Tan Shihuai, known as the foremost among the Xianbei, initially, during Emperor Ling's time, did not have the ability to break through Bingzhou. He merely skirmished along the borders of Youzhou and Bingzhou and fought in places like Liaodong.
As a result, after Tan Shihuai died, the Xianbei astonishingly grew strong to the point of breaking through Bingzhou under Yuan Shao's northern dominance, threatening the Yongzhou Commandery. Tsk tsk tsk, Tan Shihuai's title as the foremost of the Xianbei ought to be discarded; without him as their leader, the Xianbei became extraordinarily powerful.
