Cao Cao’s father Cao Song is travelling with his family and passes through Xu Province. Tao Qian, governor of Xu, wants to win Cao Cao’s friendship, so he holds a banquet and has his commandant Zhang Kai escort them with five hundred men. But Zhang Kai, once a Yellow Turban, kills Cao Song’s family at a temple on a rainy night, seizes their goods and flees. Cao Cao vows to avenge his father and invades Xu with a great army.
Tao Qian’s aide Mi Zhu goes to ask Kong Rong, governor of Beihai, for help. But Kong Rong’s city is besieged by the Yellow Turban remnant Guan Hai. Then a man named Taishi Ci gallops up alone and breaks through the siege. He says his old mother owes Kong Rong a debt of kindness, and with Kong Rong’s letter he breaks through the siege again and goes to Liu Bei at Pingyuan. Reading the letter, Liu Bei straightens his face. Kong of Beihai knows there is a Liu Bei in the world?
Liu Bei goes to Beihai with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei and drives off Guan Hai. When Kong Rong asks him to come and save Xu too, Liu Bei hesitates because his troops are few. Then he promises to go to Gongsun Zan, borrow troops, and come without fail. When Kong Rong tells him not to break his word, Liu Bei answers. The sages said that a man without trust cannot stand. Whether I borrow troops or not, I will surely come myself.