In the first year of the Jian'an era, Yang Feng, Dong Cheng, and Han Xian took the emperor back to Luoyang, but they ran out of food. Zhang Yang sent supplies to meet them on their way and successfully arrived in Luoyang. Zhang Yang told other generals, "The emperor belongs to the world; fortunately, there are ministers to assist. I, Zhang Yang, will handle the defense against external threats, so you can rest assured in the capital!" After saying this, he then returned to Yewang. He was subsequently appointed as the Grand Marshal. Zhang Yang was on good terms with Lu Bu. When Cao Cao besieged Lu Bu, Zhang Yang tried to save him, but he was unable to do so. He sent troops to the east market to create the appearance that he was coming to rescue Lu Bu. One of his generals, Yang Chou, killed Zhang Yang and surrendered to Cao Cao. Zhang Yang's general Sui Gu killed Yang Chou and led the army northward to join Yuan Shao. Cao Cao sent Shi Huan to intercept, defeated Sui Gu in Quancheng, killed him, and absorbed his troops.
Gongsun Du, styled Shengji, was originally from Xiangping in Liaodong. His father was Gongsun Yan, who fled to Xuanfu to escape the authorities and settled there, which allowed Gongsun Du to take on a local official position. At that time, the Prefect of Xuanfu was Gongsun Yi, and his son was Gongsun Bao, who tragically passed away at just eighteen. Gongsun Du was also known as Gongsun Bao in his youth, the same age as Gongsun Yi's son. Gongsun Yi liked him very much and arranged a marriage for him. Later, Gongsun Du was recommended for a position as a clerk because of his good character and gradually rose to become the Inspector of Jizhou, but was dismissed amidst some rumors. His fellow villager Xu Rong was a Colonel under Dong Zhuo and recommended him to be the Prefect of Liaodong. Gongsun Du started as a small official in Xuanfu, and the people of Liaodong viewed him with disdain. Previously, the vassal Gongsun Zhao was the county magistrate in Xiangping and even recruited Gongsun Du's son, Gongsun Kang, as a junior officer in his own team. After taking office, Gongsun Du arrested Gongsun Zhao and executed him publicly in Xiangping City.
In Liaodong County, some prominent families, like the Tian Shao clan, had no previous dealings with Gongsun Du. However, he used legal tactics to take them down, wiping out over a hundred families in one fell swoop, sending the whole county into a panic. He also led troops to the east to attack Goguryeo and to the west to strike the Wuhuan, gaining a reputation that spread far beyond the seas. In the first year of Chuping, Gongsun Du felt that the Central Plains were in turmoil, so he said to his confidants Liu Yi and Yang Yi, "The Han Dynasty is finished; we must proclaim ourselves kings!" At that time, a huge stone appeared in Yangpingyanli, over ten feet long, with three small stones underneath to support it. Some claimed, "This stone is said to have come from the hat of Emperor Xuan of Han, and the name of this place is the same as your father's name. The community is where the Earth God resides. You will definitely receive the land in the future, and these three small stones are the three ministers who will assist you!" Gongsun Du was thrilled to hear this.
Li Min, the governor of Hanoi, was well-known in the area. He disapproved of Gongsun Du's actions and feared being harmed by him, so he ran away to the coast with his family. Gongsun Du was furious when he heard this; he dug up his ancestral grave, opened the coffin, burned the corpse, and exterminated his whole family. Gongsun Du split Liaodong County into Liaoxi and Zhongliao, each with a prefect. He also crossed the sea to recapture some counties in Donglai, setting up the position of Yingzhou Governor. He declared himself the Marquis of Liaodong and Governor of Pingzhou, and posthumously honored his father Gongsun Yan as the Marquis of Jianyi. He built temples for the two founding ancestors of the Han Dynasty, held a ceremony to honor the heavens south of Xiangping City, along with ceremonies to honor the heavens, earth, and fields, and organized a grand procession featuring ceremonial teams, nine royal crowns, and feathered horse riders.
Cao Cao appointed him as the General of Wuwei and the Marquis of Yongning, but he replied, "I’m declaring myself king of Liaodong; what do I need with the Marquis of Yongning!" He then stashed the seal and ribbon in the armory. After Gongsun Du passed away, his son Gongsun Kang took over his position, and the title of Marquis of Yongning went to his brother Gongsun Gong. This year marked the ninth year of Jian'an.
Twelve years ago, Emperor Taizu led his troops to conquer the Wuhuan tribes across three counties and captured Liucheng. Yuan Shang and his followers fled to Liaodong. At that time, Gongsun Kang beheaded Yuan Shang and presented his head to the court. This event is recorded in the "Records of the Martial Emperor." The Emperor appointed Gongsun Kang as the Marquis of Xiangping and also made him the Left General.
After Gongsun Kang's death, his sons Gongsun Huang and Gongsun Yuan were still young, so Gongsun Gong was appointed as the Governor of Liaodong. When Emperor Wen ascended to the throne, he sent envoys to appoint Gongsun Gong as the General of Chariots and Cavalry on the spot, granting him the authority of a false seal and appointing him as the Marquis of Pingguo. He also posthumously honored his father Gongsun Kang with the title of Grand Marshal.
Initially, Gongsun Gong was in poor health, and as a eunuch, he lacked the ability to govern effectively. In the second year of the Taihe era, Gongsun Yuan seized the opportunity to usurp Gongsun Gong's position. Emperor Ming of Wei immediately appointed Gongsun Yuan as the General of Yanglie and Governor of Liaodong. Gongsun Yuan sent envoys to the south to contact Sun Quan, exchanging gifts and forging alliances. Sun Quan sent envoys Zhang Mi, Xu Yan, and others, with gold, silver, and jewels, to proclaim Gongsun Yuan as King of Yan. However, Gongsun Yuan, fearing that Sun Quan was too distant and unreliable, and being greedy, betrayed Sun Quan's envoys and executed Zhang Mi, Xu Yan, and the others. Upon learning of this, Emperor Ming of Wei appointed Gongsun Yuan as the Grand Marshal and granted him the title of Marquis of Lelang, allowing him to continue to command his original troops and counties.
The Wei envoy arrived in Liaodong. Gongsun Yuan showed off his military might, wearing armor to meet the envoy, and frequently badmouthed Wei in front of guests. In the first year of the Jingchu era, Wei sent the Inspector of Youzhou, Guanqiu Jian, and others with the Emperor's edict to campaign against Gongsun Yuan. Gongsun Yuan led his troops to battle, clashing with Guanqiu Jian and his forces at Liaosui, defeating them, forcing their retreat. Gongsun Yuan then self-proclaimed himself as King of Yan, established a range of official titles, and sent envoys with the seal of the Xianbei Chanyu to reward the border inhabitants, win over the Xianbei, and disturb the north.
In the spring of the second year, Wei sent the Grand Commandant, Sima Yi, to campaign against Gongsun Yuan. In June, upon Sima Yi's army's arrival in Liaodong, Gongsun Yuan sent generals Bi Yan, Yang Zuo, and others to lead tens of thousands of infantry and cavalry to camp at Liaosui, digging more than twenty miles of trenches for defense. Sima Yi ordered Bi Yan to engage in battle. Sima Yi also sent generals Hu Zun and others to attack and defeat Bi Yan. Sima Yi ordered the army to break through the encirclement, feign an attack to the southeast, then quickly advance to the northeast towards Xiangping City. Bi Yan and others, worried that Xiangping City wouldn't hold, made a nighttime escape. The Wei army advanced to Shoushan, and Gongsun Yuan sent Bi Yan and others to battle again. The two sides engaged in a fierce battle, with the Wei army once again triumphing over Gongsun Yuan's forces, then advancing to the outskirts of Xiangping City, digging trenches to encircle the city.
It just so happened that there was a continuous heavy rain for over thirty days, causing the Liao River to swell, enabling transport ships to sail directly from Liaokou to the city. After the rain stopped, the Wei army piled up earth mounds, erected tall siege ladders, and used stone-throwing machines and crossbows to shoot into the city. Gongsun Yuan's situation became dire as food ran out, people began to turn on each other, leading to many deaths. General Yang Zhu and others surrendered. On the night of August 11, a massive meteor, several dozen yards long, fell from the northeast of Shoushan to the southeast of Xiangping City. On August 19, Gongsun Yuan's army was defeated, and he and his son Gongsun Xiu fled southeast with several hundred cavalry. The Wei army relentlessly pursued them and killed Gongsun Yuan and his son at the site of the meteor's fall. Xiangping City was breached, and the heads of thousands, from marquises down to commoners, were severed. Gongsun Yuan's head was sent to Luoyang, and the four counties of Liaodong, Daifang, Lelang, and Xuantu were all pacified.
From the beginning, strange occurrences plagued the Yuan household, including a dog donning a hat and red clothes that climbed onto the roof, and a child who was accidentally steamed to death in a steamer while cooking. In the northern market of Xiangping, a pile of raw meat was found arranged in a circle several feet long, with a head and a mouth, but no hands or feet, moving around on its own. The fortune teller said, "This thing has form yet is formless, has substance yet makes no sound, signifying that your country is doomed!" Spanning three generations of the Yuan family, a total of fifty years, and it indeed met its end.
Zhang Yan, originally from the Chu family, was from Changshan Zhending. During the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Zhang Yan recruited a group of young men to become bandits in the mountains, waging battles throughout the mountains and rivers. Eventually, they took over Zhending with an army of over ten thousand men. Zhang Niu Jiao from Boling also rebelled, who declared himself a general, and joined forces with Zhang Yan. Zhang Yan appointed Zhang Niu Jiao as the leader, and they launched an attack on Yingtao together. Zhang Niu Jiao was struck by a stray arrow and gravely wounded, near death; he urged everyone to follow Zhang Yan, saying, "Zhang Yan must be our leader!" After Zhang Niu Jiao's death, everyone followed Zhang Yan's lead, and he subsequently changed his surname to Zhang. Zhang Yan was fierce in battle, incredibly swift, and far stronger than his peers, so he was called "Flying Swallow" in the army. Later, his followers increased, and the valleys of Changshan, Zhaojun, Zhongshan, Shangdang, and Henan fell under his control. He commanded subordinates such as Sun Qing and Wang Dang, who led their own troops following Zhang Yan, with a total force of around a million men, known as the "Black Mountain Army." Emperor Ling had no way to subdue them, and several counties in Hebei were plagued by the Black Mountain Army. Zhang Yan sent envoys to surrender to the capital and was appointed as a General of the Guards to quell unrest. Later, Dong Zhuo relocated the emperor to Chang'an, and conflicts erupted across the land. Zhang Yan allied with various heroes and factions. When Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan were fighting for Jizhou, Zhang Yan sent generals such as Du Chang to assist Gongsun Zan in his fight against Yuan Shao, but they suffered defeat, leading to the dispersal of many of his troops. As Cao Cao was on the verge of seizing Jizhou, Zhang Yan sent envoys to ally with Cao Cao and was appointed as the General Who Pacifies the North. He was bestowed the title of Marquis of Anguo Tinghou with a fief consisting of five hundred households in Ye City. Following Zhang Yan's death, his son Zhang Fang succeeded him in his title. After Zhang Fang's passing, his son Zhang Rong inherited the title.
Zhang Xiu, originally from Wuwei, Gansu, is a descendant of General Zhang Ji. At that time, Bian Zhang and Han Sui rebelled in Liangzhou, and Jincheng native Ju Sheng attacked and killed County Chief Liu Jun, the ancestor of the local Liu family. Zhang Xiu was a small official in the county at the time. He secretly observed the situation and killed Ju Sheng. The locals believed he had done the right thing. So Zhang Xiu recruited a group of young men and became a famous hero in the area. After Dong Zhuo was killed, Zhang Ji, along with Li Jue and others, fought against Lu Bu to take revenge for Dong Zhuo. (Details can be found in the biography of Dong Zhuo.) Zhang Xiu followed Zhang Ji and rose through the ranks due to his military accomplishments, becoming General Jianzhong and being appointed as Marquis Xuanwei. Later, Zhang Ji was stationed in Hongnong, and the soldiers were starving, so they marched south to Raoping County, but Zhang Ji was struck down by an arrow. Zhang Xiu assumed command of Zhang Ji's army, based in Wancheng, and joined forces with Liu Biao. When Cao Cao campaigned south and his forces reached Yusui, Zhang Xiu and his forces surrendered to Cao Cao.
Cao Cao married the widow of Zhang Ji, which left Zhang Xiu feeling quite displeased. When Cao Cao heard that Zhang Xiu had some grievances against him, he secretly planned to kill Zhang Xiu. The plan was exposed, and Zhang Xiu launched a surprise attack on Cao Cao's forces. Cao Cao's forces were defeated, and his two sons were captured. Zhang Xiu retreated to defend Rang County, and Cao Cao couldn't capture it for several years. Later, Cao Cao confronted Yuan Shao at Guandu, and Zhang Xiu heeded Jia Xu's advice and surrendered to Cao Cao (as recorded in Jia Xu's biography). After surrendering, Cao Cao personally held Zhang Xiu's hand, celebrated with him, gave his daughter in marriage to Zhang Xiu's son, Zhang Jun, and appointed Zhang Xiu as General of Yangwu. In the Battle of Guandu, Zhang Xiu fought bravely, achieved significant accomplishments, and was promoted to General Who Subdues the Qiang. He also participated in the Battle of Nanpi, defeated Yuan Tan, and his fiefdom expanded by two thousand households. At that time, the population had sharply declined, with perhaps only one household remaining out of every ten, and very few generals had fiefdoms exceeding one thousand households, but Zhang Xiu's fiefdom was notably large. Later, Zhang Xiu followed Cao Cao to campaign against the Wuhuan, but passed away before reaching Liucheng. He was posthumously honored with the title of Ding Hou. His son Zhang Quan inherited his title, but later conspired with Wei Fang to stage a rebellion, which led to his execution, and his title was subsequently revoked.
Zhang Lu, styled Gongqi, hailed from Feng County in Pei State. His grandfather Zhang Ling traveled to the Shu region to study Taoism on Huming Mountain, wrote fake Taoist texts to mislead the populace, and followers had to give him five dou of rice, which earned him the nickname "Rice Thief." After Zhang Ling's death, his son Zhang Heng took over the practice. After Zhang Heng's death, Zhang Lu continued. The Governor of Yizhou, Liu Yan, appointed Zhang Lu as Inspector of Justice and had him lead troops with another inspector, Zhang Xiu, to attack the Han Zhong Prefect Su Gu. Zhang Lu seized the opportunity to eliminate Zhang Xiu and take control of his military forces. After Liu Yan's death, his son Liu Zhang succeeded to the throne and, because Zhang Lu defied orders, he had Zhang Lu's entire family executed.
Zhang Lu then occupied Hanzhong, using the Ghost Way to educate the people, calling himself "Master." Those who just started learning the way were called "Ghost Soldiers." If they truly believed in his teachings, they were called "Ritual Leaders." They each managed their own followers, with the one in charge of the most people being called the head Ritual Leader. Zhang Lu taught them to be honest and trustworthy, not to deceive, and to admit their mistakes if they made a mistake, similar to the practices of the Yellow Turban Army. These Ritual Leaders all built community shelters, similar to today's post stations. They provided rice and meat in the shelters, which travelers could take as they needed; if they took too much, the Ghost Way would cause them to fall ill. Those who committed crimes were given three warnings before being punished. They did not appoint officials, instead having the Ritual Leaders manage everything, and the people were very content. Zhang Lu ruled over the Ba-Han region for nearly thirty years.
In the late years of the Han Dynasty, the court was unable to conquer him, so they appointed Zhang Lu as the Commander of the People and Prefect of Han Ning, permitting him to pay tribute regularly. Later, a jade seal was discovered in the fields, and his followers all wanted to proclaim Zhang Lu as the King of Hanning. Zhang Lu's assistant, Yan Pu from Baxi, advised him, "The people of Hanchuan number in the tens of thousands, with fertile land and surrounded by mountains, easy to defend and difficult to attack; if you assist the emperor, you can become a loyal minister like Duke Huan and Duke Wen, or like Dou Rong, you can become wealthy and honored. Now that you have power, you can control a region; there is no need to proclaim yourself king. I hope you will not proclaim yourself king for now, so as not to cause trouble for yourself." Zhang Lu listened to his advice. Later, Han Sui and Ma Chao rebelled, and many people from the Guanzhong region fled to Hanzhong, amounting to tens of thousands of households.
In the year 215 AD, Cao Cao personally set out from Sanguan to attack Zhang Lu in Wudu. Upon reaching Yangping Pass, Zhang Lu intended to surrender immediately, but his brother Zhang Wei opposed this and held the pass with tens of thousands of troops. Cao Cao broke through Yangping Pass and successfully advanced into the Shu region.
Zhang Lu heard that Yangping Pass had fallen and was about to surrender, but his adviser Yan Pu said, "If you surrender now, your contributions will be minimal; it's better to first go to Bazhong, depend on Du Huo and Pohu to fend off Cao Cao's pursuing troops, and then surrender. This way, your contributions will be great." So Zhang Lu fled to the Southern Mountains and entered Bazhong. Zhang Lu's subordinates wanted to burn all the gold, silver, treasures, and warehouses, but Zhang Lu said, "I had intended to submit to the court, but my plan has not been realized. Now I am fleeing to avoid Cao Cao's edge, not with any ill intent. These gold, silver, treasures, and warehouses are all national property." So he ordered these items to be secured and then left.
After Cao Cao entered Nanzheng, he was very impressed by Zhang Lu's actions. Moreover, knowing that Zhang Lu originally intended to submit to the court, he sent people to comfort him. Zhang Lu brought his whole family out, and Cao Cao personally welcomed him, appointed him as General of the South Region, treated him with the courtesy of a guest, and granted him the title of Marquis of Langzhong, with a fief that included ten thousand households. He also granted titles of marquis to Zhang Lu's five sons and Yan Pu, and even had his son Cao Pengzu marry Zhang Lu's daughter. After Zhang Lu's death, he was posthumously granted the title of Original Marquis, and his son Zhang Fu inherited his title.
It has been noted: Gongsun Zan relied on the capital, but ultimately awaited his downfall; his cruelty led to the ruin of his family; Tao Qian was incompetent and died in worry; Zhang Yang was killed by his own subordinates. These people held control over regions but were even less impressive than an ordinary person; there's truly not much to commend about them. Yan, Xiu, and Lu, on the other hand, abandoned their bandit identities, made achievements, escaped danger, and preserved their families, making them far superior to those mentioned above.
