The Battle of Yan Province was one of the last battles of the Yellow Turban revival from 192-205 AD, with Cao Cao effectively destroying the Yellow Scarves presence in Yan Province by defeating the enemy and proceeding to recruit many of them as the Qingzhou Troops.
Background
After the death of Dong Zhuo, remnants of the Yellow Turbans began to reappear. The Imperial Court ordered the Prefect of Dongjun, Cao Cao, to deal with the remaining Yellow Turbans in Qing and Yan Province. Cao Cao marched with Bao Xin to Qing. Although Bao Xin fell, Cao Cao went on with his large army and engaged the Yellow Turbans in a fatal battle.
Battle
The Yellow Turban commander He Yi had 300,000 troops under his command, many of them inexperienced levies recruited from the lowest level of society, and many being illiterate and untrained. The Turbans resorted to ambush tactics, but Cao Cao's bodyguard Dian Wei succeeded in slaying the Yellow Turban commander, and General He Man was cut down by Cao Hong, and many of the Yellow Turbans surrendered, but many others were killed. Cao Cao was joined by Xu Zhu, a local farmer, who was mad at the Yellow Turbans for stealing his crops, and he became another bodyguard, making friends with Dian Wei and making an effective team. The Cao Cao army crushed the Yellow Scarves, with Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren leading the vigorous pursuit.