Gao Gan
Further north, Yuan Shang sought refuge with his second brother Yuan Xi, who was the Inspector of You Province. Even in the northern province of You, there were some who saw the turn of the tide. Wang Song (王松) in Zhuo Commandery and Xianyu Fu (鮮于輔) in Yuyang Commandery pledged allegiance to Cao Cao, while in Yuan Xi's headquarters he was faced with internal mutiny by Jiao Chu (焦觸) and Zhang Nan (張南). Jiao Chu succeeded in driving away the Yuan brothers, proclaimed himself the Inspector of You Province in Yuan Xi's place, and led many local officials to go over to Cao Cao. Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang fled northeast to their allies the Wuhuan, who soon attacked Xianyu Fu in Gongping (獷平; northeast of present-day Miyun) in support of the Yuans. Another source of opposition to Cao Cao was found in Zhao Du (趙犢) and Huo Nu (霍奴), local leaders apparently sympathetic to the Yuans, who attacked and killed the Grand Administrator of Zhuo and the Inspector of You. By autumn 205, after settling Ji province, Cao Cao came north to destroy Zhao Du and Huo Nu, and relieved Xianyu Fu from the Wuhuan. The Wuhuan remained a threat, but Cao Cao had no opportunity to deal with them as the recently surrendered Gao Gan in Bing province rebelled, perhaps inspired by the hope that the support from the Wuhuan may reverse the Yuan family's fortunes. Cao Cao defeated Gao Gan for good in 206, and it would be late 207 before he had decisively crushed the united forces of the Yuan family and the Wuhuan and become the uncontested power in northern China.