Liu Yao, courtesy name Zhenli, was from Mouping, Shandong. His ancestors were descendants of Prince Xiao of Qi and were titled the Marquis of Mouping, so their family has always lived in Mouping. Liu Yao's uncle Liu Chong served as the Grand Commandant of the Han Dynasty, and his brother Liu Dai, styled Gongshan, served as Palace Attendant and Inspector of Yanzhou, making their family quite influential.
When Liu Yao was nineteen, his father was kidnapped by bandits as a hostage. It was Liu Yao who managed to rescue his father, which made him famous overnight. Later, he was recommended as a candidate known for filial piety and integrity, appointed as a Langzhong (a junior official), and promoted to county magistrate. At that time, the county magistrate, relying on his powerful relatives, abused his authority. Liu Yao found this behavior intolerable, prompting him to resign immediately. He was later summoned to serve as an official in Jinan Commandery. The Prefect of Jinan was the son of a court eunuch, corrupt and disregarding the rules. Liu Yao directly impeached him and got him dismissed. There was a man named Taoqiu Hong in Pingyuan Commandery who admired Liu Yao and wanted to recommend him as a talented individual. However, the Inspector said, "We recommended his brother Liu Gongshan last year; how can we recommend his younger brother Liu Zhenli again?" Taoqiu Hong replied, "If you first appoint Liu Gongshan and then promote Liu Zhenli, it's like steering two dragons racing down a wide road, or like letting a thousand-mile horse gallop on a vast plain, isn't it wonderful?" Later, Liu Yao was summoned to serve in the Ministry of Works and was subsequently promoted to Imperial Secretary, but he chose not to take up the position.
Due to the chaos of war, Liu Yao fled to Huaipu seeking refuge. However, the court issued an edict appointing him Yangzhou's governor. At that time, Yuan Shu was in Huainan, and Liu Yao was too afraid to take up his post in Yangzhou. He wanted to cross the river to head south and was welcomed by Wu Jing and Sun Ben in Qu'e. Yuan Shu wanted to declare himself emperor and attacked and occupied many counties. Liu Yao sent Fan Neng and Zhang Ying to oppose Yuan Shu's forces by the river. However, he was later swayed by the words of Wu Jing and Sun Ben (who were Yuan Shu's men) and drove away Fan Neng and Zhang Ying. Yuan Shu then took over as Yangzhou's governor, and together with Wu Jing and Sun Ben, they attacked Fan Neng and Zhang Ying for more than a year without success. The court promoted Liu Yao to Governor and General of Zhenwu, providing him with tens of thousands of troops. Sun Ce crossed the river from the east, defeated Fan Neng and Zhang Ying, and Liu Yao fled to Dantu, then continued south to Yuzhang, where he stationed himself in Pengze.
Zuo Rong arrived in Yuzhang first, killed the governor Zhu Hao, and took over the county office. Liu Yao set out to attack Zuo Rong but was defeated. Later, Liu Yao recruited more soldiers, united the counties, and launched another attack on Zuo Rong, ultimately defeating him. Zuo Rong fled to the mountains and was killed by local villagers. Liu Yao died shortly after, at just forty-two.
Zuo Rong, a native of Danyang, initially raised a few hundred men and joined the Governor of Xuzhou, Tao Qian. Tao Qian put him in charge of the grain transport in Guangling and Pengcheng, but he went rogue, indiscriminately killing and embezzling taxes from three counties.
Then he constructed an impressive pagoda, casting bronze Buddha statues, gilding them, and dressing them in embroidered garments, with nine layers of bronze plates below and a substantial tower beneath, capable of accommodating more than three thousand people. He had everyone recite Buddhist scriptures inside and invited devout Buddhists from nearby counties to hear the scriptures, luring them with various incentives. As a result, over five thousand households gathered. Every time he bathed the Buddha, he set up a banquet, with tables stretching for miles along the road, with a total of ten thousand people attending and eating, which incurred astronomical costs.
When Cao Cao attacked Tao Qian, the Xu Zhou region was in turmoil, and Zuo Rong fled to Guangling with over ten thousand men, women, children, and three thousand horses. The Governor of Guangling, Zhao Yu, welcomed him warmly. Previously, the magistrate of Pengcheng, Xue Li, stationed himself in Moling due to pressure from Tao Qian. Zuo Rong took advantage of Guangling's forces, assassinated Zhao Yu in a drunken state, then plundered with his troops and fled with his men and horses. He killed Xue Li along the way and also took out Hao (the identity of Hao is unclear in the original text).
Later, he planned to launch a campaign westward to Jiangxia. When he passed through Yuzhang on his way back, he took care of Zai Yao's body and treated his family well. Wang Lang wrote him a letter, saying, "Liu Zhengli (Zai Yao) came to the state, struggling to establish himself; it was your family's support that enabled him to govern Jiangzhou and bring stability. When he first arrived, you had a deep friendship, but later, because of the Yuan family's influence, the relationship gradually became distant. Later, they allied once more, only to become enemies again; this was not what he had wished for. He has always hoped for reconciliation and the restoration of old friendships. Now he has suddenly passed away; this is truly unfortunate! I know you are generous and kind, capable of repaying grievances with kindness, taking care of his body, raising his orphans, mourning the deceased, pitying the living, letting go of past suspicions, and protecting his descendants. This is truly a profound act of kindness and righteousness that will earn you great renown! In the past, although the people of Lu had longstanding grievances against Qi, they did not forsake funeral rites. The Spring and Autumn Annals praised them, stating they were in accordance with etiquette; this is certainly something worthy of being recorded in history and something that people should learn from and praise. Zhengli's son is both ambitious and principled; he must also possess extraordinary qualities. You govern with both authority and law while also extending kindness; this is truly commendable and admirable!"
The eldest son of the Lao Yao family is named Yao Ji, whose courtesy name is Jingyu. When he was fourteen years old, his father passed away, and according to the rules, he had to observe mourning. At that time, many officials sent gifts and money to console him, yet he refused all of them. Yao Ji was particularly handsome, and Sun Quan held him in high regard and respected him greatly. After Sun Quan became the General of Chariots and Cavalry, he brought him into his inner circle as the Eastern Cao Yuan, and later promoted him to the positions of Fuyi Xiaowei and Jianzhong Langjiang. When Sun Quan became the King of Wu, he elevated Yao Ji to a high-ranking agricultural position.
Once Sun Quan held a banquet and Riding Captain Yu Fan got drunk and offended Sun Quan with his words. Sun Quan was very angry and wanted to kill Yu Fan. At that moment, Yao Ji stepped forward to persuade Sun Quan, which ultimately saved Yu Fan's life. Another time, on a hot day, Sun Quan held a banquet on a boat and suddenly encountered a thunderstorm. Sun Quan held an umbrella for himself and even had someone hold an umbrella for Yao Ji, while no one else had one. This clearly illustrates Sun Quan's high regard for Yao Ji. Later, Yao Ji was promoted to the position of Director of the Department of Personnel. After Sun Quan became emperor, he promoted Yao Ji to the position of Guanglu Xun, entrusting him with responsibilities in the Shangshu. Yao Ji passed away at the age of forty-nine.
Later, Sun Quan had his son Sun Ba marry Yao Ji's daughter, bestowing upon them the finest residence and showering them with gifts year-round, similar to the treatment of Quan Cong and Zhang Zhao. Yao Ji's two brothers, Yao Shuo and Yao Shang, also reached the position of Riding Captain.
Tai Shici, styled Ziyi, was a native of Laiyang, Shandong. He had a passion for learning from an early age and later served as a minor official in the county, responsible for record-keeping.
At that time, tensions arose between the county and the prefecture, with the right and wrong still unclear. People thought that whoever reported first was in the right. The prefecture had already submitted the official memorial, so the county magistrate, fearing falling behind, urgently sent someone to Luoyang to deliver the memorial. At only twenty-one years old, Tai Shici volunteered and rushed to Luoyang overnight, arriving at the gate just as the prefecture officials were ready to submit their memorial.
Taishi Ci stepped forward and asked, "Are you handing in a memorial?" The official replied, "Yes." Taishi Ci then asked, "Where is the memorial?" The official said, "It's in the carriage." Taishi Ci said, "Are the title and signature on the memorial correct? Let me take a look." The official had no idea that Taishi Ci was from Laiyang Commandery, so he handed him the memorial. Taishi Ci had already stashed a knife and tore the memorial to pieces in one go. The official leaped up and yelled, "Someone destroyed my memorial!"
Taishi Ci walked to the side of the carriage and said to the official, "If you hadn't let me see the memorial just now, I wouldn't have had the chance to destroy it. This is just fate; it's unfair for me to bear this blame alone. Why don't we sneak away together? This way, we can save our skins. If we get caught, we'll both be punished." The official said, "You have achieved your goal by destroying my memorial for the commandery; why do we need to run away together?" Taishi Ci replied, "The commandery just sent me to check if the memorial could be submitted. I acted impulsively and destroyed it. Now if I go back, I'm afraid of being punished for this, so let's leave together." After hearing Taishi Ci's words, the official left with him that day.
Once outside the city, Taishi Ci secretly sent the commandery's memorial up. When the province heard about this, they sent another memorial, but since the memorial had already been destroyed, the relevant authorities refused to accept it, making the province look bad.
This incident made Taishi Ci famous, but it also offended the province. He was afraid of payback, so he fled to Liaodong.
After hearing about this incident, Kong Rong thought it was pretty amazing and sent people multiple times to inquire about his mother's situation, and sent many gifts. At that time, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, and Kong Rong was stationed in Duchang, surrounded by bandits under Guan Hai. After his mother returned from Liaodong, she said to him, "You and Kong Beihai have never met before, but after you left, he took care of your mother so well, even better than a close friend. Now he is surrounded by bandits; you ought to go help him out."
His mother said this, and he hesitated for three days, then went to Duchang alone. At that time, the siege wasn't very tight. He took the opportunity at night to meet Kong Rong and asked him for troops to go kill the bandits. Kong Rong did not agree and wanted to wait for reinforcements. But the reinforcements never came, and the siege tightened. Kong Rong wanted to ask for help from Liu Bei, the magistrate of Pingyuan, but the people in the city were unable to leave, so he took the initiative. Kong Rong said, "The bandits have surrounded us tightly. Everyone says it's impossible. While your idea is brave, it might be quite difficult." He replied, "Mr. Kong treated my mother so well before, and my mother was so grateful that she sent me to save him. This means I will definitely be of help, and my going will surely bring benefits. Now everyone says it's impossible, and I say it's impossible. Wouldn't that be betraying Mr. Kong's kindness and my mother's expectations? The situation is urgent now; I hope you won't hesitate any longer!" Kong Rong agreed. He quickly gathered provisions, and at first light, he rode out of the city with a bow and arrow, accompanied by two attendants, each carrying a flag, and charged through the city gate. The bandits outside were taken by surprise, and their ranks fell into disarray. He guided his horse into the moat outside the city, raised the flag, and then began shooting arrows. After firing his arrows, he quickly returned to the city. The next morning, he did the same thing. Some of the bandits around the city were standing, some were lying down. He raised the flag again, shot his arrows, and returned to the city. By the third morning, the bandits no longer dared to rise, so he charged straight into the encirclement and galloped away. By the time the bandits realized what was happening, he had already bolted far away. He shot and killed several bandits, each one falling with a single arrow, so the bandits were too intimidated to chase him.
He arrived on the plain and said to Liu Bei, "I'm just an ordinary person from Donglai, neither related to Kong Beihai nor from the same hometown, but I admire his reputation and have a bond of sharing hardships. Now Guan Hai has rebelled, Beihai is besieged and isolated without help, and things are getting desperate. You’re known for your kindness and ability to help people in trouble. Therefore, Beihai risks his life, hoping that you can lend a helping hand. Let me take the risk of getting killed to break through the siege and ask for your help. It's all up to you to save him!" Liu Bei responded with respect and said, "Does Kong Beihai even know about Liu Bei?" He quickly sent three thousand of his best soldiers to go with him. When the bandits heard that reinforcements had arrived, they dispersed and fled. Once Kong Rong was saved, he admired him even more, saying, "You are my good friend!" After the incident, he went to tell his mother, who replied, "I'm so glad you could help Kong Beihai!"
Yangzhou Governor Liu Yao and Danyang Prefect Zhou Yu were hometown buddies. Just as he was about to leave, Sun Ce showed up. Someone suggested that Liu Yao make Zhou Yu a general. Liu Yao said, "If I make Zhou Yu a general, won’t Xu Chu and the others just mock me?" He just sent Zhou Yu to check out the enemy's strength. As a result, Zhou Yu only took one cavalry and encountered Sun Ce. Sun Ce brought thirteen cavalry, all fierce warriors like Han Dang, Song Qian, and Huang Gai. Zhou Yu charged right at Sun Ce for a one-on-one showdown. Sun Ce stabbed Zhou Yu's horse and grabbed the hand halberd on Zhou Yu's neck, while Zhou Yu also grabbed Sun Ce's helmet. Both sides' troops came rushing over, and the fight was finally broken up.
Zhou Yu initially intended to flee to Yuzhang with Liu Yao, but ended up secretly running to Wuhu and hiding in the mountains, proclaiming himself as the Prefect of Danyang. By this time, Sun Ce had already subdued the territory east of Xuancheng, leaving only six counties west of Jingxian that had yet to surrender. Zhou Yu ran to Jingxian and set up a military camp there, drawing many mountain tribes to his side. Sun Ce personally led his troops to confront Zhou Yu and captured him. Sun Ce immediately untied Zhou Yu and held his hand, saying, "Do you remember the time at Shenting? What would have happened if you had caught me then?" Zhou Yu said, "It's hard to say." Sun Ce laughed heartily, "Today's matter, let's do it together!" He promptly appointed Zhou Yu as the Supervisor of his subordinates, gave him military authority, and appointed him as the General of Chariots and Cavalry. Later, when Liu Yao died in Yuzhang, his tens of thousands of soldiers did not pledge allegiance to anyone. Sun Ce sent Zhou Yu to pacify them. Sun Ce's subordinates all said, "Zhou Yu must have fled north and won't be coming back." Sun Ce said, "If Ziyi (Zhou Yu's courtesy name) leaves me, who else would he follow?" He bid him farewell at Changmen, holding his hand and asking, "When will you come back?" Zhou Yu replied, "At most sixty days." In the end, he returned exactly on time as promised. Liu Biao's cousin, Liu Pan, was particularly brave and often raided and wreaked havoc in Aixian and Xi'an counties. Sun Ce then allocated the six counties surrounding Haihun and Jianchang to Zhou Yu, appointing him as the Commandant of Jianchang, stationed in Haihun, and tasking other generals with resisting Liu Pan. From that point on, Liu Pan vanished without a trace and never dared to stir up trouble again.
Pang De, standing at seven feet seven inches, handsome, with a beautiful beard, and with arms as strong as a gorilla, possessed superb archery skills, hitting the target every time. He once followed the army to quell the bandits in Mabao. The bandits shouted curses from the building in the camp and even held onto the ropes from the building. Pang De shot an arrow, striking one of their hands and piercing the rope. The crowd marveled at his exceptional archery skills. He was truly impressive! After hearing about his reputation, Cao Cao sent him a letter contained in a box. When he opened it, he found only a bag of Angelica herbs inside. After Sun Quan rose to power, he appointed Pang De to oversee military affairs in the south. Pang De died at the age of forty-one during the eleventh year of Jian'an. His son, Pang Xiang, later rose to the rank of Chief of the Yuezhi Cavalry.
Shi Xie, styled Weiyan, was a native of Cangwu in Guangxin. His ancestors were from Wenyang in the state of Lu, but fled to Jiaozhou during Wang Mang's usurpation to escape the turmoil of war. Six generations later, Shi Xie's father, Shi Ci, held the position of Governor of Rinaan during the reign of Emperor Huan of Han. In his youth, Shi Xie studied in the capital and studied the "Zuo Zhuan" under Liu Ziqi from Yingchuan. He was recognized as a filial and incorruptible official and became a Gentleman of the Imperial Library. However, he was later dismissed from his position due to an error in his official duties. After his father's death and the conclusion of his mourning period, he was recognized as a man of talent and appointed Prefect of Wuxian, and later advanced to become the Governor of Jiaozhi.
His younger brother, Shi Yi, was initially the county's postal supervisor. When the governor of Jiaozhou, Ding Gong, had to return to the capital, Shi Yi went all out to see him off. Ding Gong was deeply moved and said to him before parting, "If I become a high-ranking official, I will definitely give you a promotion." Later, Ding Gong became the Minister of Works and indeed promoted Shi Yi. However, when Shi Yi reached the capital, Ding Gong had already been dismissed from his position. Huang Wan took over as the Minister of Works and showed Shi Yi great respect. During the chaos caused by Dong Zhuo's rebellion, Shi Yi fled back to his hometown. The governor of Jiaozhou, Zhu Fu, was killed by bandits, throwing the province into chaos. Shi Xie then recommended his younger brother Shi Yi to be appointed as the Prefect of Hepu, another brother Shi Bi to be appointed as the Prefect of Jiuzhen, and the youngest brother Shi Wu to be appointed as the Prefect of Nanhai.
This person was kind, humble, and was very kind to others, so at least a hundred scholars sought refuge with him. He had a particular fondness for the "Spring and Autumn Annals" and even wrote his own annotations. Yuan Hui from Chen State wrote to the Grand Minister, Xun Yu, saying, "The Prefect of Jiaozhi (referring to Shi Xie) is not only knowledgeable but also highly skilled in managing government affairs. In such turbulent times, he has managed to maintain peace in a county for over twenty years, with no border disturbances and the people keeping their jobs. Even those who came from other places have benefited from his influence. Even Dou Rong, who managed to protect Hexi in the past, doesn't compare to him! Once he finishes his official duties, he immediately dives into the classics, especially fond of the 'Zuo Zhuan' from the 'Spring and Autumn Annals,' finding it both profound and concise. I often ask him questions about the text, and he always answers them thoroughly. He also understands ancient and modern classics, with a deep understanding of righteousness. I hear there are heated debates in the capital over ancient and modern knowledge, and he now wants to compile the important principles from the 'Zuo Zhuan' and 'Shangshu' to submit to the court." You see, people have such high praise for him!
His two brothers both became governors in charge of a state or county, with vast influence and revered status. When they traveled, bells and drums were sounded ahead of them, with a grand band playing, a procession of carriages and horses, and many non-Han people burning incense along the road, numbering at least a few dozen. His wives and concubines rode in carriages, while his children and grandchildren followed on horseback. At that time, he held immense power and status, and all the Baiyue tribes were obedient to him, and no one could compare to him. Unfortunately, his brother Wu fell ill and passed away.
After Zhu Fu's death, the Han Dynasty appointed Zhang Jin as the Governor of Jiaozhou, but he was later killed by his subordinate, Qu Jing. Governor of Jingzhou, Liu Biao, then sent Lai Gong, the Prefect of Lingling, to replace Zhang Jin. Around the same time, the Prefect of Cangwu, Shi Huang, died as well, and Liu Biao sent Wu Ju to take his place. Wu Ju and Lai Gong arrived in Jiaozhou together. Upon hearing of Zhang Jin's death, the Han Dynasty wrote to Xie, stating, "Jiaozhou is a remote border region, facing the sea to the south, where the court's grace is difficult to reach, and justice is hard to uphold. We have heard that the rebel Liu Biao has sent Lai Gong to spy on the south. We now appoint you as the General of Suinan, in charge of seven counties, with the position of Prefect of Jiaozhi remaining the same." Later, Xie sent an official, Zhang Min, to the capital with tribute. Despite the chaos and blocked roads, Zhang Min persisted in delivering the tribute, which delighted the court. They issued a decree to appoint him as General of Anyuan and Marquis of Longdu Pavilion.
After Zhuge Liang's death, Wu Ju fell out with Sun Xiu and directly led his troops against him. Sun Xiu fled back to Lingling. In the fifteenth year of Jian'an, Sun Quan sent Bu Zhi to serve as the Inspector of Jiaozhou. Upon Bu Zhi's arrival in Jiaozhou, Shi Xie and his brothers respectfully welcomed him, demonstrating their submission. However, Wu Ju had other intentions and was killed by Bu Zhi. Sun Quan then promoted Shi Xie to the position of Left General. As the Jian'an period came to a close, Shi Xie sent his son Shi Xun as a political hostage to the state of Wu, and Sun Quan even appointed him as the Prefect of Wuchang. Shi Xie and his sons in the south were all granted the title of General.
Shi Xie also persuaded some prominent families in Yizhou, such as Yong Kai and others, to demonstrate their allegiance to Dong Wu from afar along with their local populace. Sun Quan was especially pleased and promoted Shi Xie to the rank of General of the Guard, bestowing upon him the title of Marquis of Longbian. His younger brother Shi Yi was also granted the title of Marquis of Duxiang and became a Deputy General. Shi Xie frequently sent people to visit Sun Quan, bringing a variety of rare treasures, including spices, fine linen, and thousands of pearls, shells, glass, jade, tortoiseshell, rhinoceros horn, ivory, and other peculiar items. He also sent a wide range of fruits, including bananas, mangoes, longan, and others, throughout the year. Shi Yi even once sent hundreds of horses. Sun Quan would consistently respond with generous rewards and gifts to reassure them. Shi Xie served as an official in Jiaozhou for over forty years and passed away at the age of ninety in the fifth year of the Huangwu era.
Because Jiaozhi Prefecture was too far away, Sun Quan decided to divide the area north of Hepu into Guangzhou, appointing Lv Dai as the governor; the area south of Hepu was established as Jiaozhou, with Dai Liang appointed as the governor. He also sent Chen Shi as the Prefect of Jiaozhi. Lv Dai remained in Nanhai, while Dai Liang and Chen Shi traveled to Hepu together. However, Chen Shi's son, Chen Hui, took it upon himself to declare himself Prefect of Jiaozhi and even led troops to oppose Dai Liang. Consequently, Dai Liang was forced to remain in Hepu.
There was a man in Jiaozhi named Huan Lin, who had been promoted by Chen Shi. He knelt and urged Chen Hui to welcome Dai Liang, but Chen Hui, in a fit of rage, killed him. Huan Lin's brother, Huan Zhi, then rallied his relatives to confront Chen Hui. Chen Hui defended his stronghold, and after several months of siege, Huan Zhi's forces were unable to breach it. Eventually, both sides ultimately agreed to a truce and retreated.
At this point, Sun Quan ordered that Chen Hui be executed. Lv Dai led troops from Guangzhou day and night to make his way there, passing through Hepu and moving forward with Dai Liang. There was a man named Kuang who was Lv Dai's old friend. Lv Dai appointed him as a trusted aide and sent him to write a letter to Jiaozhi, explaining the stakes, and then sent Kuang to see Chen Hui, urging him to surrender and admit his guilt. Although he would lose his position as magistrate, his life would be spared.
Lv Dai arrived later, and Chen Hui's brothers, Chen Zhi, Chen Gan, Chen Song, and six others greeted him bare-chested. Lv Dai asked them to dress and then proceeded to the county office. Early the next morning, Lv Dai set up a tent and invited Chen Hui and his brothers to step inside one by one, as guests filled the tent. Lv Dai stood up, read the edict while holding a ceremonial staff, listed Chen Hui's crimes, and the guards promptly bound Chen Hui and his brothers, took them out, and all were executed, their heads sent to Wuchang.
Those involved in this incident—Yi, Huang You, and Kuang—were later granted clemency by Sun Quan. Chen Shi's son, Chen Xin, was also reduced to commoner status. A few years later, Yi and Huang You were executed for their offenses. Chen Xin later died of illness without a son; his wife was left a widow, and the court provided her with a monthly stipend and granted her four hundred thousand coins.
Comments: While Liu Yao was well-regarded and had high moral character, holding vast territories during wartime was not his forte. Taishi Ci was steadfast in his principles and embodied the spirit of a renowned ancient general. Shi Xie served as an official in the south, living a stable life, but his son was careless and got into trouble, demonstrating that mediocrity, while basking in wealth and relying on precarious situations, will ultimately face dire consequences.
