Battle of Fancheng
Xu Huang's most glorious moment in his military career came at the Battle of Fancheng in 219. When Fancheng (樊城; in present-day Xiangyang, Hubei) and Xiangyang were besieged by Liu Bei's general Guan Yu, Cao Cao first sent Yu Jin to lead a relief force to lift the siege but Yu Jin's seven armies were destroyed by a flood. Cao Cao then ordered Xu Huang to lead a second relief force to lift the siege. Cao Ren, the general defending Fancheng, and Lü Chang (呂常), who defended Xiangyang, were both under siege for months.