Ma Chao was ordered by Yuan Shang to lead a vanguard army of 50,000 to attack Xiahou Yuan, passing through Luoyang and meeting Ma Teng. Seeing that Ma Chao's injuries were recovering as before, Ma Teng advised Ma Chao to be cautious this time, and let Ma Tie and Ma Xiu join Ma Chao's vanguard army. Ma Chao has reined in a lot since he was defeated by Cao Cao last time, and he still knows that the last court met Emperor Han Xian.

Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty saw that Ma Chao was mighty, and took the initiative to woo Ma Chao and said: "General Meng Qi is a heroic boy, and when I see it today, I really live up to my reputation, and this time I will definitely be able to succeed and pacify Guanzhong." Ma Chao hurriedly thanked Liu Xie, and he must live up to the emperor's trust. Under the farewell of the important ministers of the imperial court, Ma Chao began to send a letter to Guguan to attack Chang'an.

Xiahou Yuan, the general of Chang'an, received the news of Yuan's westward expedition and immediately summoned his cronies to discuss countermeasures. Zhang Ji suggested: "General Xiahou, the Hebei army is menacing, the edge is flourishing, and Ma Chaoyong crowns the three armies, it is better to guard Chang'an, and when it is exhausted, our army will raid Yuan's army again, and then it will be successful." ”

Yang Fu was originally engaged in Liangzhou, and later Han Sui joined Cao Cao, and he was also invited by Zhang Ji to join Xiahou Yuan's command. Yang Fu knows Ma Chao very well, he has courage and no strategy, and now the situation is not favorable to Cao's army, he should take the initiative to attack, first defeat Ma Chao to improve the morale of the three armies, and said to Xiahou Yuan: "General Xiahou, Yuan Shang led 100,000 people to march to the west, and our army only has 50,000, even if you stick to it, it is not a long-term solution." The general can order Xiliang to assassinate Shi Han Sui to come to support, Yuan Shang's vanguard general Ma Chao is brave and unscrupulous, and there is no one in his eyes, as long as our army is prepared in advance, it will be able to frustrate its spirit. ”

Xiahou Yuan also thought that holding on was not the best policy, so he followed Yang Fu's advice and moved the people of the prefectures and counties near Chang'an to Chang'an, and ambushed the army in the city. Wherever Ma Chao's army went, these small cities all looked forward to the wind, Ma Chao was triumphant, and did not doubt it, thinking that Xiahou Yuan wanted to fight him in Chang'an City.

Ma Chao came to Shang County, as long as he took this small city, Chang'an was in front of him. The guards of this city seemed to know each other very well, and when they saw Ma Chao's army, they opened the city gate and let Ma Chao pass. Because the march was too smooth, Ma Chao had no previous defenses. Just as the army was about to leave Shang County and march towards Chang'an, the Cao army ambushed at the gate of Shang County was killed from behind under the leadership of Yang Fu, and Ma Chao's rear army was in chaos.

Xiahou Yuan was waiting for Ma Chao at the gate of Shang County, and when he saw that Ma Chao's rear army was in chaos, he knew that Yang Fu had already made a move, so he ordered Cao's army to attack Ma Chao's army. Ma Chao knew that he was furious, so he ordered Ma Tie and Ma Xiu to stabilize the rear army and fight Xiahou Yuan by himself. Although Ma Chao is brave, Xiahou Yuan is also a fierce general of the Cao army, the two are not divided for a while, and Ma Chaojun is attacked from front to back, although the three brothers of the Ma family try their best to maintain, they are still defeated by the Cao army, and they can only go around Shang County.

Ma Chao packed up the remnants of the army and came to see Yuan Shang, ashamed. Yuan Shang admired Ma Chao's bravery, and did not blame him, but comforted Ma Chao that victory and defeat were a common thing in soldiers, and there was no need to be discouraged. Ma Chao rarely lost in Xiliang before, since he entered Guanzhong, he lost to Yuan Xi first, and then to Cao Cao, he lost so much that he lost without confidence, but Yuan Shang still believed in himself, and his heart was moved, and he was willing to swear allegiance to Yuan Shang and repay Yuan Shang's kindness.

Yuan Shang was loyal to Ma Chao, was in a good mood, and personally led the army to meet Xiahou Yuan. Yuan Shang's ability to lead troops is not strong, let alone Yuan Xi, even Yuan Tan can't compare, so he is still very self-aware, not only let Ma Chao be the vanguard, but also ask Zhang Xiu and Zhao to go with the army when passing by Luoyang.

Xiahou Yuan defeated Ma Chao, the vanguard of the Yuan army, and wanted to take advantage of the victory to pursue, Yang Fu persuaded: "General Xiahou, although Ma Chao was defeated, Yuan Shang responded, Yuan Shang's ability to lead the troops is not strong, but the generals of the state are not incompetent, so it is not appropriate to pursue." So, Xiahou Yuan led the victorious army back to Chang'an.

Yuan Shang's army arrived at the foot of Chang'an City, and saw Xiahou Yuan standing on the city wall of Chang'an watching his army, preparing for battle. Yuan Shang shouted at Xiahou Yuan: "General Xiahou, I heard that you are a man who stands up to the sky, when will you also have these conspiracies, do you dare to come down and fight with our army in the open?" ”

Xiahou Yuan laughed and said: "The winner is the king, the loser is the villain, Ma Chao wants to be brave, I don't accompany him." Yuan Shang, don't talk nonsense, if you have the ability, let the horse come. ”

Yuan Shang didn't think about it, and sneered: "Xiahou Yuan, who do you think you are, if you ask me to attack, I will attack, I won't attack, I have time and food and grass." You are different, I don't know how many days Cao Sikong can hold up in front of the general? Thirty days, sixty days, rest assured, when Cao Sikong goes, I will withdraw the army and let you send him. ”

Xiahou Yuan was furious by Yuan Shang's words, and was almost about to go out of the city to fight Yuan Shang, but fortunately, Yang Fu and Zhang Ji persuaded him. The two also knew that Xiahou Yuan was worried about the situation in the Central Plains, and Yuan Shang's words were in the middle of Xiahou Yuan's weakness, which could not be described as unwise. Zhang Ji comforted: "General Xiahou, rest assured, I have sent a messenger to contact Han Sui, and when the Xiliang army arrives, Yuan Shang's good days will come to an end." Yuan Shang can only move his mouth, and has no ability to lead the army, so the general ignores it, so as not to get angry and hurt himself. Xiahou Yuan saw that Yuan's army did not attack the city, so he went back to the house to rest.

Yuan Shang saw that Xiahou Yuan was told to go by himself, and said to Ma Chao proudly: "Meng Qi, this trick is called a soldier who surrenders without a fight, and Xiahou Yuan runs away without a single soldier." "Ma Chao was so embarrassed that he was sweating, Xiahou Yuan just didn't want to meet you in general and fight a war of words, but he still didn't forget to pat himself on the back, saying that Yuan Shang was smart, please ask what to do next? Yuan Shang looked at Ma Chao for a long time like an idiot, and then said: "Here you are the strongest leader, Xiahou Yuan was told to run away, you go and command the army to attack Chang'an City." ”

Ma Chao wanted to ask you just now that you said that you would not attack the city, but suddenly remembered that the soldiers were not tired of cheating, and immediately admired Yuan Shang's strategy, so he ordered the siege of the city. Now it is Yang Fu defending the city, Xiahou Yuan just went down to rest, Yuan Jun attacked the city, and couldn't help but scold: "Yuan Shang, you are really despicable and shameless, just now you said that you would not attack the city, but you actually attacked while General Xiahou was resting, do you want to be shameless?" Yuan Shang pretended not to hear it, and shouted: "On the city wall, you defend the city well, and also, it is General Ma who wants to attack the city, not me!" After Yuan Shang finished speaking, he handed over the army to Ma Chao's command and began to attack the city.

Under the cover of the army, Yuan Jun's engineering vehicles and catapults slowly approached Chang'an City. Although Xiahou Yuan was angry in his heart, he didn't have time to vent, but concentrated on dealing with Yuan's siege weapons, once Yuan's siege vehicles and catapults were close to the city gate, it would be over. Xiahou Yuan ordered the soldiers to attack the siege vehicles and catapults, Ma Chao held the strict bows and arrows on the city wall, risked his life to command the army to cover the siege vehicles, Yuan Jun saw that the main general was so brave, moved by it, and did not flinch, and finally the catapults began to attack the city wall of Chang'an City.

The huge stone threw down, and the soldiers of the Chang'an garrison who were smashed suddenly lost their flesh and blood, and died unexpectedly. Yuan's catapults continued to attack the walls of Chang'an, and the defenders continued to die, and if Yuan's catapults were not destroyed, Chang'an would be in danger of falling, so Xiahou Yuan decided to take the risk of destroying Yuan's catapults.

Yang Fu immediately persuaded: "General Xiahou don't be impatient, although the Yuan army's catapult is very powerful, but the materials are limited, and the Yuan army will definitely not use the catapult if it wants to attack the city, so we just need to avoid the catapult and stick to the city wall." ”

Yuan Jun was as Yang Fu expected, and Ma Chao thought that Cao Jun was already frightened, and began to stop using catapults and ram the Chang'an city gate with siege vehicles. Fortunately, Xiahou Yuan listened to Yang Fu's advice and did not attack, otherwise he would have just given Ma Chao a chance to break through the city gate.

Xiahou Yuan ordered the defenders to drop the rolling wood and throw stones, blocking the siege vehicles of Yuan's army. Ma Chao could only order people to use the ladder to start climbing the wall, and at the same time let people clear the obstacles and clear a reason for the siege vehicles. It's a pity that the city wall of Chang'an City is strong and tall, and Xiahou Yuan is fully prepared, so Yuan Jun can't climb the city wall of Chang'an at all, and he can't get close to the gate of Chang'an. Yuan Shang saw that the Bingzhou army was under the command of Ma Chao, but he still couldn't attack Chang'an, and suffered heavy losses, so he could only order Ma Chao to withdraw his troops and think of another way.