The Battle of Xiao or Yao (Chinese: 殽之戰) took place between Qin and Jin, both of which were major principality states during the Spring and Autumn period of the Zhou dynasty.

The Chu was defeated, and the Duke Wen of Jin became one of Five Hegemons of Spring and Autumn period.

To enter the territory of Zheng, Qin army had to pass by the northern gate of Luoyang, the city in which the king of the Zhou lived.

The hunter knew that there was not enough time for him to run back to Zheng to warn everybody, so he decided to fool the Qin army on his own.

The army of Qin led by those three generals were still retreating from Hua, and they were not prepared to fight against the mighty Jin.

Her entreaty was accepted by Duke Xiang of Jin and the three generals were released and went back to Qin later.

When the three generals returned, Duke Mu of Qin put on white clothes to wait for them, crying that it was all his fault because he had not listened to Jian Shu's advice.

As a result of this battle, Jin solidified its status as the most powerful state in northern China for the next several decades.

For a long period of time after the battle, Qin had no power to continue its eastward expansion.

During this process, they clashed with several barbarians and nomadic groups and conquered several smaller states in the west and northwest.

The westward expansion helped Qin to build up its power and laid the root for its being a strong state and the eventual unification of China.