Xia Houdun in history is not as foolhardy as the novel says. On the contrary, he likes studying very much, likes reading and respects scholars very much. Besides, he lives a simple life. If Cao Cao has any reward, he will give it to his sergeant, and he will never have private property in his life. With martial arts, knowledge, incorruptibility and love for soldiers, Cao Cao compared it with Jiang Wei, a famous soldier under Duke Mourn of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period. Everyone admitted that this comparison was not exaggerated at all.

Because of this, Cao Cao has always used Xia Houdun as an independent official. Every time he goes to war, he likes to leave Xia Houdun to defend the rear. Our story happened when Xia Houdun was guarding the rear.

In A.D. 193, Cao Cao established himself in Yanzhou, Shandong Province, and then sent people to Langya to see his father Cao Song. Cao Song is very ostentatious, with his wife, concubines and possessions, passing through Xuzhou. Tao Qian, the secretariat of Xuzhou, wanted to please Cao Cao and sent troops with him. Unexpectedly, zhangyan, the Ministry he sent, was jealous of Cao Song's property and killed Cao Song on the way.

When Cao Cao heard what he could do in the future, he stubbornly believed that killing his father was inspired by Tao Qian, so in the autumn of that year, he personally went out and ordered the whole army to mourn, conquering Tao Qian and retaliating against Tao Qian. Before he left, in order to ensure the safety of the nest, he deliberately left Xia Houdun behind.