Guo Jia began serving Cao Cao at the age of twenty-eight. In just ten years, he helped Cao Cao capture Lü Bu and defeat Liu Bei, devised strategies for the Battle of Guandu, predicted Sun Ce, Liu Biao, and Liu Bei’s moves, and destroyed Yuan Shao’s forces, which were several times larger than Cao Cao’s. He then conquered Yuan Shao’s Wuhuan allies and used schemes to eliminate Yuan Shao’s two sons, ultimately bringing the entire north under Cao Cao’s control. Nearly every decision Cao Cao made on Guo Jia’s advice proved successful.
After Guo Jia died, Cao Cao suffered defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs. He fared poorly against Ma Chao at Tong Pass, and his personal campaign against Liu Bei at Hanzhong also failed. Once that aura of invincibility was gone, one could not help but wonder: what might have happened if Guo Jia, the king of strategy, had still been at Cao Cao’s side?
No wonder Cao Cao said after his defeat at Red Cliffs: “If Fengxiao were still here, I would never have ended up in this situation.”
Good book, good reading ~ read