Gao Lan

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Gao Lan (高覽) was an acclaimed general under the Warlord Yuan Shao during the fall of the Han dynasty in ancient China (180-220 C.E.). He served in many battles and was respected as a brave man by Yuan Shao, and later on, by Cao Cao. This information is derived from The Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong, a literary work based written in the 13th century derived from historical writing from the 3rd century.

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[edit] In the Service of Yuan Shao

Cao Cao (of Wei) and Yuan Shao faced off with each other at the Battle of Guan Du. Yuan Shao dispatched Chunyu Qiong and others to guard the Wu Chao granaries, where Yuan kept his food supplies. Cao Cao personally led a raid on Wu Chao with few men under disguise as Yuans troops in order to debilitate Yuan Shao.

Zhang He, one of Yuan Shao's generals, said to Yuan Shao: “Duke Cao’s armies are elite, they would surely defeat Chunyu Qiong. After Chunyu Qiong is defeated, the army will scatter. Instead let me and Gao Lan reinforce Wu Chao.” Guo Tu, Yuan Shao's chief advisor, remarked, “Zhang He’s plans are bad. Instead, let us attack the original source (referring to Cao Cao’s main camp), power will surely return to our side. This explanation is why reinforcements should not be sent.” Zhang He then replied: “Duke Cao’s encampment is solidified, it is too hard to uproot. If Chunyu Qiong’s camp is captured we will be depleted and captured in turn. Cao will be too enveloped in taking Wu Chao to leave a guard. I entreat you to attack his main camp."

Yuan Shao did not send the reinforcements to aid Chunyu Qiong, instead he sent 5 companies under Zhang He and Gao Lan to attack Cao's main army. Through a ruse involving Xu Chu and Zhang Liao, they beat Chunyu Qiong out of the granaries, and Yuan was led to believe that the granaries had been successfully defended.

Yuan Shao's army, which was attacking Cao's main camp, was presently being attacked on 3 sides, and when the men came back from Wu Chao, they came up on Yuans rear, surrounding the 5 companies. However, Zhang He and Gao Lan escaped, but altogether Yuan Shao’s army suffered an agonizing defeat. When Chunyu reached the main army, which was decimated, he was brought in to see Yuan Shao. Yuan railed at him, asking why the defenses of the granary had been sparse. Chunyu's men told Shao that Chunyu had been intoxicated that night, and Chunyu Qiong was executed forthwith.

Guo Tu was ashamed and plotted against Zhang He and Gao Lan, and said to Yuan Shao, "Zhang He and Gao Lan were glad when your armies were defeated." He was asked how he knew this and thus replied, "They have long wished to defect to Cao Cao, so when you put them on this duty, they did not try their best and brought on this disaster." Yuan then sent a messenger to recall and interrogate them, but Gao Lan knew of the plans ahead of time and when the messenger came to recall them, he killed him and both himself and Zhang He truly defected to Cao, lest they be destroyed.

[edit] In the Service of Cao Cao

Zhang He and Gao Lan gathered their troops and set off for Cao Cao’s camp, who gave them permission to enter. Coming before Cao Cao, Gao Lan and Zhang He disarmed themsleves and bowed low obeisance. (RoTK, Chapter 30) “Had Yuan Shao listened to you,” Cao Cao remarked, “he could have spared himself this defeat. Now you two have come to us like Weizi, who quit the dying Shang dynasty, or Han Xin, who left Xiang Yu to serve the house of Han.”

Cao Cao awarded Gao Lan the rank of adjutant general as well as appointing him Lord of Donglai. His abilities were immediately put to use against his old lord, Yuan Shao. Xu You, who had also surrendered to Cao Cao, advised a raid on Shao’s now demoralized camps. Gao Lan offered to lead the attack and, along with Zhang He, set off to raid the camp. Gao Lan divided his forces into separate units and instructed his army to attack on all sides. At the appointed time, Gao Lan led the attack on the camps and devastated Yuan Shao’s army, demiating half of his men. The fighting went on until morning at which point Gao Lan led his victorious troops back to his own camp. Yuan Shao, having suffered defeat at Guan Du, retreated back to Jizhou.

Cao Cao started a follow up campaign against Yuan Shao at Jizhou in which Gao Lan was an integral part. Initially, Cao’s army suffered defeat at the hands of Shao’s son, Yuan Shang, and was forced to retreat to the river. Cao Cao ordered ten units divided in five pairs to assemble, and Gao Lan was commander of the fifth. Yuan Shao indubitably followed and was defeated by Cao Cao's counter attack. predicting this outcome, Gao Lan placed his troops in ambush along the road to Jizhou. Shao’s defeated troops were spotted retreating along the road and once they came upon Gao Lan, his men emerged from the left side of the road, while troops of Xiahou Yuan’s sprung from the right, delivering severe injuries to the northern army and almost killing Yuan Shao himself.

Soon after the victory at Jizhou, word came of an attack being made on the capital of Xuchang by Liu Bei. Cao Cao, along with Gao Lan, abound Jizhou for the time being to thwart Liu Bei. Cao Cao’s army met Liu Bei, but fatigued from their long march, were defeated in the first battle. To divide Liu Bei’s forces, Cao Cao had Xiahou Dun attack Liu Bei’s camp, another unit attack a supply train, and Xu Chu attack Liu Bei himself. Liu Bei was thus defeated and forced into flight, and Cao Cao ordered Gao Lan to pursue and attack him. He set out and reached Liu Bei’s troops and Bei, horrified at Gao Lan's arrival, attempted to take his own life, but his commander Liu Pi stopped him. Liu Pi then charged Gao Lan, but was cut down at the moment of engagement. Gao Lan then ordered his troops to descend the hill and attack Liu Bei, but before they could he was distracted from rearward action. Gao Lan turned to see the enemy commander Zhao Yun charging through his men, but before he could guard himself, Zhao Yun reached Gao Lan and impaled him on the spot.

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