Mount Tai is named as a base for rebels allied with Lü Bu during his campaign against Xuande. Its role is brief but strategically revealing: Lü Bu’s forces are not concentrated in a single siege, but are directed toward several locations at once, extending the conflict beyond Xiaopei.

Role in the Campaign

After Chen Gong discovers that Xuande has agreed to join Cao Cao in an attack on Lü Bu, Lü Bu prepares for war. He sends one army to seize Xiaopei, another toward Runan and Yingchuan, and a third to join the rebels camped on Mount Tai. Lü Bu leads a supporting force himself, first moving to besiege Xiaopei.

Strategic Significance

The reference to Mount Tai establishes a wider operational landscape for the campaign: the rebels there form one part of a three-pronged deployment, alongside the forces sent toward Xiaopei and toward Runan and Yingchuan. The account does not describe fighting at Mount Tai or identify the rebels further. Its significance lies in showing the reach of Lü Bu’s plan, even as the immediate narrative turns to Cao Cao’s attempt to defend Xuande and the contest for Xiaopei.