So Cao Song along with the rest of his family moved to Langya (琅邪; present-day Linyi, Shandong) in Xu Province.

Cao Song was very wealthy, and had brought with him a baggage train consisting of more than 100 covered carts full of his effects.

According to the Book of the Later Han and Zizhi Tongjian, Tao Qian had garrisoned men nearby at Yinping, who were tempted by greed for Cao Song's riches and murdered him for his wealth en route to his destination.

[1][2] According to Wei Zhao's Book of Wu – the official history of Eastern Wu – Tao Qian despatched 200 bodyguards led by Commandant of the Capital Zhang Kai (張闓) to escort Cao Song, but Zhang instead murdered Cao and made off with his riches.

Tian Kai sent Tao Qian a force of some thousand men commanded by Liu Bei.

[14][15] Along with Tao Qian's officer Cao Bao, Liu Bei encamped east of Tan (郯).