Liu Yao (warlord)

When Liu Yao caught him engaging in corrupt practices, he wrote a memorial to the imperial court to complain, resulting in the chancellor's dismissal.

[12] Tao Qiuhong (陶丘洪), an official from Pingyuan Commandery (平原郡), proposed to the Inspector of Qing Province to nominate Liu Yao as a maocai (茂才) for outstanding performance.

Tao Qiuhong replied, "If you nominate Gongshan first, and then Zhengli, you'll be doing exactly what people call 'riding two dragons on a long journey' and 'letting two fine steeds run freely'.

Liu Yao then received an offer to serve as an Assistant (掾) to the Minister of Works (司空) and an Imperial Censor (侍御史), but he declined.

He headed further south, crossed the Yangtze River, and met Wu Jing and Sun Ben in Qu'e County (曲阿縣; present-day Danyang, Jiangsu).

[15] In 195, Yuan Shu, who had the intention of usurping the Han throne and declaring himself emperor, ordered his forces to start conquering nearby commanderies and counties.

Liu Yao sent his subordinates Fan Neng (樊能) and Zhang Ying (張英) to station troops near the riverbank to guard against Yuan Shu's advances.

As Wu Jing and Sun Ben previously had served under Yuan Shu, Liu Yao distrusted them and forced them to leave.

Yuan Shu appointed himself as the Inspector of Yang Province, and allied with Wu Jing and Sun Ben to attack Liu Yao.

[16] In 195, the Han imperial court promoted Liu Yao to Governor (牧) of Yang Province and concurrently appointed him as "General Who Inspires Martial Might" (振武將軍).

In the same year, the warlord Sun Ce (allied with Yuan Shu) led his forces across the Yangtze River and defeated Fan Neng and Zhang Ying.

Liu Biao, the Governor of Jing Province, supported Zhuge Xuan to be the new Administrator, but that became a problem because the Han imperial court had appointed Zhu Hao to succeed Zhou Shu.

After driving Zhuge Xuan away, as Xu Shao foresaw, Ze Rong killed Zhu Hao and took control of Yuzhang Commandery.

He then started recruiting more troops from the surrounding counties and eventually defeated Ze Rong, who fled into the hills and was killed by the Shanyue tribes.

Taishi Ci, a warrior under Liu Yao, was captured by Sun Ce, who treated him respectfully and managed to convince him to defect.