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Yuan Shao was born into the powerful and influential Yuan family of Runan during the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Starting with his great-grandfather Yuan An, five members of the Yuan family held the position of one of the Three Dukes in four generations.

Yuan Shao's grandfather was Situ Yuan Tang, his birth mother was a lowly maid, and his birth father is unknown.

Yuan Shao was Yuan Shu's elder brother. He was tall and imposing, with a dignified appearance. He was respectful to scholars and his friends were all famous figures in the country, and scholars flocked to him.

In his youth, Yuan Shao served as a court official and was later appointed magistrate of Puyang, where he had already established a reputation for integrity.

With a bright political future ahead of him, Yuan Shao soon resigned from his official post due to the death of his mother.

After observing a three-year mourning period, Yuan Shao reflected on how he had lost his father at a young age and was now observing another mourning period for him. The entire period lasted six years. After the mourning period ended, he moved to Luoyang to live.

Yuan Shao was elegant, handsome, kind to his family, and valued his reputation. His ancestors had served as high officials for generations, attracting many followers. In addition, Yuan Shao humbled himself and made friends with them, so scholars all rushed to join him.

Regardless of their social status, Yuan Shao treated the visiting scholars as equals, and the streets and alleys were crowded with the various carriages of his guests.

The emperor's courtiers disliked him greatly. The eunuch Zhao Zhong remarked in the palace, "Yuan Shao calmly does things to elevate his own reputation and status, and he likes to keep people who are fearless. I wonder what this kid is really up to!"

When Yuan Shao heard this, his uncle, Grand Tutor Yuan Wei, summoned Yuan Shao and reprimanded him for Zhao Zhong's words, but Yuan Shao remained unmoved.

In the first year of Zhongping (184 AD), when the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, the court was forced to grant a general amnesty. After the Yellow Turban Rebellion, General He Jin summoned Yuan Shao to the court, and Yuan Shao gladly went. He wanted to use the power of General He Jin to achieve his goal of eliminating the eunuchs.

Later, Yuan Shao was summoned by General-in-Chief He Jin to serve as an official, holding the positions of Imperial Censor and Tiger-like General. In the fifth year of the Zhongping era, the court established the Eight Colonels of the Western Garden and appointed Yuan Shao as their Assistant Colonel.

In the fifth year of the Zhongping era (188 AD), the Eastern Han court established a new Western Garden Army, with eight colonels. Yuan Shao was appointed as the Colonel of the Central Army, and Cao Cao was appointed as the Colonel of the Army Commander.

However, real power was in the hands of the eunuch Jian Shuo, the military commander, and even the Grand General He Jin had to obey his orders.

In April of the sixth year of the Zhongping era (189 AD), Emperor Ling of Han fell seriously ill, and no crown prince had been appointed. The conflict between the eunuchs and the maternal relative He Jin over the succession to the throne intensified.

Emperor Ling of Han had two sons: one was Liu Bian, born to Empress He; the other was Liu Xie, born to Consort Wang. Emperor Ling thought Liu Bian was frivolous and lacked dignity, and wanted to make Liu Xie his heir, but hesitated.

Just then, Emperor Ling fell seriously ill and entrusted Liu Xie to Jian Shuo. Jian Shuo and the other eunuchs naturally understood the situation, but more importantly, they did not want power to fall into the hands of He Jin. Therefore, they used the pretext of Han Sui's rebellion to propose that the Grand General lead troops westward to quell the rebellion.

At this critical moment, He Jin saw through the eunuchs' scheme and, using the pretext of the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Qing and Xu, petitioned to send Yuan Shao eastward to Xu and Yan, so that he could wait for Yuan Shao's troops to return before attacking Han Sui in the west.

On the eleventh day of the Bingchen year, Emperor Ling died in the Jiade Hall. Jian Shuo was in the palace at the time and wanted to kill He Jin first and then install Liu Xie as emperor. He sent someone to fetch He Jin to discuss matters with him, and He Jin immediately went by carriage.

Jian Shuo's Sima Pan Yin had a long-standing friendship with He Jin, and he gestured to him with his eyes when he greeted him.

He Jin was greatly alarmed. He rushed back to his own military camp via a shortcut and led his troops to occupy the official residences of various prefectures and kingdoms in the capital. He claimed to be ill and would no longer enter the palace.

After Emperor Ling's death, the Empress Dowager's elder brother, General He Jin, and Yuan Shao conspired to kill the palace eunuchs, but the Empress Dowager disagreed with their plan. He Jin then contacted Dong Zhuo, asking him to lead troops into the capital, hoping to use this to coerce the Empress Dowager.

Upon hearing this, the eunuchs in the court, including the palace attendants and palace eunuchs, went to He Jin's residence to plead guilty, saying that as long as their lives were spared, they would leave the rest to the general's disposal. At that time, Yuan Shao advised He Jin to take the opportunity to execute these eunuchs in his residence, and he persuaded him several times, but He Jin did not agree.

He instructed Yuan Shao to send some resourceful military officers in Luoyang to closely monitor and investigate the eunuchs' actions. He also ordered Yuan Shao's younger brother, Yuan Shu, the Tiger-General of the Central Army, to select two hundred gentle and kind soldiers to replace the guards who were originally armed and guarding the palace gates.

The eunuch Duan Gui and others falsely claimed to be acting on the Empress Dowager's orders, summoning He Jin to the palace to discuss matters, and then seized the opportunity to kill him, causing chaos in the palace. Yuan Shu led his elite Tiger Warriors to burn down the Qing Suo Gate of the Jiade Hall in the Southern Palace, hoping to force Duan Gui and his men out.

However, these eunuchs not only failed to emerge, but also kidnapped Emperor Shao (Liu Bian) and his younger brother, Liu Xie, the Prince of Chenliu, and fled to Xiaopingjin Ferry on the Yellow River. In Luoyang, Yuan Shao executed Xu Xiang, the Sili Commandant appointed by the eunuchs, and ordered soldiers to search the palace for eunuchs, killing them all regardless of age.

Some were killed simply because they didn't have beards and resembled eunuchs; some even had to remove their clothes to prove they weren't eunuchs in order to escape death. Even some eunuchs who regularly performed good deeds and upheld integrity were killed; the soldiers' indiscriminate killing reached such a cruel level.

More than two thousand people were killed in this incident. Upon learning that the eunuchs had kidnapped the young emperor, Yuan Shao immediately sent troops in pursuit. Duan Gui and the others were ultimately forced to commit suicide by drowning themselves in the river. Only then was the young emperor, Liu Bian, able to return to the palace.

Desperate, the eunuchs took a desperate gamble. Using the pretext of wanting to serve the Empress Dowager one last time before leaving the capital, they returned to the palace. Under Zhang Rang's command, the eunuch Duan Gui and several dozen of his followers waited for He Jin to enter the palace before beheading him in front of the Jiade Hall.

Upon hearing of He Jin's death, He Jin's generals led their troops into the palace. Yuan Shu, the Tiger-General of the Central Army, attacked the palace city and burned down the Qing Suo Gate. Zhang Rang and his men then kidnapped the young Emperor Liu Bian and Prince Liu Xie of Chenliu and fled in panic through the covered passageway.

Yuan Shao and his uncle Yuan Kui pretended to be acting on imperial orders and killed the eunuchs Xu Xiang and Fan Ling. They then deployed their troops under the Zhuque Gate and captured and killed the eunuchs Zhao Zhong and others who had not managed to escape. They also ordered the palace gates to be closed and strictly prohibited entry and exit. They directed soldiers to search for the eunuchs in the palace and killed them all, regardless of age. More than two thousand people died, and some people without beards were also killed as eunuchs.

In September of the first year of Emperor Shao Ning (189 AD), Dong Zhuo deposed Emperor Shao Liu Bian and installed Liu Xie as Emperor Xian of Han. He appointed himself Grand Commandant and General of the Vanguard. On October 1, he appointed himself Chancellor, taking control of the court. The Han Dynasty had become Dong Zhuo's Han Dynasty.

Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, and others, opposed to Dong Zhuo, so they fled the capital, contacted various local warlords, and prepared to raise an army to attack Dong Zhuo.

In the first year of the Chuping era (190 AD), Yuan Shao finally raised an army in Bohai. He, along with his cousin Yuan Shu, the General of the Rear, Han Fu, the Governor of Ji Province, Kong Dian, the Governor of Yu Province, Liu Dai, the Governor of Yan Province, Zhang Miao, the Prefect of Chenliu, Zhang Chao, the Prefect of Guangling, Wang Kuang, the Prefect of Henei, Yuan Qian, the Prefect of Shanyang, Qiao Mao, the Prefect of Dongjun, Bao Xin, the Chancellor of Jibei, and others, raised an army of tens of thousands, under the pretext of attacking Dong Zhuo.

Yuan Shao and Wang Kuang were stationed in Hanoi, Kong Dian in Yingchuan, and Han Fu in Ye County. The other troops were stationed in Suanzao. They formed an alliance, nominally appointing Yuan Shao as their leader. Yuan Shao proclaimed himself General of Chariots and Cavalry and Commandant of the Capital Region. When Dong Zhuo learned that Yuan Shao had raised an army in Shandong, he killed Yuan Shao's uncle Yuan Kui and all members of the Yuan clan in the capital.

Dong Zhuo then dispatched Han Rong, the Grand Herald, Yin Xun, the Junior Steward, Hu Muban, the Commander of the Imperial Guard, Wu Xun, the Grand Master of Works, and Wang Xiang, the Colonel of the Yue Cavalry, to persuade and reconcile Yuan Shao and the other armies.

Yuan Shao ordered Wang Kuang to kill Hu Muban, Wang Xiang, Wu Xun, and others. Yuan Shu captured and killed Yin Xun. Only Han Rong was spared death because of his high moral character and prestige.

When he was sent away, most of the heroes submitted to Yuan Shao. Moreover, they were moved by the misfortune suffered by his family and everyone wanted to avenge him. Therefore, the troops that sprang up in various prefectures and counties all flew the Yuan family's banner.

Han Fu saw that the people were turning to Yuan Shao, and he resented Yuan Shao for having the support of the masses. He feared that Yuan Shao would use this support against him, so he often sent his subordinates to guard Yuan Shao's gate to prevent him from sending troops.

In 192 AD (the third year of the Chuping era), Yuan Shao defeated Gongsun Zan at the Battle of Jieqiao. After Gongsun Zan fled from Bohai back to Ji, although he achieved a victory against Liu Yu, the governor of Youzhou, he was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Yi by the court.

However, due to the combined attacks of Yuan Shao and Liu Yu's former generals, he suffered repeated defeats and retreated to Yi in 195 AD (the second year of Xingping), where he was able to sustain himself through land reclamation. A year later, he defeated Yuan Shao's general Qu Yi.

Located south of the Yi River, Gongsun Zan ordered the digging of ten moats to encircle the area, and the construction of mounds, each five or six zhang high, to build camps and garrison troops. The central mound was ten zhang high, upon which a tower was built, where Gongsun Zan resided. An iron gate was installed, and documents were presented to him by ropes leading up to it.

The city had a grain reserve of 300 million bushels. Gongsun Zan intended to hold the city for a long period before launching an attack. Yuan Shao sent a letter urging peace, but Gongsun Zan ignored it. Yuan Shao then sent generals to attack, but they were unable to conquer the city for several years.

He wrote to Gongsun Zan, hoping to resolve their past grievances and form an alliance. Gongsun Zan ignored him and instead strengthened his defenses. He said to his chief clerk, Guan Jing, a native of Taiyuan, "Now that dragons and tigers are fighting on all sides, it is clear that no one can sit and defend my city for years. What can Yuan Shao do to me?"

Yuan Shao then greatly increased his troops and attacked Gongsun Zan. Prior to this, some of Gongsun Zan's generals who were stationed in various places were besieged by the enemy, but Gongsun Zan refused to come to their aid, saying that if he did, his generals would become dependent on rescue and would not be willing to fight hard.

In 198 AD (the third year of Jian'an), Yuan Shao launched a full-scale attack. The generals sent by Gongsun Zan to defend the southern camp knew they could not hold out and that no one would come to their aid, so some surrendered and others scattered.

Yuan Shao's army marched straight in and reached the gates of Yijing. Gongsun Zan sent his son, Gongsun Xu, to request reinforcements from the generals of the Black Mountain Army, and prepared to lead his elite cavalry out of the city to Xishan to lead the Black Mountain Army in a counterattack on Jizhou and cut off Yuan Shao's retreat.

Guan Jing advised Gongsun Zan, saying, "Now, all the generals and soldiers under your command are filled with thoughts of separation. The only reason they can hold on is because they care about their families and rely on you to take charge of the overall situation."

"Continuing to hold out and buy time might force Yuan Shao to back down. If you abandon them and lead your troops out of the city, with no one to command the rear, the fall of Yijing will be imminent."

Gongsun Zan then abandoned his plan to leave the city. As Yuan Shao's army gradually advanced, Gongsun Zan's troops became increasingly desperate.

In the spring of 199 AD (the fourth year of Jian'an), Zhang Yan, the leader of the Black Mountain Army, and Gongsun Xu led 100,000 troops in three routes to rescue Gongsun Zan. Before Zhang Yan's reinforcements arrived, Gongsun Zan secretly sent a messenger to Gongsun Xu, instructing him to lead 5,000 cavalry to ambush in the low-lying areas of the north and light fires as a signal. Gongsun Zan planned to go out of the city himself to attack Yuan Shao's besieging forces from both sides.

Yuan Shao's patrol received the letter, and Yuan Shao set off the fire as scheduled. Gongsun Zan, believing reinforcements had arrived, led his troops out to fight. Yuan Shao's ambush troops launched an attack, and Gongsun Zan suffered a major defeat, retreating to the city to continue his defense.

Yuan Shao's besieging troops dug tunnels, reaching the city walls fortified by Gongsun Zan's forces. They propped the tunnels up with wooden pillars, estimating they had dug halfway down the walls, then set fire to the pillars, causing the walls to collapse. Yuan Shao used this method to gradually advance towards Zhongjing, where Gongsun Zan resided.

Knowing he could not escape death, Gongsun Zan strangled his sisters, wife, and children, then set himself on fire. Yuan Shao urged his soldiers to climb the high platform and behead Gongsun Zan. Tian Kai died in battle.

Guan Jing sighed, "If I hadn't stopped you from leaving the city, there might have been hope. I've heard that a gentleman, when he puts others in danger, will share their burdens; how can he escape alone?" He then rode into Yuan Shao's army and died. Gongsun Xu was killed by the Xiongnu Tu Ge tribe.

With control of Ji, Qing, Bing and most of You provinces, Yuan Shao became the strongest separatist force in northern China at the time and began preparations for a major southward advance.

In June of the fourth year of Jian'an (199 AD), Yuan Shao selected 100,000 elite troops and 10,000 warhorses, intending to march south and attack Xuchang, thus beginning the Battle of Guandu. The decisive battle between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao was about to erupt.

In the first month of the fifth year of Jian'an (200 AD), General of Chariots and Cavalry Dong Cheng, Lieutenant General Wang Fu, and Colonel of Yue Cavalry Zhong Ji accepted an imperial edict from Emperor Xian of Han, intending to kill Cao Cao. However, the plot was exposed, and Cao Cao exterminated their three clans.

Yuan Shao finally obtained a legitimate reason to start the war. Therefore, Yuan Shao, acting on a secret edict, launched a campaign against Cao Cao, sending Chen Lin to write a proclamation which was then publicly released. The proclamation vehemently denounced Cao Cao. The Yuan and Cao families openly declared war.

While Cao Cao was preparing to fight Yuan Shao, Liu Bei, who had participated in the plot of the secret edict, rebelled against Cao Cao. Liu Bei occupied Xiapi and garrisoned Pei County (present-day Pei County, Jiangsu Province).

Liu Bei's army grew to tens of thousands, and he contacted Yuan Shao, intending to join forces to attack Cao Cao. In order to maintain the connection between Xuchang and Qingzhou and Yanzhou and avoid fighting on two fronts, Cao Cao personally led his elite troops eastward to attack Liu Bei in February of the following year, quickly occupying Pei County, and then attacking Xiapi, forcing Guan Yu to surrender.

Liu Bei's entire army was routed, and he fled alone to Hebei to seek refuge with Yuan Shao. While Cao Cao and Liu Bei were locked in fierce battle, Yuan Shao's advisor Tian Feng suggested that Yuan Shao "attack Liu Bei from the rear with the whole army," but Yuan Shao refused to take the advice, citing his young son's illness. This allowed Cao Cao to easily defeat Liu Bei and return to Guandu.

Cao Cao dispatched Zang Ba, Sun Guan, Sun Kang, and others to contain Yuan Tan, the governor of Qingzhou. In February, Yuan Shao marched on Liyang, attempting to cross the river and seek a decisive battle with Cao Cao's main force.

He first dispatched his generals Guo Tu, Chunyu Qiong, and Yan Liang to attack Liu Yan, the governor of Dongjun, at Baima, in an attempt to seize key points on the south bank of the Yellow River to ensure the main force could cross the river.

In April, Cao Cao, in order to gain the initiative and secure an initial victory, personally led his troops north to relieve the siege of Baima. At this time, his strategist Xun You believed that Yuan Shao had a large army and suggested a feint attack to the east and a counterattack to the west, thus diverting Yuan Shao's forces. He proposed first leading his troops to Yanjin, pretending to cross the river to attack Yuan Shao's rear, causing Yuan Shao to divide his forces to the west. Then, he suggested sending light cavalry to quickly attack Yuan Shao's army attacking Baima, catching them off guard and defeating Yan Liang.

Cao Cao adopted this suggestion, and Yuan Shao indeed divided his forces at Yan Jin, ordering Guo Tu and Chunyu Qiong, who were attacking Baima, to lead their troops westward to advance towards Yan Jin. Ju Shou advised Yuan Shao, "Yan Liang is impetuous and narrow-minded; although brave, he cannot be entrusted with the responsibility of being a general alone." Yuan Shao did not heed this advice. (End of Chapter)