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The Battle of Ruxu, also known as the Battle of Ruxukou, was fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Sun Quan in 213 in the late Eastern Han dynasty. The battle consisted of multiple attacks led by Cao Cao, but all were eventually lifted after efforts by Sun Quan's forces.
Contents
Background
Before 213, Cao Cao was undergoing war with Ma Chao and Sun Quan following his defeat during the Battle of Red Cliffs. One of the movements that Cao wanted to make in his war against Sun Quan was to intimidate Sun by placing general Xie Qi (謝奇) in Huangcheng, (皖城; present-day Huaining, Anhui) and spread his forces to Qichun (蕲春) in order to agitate Sun Quan.
In order to stop Cao's harassment, Sun sent his general Lü Meng to demand Xie Qi to surrender at once. However, Xie Qi refused, therefore Lü then was forced to respond in means of an attack. Xie Qi went down easily and retreated. Two of Xie Qi's subordinates, Sun Zicai and Song Hao, quickly surrendered to Lü Meng, fishing up morale. Cao Cao then began to mobilize troops to attack Ruxu (濡須) and captured a captain general named Gongsun Yang under Sun Quan. Sun Quan, in response, ordered Lü Meng to follow his personal lead of his forces to stop Cao's march onto Ruxu.
The battle
While Sun Quan was setting up a plan for the defense of Ruxu, Lü Meng had schemed a defense against Cao consisting of warships readied at a quickly established dock, to be used to backfire Cao Cao's advance after a flood that was supposed to occur not long into the battle.
Sun Guan, who died in battle at Ruxu in either 213 or 217, was perhaps fatally injured in his attack onto Sun Quan's line of defense by Xu Sheng. Sun Guan died not long after his rescue at Cao's camp.
Lü Meng's prediction quickly was proven correct, Sun Quan then started to send out his warships onto Cao's army, but a few of their ships were blown off course, but not much. (This could have been the death of Dong Xi) Having realized the experience of Sun's army, Cao Cao eventually decided to withdraw.
In a momentum burst, a few other generals of Sun Quan joined Lü Meng in a following assault onto Wan and Lujiang.
Aftermath
Zhang Liao, following this withdrawal, stationed his troops at Hefei, where in 215 he played a major role in the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford.