Xu Huang is best noted for breaking the siege at the Battle of Fancheng in 219 by routing the enemy commander Guan Yu on the field.

Xu Huang later followed Yang Feng to attack rebels and was commissioned as a Cavalry Commandant (騎都尉) as a reward for his efforts.

[5] In 195, internal conflict broke out between Li Jue and Guo Si, whose respective factions started warring with each other in the streets of Chang'an.

In the same year, Xu Huang managed to convince Yang Feng to escort Emperor Xian from Chang'an back to the old Han imperial capital, Luoyang.

With aid from Shi Huan, he also defeated and killed Sui Gu (眭固) in Henei Commandery (河內郡; around present-day Jiaozuo, Henan).

He was promoted to Lieutenant-General (偏將軍) for his achievements, and later joined Cao Hong in eliminating rebels led by Zhu Bi (祝臂) at Yinjiang (氵隱 疆; southwest of present-day Xuchang, Henan).

[13] Yuan Shao had stored his supplies at a depot in Gushi (故市; southwest of present-day Yanjin County, Henan).

Xu Huang then wrote a letter to Han Fan, tied it to an arrow and fired it into the county.

Han Fan became convinced after reading Xu Huang's letter and decided to surrender Yiyang County without putting up resistance.

The rationale of their final decision was entirely based on tactical consideration, which was to induce other enemy territories into voluntarily surrendering by setting an example.

[20] In 210,[21] Xu Huang led his troops to attack rebels in Taiyuan Commandery (太原郡; around present-day Taiyuan, Shanxi), besieged them in Daling County (大陵縣; northeast of present-day Wenshui County, Shanxi), and defeated and killed the rebel leader Shang Yao (商曜).

He left Xu Huang and Xiahou Yuan behind to defend Hanzhong Commandery against attacks by Liu Bei.

[30] During this time, Liu Bei sent Chen Shi to lead troops to cut off Xiahou Yuan's supply routes at Mamingge (馬鳴閣), Hanzhong's main communication line.

Xu Huang led a separate detachment to launch a fierce attack on Chen Shi and defeated him.

The casualty rate on Chen Shi's side was very high as many of his soldiers were forced to jump off the cliff during the attack.

[33] Knowing that most of his soldiers were composed of new recruits without training, Xu Huang did not go straight into battle but camped behind the enemy at Yanglingbei (陽陵陂; northwest of present-day Xiangyang, Hubei) to impose a deterrent effect.

The enemy fell for his ruse, burnt down their camp and abandoned their position, thus allowing Xu Huang to gain a foothold at Yancheng.

[36] After capturing Yancheng, Xu Huang pressed on and set up two linked camps about 30 zhangs away from Guan Yu's encirclement.

During Xu Huang's attack, many of Guan Yu's soldiers panicked and fled towards the nearby Han River, where they drowned.

I have fought in battles for over 30 years, but I have never heard of any person in history who attempted to break a siege by launching a direct attack on the enemy's encirclement.

When they met again at Fancheng, Xu Huang gave an order to his men: "Whoever manages to take Guan Yunchang's head will be rewarded with 1,000 jin of gold."

[47] Later, Cao Pi ordered Xu Huang and Xiahou Shang to lead an army to attack Shangyong Commandery (上庸郡; in present-day northwestern Hubei).

[49] During that time, Xu Huang successfully repelled an invasion on Xiangyang by the Wu general Zhuge Jin.

Cao Rui later divided their marquisate and awarded marquis titles to two descendants of Xu Huang.

[54] In the novel, Xu Huang meets his end during the Xincheng Rebellion when he is struck by an arrow in the forehead fired by the rebel leader Meng Da.

His men immediately take him back to camp, where the physician removes the arrow and tries to heal him, but Xu Huang eventually dies later that night.