Page "Zhao Yun" Paragraph 9

In 219, Liu Bei and Cao Cao battled for control over Hanzhong in the Hanzhong Campaign.

Cao Cao had huge amounts of food supplies stocked up near the north mountain.

Zhao Yun sent his soldiers to follow Huang Zhong to attack Cao Cao's army and seize the supplies.

When Huang Zhong did not return on time, Zhao Yun brought a dozen men with him to find Huang.

They ran into Cao Cao's vanguard army and were preparing for engagement when Cao's main force arrived.

The situation became perilous for Zhao Yun as he was vastly outnumbered.

Zhao Yun attacked the frontline of Cao Cao's army, surprising the enemy and causing them to momentarily disperse.

However, Cao Cao's troops soon regrouped and surrounded Zhao Yun, so Zhao fought his way towards his own camp.

When Zhao Yun saw that his subordinate Zhang Zhu was injured and had fallen behind, he turned back to rescue him.

Cao Cao's army pursued Zhao Yun back to his camp.

Zhang Yi, Administrator of Mianyang, who was stationed in Zhao Yun's camp, thought it would be best to close all the gates.

However, upon entering the camp, Zhao Yun ordered all flags and banners to be hidden, all drumming to be stopped, and the gates left completely open.

Cao Cao's force feared an ambush in the camp and hastily retreated.

Just then, Zhao Yun ordered his drummers to beat the drums loudly and his archers to fire arrows at the enemy.

Cao Cao's army was taken by surprise and disintegrated into chaos.

Many of Cao Cao's soldiers drowned as they tried to flee towards the Han River to escape.