That night, the Cao Army won a sweeping victory. At last, it had clawed back a win.
By daybreak, however, rumors were spreading through the Cao Army.
News that Yuan Xi had taken Xudu and was threatening Yingchuan had begun circulating among the troops.
Many of the Cao Army's officers came from Yingchuan. When they heard the news, they began to worry about their families.
When Cao Cao heard the rumors, he flew into a rage. "Who's undermining my army's morale?" He ordered every unit to investigate. Nine men, all deputy generals or lower, were caught and executed under military law. Officers of every rank were terrified and no longer dared speak of Xudu.
Cao Cao then called a council and told his generals, "Yuan Xi commands a lone army, nothing more. Once I defeat Yuan Shao, I can deal with him in a heartbeat! You must keep the fall of Xudu secret. Do not mention it again. If any soldiers ask, tell them bandits appeared in Yingchuan but Governor Xiahou Yuan has already defeated them. There's nothing to worry about."
Cao Cao was taking advantage of how little the common soldiers knew. Even so, the tactic worked, and morale steadied.
Cao Cao then resumed discussions on how to defeat Yuan Shao.
Xun You offered a plan. "Yuan Shao has lost the grain at Wuchao. His army's morale must be shaken. To bring in supplies from Jizhou, he'll have to send them from Ye City through Suanzao. We should spread word that we're splitting into two forces: one to take Suanzao and head straight for Ye City, the other to take Liyang and cut off Yuan Shao's retreat. When he divides his troops, we strike. We're sure to defeat him."
With Wuchao burned and his men and generals lost,