showed up in Luoyang and fetched Emperor Xian to their base in Xu (許; present-day Xuchang, Henan), which became the new Han imperial capital. Yang Feng initially wanted to heed Xu Huang's suggestion and join Cao Cao, but ultimately refused and went his own way. Xu Huang followed him. In late 196, after Cao Cao defeated Yang Feng in battle at Liang State (梁國; around present-day Shangqiu, Henan), Xu Huang pledged allegiance to Cao Cao. Cao Cao's campaigns in central and northern China Cao Cao sent Xu Huang with an army to attack rebels at Juan County (卷縣; west of present-day Yuanyang County, Henan) and Yuanwu County (原武縣; present-day Yuanyang County, Henan). Xu Huang defeated them and was promoted to Major-General (裨將軍). During the battles between Cao Cao and Lü Bu in Xu Province in 198, Xu Huang attacked and defeated Lü Bu's subordinates Zhao Shu (趙庶) and Li Zou (李鄒). 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). In the year 200, during the Battle of Guandu between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, Xu Huang participated in the early skirmishes at Boma (白馬; near Hua County, Henan) and Yan Ford (延津; present-day Yanjin County, Henan) where he helped to defeat the warlord Liu Bei – who had joined Yuan Shao after losing Xu Province – and Yuan Shao's generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou. 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). Yuan Shao had stored his supplies at a depot in Gushi (故市; southwest of present-day Yanjin County, Henan). Cao Cao sent Xu Huang and Shi Huan to attack this position. They defeated the defenders at Gushi and burnt down Yuan Shao's grain carts, forcing Yuan Shao to call for relief supplies in response to this raid. Xu Huang received the title of a Marquis of a Chief Village (都亭侯) for his contributions. A few years later, Xu Huang joined Cao Cao on a campaign against the heirs of Yuan Shao, who had died in 202. In 203, Han Fan (韓範), the Prefect of Yiyang County (易陽縣; northeast of present-day Handan, Hebei), pretended to surrender to Cao Cao while buying time to strengthen his defences. Xu Huang then wrote a letter to