Even after the great victory at Han Zhong, Kung Ming realized that Shu did not have the resources to challenge Wei alone, so he decided to renew the alliance with Wu. In return for some outskirt cities of Chingchou, Sun Quan, Marquis of Wu, agreed to attack the Wei city of Hub Pa on Shu’s behalf. Thus began the Wei-Wu Wars.
The Wu general, Gan Ning, led the charge on the city, killed its general with an iron ball, and captured Hub Pa in a storm. He then marched on the next city, which was guarded by Chang Liao, but he was less fortunate this time. With the help of fellow Wei generals Chang He, he ambushed Gan Ning’s army as they crossed the river.
Sun Quan was almost killed in this second battle, but his young general Ling Tong told him to jump across the bridge with his horse. Sun Quan barely escaped. Meanwhile, his admiral Chen Wu was also killed in the tumultuous whirlpool at the river. The Wu casualties were truly great.
Chang Liao did not, however, follow up his victory by dividing his army and pursuing Sun Quan. Instead, he pretended that there was internal turmoil in the Wei fortress. Ling Tong decided to attack but was ambushed and almost killed by Chang Liao. Luckily, an arrow of Wu struck Chang Liao and forced him to retreat.
That night, Sun Quan arranged a dinner party to celebrate the minor victory. While Gan Ning was drunk and being honored by the Marquis Sun Quan, young Ling Tong wanted to kill him, for he remembered that Gan Ning used to be a Wei general many years back and hath murdered his father Ling Cao in a battle.
However, Sun Quan called him aside and asked, “Ling Tong, did you know who saved you from Chang Liao today?”
Ling Tong shook his head but replied, “I do not, Master, but if I did, I would honor him. Chang Liao was a great warrior, and had he not been injured by that arrow, my life would have been forfeit.”
At that, Sun Quan revealed that it was Gan Ning. The two generals of Wu were now reconciled. Sun Quan explained, “Gan Ning killed your father in service of Ts’ao Ts’ao, his Lord at the time, but he is one of us now. Let the experienced and young unite for the sake of Wu!”
Such was the charisma of Sun Quan. Though many would say that he was not in the same league as Liu Pei or Ts’ao Ts’ao, men of power in the Three Kingdoms period had certain good leadership qualities all along.
Ts’ao Ts’ao now led the reinforcements down to Hub Pa, but Sun Quan amassed great fortifications by the time Ts’ao Ts’ao’s grand army arrived. While waiting for the ultimate battle, Ts’ao Ts’ao fell asleep and saw two suns, but one grew bigger than the other and was immensely hot. An astrologer told him one sun was himself, but the other was Sun Quan, which hath grown to threaten him.
Although Wei had the bigger army, their exhaustion plus the lack of familiarity of the battlefield caused Ts’ao Ts’ao to be defeated by Wu. Finally, Ts’ao Ts’ao sued for peace, and Sun Quan agreed. In return, Wu returned Hub Pa to Wei, which retreated.
With the end of the Wei-Wu Wars, Ts’ao Ts’ao ordered Chang He to attack Shu again. In the first battle, Chang He was quickly defeated by Huang Zhong. He then took refuge with Hsiahou Yuan, who was quick tempered and did not listen to his warning. The Shu army led by Huang Zhong and advised by Huad Jeng took a higher ground and gave much frustration to Hsiahou Yuan, whose army was waiting hotly at the foot of the hill.
Unable to restrain himself, Hsiahou Yuan led his army in an attempt to capture the hill. Huang Zhong led the army down and easily killed Hsiahou Yuan. His son Hsiahou Ma would become a son-in-law of Ts’ao Ts’ao but never had the chance to avenge himself against the mighty Huang Zhong, who was sixty at the time of this success.
Another Wei army led by Ts’ao Ts’ao then threatened Huang Zhong’s position. Huang Zhong sought refuge with Chao Yun. Brave Chao Yun came up alone to protect the fortress, much to Ts’ao Ts’ao’s suspicion. When Ts’ao Ts’ao ordered the army to attack despite himself, a handful of archers showered arrows and killed many Wei soldiers. Finally, Ts’ao Ts’ao ordered a disorderly retreat.
Kung Ming sent reinforcements in, and once again, the Shu army was victorious over Wei. After the many defeats, Ts’ao Ts’ao retreated back to Xuchang, and there was peace in the Three Kingdoms for a short time. Ts’ao Ts’ao was resigned to the fact that it would not be easy to conquer either Wu or Shu easily.
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