Cousin of the Wei house and commander of the eastern front. Believed the defector, marched deepest of the three Wei armies, and died within the year.
The largest of the three armies was given to a cousin of the house of Cao; he believed the defector, marched deepest, and was routed at Shiting.Sanguozhi, Wei shu 9, Biography of Cao Xiu; Zizhi Tongjian, scroll 71
Appears in
Three Kingdoms 9 · panel 2Three Kingdoms 9 · panel 3Three Kingdoms 9 · panel 4Three Kingdoms 9 · panel 6Three Kingdoms 9 · panel 7Three Kingdoms 9 · panel 11Three Kingdoms 9 · panel 14
Relations
- Cao Cao kin of the house — A cousin of the Wei clan, trusted with the eastern front above all others.
- Sima Yi co-commanders — In 228 led the largest of the three roads while Sima Yi led one toward Jiangling.
- Zhou Fang the bait & the taken — Believed seven articles of false intelligence and a cut of hair, and marched into the trap.
Myth vs record
The story you may know
Killed in the battle of Shiting, or died of his wounds on the field.
What the sources say
He escaped the rout, was recalled, and died of an ailment of the back later the same year; the Wei records connect the death to the shame of the defeat, but they do not say the battle killed him.