Now come back to Xu Chang, the capital, in order to earn Guan Yu’s loyalty, Cao Cao gave many expensive gifts to Guan Yu as to congratulate him promoted became a General of Cao Cao.

However, Guan Yu gave the gifts to Liu Bei’s wife. Cao Cao did not angry when he knew that. Instead, he gave the red horse to Guan Yu. This red horse can run 1,000 miles per day. Since Cao Cao defeated Lu Bu, the horse turned wild and nobody can tame it, but Guan Yu did it. After Cao Cao granted the horse to Guan Yu, he was very grateful and said, with this powerful horse, he can find his brother Liu Bei, a lot faster. Cao Cao was very frustrated, even he has been so generous to Guan Yu, yet he didn’t seem touched anyway.

To Guan Yu, Cao Cao can only give him gifts. On the other hand, Liu Bei’s heart and his heart are connected as one. He will not lose his focus just because of a horse or the luxury gifts. He will never forget their brotherhood oath. However, he told Zhang Liao, at the same time Cao Cao’s kindness to him, he will also never forget. To repay his kindness, he is willing to go to war on the Prime Minister’s side. In order to retain Guan Yu, Cao Cao refused to bring him to war. Because he afraid that after repaying his kindness, Guan Yu will leave him.

After the fall of Xu Zhou, Liu Bei ran to Yuan Shao in Ji Zhou to ask for help. He approached Yuan Shao in He Bei to ally against the ever expanding Cao Cao. One day, Yuan Shao granted 200,000 men to Yan Liang to attack Cao Cao in He Bei. After Yan Liang served as vanguard to attack Cao Cao, he marched toward the area called the wilderness of Bai Ma. Liu Bei also went there along which he departed soon after.

The news of Yuan Shao army’s arrival soon reached Cao Cao. Cao Cao immediately split his army into two. He put Xiahou dun in charge of Xu Chang to defense, while he himself led the army of 150,000 to Bai Ma. After Guan Yu got this news, he voluntary asked Cao Cao to send him for this battle in order to repay his kindness. However, his offer was refused by Cao Cao.

After the two armies struggled for a while, the enemy’s vanguard finally broke through. General Yan Liang led his army wreaked havoc in all directions, fiercely massacred Cao Cao’s troops as they go. Song Xian and Wei Xu’s troops were easily routed by Yan Liang. Since this condition is getting worse, Cao Cao has no choice but he has to ask Guan Yu to go for the war.

After receiving the order, Guan Yu immediately rode his Red Horse alone to the battlefield. Without knowing that Liu Bei is actually resides with Yuan Shao, Guan Yu successfully killed Yan Liang in the battlefield.

That night Yuan Shao was very angry. Liu Bei was almost beheaded by Yuan Shao because Yan Liang was killed by Guan Yu. A warrior with a long beard wielding a halberd that’s what they thought he was Guan Yu. Liu Bei defended himself by saying that many warriors has long beard and it’s probably Cao Cao’s man to trick Yuan Shao killing him. Since no one personally witness Guan Yu killed Yan Liang, Yuan Shao then asked Wen Chou to be the vanguard and Liu Bei join Wen Chou for the next battle to find out the actual warrior who killed Yan Liang.

Wen Chou, the main vanguard, chose to course through the Yellow river (Huang He to the destination. Liu Bei, as the second in command, is closely following him. Although Wen Chou is as strong as Yan Liang, he is not that cleaver. Cao Cao ordered to dispatch a few troops to transport some rations and keep following them but not too close. This is to lure Wen Chou to rob the cargo away. Once the cargo attacked by Wen Chou, Cao Cao asked his general to divide the army into two and prepare a pincer attack between the north and south.

Wen Chou’s troops were completely defeated. However, he managed to run away with one of his men. On his way back to Yuan Shao’s camp, both of the met Guan Yu. And this time, his man witness Guan Yu killed Wen Chou personally. Without reluctance, this man brought Liu Bei to place where Guan Yu killed Wen Chou, because Liu Bei wants to see Guan Yu’s face personally. Thus, they managed to see him but did not call him because there were Cao Cao’s troops there.

This time Liu Bei has no excused but he managed to explain that since he left Xu Zhou, he did not know whether Guan Yu is dead or alive. Guan Yu must not be aware that he was resides with Yuan Shao. He will persuade Guan Yu to come over Yuan Shao’s side. He will use Guan Yu as to replace Yan Liang and Wen Chou.