King Xiang's army was encamped below Gaixia. With few soldiers left and his provisions exhausted, the Han armies and armies of the feudal lords surrounded him in several layers. At night, Xiang Yu heard the songs of Chu on all four sides of the Han camp. Alarmed, Xiang Yu said, "Has Han already conquered Chu? Why are there so many people from Chu here!" Xiang Yu rose during the night and drank in his tent. There was a beautiful woman named Yu who was often favored and accompanied him; there was also a valiant steed named Zui that he frequently rode. Then Xiang Yu sang with deep emotion and composed a poem himself: "With strength to move mountains and a spirit surpassing the world, but the times work against me and my steed can no longer gallop. Shanghai massage! What can I do when my steed cannot gallop? What can I do for you, Lady Yu?" He sang this song several times, and the beauty harmonized with him. Xiang Yu shed several tears, and those around him all wept, unable to look up.
Then Xiang Yu mounted his horse, and more than eight hundred brave warriors followed him on horseback. They broke through the encirclement under cover of darkness and fled southward. At dawn, the Han army realized this and ordered the cavalry general Guan Ying to pursue them with five thousand horsemen. Xiang Yu crossed the Huai River, but only over a hundred riders could keep up with him. Xiang Yu reached Yinling, lost his way, and asked a farmer. The farmer deceived him, saying, "Left." Going left, he fell into a large marsh. For this reason, they were not caught up with. Xiang Yu then led his troops eastward again and arrived at Dongcheng, where there were only twenty-eight riders left. Thousands of Han cavalry pursued them. Xiang Yu assessed that he could not escape and said to his men, "I have raised an army for eight years, personally fighting in over seventy battles. Those I faced were defeated, those I attacked submitted, and I have never been defeated, thus dominating the world. But now I am finally trapped here, which is Heaven's will to destroy me, not the fault of battle! Today, I am determined to die, but I wish to fight a swift battle for all of you, surely winning three victories, breaking through the encirclement, cutting down generals, and severing flags, so that all of you know it is Heaven's will to destroy me, not the fault of battle!" He divided his cavalry into four detachments, facing four directions. The Han army surrounded them in several layers. Xiang Yu said to his men, "I will take one of their generals for you." He ordered the cavalry to charge down from all four sides, agreeing to meet at three places east of the mountain. Then Xiang Yu shouted loudly and charged down, causing the entire Han army to scatter, and he cut down one of their generals. At that time, Chishan Hou was the cavalry general pursuing Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu glared at him and shouted, causing Chishan Hou's horse and rider to be startled, retreating several miles. Xiang Yu met his men at three places. The Han army did not know where Xiang Yu was, so they split their forces into three parts and surrounded them again. Xiang Yu then charged forward, cutting down another Han chief captain and killing dozens or hundreds of men. When he regrouped his riders, only two had gone missing. He then said to his men, "How is it?" All replied, "As you said."
Then Xiang Yu wanted to cross the Wu River to the east. The ferryman of the Wu River waited with his boat and said to Xiang Yu, "Although Jiangdong is small, it spans a thousand li and has hundreds of thousands of people, enough to rule as king. Please, My Lord, cross quickly. Now only I have a boat, and when the Han army arrives, there will be no way to cross." Xiang Yu laughed and said, "If Heaven is destroying me, why should I cross! Moreover, I crossed the river westward with eight thousand young men from Jiangdong, and now not one has returned. Even if the fathers and brothers of Jiangdong pity me and make me king, how could I face them, Shanghai escort! Even if they say nothing, would I not feel ashamed in my heart!" He then said to the ferryman, "I know you are an elder. I have ridden this horse for five years, unmatched in combat, capable of traveling a thousand li in a day, and I am unwilling to kill it, so I give it to you." He then ordered his men to dismount and fight on foot with short weapons. Alone, Ji killed hundreds of Han soldiers, and King Xiang himself suffered more than ten wounds. Looking back, he saw the Han cavalry commander Lu Matong and said, "Are you not my old friend?" Matong recognized him and pointed to Wang Yi, saying, "This is King Xiang." King Xiang then said, "I have heard that Han is offering a thousand gold pieces for my head and ten thousand households. I bestow this favor upon you." He then committed suicide.