After the warlord Sun Ce defeated Liu Yao at the beginning of a series of conquests in the Jiangdong region, Yan Baihu successfully re-established and then increased his private army to tens of thousands, composed of elite Shanyue fighters, in preparation for a final showdown with Sun Ce.
Following Sun Ce's triumph over Liu Yao in the Jiangdong region, Yan Baihu fortified his private army, which grew to tens of thousands, comprised of skilled Shanyue fighters, to prepare for a decisive battle against Sun Ce.