Sun Jian defeated Huang Zu. Huang Gai defeated and returned to Xiangyang to see Liu Biao, saying that Sun Jian's troops were strong and could not be resisted. Liu Biaoyi listened in a panic and hurriedly asked Qu Liang to discuss.
Qu Liang said, "Just after the defeated battle, the soldiers have no will to fight, they can only go deep in the ditch and high fortress, and they can't hold out; on the one hand, they send people to ask Yuan Shao for help." Cai Mao advocated a life-and-death battle with Sun Jian. Liu Biao listened to Cai Mao's proposition.
Cai Mao led 10,000 men and horses to fight Sun Jian at Yanshan. Sun Jian said to his generals, "This man is the brother of Liu Biao's wife, who went to capture him alive?" ”
Cheng Pu stepped out of the horse and confronted Cai Mao. Within a few rounds, Cai Mao was sweating profusely and could not resist.
Cai Mao dragged his gun and fled, and Sun Jian urged the army to pursue and kill, killing corpses all over the field and bleeding into a canal.
Sun Jian rushed to Xiangyang, commanded a large army, surrounded on all sides, and attacked day and night.
Cai Mao fled back to Xiangyang in a daze. Qu Liang said that he did not listen to good advice, so that he was defeated and should be beheaded according to military law. Liu Biao refused to punish him because he had newly married his sister.