| Xu Shu | |
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| Advisor of Cao Cao | |
| Names | |
| Simplified Chinese | 徐庶 |
| Traditional Chinese | 徐庶 |
| Pinyin | Xú Shù |
| Wade-Giles | Hsu Sh'u |
| Style name | Yuanzhi (元直) |
| Other names | Shan Fu (單福) |
Xu Shu was an advisor to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He initially served Liu Bei before joining Cao Cao in 208.
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Xu was a native of Yingchuan (present-day Xuchang, Henan). As a youth, he enjoyed practising swordplay. Between 190 and 193, Xu and his friend Shi Dao (石韜) travelled south to Jing Province, where they met and befriended Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong.
Xu came to serve Liu Bei when the latter was residing in Xinye, under the warlord Liu Biao of Jing Province. Around 208, Liu Biao died and was succeeded by his son, Liu Cong. Cao Cao's forces invaded Jing Province and Liu Cong surrendered to Cao. Liu Bei was forced to flee southward, accompanied by Xu. However, during the chaos, Xu's mother was captured by Cao Cao's troops. Xu decided to leave Liu Bei and serve Cao.
In 220, Cao Cao died and was succeeded by his son Cao Pi, who forced Emperor Xian of Han to abdicate in his favour, marking the start of the Cao Wei dynasty. Cao Pi appointed Xu as Right General of the Household (右中郎將) and Imperial Secretary (御史中丞).
Between 228 and 234, Zhuge Liang launched a series of Northern Expeditions against the state of Cao Wei. When Zhuge heard that Xu was serving in Cao Wei, he sighed, "Wei has so many capable people! Why don't I see those two men have their talents put to use?" (The two men refer to Xu Shu and Shi Dao.) Xu eventually died of illness.
In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Xu played an important role in recommending Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei. The account of how he switched allegiance from Liu to Cao Cao was also greatly dramatized.
In the novel, Xu first met Liu Bei near Xinye and agreed to become Liu's advisor. Not long later, Cao Cao sent Cao Ren to lead an army to attack Liu Bei. Cao Ren deployed a Eight Gates Golden Locks Formation (八門金鎖陣) during the battle against Liu's army. Liu's forces were initially unable to break the formation, until Xu pointed out the weaknesses in the formation. Liu's generals followed Xu's instructions on how to attack the formation and succeeded in breaking it, defeating Cao Ren's army.
When Cao Cao heard of how Xu broke the formation, he was impressed and wanted to Xu to serve him. Cao invited Xu's mother to meet him and requested for her to write a letter to her son, asking her son to come and serve him. Xu's mother refused and denounced Cao Cao as a traitor and attempted to hit Cao with her walking stick. Cao was furious and ordered Xu's mother to be executed, but his strategists advised him against it, and Cao eventually had her confined. He sent Cheng Yu to visit her, and Cheng lied that he was Xu's friend and wanted to help Xu. Over time, Xu's mother gradually trusted Cheng and Cheng picked up her handwriting. Cheng then wrote a letter to Xu in his mother's handwriting, luring him to Cao Cao's side.
Xu was a filial son and he wept when he heard that his mother was confined by Cao Cao. Liu Bei was reluctant to let Xu leave but Xu insisted. While leaving, Xu suddenly turned back to Liu and recommended Zhuge Liang to Liu before riding off to meet his mother. When Xu reunited with his mother, he discovered that he had been tricked. His mother was angry with him for failing to recognize the mistake and she committed suicide. Xu was devastated and swore never to give advice to Cao Cao even though he remained on Cao's side until his death.
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