When Yuan Shao received Cao Cao's call to arms, he collected all those under his command to the number of thirty thousand. Then he marched from Bohai to Qiao to take the oath to Cao Cao. Next a manifesto was issued:

"Cao Cao and his associates, moved by a sense of duty, now make this proclamation. Dong Zhuo defies Heaven and Earth. He is destroying the state and injuring his prince. He pollutes the Palace and oppresses the people. He is vicious and cruel. His crimes are heaped up. Now we have received a secret command to call up soldiers, and we are pledged to cleanse the empire and destroy the evil-doers. We will raise a volunteer army and exert all our efforts to maintain the dynasty and succor the people. Respond to this, O Nobles, by mustering your soldiers."

Many from every side answered the summons as the following list shows:
1. Governor of Nanyang---Yuan Shu
2. Prefect of Jizhou Region---Han Fu
3. Prefect of Yuzhou Region---Kong Zhou
4. Prefect of Yanzhou Region---Liu Dai
5. Governor of Henei---Wang Kuang
6. Governor of Chenliu---Zhang Miao
7. Governor of Dongjun---Qiao Mao
8. Governor of Shanyang---Yuan Yi
9. Lord of Jibei---Bao Xin
10. Governor of Beihai---Kong Rong
11. Governor of Guangling ---Zhang Chao
12. Prefect of Xuzhou Region---Tao Qian
13. Governor of Xiliang---Ma Teng
14. Governor of Beiping---Gongsun Zan
15. Governor of Shangdang---Zhang Yang
16. Governor of Changsha---Sun Jian
17. Governor of Bohai---Yuan Shao