Battle of Lucheng

Battle of Lucheng
Part of the wars at the end of the Han dynasty
Date 213 CE Location present-day southeastern Gansu Result Yang Fu victory; Ma Chao flees
Belligerents
Ma Chao	Yang Fu Cao Cao
Commanders and leaders
Ma Chao	Yang Fu Jiang Xu Xiahou Yuan

Battle of Lucheng
Traditional Chinese	鹵城之戰
Simplified Chinese	卤城之战
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Lǔchéng Zhī Zhàn

The Battle of Lucheng of 213 was part of a rebellion led by Yang Fu against the warlord Ma Chao in the late Eastern Han dynasty. The revolt was initiated by disgruntled parties under the new rule of Ma Chao, who forcefully took over governorship of Liang Province from Wei Kang (韋康) in the Siege of Jicheng.

Background

Yang Fu wanted to rebel against Ma Chao to avenge his former lord Wei Kang. He had the support of his two friends Zhao Qu (趙衢), and Liang Kuan (梁寬). One day he went to Ma Chao and told him his wife died and he wanted to take two months off to bury her. On the way he visited his cousin Jiang Xu (姜叙) for aid. he decided to take action along with his two aides, Zhao Ang, and Yin Feng.

The battle

Zhao Qu gave Ma Chao false advice to attack Jiang Xu, Yang Fu, Zhao Ang, and Yin Feng immediately, and he would guard Jicheng in Ma's absence. After Ma Chao left with Ma Dai and Pang De to put down the rebellion, Zhao Qu, and Liang Kuan took over and slaughtered Ma Chao's family. Meanwhile, Ma Chao, Ma Dai, and Pang De went to oppose Yang Fu and Jiang Xu in Lucheng. At first it look like the defenders had no chance, but then they retreated and Ma Chao pursued. They kept on retreating until the second army led by Zhao Ang and Yin Feng arrived. Then Xiahou Yuan's army sent by Cao Cao arrived. Ma Chao was unable to withstand an attack from three sides so he retreated.

Retreat from Jicheng

Ma Chao retreated back to Jicheng. He hailed the gates, but his response was a flight of arrows. Zhao Qu and Liang Kuan appeared and they threw his wife's dead body down. Ma Chao, filled with rage, almost fell off his horse. Eventually they reached Lucheng, the night guards thought that they were their own troops returning. As soon as they were inside they began the slaughter of every one. They even killed Jiang Xu's aged mother.

The next day, Xiahou Yuan arrived and Ma Chao retreated west, only to run into Yang Fu seven miles later. He gripped his spear in rage and charged towards Yang Fu, injuring him five times, but Yang lived. Ma Chao then retreated with Ma Dai and Pang De and took refuge under the warlord Zhang Lu of Hanzhong.

Aftermath

Ma Chao went and took refuge under Zhang Lu, but he grew unhappy with him and him and his cousin went to join the warlord Liu Bei. Pang De later went to serve Cao Cao after Zhang Lu surrendered Hanzhong to Cao.

References

• Chen Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms.