Yan Liang
With some 100,000 men as the vanguard, Yan Liang attacked Liu Yan at Boma. Answering Liu Yan's repeated requests for aid, Cao Cao launched 150,000 men split into three prongs to relieve Boma. Guan Yu, who had recently pledged service to Cao Cao and was the subject of many rewards by Cao Cao, wanted to participate in the battle against Yan Liang to repay Cao Cao's generosity, but Cao Cao did not think it was necessary to use Guan Yu yet. Cao Cao personally led 50,000 men to engage Yan Liang, but was awed by Yan's arrays of elite troops. Song Xian () and Wei Xu (), two former generals under Lü Bu, each volunteered to duel Yan Liang, but were both killed in a short time. Xu Huang also rode out to challenge Yan Liang, but he came back defeated after 20 bouts. Both armies ceased battle for the day.