Shiting

The Battle of Shiting (石亭の戦い, rōmaji: Sekitei no Tatakai), alternatively called the Battle of You Ting in Dynasty Warriors 3 and many Encyclopedia entries, is a battle between Wei and Wu. The widely known event in this battle was Zhou Fang's fake defection to Wei and tricking a warrior of the Cao clan, Cao Xiu.

Role in Games

In the Dynasty Warriors series the battle usually starts after Cao Xiu is tricked by Zhou Fang. In Dynasty Warriors 4, the battle actually starts before the trick. Jia Kui will try to warn Cao Xiu that the defection was a Wu ploy, and it is wise to stop him. Afterwards, the ploy comes into effect and he is defeated. Players need only to defeat Sima Yi. For the Wei side, players have to defeat Ding Feng to expose the ploy, then catch up to Cao Xiu before he reaches the castle.

In Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends, Sun Quan, Sun Shang Xiang, and Lu Xun share their legend modes in this battle. In Dynasty Warriors 6, while using the Wei Forces, Lu Xun shall commence an all-out-attack against Cao Xiu being started by Ling Tong and Gan Ning who will attack Cao Xiu while the Cao warrior is distracted by Zhou Fang. In the Wu Forces, Cao Ren will attempt to rescue Cao Xiu while the player shall try to defeat Cao Xiu. In Special, this battle is the first battle Cao Pi will have after his father dies, in Cao Pi's mode this also is the final battle against Sun Quan.

The battle is also featured in Lu Bu's story mode in Dynasty Warriors 6. In the battle Lu Bu faces the three southern warlords: Liu Yong, Wang Lang, and Yan Baihu. After the battle he spares all three because they are nothing but scum according to him.

In Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends, the battle is featured as a Hero Scenario for Lian Shi. She first accompanies Ling Tong and Ding Feng to attack the Wei army inside the castle to hide while Lu Xun leads the ambush on the west side of the map. However, Zhang He and Cao Ren discover and block the young strategist, so Lian Shi must quickly rush over to defeat them so that Lu Xun can continue advancing. Once they are defeated, Zhou Fang will open the castle gates and Lu Xun will head on to launch a surprise attack on Zhang Liao. During the battle, a messenger reports that Sima Yi's approaching the castle. In order for the ambush to be successful, Lian Shi must successfully launch a surprise attack on Zhang Liao before the Wei strategist arrives on the top left hand corner of the map. If the Wu troops successfully launch the ambush before Sima Yi arrives, it will create panic within the Wei army and they will escape outside the castle. Ling Tong and Ding Feng will come out of hiding and surprise the panic troops and the pincer attack will be a success. Once Sima Yi arrives, he will attack the Wu main camp. Lian Shi must defeat him in order to protect Sun Quan. Afterwards, all she has to do is to defeat Cao Xiu and claim victory.

In Dynasty Warriors 8, Shiting appears in Wu's historical route sharing the same map as Jianye. Zhou Fang is already deep within enemy lines and convinces Cao Xiu to order a charge. Sun Quan follows Lu Xun's plan and retreats to the southwestern base. When Cao Xiu's men arrive in the southeastern castle, Zhou Fang sets the castle on fire, and helps defeat Cao Xiu. Once Cao Xiu is defeated, Sima Yi appears, and takes over leadership for the Wei forces. Defeating Sima Yi ends the battle in victory. In Wei's version of the stage, Cao Xiu has already been ambushed by Zhou Fang, forcing Sima Yi to rescue the struggling general lest the battle end in defeat. Once Cao Xiu is rescued, the order to defeat Sun Quan arrives.

This battle also appears in Warriors Orochi 2 as the first stage of Shu's story, where Liu Bei leads his army, which includes the forces of Yoshimoto, Sun Shang Xiang and Ieyasu; to surround Da Ji and the remnant of Orochi's forces and put an end to her once and for all. However, Da Ji being quite prepared for this encounter, has her officers freeze the allied vanguard, and various other tricks such as ambushes by her army and reinforcements led by Dong Zhuo cause her to gain the upper hand quite quickly, leaving the Shu forces unable to counterattack. This then causes Taigong Wang who had been attempting to capture the vixen for a while, decide to help the Shu forces by leading a raid on Da Ji's camp, opening her gates and causing her to panic. Zuo Ci aids him out of gratitude to Liu Bei.

Historical Information

Sun Quan ordered Zhou Fang to lay a trap for Cao Xiu, the commander-in-chief of Wei, by pretending to defect. Cao Xiu was deceived into leading his troops straight into Wan. Then, Sun Quan appointed Lu Xun as Grand Chief Commander, commanding him to lead an attack against Cao Xiu. On the way to the camping area, Cao Xiu was ambushed as planned. Cao Xiu was unable to gain the upper hand in battle, and thus retreated to make camp at Shiting. However, the camp was disturbed in the middle of night, and the soldiers ran away in disarray. Many sets of armor and carts of supplies were abandoned. Cao Xiu sent in a memorial acknowledging his fault. Many of his men were killed. When he looked around for Zhou Fang, Zhou was nowhere to be found. He then knew he had been duped. When Cao Xiu realized that he was tricked, he was too ashamed to turn back; so, thinking that he had more troops and supplies, he chose to engage Lu Xun’s army. Lu Xun personally led the central force and ordered Zhu Huan and Quan Cong to take the left and right flanks. The three armies advanced simultaneously, and decisively took on Cao Xiu’s ambushing troops. Following that, the Wu troops pursued hard on the fleeing Cao army until they reached Jiashi, where they annihilated some ten thousand men and won over ten thousand spoils of war; in addition, All of the Cao army’s equipment and weaponry were looted. Lu Xun regrouped his men; and when he passed by Wuchang, Sun Quan instructed his attendants to shield Lu Xun with his own canopy when entering and leaving the palace doors.

Sun Quan bestowed upon Lu Xun as reward were imperial items, precious items of the finest grade. The honor Lu Xun received was matched by no one in that era.

Cao Xiu barely escaped the battlefield with his life. Indeed, he died a few months later of an ulcer on his back, even after having been pardoned by the emperor of Wei, Cao Rui.

According to legend, Cao Xiu did not believe Zhou Fang at first. Zhou Fang cut off his famous locks of hair to prove his 'loyalty'. In any case, Zhou Fang knew the territory, so he started to lead Cao Xiu into a clearing, where Cao could set up camp. However, before they left, Cao Xiu was advised not to trust Zhou Fang by one of his advisers, Jia Kui. Cao Xiu did not heed his words; however, and not only went on with Zhou Fang's ploy, but removed Jia Kui from the campaign and decided to march with 70,000 troops.

Jia Kui, who had come along with Cao, helped Cao retreat from the ambush. For this, Jia was highly praised by the emperor himself, and given many promotions. He lived the last years of his life in happiness.