Hanzi

Zhang He was originally a general under Yuan Shao during the Three Kingdoms period. Once, Yuan Shao engaged in a major battle with Cao Cao at Guandu. Yuan Shao dispatched his general Chunyu Qiong to supervise the transportation and storage of grain and fodder at Wuchao.

Cao Cao then rushed to Wuchao to attack Chunyu Qiong. Zhang He advised Yuan Shao, saying, "Although Cao Cao's soldiers are fewer than ours, they are elite troops. If Chunyu Qiong cannot hold Wuchao, it will be disastrous. I believe we should send heavy reinforcements to Wuchao."

Another general under Yuan Shao, Guo Tu, countered, "What Zhang He says is not a good strategy. I think we should first attack Cao Cao's main camp. This way, Cao Cao will surely return to rescue it, and the siege of Wuchao will be lifted without intervention." Zhang He disagreed with Guo Tu, saying, "Cao Cao's camp is easy to defend but hard to attack; it's impossible to take it quickly. If Chunyu Qiong is captured and we lose our supplies, we are doomed to lose."

Yuan Shao, feeling his forces far outnumbered Cao Cao's, adopted Guo Tu's plan. He only sent a small detachment to reinforce Chunyu Qiong and used his main army to attack Cao Cao's headquarters. Cao Cao defended stoutly, and Yuan Shao failed to breach his main camp. Meanwhile, Cao Cao successfully attacked Wuchao, burning all the grain and fodder Yuan Shao had stored there. This caused Yuan Shao's army morale to waver, leading to his defeat without further fighting.

Guo Tu, knowing that this defeat was due to his own flawed strategy, resorted to the tactic of making a false accusation first. He slandered Zhang He to Yuan Shao, saying, "Zhang He actually gloated over the defeat and spoke very arrogantly and impolitely." Upon learning this, Zhang He feared Yuan Shao's wrath and defected to Cao Cao.

He told Cao Cao, "Guo Tu told Yuan Shao that I was gloating and spoke insolently, so I had no choice but to come and join you." Cao Cao replied, "Your coming to me is as correct as Han Xin joining Liu Bang."