When he had returned to camp, Cao Cao took counsel to find a plan to overcome Yuan Shao. Then Cheng Yu proposed the plan of the "Ten Ambushes" and persuaded Cao Cao to retire upon the river, placing troops in ambush as he went.Thus would Yuan Shao be inveigled into pursuit as far as the river, when Cao Cao's army would be forced to make a desperate stand or be driven into the water.

Cao Cao accepted this suggestion and told off ten companies of five thousand soldiers each to lie in ten ambush on two sides of the road of retreat. The arrangement of the ambushes were thus: On the left, first company under Xiahou Dun; second company, Zhang Liao; third company, Li Dian; fourth company, Yue Jing; fifth company, Xiahou Yuan; on the right, first company was under Cao Hong; second company, Zhang He; third company, Xu Huang; fourth company, Yu Jin; fifth company, Gao Lan. Xu Chu commanded the advanced front.

Next day the ten companies started first and placed themselves right and left as ordered. In the night Cao Cao ordered the advanced front to feign an attack on the camp, which roused all the enemy in all their camps. This done, Xu Chu retreated and Yuan Shao's army came in pursuit.The roar of battle went on without cessation, and at dawn Cao Cao's army rested on the river and could retreat no farther.

Then Cao Cao shouted, "There is no road in front, so all must fight or die."

The retreating army turned about and advanced vigorously.Xu Chu simply flew to the front, smote and killed ten generals and threw Yuan Shao's army into confusion. They tried to turn and march back, but Cao Cao was close behind. Then the drums of the enemy were heard, and right and left there appeared two ambush companies of Gao Lan and Xiahou Yuan. Yuan Shao collected about him his three sons and his nephew, and they were enabled to cut an alley out and flee. Three miles further on they fell into another ambush of Yue Jing and Yu Jin, and here many troops of Yuan Shao were lost so that their corpses lay over the countryside and the blood filled the water courses.Another three miles and they met the third pair of Li Dian and Xu Huang barring their road.

Here they lost heart and bolted for an old camp of their own that was near, and bade their men prepare a meal. But just as the food was ready to eat, down came Zhang Liao and Zhang He and burst into the camp.

Yuan Shao mounted and fled as far as Cangting, when he was tired and his steed spent.