Due to the recommendation of Zhou Yu and Lu Meng, Sun Quan took Gan Ning very seriously and treated him like those old ministers.

Gan Ning was in a happy mood and immediately offered advice to Sun Quan: "Now that the fortunes of the Han family are declining day by day, Cao Cao is even more arrogant and arbitrary, and he will eventually become a national thief who usurps the Han. In this place of Jingzhou, the mountain barrier is convenient, and the rivers are unimpeded, which is the barrier of our Dongwu West!

"I worked under Liu Biao, and according to my observation, Liu Biao was a person who had no foresight, and his successor was poor, so he couldn't keep that place at all. The general should strike first, not behind Cao Cao.

"The first step in plotting Liu Biao's plan starts with Huang Zu.

"Huang Zu is now old, deaf and incompetent, military funds and food are very scarce, the people around him are fooling and deceiving him, and he blindly covets money and detains money from his subordinate officials and soldiers. These men were resentful, and the warships and all kinds of war equipment were broken and unrepaired, and the army lacked well-trained troops.

"Now the Lord is going to enter, and he will surely be defeated. Once Huang Zu's team is defeated, it can beat the drum and march westward, and the army will increase and expand in front of Chu Pass, so that the land of Bashu can be gradually sought. ”

Sun Quan appreciated this opinion very much and strengthened his determination to use troops.

…… ……

Zhang Zhao was present at the time and disagreed with Gan Ning's opinion. He said: "Jiangdong itself is in danger, and if the army really marches westward, I am afraid it will inevitably lead to great domestic chaos." ”

Gan Ning retorted unceremoniously: "The country has entrusted Xiao He with such a heavy responsibility to Your Excellency, but you are worried about chaos, what do you use to pursue the ancients?" ”

Seeing that the two were arguing, Sun Quan raised his glass to Gan Ning to persuade him to drink, and said: "Xingba, this year will go west, just like this glass of wine, I decided to entrust it to you." Although you have tried your best to put forward a battle strategy, so that we will definitely be able to defeat Huang Zu, so you have made a great contribution, why bother with Zhang Changshi (Zhang Zhao)'s words? ”

…… ……

In the twelfth year of Jian'an (207), Sun Quan went west for the second time to conquer Huangzu and captured his people.

According to the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The Biography of Lord Wu", the battle was not carried out completely because Sun Quan's mother was critically ill and had to withdraw the army.

In the spring of the thirteenth year of Jian'an (208), Sun Quan went west for the third time to conquer Huangzu, and the battle was very fierce, and finally captured Huangzu. After the victory, Sun Quan assigned a force to Gan Ning to command, and the troops were stationed.

…… ……

Sun Quan broke through Huang Zu and made two boxes to hold the heads of Huang Zu and Su Fei.

Su Feituo asked Gan Ning for help.

Gan Ning said, "Even if Su Fei doesn't say it, will I, Gan Ning, forget his kindness?" ”

When Sun Quan set up wine, he celebrated the achievements of the generals.

Gan Ning stepped down from his seat and kowtowed to Sun Quan, exchanged blood and tears, and told Sun Quan about Su Fei's kindness to him in the past, and explained, "If Gan Ning hadn't met Su Fei, I would have already died and filled the ravine, and of course I wouldn't be able to serve you loyally." Now that Su Fei is guilty of being killed, I take the liberty of pleading with you to save him from death. ”

Sun Quan was moved and said, "I can let him go, but what if he escapes?" ”

Gan Ning promised: "Su Fei will not be killed, with the grace of your regeneration, even if he is driven away, he will not leave, how can there be any reason to escape!" If he runs, put my head in place of him in the box! ”

Sun Quan agreed to Gan Ning's request and pardoned Su Fei.

…… ……

Cao Cao marched into Jingzhou, and Gan Ning followed Zhou Yu to defeat Cao Cao in Wulin (see Battle of Red Cliffs) and made great achievements. Then, Gan Ning went to Nanjun to attack Cao Ren, but failed to conquer it.

Gan Ning offered advice, and he led his troops to take Yiling (now Yichang, Hubei) upstream of Jiangling from the small road, so that Cao Ren could be attacked from the east and west, forcing him to retreat north.

Zhou Yu ordered him to lead the troops to go, and Gan Ning traveled day and night, and sure enough, he occupied it in one fell swoop, so he defended the city.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Cao Ren immediately sent five or six thousand men to besiege Yiling, in an attempt to recapture this strategic place in one fell swoop.

Shi Ganning only had a few hundred soldiers under him, and with the new soldiers who broke the city, there were only about a thousand people. Cao Jun set up a high platform outside the city, and for several days, shot arrows from above into the city, the arrows were as dense as rain, and the military officials were frightened, but Gan Ning talked and laughed freely.

Gan Ning sent people out of the city to ask Zhou Yu for help.

Zhou Yu adopted Lü Meng's strategy and led the generals to come and lift the siege of Yiling.

Cao Ren's troops lost more than half of their troops and fled overnight.

On the way, he was intercepted again and lost more than 300 horses.

Gan Ning took advantage of the victory to pursue and prepare to duel with Cao's army. Cao Ren did not dare to fight again, and the whole army withdrew to the north.

After the Battle of Chibi, Zhou Yu and Gan Ning strongly persuaded Sun Quan to take Bashu in the west.

Sun Quan hesitated and went to ask Liu Bei's opinion.

Liu Bei had already planned to occupy Bashu, so he skillfully dissuaded him, and Sun Quan missed the opportunity, causing Xishu to fall into Liu Bei's hands, and he regretted it.

…… ……

During Guan Yu's defense of Jingzhou, Gan Ning followed Lusu to guard Yiyang (in present-day Hunan) and resisted Guan Yu.

Guan Yu claimed to have 30,000 soldiers and horses, and he personally selected 5,000 elite soldiers, threw objects to block the shallow water area more than ten miles upstream, and said that he would wade across the river at night. Lu Su discussed countermeasures with the generals.

Gan Ning had 300 soldiers at that time, so he said to Lu Su: "Can you add 500 more to me, I will go to deal with him, Guan Yu promised that as soon as he heard my coughing and spitting, he would not dare to cross the river, if he dared to cross, he would be captured by me." ”

Lu Su immediately selected 1,000 people for him, and Gan Ning rushed to the upstream overnight to fortify.

When Guan Yu heard that Gan Ning was coming, he gave up the plan to cross the river when he saw that the other party was prepared, and tied firewood on the bank as a military camp. Later generations called this place "Seki Hase".

…… ……

Sun Quan rewarded Gan Ning's merits, worshiped as Xiling Taishou, and unified Yangxin and Xiapheasant counties.

At this time, Gan Ning didn't engage in those messes anymore, but gathered his women in other urban areas into Xiling City, occupied a mansion as his mansion, and took two concubines to live a peaceful life.

His subordinate robbed a folk girl and let him know, he tied up the subordinate and said, "There are two choices: one is to let this folk girl go, and the other is to kill you." ”

His subordinates said, "Big brother, is there a third one?" ”

Gan Ning smiled and said, "Yes, that is, let that folk girl be my concubine." ”

…… ……

In the first month of the eighteenth year of Jian'an (213), Cao Cao led an army of 400,000 to attack the mouth of the Yangtze River (now south of Chaoxian County, Anhui). Sun Quan led 70,000 troops to meet the attack, and sent Gan Ning to lead 3,000 people as the front governor.

Sun Quan secretly ordered Gan Ning to attack Cao Ying at night to frustrate his spirit, and gave rice wine for this purpose. Gan Ning selected more than 100 elite people to eat together. After eating, Gan Ning poured wine in a silver bowl, drank two bowls himself, and then poured it to his subordinates. The governor fell on his knees and refused to take the wine.

Gan Ning drew his sword, put it on his lap, and shouted: "You are known by the Lord, how do you compare with Gan Ning?" I'm not afraid of death, why are you afraid of death? ”

Seeing Gan Ning's stern expression, the governor immediately stood up and saluted, respectfully took the wine glass and drank it. Then, wine was poured over to the soldiers, and each man had a silver bowl. At the time of the second watch, Gan Ning led him to wrap his armor and rank, sneaked to Cao Cao's camp, pulled out the antlers, rushed into Cao's camp, and beheaded dozens of levels.

Cao Ying was shocked, and by the time the torch was raised, Gan Ning had already returned to the camp and saw Sun Quan at night.

Sun Quan smiled and said: "This is enough to scare the old man (referring to Cao Cao), I just want to test your guts",

So he rewarded Ganning with 1,000 silks, 100 swords, and 2,000 additional troops.

Since then, Sun Quan has attached more importance to Gan Ning, and praised: "Meng De has Zhang Liao, and he is lonely and prosperous, and he is also an enemy." ”

Cao Cao was stationed for more than a month, and then retreated to the north.