Volume 54: Book of Wu 9 - Biographies of Zhou Yu, Lu Su, and Lü Meng

周瑜字公瑾，廬江舒人也。從祖父景，景子忠，皆為漢太尉。〈謝承《後漢書》曰：景字仲鄉，少以廉能見稱，以明學察孝廉，辟公府。後為豫州刺史，辟汝南陳蕃為別駕，潁川李膺、荀緄、杜密、沛國硃寓為從事，皆天下英俊之士也。稍遷至尚書令，遂登太尉。張璠《漢紀》曰：景父榮，章、和世為尚書令。初景歷位牧守，好善愛士，每歲舉孝廉，延請入，上後堂，與家人宴會，如此者數四。及贈送既備，又選用其子弟，常稱曰：「移臣作子，於政何有？」先是，司徒韓縯為河內太守，在公無私，所舉一辭而已，後亦不及其門戶，曰：「我舉若可矣，不令恩偏稱一家也。」當時論者，或兩譏焉。〉父異，洛陽令。瑜長壯有姿貌。初，孫堅與義兵討董卓，徙家於舒。堅子策與瑜同年，獨相友善，瑜推道南大宅以舍策，升堂拜母，有無通共。瑜從父尚為丹楊太守，瑜往省之。會策將東渡，到歷陽，馳書報瑜，瑜將兵迎策。策大喜曰：「吾得卿。諧也。」遂從攻橫江、當利，皆拔之。乃渡江擊秣陵，破笮融、薛禮。轉下湖孰、江乘，進入曲阿。劉繇奔走，而策之眾已數萬矣。因謂瑜曰：「吾以此眾取吳會平山越已足。卿還鎮丹楊。」瑜還。頃之，袁術遣從弟胤代尚為太守，而瑜與尚俱還壽春。術欲以瑜為將，瑜觀術終無所成，故求為居巢長，欲假塗東歸，術聽之。遂自居巢還吳。是歲，建安三年也。

Zhou Yu, styled Gongjin, came from Shu in Lujiang commandery. On his father's side, his great-uncle Zhou Jing and Jing's son Zhou Zhong had each risen to be Han Grand Commandant. 〈Xie Cheng's Book of Later Han records: Zhou Jing, styled Zhongxiang, earned a reputation early on for honest and capable administration; on the strength of his scholarship he was nominated filial and incorrupt and received appointment in the capital bureaucracy. Promoted to Inspector of Yuzhou, he recruited Chen Fan of Runan as chief clerk and Li Ying, Xun Gun, and Du Mi of Yingchuan and Zhu Yu of the Pei state as staff officers—men counted among the foremost talents of the age. He rose step by step to Director of Writing and from there to Grand Commandant. Zhang Fan's Han Ji adds: Zhou Jing's father, Rong, had served as Director of Writing in the Zhanghe and Yonghe reigns. Early in his career Zhou Jing moved from one regional governorship to another, delighting in worthy men: every year when he nominated candidates as filial and incorrupt, he would bring them to his inner hall and host them at table with his family—more than once. Once the send-off gifts were lavishly given, he would also place their sons and nephews in office, remarking habitually, "Turn my recommendees into my foster sons—what injury does that do the public weal?" Earlier, when Minister over the Masses Han Yan governed Henei, he kept the public interest foremost: each nomination went out in a single, formal document, and afterward he did not cultivate private ties at their doorways, explaining, "If my raising you suffices, I will not let private obligation cluster on one clan alone." Of the two approaches, contemporary critics found fault with each. His father, Zhou Yi, served as magistrate of Luoyang. Zhou Yu was tall and powerfully built, with striking looks. When Sun Jian first answered the call against Dong Zhuo, he relocated his family to Shu. Sun Jian's son Sun Ce was Zhou Yu's age, and the two formed an unusually close bond: Zhou Yu turned over his family's large south-facing residence for Sun Ce to live in, went upstairs to pay respects to Lady Wu, and from then on treated possessions as common between them. Zhou Yu's uncle by marriage, Zhou Shang, held Danyang as his fief-administrator, and Zhou Yu traveled there on a family visit. As Sun Ce prepared to cross the Yangzi eastward and reached Liyang, he sent a courier with word to Zhou Yu, who marched out to meet him. Sun Ce exclaimed with delight, "Now that I have you at my side— —everything falls into place." Thereupon they jointly stormed Hengjiang and Dangli and reduced both positions. They crossed the river against Moling, shattered Ze Rong and Xue Li, and pressed the campaign. Swinging through Hushu and Jiangcheng, they drove forward into Qu'a. Liu Yao broke and ran, while Sun Ce's following had swollen into the tens of thousands. He turned to Zhou Yu and said, "This army is enough for me to seize Wu and Kuaiji and subdue the mountain tribes. You, meanwhile, should go back and secure Danyang for me." Zhou Yu withdrew as ordered. Soon afterward Yuan Shu installed his cousin Yuan Yin as Danyang administrator in Zhou Shang's place, and Zhou Yu accompanied his uncle back to Shouchun. Yuan Shu wanted Zhou Yu under his banner, but Zhou Yu saw that Yuan Shu would never amount to much, so he asked for the magistracy of Juchao as a way to angle eastward again—and Yuan Shu agreed. From Juchao he made his way back into Wu. The year was Jian'an 3 (198).

策親自迎瑜，授建威中郎將，即與兵二千人，騎五十匹。〈《江表傳》曰：策又給瑜鼓吹，為治館舍，贈賜莫與為比。策令曰：「周公瑾英俊異才，與孤有總角之好，骨肉之分。如前在丹楊，發眾及船糧以濟大事，論德酬功，此未足以報者也。」〉瑜時年二十四，吳中皆呼為周郎。以瑜恩信著於廬江，出備牛渚，後領春谷長。頃之，策欲取荊州，以瑜為中護軍，領導江夏太守，從攻皖，拔之。時得橋公兩女，皆國色也。策自納大橋，瑜納小橋。〈《江表傳》曰：策從容戲瑜曰：「橋公二女雖流離，得吾二人作婿，亦足為歡。」〉復近尋陽，破劉勳，討江夏，還定豫章、廬陵，留鎮巴丘。〈臣松之案：孫策於時始得豫章、廬陵，尚未能得定江夏。瑜之所鎮，應在今巴丘縣也，與後所（平）巴丘處不同。〉

Sun Ce met him in person, named him General of the Household for Establishing Might, and at once assigned him two thousand foot and fifty horse. 〈The Jiangbiao zhuan adds that Sun Ce furnished Zhou Yu with a military band, had lodgings built for him, and showered him with presents beyond what anyone else received. Sun Ce proclaimed: "Zhou Gongjin is a singular genius; we grew up as playmates and are as close as kin. Earlier, in Danyang, he mobilized men, vessels, and grain for our cause. Measured against his service, no reward we give has yet paid the debt."〉" Zhou Yu was twenty-four; throughout the Wu lands people spoke of him as "Young Zhou." His prestige and good faith were strongest in Lujiang, so he was posted to Niuzhu and afterward served as magistrate of Chungu. Not long after, when Sun Ce aimed at Jingzhou, he made Zhou Yu Central Protector of the Army with concurrent authority as Governor of Jiangxia, then took him along on the assault that captured Wan. They captured the two daughters of the Qiao family—women famed as peerless beauties. Sun Ce married the elder sister; Zhou Yu took the younger as his wife. 〈The Jiangbiao zhuan records Sun Ce joking easily with Zhou Yu: "The Qiao girls have known wandering and loss in these wars, yet winning us two as husbands ought to be cause enough for celebration."〉 He advanced again on Xunyang, broke Liu Xun, campaigned in Jiangxia, then swung back to secure Yuzhang and Luling, leaving Zhou Yu to hold Baqiu. 〈Pei Songzhi observes: at this stage Sun Ce had barely secured Yuzhang and Luling and had not yet finished subduing Jiangxia. The Baqiu where Zhou Yu was stationed should correspond to modern Baqiu County— a textual gloss reads ping ("level" / variant marker) in the apparatus— —and it is not the same place called Baqiu in the later narrative.〉

五年，策薨。權統事。瑜將兵赴喪，遂留吳，以中護軍與長史張昭共掌眾事。〈《江表傳》曰：曹公新破袁紹，兵威日盛，建安七年，下書責權質任子。權召群臣會議，張昭、秦松等猶豫不能決，權意不欲遣質，乃獨將瑜詣母前定議，瑜曰：「昔楚國初封於荊山之側，不滿百里之地，繼嗣賢能，廣土開境，立基於郢，遂據荊楊，至於南海，傳業延祚，九百餘年。今將軍承父兄餘資，兼六郡之眾，兵精糧多，將士用命，鑄山為銅，煮海為鹽，境內富饒，人不思亂，汎舟舉帆，朝發夕到，士風勁勇，所向無敵，有何偪迫，而欲送質？質一入，不得不與曹氏相首尾，與相首尾，則命召不得不往，便見制於人也。極不過一侯印，僕從十餘人，車數乘，馬數匹，豈與南面稱孤同哉？不如勿遣，徐觀其變。若曹氏能率義以正天下，將軍事之未晚。若圖為暴亂，兵猶火也，不戢將自焚。將軍韜勇抗威，以待天命，何送質之有！」權母曰：「公瑾議是也。公瑾與伯符同年，小一月耳，我視之如子也，汝其兄事之。遂不送質。〉

In the fifth year of Jian'an, Sun Ce died. Sun Quan assumed leadership of the domain. Zhou Yu marched in for the mourning rites and stayed on in Wu as Central Protector of the Army, sharing civil-military administration with Chief Clerk Zhang Zhao. 〈The Jiangbiao zhuan relates that after Cao Cao's victory over Yuan Shao his prestige mounted; in Jian'an 7 he sent Sun Quan a summons insisting on a hostage. Sun Quan called his advisers in; Zhang Zhao, Qin Song, and others wavered, unable to choose, while Quan himself loathed the idea of sending a hostage. Taking Zhou Yu alone to his mother for a final decision, Zhou Yu began: "When Chu first received its tiny fief below Mount Jing, worthy heirs widened its borders, moved the capital to Ying, and stretched from the central Yangzi to the southern sea—nine centuries of continuity. Today you stand on your father and brother's foundations with six commanderies' manpower, crack troops, full granaries, and soldiers eager for orders; you coin copper from the hills and boil salt from the sea, so the land is wealthy and the people untroubled; your fleets can sail dawn to dusk, your warriors unmatched—what pressure forces you to yield hostages? Send a hostage and you become yoked to Cao Cao; once yoked, every summons must be obeyed—you will be a puppet on his string. At best you would gain a marquis's seal, a handful of retainers, a few carriages and mounts—puny beside the title of king facing south. Better refuse outright and watch how events unfold. If Cao Cao truly can restore the Han with justice, you can still defer to him then. If he turns to usurpation and chaos, armies are like fire: unchecked, they consume their wielder. You, General, need only husband your strength, defy his arrogance, and await Heaven's verdict—no hostage is required!" Lady Wu said, "Gongjin speaks rightly. He is a month younger than Bofu, yet I regard him as a son; treat him as you would an elder brother. On that basis they refused the demand for hostages.〉

十一年，督孫瑜等討麻、保二屯，梟其渠帥，囚俘萬餘口，還備（官亭）。江夏太守黃祖遣將鄧龍將兵數千人入柴桑，瑜追討擊，生虜龍送吳。十三年春，權討江夏，瑜為前部大督。其年九月，曹公入荊州，劉琮舉眾降，曹公得其水軍，船步兵數十萬，將士聞之皆恐。權延見群下，問以計策。議者咸曰：「曹公豺虎也，然託名漢相，挾天子以征四方，動以朝廷為辭，今日拒之，事更不順，且將軍大勢可以拒操者，長江也。今操得荊州，奄有其地。劉表治水軍，蒙沖鬥艦，乃以千數，操悉浮以沿江，兼有步兵，水陸俱下。此為長江之險，已與我共之矣。而勢力眾寡，又不可論。愚謂大計不如迎之。」瑜曰：

In Jian'an 11 he directed Sun Yu and others against the Ma and Bao camps, executed their leaders, marched back more than ten thousand prisoners, and moved to secure garrison at Guanting (as the text reads in some recensions). Huang Zu, governor of Jiangxia, dispatched Deng Long with several thousand men into Chaisang; Zhou Yu ran them down, took Deng Long alive, and shipped him to the Wu capital. The next spring—Jian'an 13—Sun Quan struck Jiangxia with Zhou Yu as front-line commander-in-chief. That September Cao Cao swept into Jingzhou; Liu Cong capitulated wholesale, handing over a navy that, with foot soldiers, Cao boasted in the hundreds of thousands—news that shook Wu's camp. Sun Quan prolonged council with his commanders and asked what was to be done. The consensus ran: "Cao Cao is a ravening beast, yet he marches under the Han chancellor's banner, dragging the emperor along to cow the provinces; opposing him looks like rebellion. Besides, our edge has always been the Yangzi. He has swallowed Jingzhou whole. Liu Biao stockpiled war junks by the thousand; Cao Cao now floats that fleet downriver while infantry advances on both shores. The river barrier we counted on is now his to use as well. Raw strength and numbers are not even comparable. In my humble view the only prudent course is to submit." Zhou Yu replied:

不然。操雖託名漢相，其實漢賊也。將軍以神武雄才，兼仗父兄之烈，割據江東，地方數千里，兵精足用，英雄樂業，尚當橫行天下，為漢家除殘去穢。況操自送死，而可迎之耶？請為將軍籌之：今使北土已安，操無內憂，能曠日持久，來爭疆場，又能與我校勝負於船楫，（可）乎？今北土既未平安，加馬超、韓遂尚在關西，為操後患。且捨鞍馬，仗舟揖，與吳越爭衡，本非中國所長。又今盛寒，馬無蒿草。驅中國士眾遠涉江湖之間不習水土，必生疾病。此數四者，用兵之患也，而操皆冒行之。將軍擒操，宜在今日。瑜請得精兵三萬人，進住夏口，保為將軍破之。

That is wrong. Cao Cao may call himself chancellor of Han, but he is Han's usurper in all but name. You combine matchless ability with your father's and brother's legacy, holding thousands of li east of the river, elite soldiers, and heroes eager for employment—enough to sweep the empire and purge the Han court of this scourge. Moreover Cao Cao is offering himself to be destroyed—why talk of surrender? Consider: even if the north were pacified, Cao Cao had a quiet rear, and he could afford a long war to push our frontiers—could he still (Some editions insert ke, "able," here.) —match us on the water? In fact the north is still unsettled, and Ma Chao with Han Sui still threatens his western flank. He has abandoned the northern plains for hulls and oars—exactly the kind of fight central China does worst. It is deep winter; his cavalry starves for fodder. Marching central Chinese levies into malarial river country will breed disease in the ranks. These four are classic military blunders, and Cao Cao is committing every one. If you strike Cao Cao, the moment is now. I ask for thirty thousand picked troops to advance to Xiakou and pledge to break him for you, General.

權曰：「老賊欲廢漢自立久矣，陡忌二袁、呂布、劉表與孤耳。今數雄已滅，惟孤尚存，孤與老賊，勢不兩立。君言當擊，甚與孤合，此天以君授孤也。」〈《江表傳》曰：權拔刀斫前奏案曰：「諸將吏敢復有言當迎操者，與此案同！」及會罷之夜，瑜請見曰：「諸人徒見操書，言水步八十萬，而各恐懾，不復料其虛實，便開此議，甚無謂也。今以實校之，彼所將中國人，不過十五六萬，且軍已久疲，所得表眾，亦極七八萬耳，尚懷狐疑。夫以疲病之卒，御狐疑之眾，眾數雖多，甚未足畏。得精兵五萬，自足制之，原將軍勿慮。」權撫背曰：「公瑾，卿言至此，甚合孤心。子布、文表諸人，各顧妻子，挾持私慮，深失所望，獨卿與子敬與孤同耳，此天以卿二人讚孤也。五萬兵難卒合，已選三萬人，船糧戰具俱辦，卿與子敬、程公便在前發，孤當續發人眾，多載資糧，為卿後援。卿能辦之者誠決，邂逅不如意，便還就孤，孤當與孟德決之。」臣松之以為建計拒曹公，實始魯肅。於時周瑜使鄱陽，肅勸權呼瑜，瑜使鄱陽還，但與肅闇同，故能共成大勳。本傳直云，權延見群下，問以計策，瑜擺撥眾人之議，獨言抗拒之計，了不云肅先有謀，殆為攘肅之善也。〉

Sun Quan said, "That old rogue has meant to supplant the Han for years; he has dreaded the two Yuans, Lü Bu, Liu Biao, and me. Those rivals are gone; I alone survive—he and I cannot share one realm. Your counsel to fight matches my own mind. Heaven has lent you to me." 〈The Jiangbiao zhuan adds that Sun Quan slashed the document stand with his sword, swearing, "The next man who mentions surrender dies like this desk!" That night Zhou Yu sought another audience: "They read Cao Cao's boast of eight hundred thousand land and river troops, took it at face value, and lost their heads—useless panic. Reality is smaller: his northerners number perhaps a hundred fifty thousand at most, and they are exhausted; the Jingzhou men he absorbed might add seventy or eighty thousand, still half-hearted allies. Sick, tired soldiers herding uncertain conscripts—numbers like that do not frighten me. Fifty thousand good troops will master them; set your mind at ease." Sun Quan clasped his shoulders: "Gongjin, you echo what I feel. Zibu and the rest think only of hearth and kin—I expected better. You and Zijing alone stand with me; Heaven paired you two to steady my hand. Fifty thousand cannot be raised overnight, but thirty thousand are chosen, ships and stores ready. You, Zijing, and Cheng Pu sail first; I will follow with reinforcements and supplies. Win outright if you can; if fortune turns, fall back to me and I will face Cao Cao myself." Pei Songzhi remarks: the strategy of defying Cao Cao really began with Lu Su. When Zhou Yu was ordered to Poyang, Lu Su persuaded Sun Quan to recall him; Zhou Yu came back from that mission already of one mind with Lu Su in secret—hence their joint achievement. The standard life simply says Sun Quan called his advisers in, Zhou Yu swept aside the majority view and argued for war, and never credits Lu Su with the earlier plan—almost certainly a way of elbowing Lu Su out of the credit.〉

時劉備為曹公所破，欲引南渡江。與魯肅遇於當陽，遂共圖計，因進住夏口，遣諸葛亮詣權。權遂遣瑜及程普等與備並力逆曹公，遇於赤壁。時曹公軍眾已有疾病，初一交戰，公軍敗退，引次江北。瑜等在南岸。瑜部將黃蓋曰：「今寇眾我寡，難與持久。然觀操軍船艦，首尾相接，可燒而走也。」乃取蒙沖鬥艦數十艘，實以薪草，膏油灌其中。裹以帷幕，上建牙旗，先書報曹公，欺以欲降。〈《江表傳》載蓋書曰：「蓋受孫氏厚恩，常為將帥，見遇不薄。然顧天下事有大勢，用江東六郡山越之人，以當中國百萬之眾，眾寡不敵，海內所共見也。東方將吏，無有愚智，皆知其不可，惟周瑜、魯肅偏懷淺戇，意未解耳。今日歸命，是其實計。瑜所督領，自易摧破。交鋒之日，蓋為前部，當因事變化，效命在近。」曹公特見行人，密問之，口敕曰：「但恐汝詐耳。蓋若信實，當授爵賞，超於前後也。」〉又豫備走舸，各系大船後，因引次俱前。曹公軍吏士皆延頸觀望，指言蓋降。蓋放諸船，同時發火。時風盛猛，悉延燒岸上營落。頃之。煙炎張天，人馬燒溺死者甚眾，軍遂敗退，還保南郡。〈《江表傳》曰：至戰日，蓋先取輕利艦十舫，載燥荻枯柴積其中，灌以魚膏，赤幔覆之，建旌旗龍幡於艦上。時東南風急，因以十艦最著前，中江舉帆，蓋舉火白諸校，使眾兵齊聲大叫曰：「降焉！」操軍人皆出營立觀。去北軍二里餘，同時發火，火烈風猛，往船如箭，飛埃絕爛，燒盡北船，延及岸邊營柴。瑜等率輕銳尋繼其後，雷鼓大進，北軍大壞，曹公退走。〉備與瑜等復共追。曹公留曹仁等守江陵城。逕自北歸。

Liu Bei had just been routed by Cao Cao and meant to withdraw south across the Yangzi. He ran into Lu Su at Dangyang; the two mapped out a common course, moved the army up to Xiakou, and sent Zhuge Liang to negotiate with Sun Quan. Sun Quan thereupon ordered Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu to combine with Liu Bei and meet Cao Cao at Chibi. Sickness was already rife in Cao Cao's host; the first engagement went against him, and he drew back to the north bank. Zhou Yu held the southern shore. Zhou Yu's officer Huang Gai said, "They outnumber us—we cannot win a war of attrition. But look at how Cao Cao has chained stem to stern: one fire will send them running." They loaded dozens of fast assault craft with kindling and straw, then soaked the piles in oil. Sails were draped, pennants raised, and a letter went ahead to Cao Cao feigning defection. 〈The Jiangbiao zhuan preserves Huang Gai's opening: "The Suns have heaped kindness on me; I have long led their troops and never wanted for reward. Yet the plain fact is that a few southern counties and hill tribes cannot hold off a million northerners—everyone sees the mismatch. Every officer east of the river, clever or dull, knows the odds—only Zhou Yu and Lu Su cling to a reckless delusion. Coming over to you now is the realistic move. The detachment Zhou Yu leads can be broken without trouble. When the lines meet I shall take the van and, as the moment allows, strike where it hurts." Cao Cao received the envoy in private and muttered, "I only hope this is not a trick. If Huang Gai means it, his enfeoffment will outshine any before or after."〉" Swift boats were lashed astern of the fireships so the whole flotilla could row forward as one. Cao Cao's men lined the rails, craning to watch, sure Huang Gai was defecting. Huang Gai cast off; every hull burst into flame at once. A fierce wind carried the blaze straight into the shore camps. Moments later, Smoke blotted out the sky; men and horses burned or drowned by the thousand; Cao Cao's army broke and fled toward Nan commandery. 〈The Jiangbiao zhuan adds that on the day of battle Huang Gai chose ten light hulls, stacked them with dry reeds, drenched the stacks in oil, veiled them in crimson cloth, and flew pennants and dragon banners from the masts. A howling southeaster filled the sails; the ten lead ships bore down midstream while Huang Gai waved torches and the crews roared, "We yield!" Cao Cao's troops poured from their tents to stare. Two li short of the northern line they ignited the cargo; wind and flame turned the hulls into arrows of fire that incinerated the chained fleet and jumped to the stockades ashore. Zhou Yu's light horse swept in behind with a roll of drums; the northern host collapsed and Cao Cao ran for his life.〉 Liu Bei joined Zhou Yu in the pursuit. Cao Cao left Cao Ren to hold Jiangling. He himself rode north in haste.

瑜與程普又進南郡，與仁相對，各隔大江。兵未交鋒，〈《吳錄》曰：備謂瑜云：「仁守江陵城，城中糧多，足為疾害。使張益德將千人隨卿，卿分二千人追我，相為從夏水人截仁後，仁聞吾入必走。」瑜以二千人益之。〉瑜即遣甘寧前據夷陵。仁分兵騎別攻圍寧。寧告急於瑜。瑜用呂蒙計，留淩統以守其後，身與蒙上救寧。寧圍既解，乃渡屯北岸，剋期大戰。瑜親跨馬擽陳，會流矢中右脅，瘡甚，便還。後仁聞瑜臥未起，勒兵就陳。瑜乃自興，案行軍營，激揚吏士，仁由是遂退。

Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu pressed on into Nan commandery, facing Cao Ren across the Yangzi. Before the two hosts closed, 〈The Wu lu records Liu Bei telling Zhou Yu, "Cao Ren sits in Jiangling with full granaries—that is a festering wound. Send Zhang Fei with a thousand men under your command while you detach two thousand to follow me: we will slip up the Xia River together and fall on Cao Ren's rear—he will bolt the moment he hears I am behind him." Zhou Yu added two thousand troops to his effort.〉 Zhou Yu at once ordered Gan Ning to seize Yiling. Cao Ren split off horse to surround Gan Ning. Gan Ning sent desperate word to Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu adopted Lü Meng's scheme, left Ling Tong to secure the rear, and raced upstream with Lü Meng to lift the siege. When Gan Ning was free, Zhou Yu crossed to the north bank and fixed a day for the decisive clash. Zhou Yu rode the line in person until a stray shaft pierced his right side; the wound was grave and he was carried from the field. Learning that Zhou Yu was bedridden, Cao Ren marched his men up to provoke battle. Zhou Yu had himself carried through the camps to hearten the ranks, and Cao Ren withdrew without fighting.

權拜瑜偏將軍，領南郡太守。以下雋、漢昌、劉陽、州陵為奉邑，屯據江陵。劉備以左將軍領荊州牧，治公安，備詣京見權，瑜上疏曰：「劉備以梟雄之姿，而有關羽、張飛熊虎之將，必非久屈為人用者。愚謂大計宜徙備置吳，盛為築宮室，多其美女玩好，以娛其耳目，分此二人，各置一方，使如瑜者得挾與攻戰，大事可定也。今猥割土地以資業之，聚此三人，俱在疆場，恐蛟龍得雲雨，終非池中物也。」權以曹公在北方，當廣攬英雄，又恐備難卒制，故不納。是時劉璋為益州牧。外有張魯寇侵，瑜乃詣京見權曰：「今曹操新折衄，方憂在腹心，未能與將軍連兵相事也。乞與奮威俱進取蜀，得蜀而並張魯，因留奮威固守其地，好與馬超結援。瑜還與將軍據襄陽以蹙操，北方可圖也。」權許之。瑜還江陵為行裝，而道於巴丘病卒，〈臣松之案，瑜欲取蜀，還江陵治嚴，所卒之處，應在今之巴陵，與前所鎮巴丘，名同處異也。〉時年三十六。權素服舉哀。感動左右。喪當還吳，又迎之蕪湖，眾事費度，一為供給。後著令曰：「故將軍周瑜、程普，其有人客，皆不得問。」

Sun Quan named him lieutenant general and governor of Nan commandery. The counties of Xiajun, Hanchang, Liuyang, and Zhouling supplied his household income while he garrisoned Jiangling. Liu Bei was governor of Jingzhou from Gong'an; when he visited the capital, Zhou Yu memorialized: "Liu Bei is a born condottiere with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei for fangs—he will not long remain anyone's subordinate. My counsel is to move him into Wu, surround him with mansions, music, and women, split him from his two champions by posting them far apart, then use him under our leash—only then is the realm secure. To cede him territory now and leave that trio together on the frontier is to give a dragon the storm clouds—he will not stay a pond fish long." Sun Quan rejected the advice: Cao Cao still threatened the north, so he needed every ally he could find, and he doubted he could cage Liu Bei at a stroke. Meanwhile Liu Zhang held Yizhou. With Zhang Lu pressing from without, Zhou Yu went to the capital and argued, "Cao Cao has just been bloodied; his own house is in turmoil—he cannot yet turn south against you. Give me Fenwei's host for a joint strike on Shu; once Shu falls we absorb Zhang Lu, leave Fenwei to hold the west, and link arms with Ma Chao. I will swing back and with you squeeze Xiangyang—then the Central Plain is within reach." Sun Quan approved. Zhou Yu went back to Jiangling to fit out the expedition, only to sicken and die on the road at Baqiu, 〈Pei Songzhi remarks: Zhou Yu died while marshaling the Shu campaign at what is now Baling—same name as the earlier Baqiu garrison, different place.〉 He was thirty-six. Sun Quan donned mourning white. Everyone around him wept. When the cortège turned toward Wu he met it at Wuhu and paid every cost of the obsequies. Later he issued an order saying, "As for the late generals Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu, where they have retainers and clients, none shall be pressed or investigated."

初瑜見友於策，太妃又使權以兄奉之。是時權位為將軍，諸將賓客為禮尚簡，而瑜獨先盡敬，便執臣節。性度恢廓，大率為得人，惟與程普不睦。〈《江表傳》曰：普頗以年長，數陵侮瑜。瑜折節容下，終不與校。普後自敬服而親重之，乃告人曰：「與周公瑾交，若飲醇醪，不覺自醉。」時人以其謙讓服人如此。初曹公聞瑜年少有美才，謂可遊說動也，乃密下揚州，遣九江蔣幹往見瑜。幹有儀容，以才辯見稱，獨步江、淮之間，莫與為對。乃布衣葛巾，自託私行詣瑜。瑜出迎之，立謂幹曰：「子翼良苦，遠涉江湖為曹氏作說客邪？」幹曰：「吾與足下州里，中間別隔，遙聞芳烈，故來敘闊，並觀雅規，而云說客，無乃逆詐乎？」瑜曰：「吾雖不及夔、曠，聞弦賞音，足知雅曲也。」因延幹入，為設酒食。畢，遣之曰：「適吾有密事，且出就館，事了，別自相請。」後三日，瑜請幹與周觀營中，行視倉庫軍資器仗訖，還宴飲，示之侍者服飾珍玩之物，因謂幹曰：「丈夫處世，遇知己之主，外託君臣之義，內結骨肉之恩，言行計從，禍福共之，假使蘇張更生，酈叟復出，猶撫其背而折其辭，豈足下幼生所能移乎？」幹但笑，終無所言。幹還，稱瑜雅量高致，非言辭所間。中州之士，亦以此多之。劉備之自京還也，權乘飛雲大船，與張昭、秦松、魯肅等十餘人共追送之，大宴會敘別。昭、肅等先出，權獨與備留語，因言次，嘆瑜曰：「公瑾文武籌略，萬人之英，顧其器量廣大，恐不久為人臣耳。」瑜之破魏軍也，曹公曰：「孤不羞走。」後書與權曰：「赤壁之役，值有疾病，孤燒船自退，橫使周瑜虛獲此名。」瑜威聲遠著，故曹公、劉備咸欲疑譖之。及卒，權流涕曰：「公瑾有王佐之資，今忽短命，孤何賴哉！」後權稱尊號，謂公卿曰：「孤非周公瑾，不帝矣。」〉

Zhou Yu had been Sun Ce's confidant, and Lady Wu told Sun Quan to treat him as an elder brother. Though Sun Quan was still only a general and etiquette in camp was relaxed, Zhou Yu was the first to show full deference and conduct himself as a subject. He was openhanded and usually won loyalty—Cheng Pu alone nursed a grudge. 〈The Jiangbiao zhuan says Cheng Pu, leaning on his age, repeatedly slighted him. Zhou Yu swallowed pride and never answered in kind. Cheng Pu later admitted, "Keeping company with Zhou Gongjin is like sipping aged wine—you grow drunk before you know it." The age honored him for such forbearance. Hearing that Zhou Yu was young and brilliant, Cao Cao thought him ripe for wooing and secretly sent Jiang Gan of Jiujiang south as an envoy. Jiang Gan was handsome and famed as a debater without peer between the Huai and the Yangzi. He came in coarse dress and turban, pretending a private call. Zhou Yu met him at the gate: "You have had a long pull upriver, Ziyi, playing lobbyist for Cao Cao—have you not?" Jiang Gan protested, "We hail from the same commandery; years apart I have admired your fame and came to renew acquaintance—yet you charge me with intrigue?" Zhou Yu smiled, "I am no blind musician, but I know the tune when I hear the first notes." He led Jiang Gan in, wined and fed him. Afterward he said, "I have confidential business—take the guest quarters for now; when it is finished I shall call for you again." Three days later he marched Jiang Gan through camp, storehouses, and arsenals, then threw another banquet, flaunting silks and treasures, and declared, "When a man finds a lord who trusts him, the bond is half ministerial, half fraternal—word and deed move as one, we share weal and woe. Were Su Qin and Zhang Yi alive again, or the old persuaders of legend returned, I would still clap them on the back and talk them down—do you think a boy envoy could turn me?" Jiang Gan laughed and said no more. Back in the north he reported that Zhou Yu's breadth of mind was beyond words. Men of the heartland admired him the more for it. When Liu Bei left the capital, Sun Quan boarded the great barge Feiyun with Zhang Zhao, Qin Song, Lu Su, and a dozen others to see him off in state. After the others withdrew, Sun Quan lingered with Liu Bei and murmured, "Gongjin is a peerless strategist—so large a vessel cannot long stay another man's minister." After Zhou Yu shattered his host, Cao Cao muttered that retreat cost him no shame." Later he wrote Sun Quan claiming illness had forced him to burn his own fleet, letting Zhou Yu steal the glory." Such was Zhou Yu's fame that both Cao Cao and Liu Bei tried to poison Sun Quan's trust. " At the news Sun Quan wept, "He had the makings of a kingmaker—cut off in his prime, what pillar have I left?" When he later took the throne he told his court, "Without Zhou Gongjin there would be no Son of Heaven surnamed Sun."〉

瑜少精意於音樂。雖三爵之後，其有闕誤。瑜必知之，知之必顧，故時人謠曰：「曲有誤，周郎顧。」

Even as a boy Zhou Yu studied music seriously. After three cups, if a player missed a note, Zhou Yu always caught it and shot a look—hence the rhyme: "Miss a note, and Young Zhou turns his head."

瑜兩男一女，女配太子登。男循尚公主，拜騎都尉，有瑜風，早卒。循弟胤，初拜興業都尉。妻以宗女，授兵千人，屯公安。黃龍元年，封都鄉侯，後以罪徙廬陵郡。赤烏二年，諸葛瑾、步騭連名上疏曰：

He left two sons and a daughter; the girl became crown prince Sun Deng's consort. The elder son, Zhou Xun, wed an imperial daughter, became chief commandant of cavalry, showed his father's dash, and died young. The younger brother Zhou Yin first received the title chief commandant for prospering enterprise. He married a daughter of the imperial clan, drew a thousand household guards, and garrisoned Gong'an. Huanglong 1 ennobled him as village marquis of Du; later a crime sent him into exile in Luling. Chiwu 2 saw Zhuge Jin and Bu Zhi cosign a memorial that read:

故將軍周瑜子胤，昔蒙粉飾，受封為將，不能養之以福，思立功效，至縱情慾，招速罪辟。臣竊以瑜昔見寵任，入作心膂，出為爪牙，銜命出征，身當矢石，盡節用命，視死如歸。故能摧曹操於烏林，走曹仁於郢都，揚國威德，華夏是震，蠢爾蠻荊，莫不賓服。雖周之方叔，漢之信、布，誠無以尚也。夫折沖扦難之臣，自古帝王莫不貴重，故漢高帝封爵之誓曰『使黃河如帶，太山如礪，國以永存，爰及苗裔』。申以丹書，重以盟詛，藏於宗廟，傳於無窮，欲使功臣之後，世世相踵，非徒子孫，乃關苗裔，報德明功，勤勤懇懇，如此之至，欲以勸戒後人，用命之臣，死而無悔也。況於瑜身沒未久，而其子胤降為匹夫，益可悼傷。竊惟陛下欽明稽古，隆於興繼，為胤歸訴，乞丐餘罪，還兵復爵，使失旦之雞，復得鳴。抱罪之臣，展其後效。

The late Zhou Yu's son Yin was lifted to command yet never turned favor into service; he wallowed in appetite until the law caught him. We recall how Zhou Yu won your trust—counselor within, blade without—who took orders without flinching from arrow or stone and met death as homecoming. Thus he shattered Cao Cao at Wulin, drove Cao Ren from the Ying capital, spread Wu's prestige until the heartland quaked, and brought the Jing barbarians to heel. Not even Fangshu of Zhou nor Han Xin and Ying Bu could surpass him. Rulers have always honored generals who blunt invasions. Gaozu's enfeoffment oath ran: "Let the Yellow River shrink to a belt and Mount Tai to a whetstone, yet the realm endure and the bloodline continue." Those grants were inked in vermillion, sworn in blood, lodged in the ancestral shrine, and meant to bind generation on generation—not merely sons but remote kin—so posterity would see how zealously the Han repaid its champions and how subjects might die content. Zhou Yu has been in the ground only a short while, yet his son has been cast down to commoner status—a bitter wound. We know Your Majesty venerates the past and restores broken houses; we beg you to forgive what remains of Yin's guilt, return his command and title, and let the rooster that overslept dawn crow once more. Let a penitent servant prove himself again in your service.

權答曰：「腹心舊勳，與孤協事，公瑾有之，誠所不忘。昔胤年少，初無功勞，橫受精兵，爵以侯將，蓋念公瑾以及於胤也。而胤恃此，酗淫自恣，前後告喻，曾無悛改。孤於公瑾，義猶二君，樂胤成就，豈有已哉？迫胤罪惡，未宜便還，且欲苦之，使自知耳。今二君勤勤援引漢高河山之誓，孤用恧然。雖德非其疇，猶欲庶幾，事亦如爾，故未順旨。以公瑾之子，而二君在中間，苟使能改，亦何患乎！」瑾、騭表比上，朱然及全琮亦俱陳乞，權乃許之。會胤病死。

Sun Quan answered, "Zhou Gongjin stood at my heart among the old guard—how could I forget? Yin was young and had done nothing when I heaped troops and a marquis's rank on him out of love for his father. He took that favor as license to drink and run wild; I warned him again and again, and he never mended. My bond with Gongjin was like kin; I longed to see the boy succeed—could I wish otherwise? His crimes forbade an instant recall; I meant to humble him until he understood his fault. Now you two press Gaozu's "river and mountain" pledge on me, and I blush. I am no Gaozu, yet I would come as close as I can; that is why I have not yet granted what you ask. He is still Gongjin's child, and you intercede—if he mends his ways, what harm in relenting?" Zhuge Jin and Bu Zhi kept submitting memorials; Zhu Ran and Quan Zong joined them, and Sun Quan relented. Before the order could take effect, Zhou Yin died of illness.

瑜兄子峻，亦以瑜元功為偏將軍，領吏士千人。峻卒，全琮表峻子護為將。權曰：「昔走曹操，拓有荊州，皆是公瑾，常不忘之。初聞峻亡，仍欲用護，聞護性行危險，用之適為作禍，故便止之。孤念公瑾，豈有已乎？」

Zhou Jun, Zhou Yu's nephew, became lieutenant general on the strength of his uncle's service, with a thousand men under him. When Zhou Jun died, Quan Zong asked that his son Zhou Hu succeed to command. Sun Quan said, "Driving Cao Cao and winning Jingzhou were Gongjin's work—I remember. When Jun died I meant to use Hu until I learned his character was treacherous—appointing him would have bred disaster, so I stayed my hand. My debt to Gongjin does not end with his line."

魯肅字子敬，臨淮東城人也。生而失父，與祖母居。家富於財，性好施與，爾時天下已亂，肅不治家事，大散財貨，摽賣田地，以賑窮弊結士為務，甚得鄉邑歡心。周瑜為居巢長，將數百人故過候肅，並求資糧。肅家有兩囷米，各三千斛。肅乃指一囷與周瑜，瑜益知其奇也。遂相親結，定僑、札之分。袁術聞其名，就署東城長。肅見術無綱紀，不足與立事，乃攜老弱將輕俠少年百餘人，南到居巢就瑜。瑜之東渡，因與同行，〈《吳書》曰：肅體貌魁奇，少有壯節，好為奇計。天下將亂，乃學擊劍騎射，招聚少年，給其衣食，往來南山中射獵，陰相部勒，講武習兵。父老咸曰：「魯氏世衰，乃生此狂兒！」後雄傑並起，中州擾亂，肅乃命其屬曰：「中國失綱，寇賊橫暴，淮、泗間非遺種之地，吾聞江東沃野萬里，民富兵強，可以避害，寧肯相隨俱至樂土，以觀時變乎？」其屬皆從命。乃使細弱在前，強壯在後，男女三百餘人行。州追騎至，肅等徐行，勒兵持滿，謂之曰：「卿等丈夫，當解大數。今日天下兵亂，有功弗賞，不追無罰，何為相偪乎？」又自植盾，引弓射之，矢皆洞貫。騎既嘉肅言，且度不能制，乃相率還。肅渡江往見策，策亦雅奇之。〉留家曲阿。會祖母亡，還葬東城。

Lu Su, styled Zijing, came from Dongcheng in Linhuai commandery. His father died while he was an infant, and he was raised by his grandmother. The family was wealthy and he loved openhanded charity. With the empire sliding into chaos he ignored estate management, sold land, and poured out grain and coin to aid the needy and win fighting men—earning deep goodwill at home. Zhou Yu, as magistrate of Juchao, marched several hundred men past Lu Su's door on purpose to beg grain and pay his respects. Lu Su kept two round granaries, three thousand hu apiece. Lu Su pointed to one and gave it outright; Zhou Yu saw he was no ordinary man. They became sworn friends in the mold of Zichan of Zheng and Prince Jizha of Wu. Yuan Shu, hearing his fame, offered him the magistracy of Dongcheng. Lu Su found Yuan Shu lawless and unworthy of service, gathered elders and womenfolk plus a hundred young blades, and went south to Juchao to join Zhou Yu. When Zhou Yu crossed the Yangzi, Lu Su went with him, 〈The Wu shu describes him as huge and striking, fierce in spirit from boyhood, and fond of bold stratagems. Foreseeing chaos, he drilled sword and bow, fed a band of young followers, hunted the southern hills with them, and quietly trained them as a private corps. Elders clucked, "The Lus have faded for generations—only to breed this wild boy!" When warlords rose and the north convulsed, he told his people, "The heartland has lost its tether; bandits rule the Huai and Si—no safe home there. I hear east of the river lies rich soil and strong hosts. Will you follow me to that refuge and watch how fortune turns?" They agreed. He put women and children in front, fighters in the rear, and marched more than three hundred souls south. When provincial cavalry overtook them, Lu Su's party slowed, strung bows, and called out, "You are grown men—you know how the world works. Merit goes unrewarded and slackness unpunished in these times—why hound us?" He planted his shield, shot two arrows through it back to front, and held his ground. Impressed and doubting they could overpower him, the troopers wheeled and rode away. Lu Su crossed to meet Sun Ce, who admired him at once.〉 His family stayed behind at Qu'a. When his grandmother died he went back to Dongcheng for the burial.

劉子揚與肅友善，遺肅書，曰：「方今天下豪傑並起，吾子姿才，尤宜今日。急還迎老母，無事滯於東城。近鄭寶者，今在巢湖，擁眾萬餘，處地肥饒，廬江間人多依就之，況吾徒乎？觀其形勢，又可博集，時不可失，足下速之。」肅答然其計。葬畢還曲阿，欲北行。會瑜已徙肅母到吳，肅具以狀語瑜。時孫策已薨，權尚住吳，瑜謂肅曰：「昔馬援答光武云『當今之世，非但君擇臣，臣亦擇君』。今主人親賢貴士，納奇錄異，且吾聞先哲秘論，承運代劉氏者，必興於東南，推步事勢，當其歷數，終構帝基，以協天符，是烈士攀龍附鳳馳騖之秋。吾方達此，足下不須以子揚之言介意也。」肅從其言。瑜因薦肅才宜佐時，當廣求其比，以成功業，不可令去也。

His friend Liu Ziyang wrote, "Champions sprout everywhere; a man of your gifts belongs in the thick of it. Hurry north for your mother—do not molder in Dongcheng. Zheng Bao camps at Chaohu with ten thousand followers on rich ground; half of Lujiang leans his way—why not us? His position invites allies; the moment will not wait—come quickly." Lu Su agreed. After the funeral he headed back toward Qu'a, meaning to go north. Zhou Yu had meanwhile moved Lu Su's mother to Wu; Lu Su laid the whole plan before him. Sun Ce was dead and Sun Quan still at Wu when Zhou Yu quoted Ma Yuan's reply to Guangwu: "These days lords pick ministers—and ministers pick lords. Our master cherishes talent and gathers odd men; sages whisper that Heaven's heir will rise in the southeast—watch the signs, seize the cycle, and you may help lay an imperial foundation. This is the season for heroes to ride the dragon. I see it clearly—pay no mind to Liu Ziyang's letter." Lu Su took his advice. Zhou Yu urged Sun Quan to keep him, scout for men of his stamp, and on no account let him leave.

權即見肅，與語甚悅之。眾賓罷退，肅亦辭出，乃獨引肅還，合榻對飲。因密議曰：「今漢室傾危，四方雲擾，孤承父兄餘業，思有桓文之功。君既惠顧，何以佐之？」肅對曰：「昔高帝區區欲尊事義帝而不獲者，以項羽為害也。今之曹操，猶昔項羽，將軍何由得為桓文乎？肅竊料之，漢室不可復興，曹操不可卒除。為將軍計，惟有鼎足江東，以觀天下之釁。規模如此，亦自無嫌。何者？北方誠多務也。因其多務，剿除黃祖，進伐劉表，竟長江所極，據而有之，然後建號帝王以圖天下，此高帝之業也。」權曰：「今盡力方冀以輔漢耳，此言非所及也。」張昭非肅謙下不足，頗訾毀之，云肅年少粗疏，未可用。極不以介意，益貴重之，賜肅母衣服幃帳，居處雜物，富擬其舊。

Sun Quan received him at once and liked him from the first exchange. When the gathering broke up he drew Lu Su aside, shared a couch, and poured wine for a private talk. He said, "The Han throne is crumbling and the realm boils; I stand on my father and brother's base and mean to rival Duke Huan and Duke Wen of Qi and Jin. You have answered my summons—how will you help me?" Lu Su answered, "Gaozu wished to serve Emperor Yi in name, but Xiang Yu blocked him. Cao Cao is your Xiang Yu—how can you play Duke Huan while he lives? I judge the Han beyond saving and Cao Cao too strong to cut down at a stroke. For you, General, the sole prudent course is a tripod footing south of the river while you watch for openings. Such ambition draws no shame on a founder. Why? Because the north is busy with its own troubles. Strike Huang Zu, march on Liu Biao, hold every reach of the Long River, then proclaim kingship and contend for the realm—that was Gaozu's path." Sun Quan demurred, "I mean only to aid the Han with all I have—your vision is still beyond me." Zhang Zhao carped that Lu Su lacked deference, calling him young and rough—not ready for office. Sun Quan ignored the sniping, prized Lu Su the more, and showered his mother with silks and furnishings fit for their old prosperity.

劉表死，肅進說曰：「夫荊楚與國鄰接，水流順北，外帶江漢，內阻山陵，有金城之固，沃野萬里，士民殷富，若據而有之，此帝王之資也。今表新亡，二子素不輯睦，軍中諸將，各有彼此。加劉備天下梟雄，與操有隙，寄寓於表，表惡其能而不能用也。若備與彼協心，上下齊同，則宜撫安，與結盟好：如有離違，宜別圖之，以濟大事。肅請得奉命吊表二子，並慰勞其軍中用事者，及說備使撫表眾，同心一意，共治曹操，備必喜而從命。如其克諧，天下可定也。今不速往，恐為操所先。」權即遣肅行。

When Liu Biao died, Lu Su argued, "Jingzhou borders us, watered by the Han and belted by hills—natural fortress and breadbasket. Seize it and you hold the stuff of empire. Biao is gone; his sons hate each other, and their officers take rival sides. Liu Bei, a rover at odds with Cao Cao, shelters under Biao's roof though Biao feared his talent and never used him. If he aligns with the heirs, court them; if he breaks with them, exploit the split for our grand design. Let me go as envoy to mourn the sons, stroke their generals, and win Liu Bei to rally Jingzhou against Cao Cao—he will jump at the chance. If that alliance holds, the empire can be settled. Delay, and Cao Cao will seize the march on us." Sun Quan sent him off that day.

到夏口，聞曹公已向荊州，晨夜兼道。比至南郡，而表子琮已降曹公，備惶遽奔走，欲南渡江。肅徑迎之，到當陽長阪，與備會，宣騰權旨，及陳江東強固，勸備與權並力。備甚歡悅。時諸葛亮與備相隨。肅謂亮曰「我子瑜友也」，即共定交。備遂到夏口，遣亮使權，肅亦反命。〈臣松之案：劉備與權並力，共拒中國，皆肅之本謀。又語諸葛亮曰「我子瑜友也」，則亮已亟聞肅言矣。而《蜀書亮傳》曰：「亮以連橫之略說權，權乃大喜。」如似此計始出於亮。若二國史官，各記所聞，競欲稱揚本國容美，各取其功。今此二書，同出一人，而舛互若此，非載述之體也。〉

He reached Xiakou to learn Cao Cao was already moving on Jingzhou and raced night and day. When he entered Nan commandery, Liu Cong had capitulated and Liu Bei was bolting south across the river. Lu Su intercepted him at Changban, delivered Sun Quan's offer, praised Wu's strength, and urged joint war. Liu Bei was overjoyed. Zhuge Liang was at his side. Lu Su told Zhuge Liang, "I am Zhuge Jin's friend," and they sealed an alliance on the spot. Liu Bei went on to Xiakou, sent Zhuge Liang to Sun Quan, and Lu Su rode back with the reply. 〈Pei Songzhi notes: the plan for Liu Bei and Sun Quan to unite against the north began with Lu Su. Moreover he spoke to Zhuge Liang, "I am Ziyu's friend," then Liang had already repeatedly heard Su's words. The Shu Han Zhuge Liang zhuan claims Zhuge Liang's "horizontal alliance" speech won Sun Quan. That makes it sound as if the idea began with Liang. When each court's historians tout their own heroes, contradiction within one compiler's work is poor historiography.〉

會權得曹公欲東之問，與諸將議，皆勸權迎之，而肅獨不言。權起更衣，肅追於宇下，權知其意，執肅手曰：「卿欲何言？」肅對曰：「向察眾人之議，專欲誤將軍，不足與圖大事。今肅可迎操耳，如將軍，不可也。何以言之？今肅迎操，操當以肅還付鄉黨。品其名位，猶不失下曹從事，乘犢車、從吏卒、交遊士林、累官故不失州郡也。將軍迎操，欲安所歸？願早定大計，莫用眾人之議也。」權歎息曰：「此諸人持議，甚失孤望；今卿廓開大計，正與孤同，此天以卿賜我也。」〈《魏書》及《九州春秋》曰：曹公徵荊州，孫權大懼，魯肅實欲勸權拒曹公，乃激說權曰：「彼曹公者，實嚴敵也，新並袁紹，兵馬甚精，乘戰勝之威，伐喪亂之國，克可必也。不如遣兵助之，且送將軍家詣鄴；不然，將危。」權大怒，欲斬肅，肅因曰：「今事已急，即有他圖，何不遣兵助劉備，而欲斬我乎？」權然之，乃遣周瑜助備。孫盛曰：吳書及江表傳，魯肅一見孫權便說拒曹公而論帝王之略，劉表之死也，又請使觀變，無緣方復激說勸迎曹公也。又是時勸迎者眾，而云獨欲斬肅，非其論也。〉時周瑜受使至鄱陽，肅勸追召瑜還。遂任瑜以行事，以肅為贊軍校尉，助畫方略。曹公破走，肅即先還，權大請諸將迎肅。肅將入閣拜，權起禮之，因謂曰：「子敬，孤持鞍下馬相迎，足以顯卿未？」肅趨近曰：「未也。」眾人聞之，無不愕然。就坐，徐舉鞭言曰：「願至尊威德加乎四海。總括九州，克成帝業，更以安車軟輪徵肅，始當顯耳。」權撫掌歡笑。

When word came that Cao Cao meant to march east, the council shouted surrender—only Lu Su held his tongue. Sun Quan rose as if to the privy; Lu Su followed to the corridor. Sun Quan took his hand: "Speak." Lu Su said, "They would ruin you, General—heed them and you are lost. I could surrender and survive; you cannot. Why do I say that? If I yield, Cao Cao packs me home to my county. He would rate my pedigree and find me a minor clerk, let me ride a cart, keep a few runners, hobnob with scholars, and climb until some modest province or prefecture fell my way. If you, General, surrender to Cao Cao, where will you find a home? Settle the grand strategy now—do not heed the chorus of capitulation." Sun Quan sighed, "Their counsel has disappointed me deeply; you alone have cleared the fog and match my mind. Heaven sent you to me." 〈The Wei shu and Jiuzhou chunqiu claim Sun Quan panicked at Cao Cao's march on Jingzhou, so Lu Su goaded him: "Cao Cao is a terrible enemy—fresh from swallowing Yuan Shao, his army is keen; he will crush a mourning state for sure. Better send him reinforcements and move your family north to Ye; refuse, and ruin follows." Sun Quan feigned rage and drew his sword; Lu Su shot back, "We are cornered—if you have another scheme, send help to Liu Bei; why kill the messenger?" Sun Quan relented and ordered Zhou Yu to reinforce Liu Bei. Sun Sheng objects: the Wu shu and Jiangbiao zhuan show Lu Su urging war at the first audience and again asking for a mission when Liu Biao died—nothing suggests he first baited Sun Quan into surrendering to Cao Cao. Besides, many favored surrender; the tale that only Lu Su faced execution is inconsistent.〉 Zhou Yu was still in Poyang on assignment; Lu Su pressed Sun Quan to recall him. Sun Quan put Zhou Yu in charge of operations and named Lu Su colonel of the advisory corps to help draft strategy. When Cao Cao broke and ran, Lu Su came back ahead of the army; Sun Quan mustered his commanders to greet him. As Lu Su approached court, Sun Quan dismounted to meet him: "Zijing, I humbled myself at your stirrup—does that honor you enough?" "Not yet," Lu Su answered." The courtiers gaped. When they sat, Lu Su lifted his crop and said, "May your majesty's power wash the empire, gather the nine regions, finish the work of emperors, and only then summon me in a cushioned cart—that would be honor enough." Sun Quan clapped and laughed.

後備詣京見權，求都督荊州，惟肅勸權借之，共拒曹公。〈《漢晉春秋》曰：呂範勸留備，肅曰：「不可。將軍雖神武命世，然曹公威力實重，初臨荊州，恩信未洽，宜以藉備，使撫安之。多操之敵，而自為樹黨，計之上也。」權即從之。〉曹公聞權以土地業備，方作書，落筆於地。周瑜病困，上疏曰：「當今天下，方有事役，是瑜乃心夙夜所憂，願至尊先慮未然，然後康樂。今既與曹操為敵，劉備近在公安，邊境密邇，百姓未附，宜得良將以鎮撫之。魯肅智略足任，乞以代瑜。瑜隕踣之日，所懷盡矣。」〈《江表傳》載：初瑜疾困，與權箋曰：「瑜以凡才，昔受討逆殊特之遇，委以腹心，遂荷榮任，統御兵馬，志執鞭弭，自效戎行。規定巴蜀，次取襄陽，憑賴威靈，謂若在握。至以不謹，道遇暴疾，昨自醫療，日加無損。人生有死，修短命矣，誠不足惜，但恨微志未展，不復奉教命耳。方今曹公在北，疆埸未靜，劉備寄寓，有似養虎，天下之事，未知終始，此朝士旰食之秋，至尊垂慮之日也。魯肅忠烈，臨事不苟，可以代瑜。人之將死，其言也善，儻或可採，瑜死不朽矣。」案此箋與本傳所載，意旨雖同，其辭乖異耳。〉即拜肅奮武校尉，代瑜領兵。瑜士眾四千餘人。奉邑四縣，皆屬焉。令程普領南郡太守。肅初住江陵，後下屯陸口，威恩大行，眾增萬餘人，拜漢昌太守、偏將軍。十九年，從權破皖城，轉橫江將軍。

Later Liu Bei visited the capital and asked to govern all of Jingzhou; Lu Su alone urged Sun Quan to lend him the land as a shield against Cao Cao. 〈The Han Jin chunqiu states: Lü Fan urged detaining Bei; Su said, "It cannot be done. the General is formidable, but Cao Cao's weight is real; you are new to Jingzhou and lack local goodwill—lend the ground to Liu Bei and let him pacify it for you. That multiplies Cao Cao's foes and wins you an ally—best policy of all." Sun Quan agreed.〉 When Cao Cao learned Sun Quan had ceded territory to Liu Bei, his brush slipped from his hand mid-letter. Zhou Yu, dying, wrote: "The realm is still at war—what keeps me awake. Your Majesty must plan for dangers before you seek ease. We face Cao Cao in the north while Liu Bei camps at Gong'an on a porous frontier the people do not yet trust—put a proven commander there. Lu Su has the wit for it—I beg you to let him succeed me. The day I fall, every plan I held goes with me." 〈The Jiangbiao zhuan preserves Zhou Yu's deathbed note: "A middling man, I owed Sun Ce a debt beyond measure; you made me your right hand and gave me the army. I meant to secure Shu-Han, then Xiangyang, trusting your mandate—I thought it within reach. Carelessness brought a violent sickness; the physicians cannot stem it. Men die—that is fate; I grieve only that my small aims stay unfinished and I may obey you no more. Cao Cao still looms north; the front is unsettled; Liu Bei under your roof is like feeding a tiger—no one knows how the world will turn. This is the hour for sleepless counsel, not complacency. Lu Su is loyal, stern, and steady—he can fill my place. They say the dying speak truth; if you heed me, my death will not be vain." Pei Songzhi notes the letter and the standard life agree in substance though the wording differs.〉 Sun Quan at once made Lu Su colonel who rouses martial might and handed him Zhou Yu's command. Zhou Yu left more than four thousand veterans. The four rent counties passed with the post. Cheng Pu was named administrator of Nan commandery. Lu Su began at Jiangling, then shifted to Lukou, where his authority drew ten thousand new followers; he became governor of Hanchang and lieutenant general. In the nineteenth year he helped take Wancheng and was promoted general who spans the Yangzi.

先是，益州牧劉璋綱維頹弛。周瑜、甘寧並勸權取蜀，權以諮備，備內欲自規。仍偽報曰：「備與璋托為宗室，冀憑英靈，以匡漢朝。今璋得罪左右，備獨竦懼，非所敢聞，願加寬貸。若不獲請，備當放發歸於山林。」後備西圖璋，留關羽守。權曰：「猾虜乃敢挾詐！」及羽與肅鄰界，數生狐疑，疆場紛錯，肅常以歡好撫之。備既定益州，權求長沙、零、桂，備不承旨，權遣呂蒙率眾近取。備聞，自還公安，遣羽爭三郡。肅住益陽，與羽相拒。肅邀羽相見，各駐兵馬百步上，但諸將軍單刀俱會。肅因責數羽曰：「國家區區本以土地借卿家者，卿家軍敗遠來，無以為資故也。今已得益州，既無奉還之意，但求三郡，又不從命。」語未究竟，坐有一人曰：「夫土地者，惟德所在耳，何常之有！」肅厲聲呵之，辭色甚切。羽操刀起謂曰：「此自國家事，是人何知！」目使之去。〈《吳書》曰：肅欲與羽會語，諸將疑恐有變，議不可往。肅曰：「今日之事，宜相開譬。劉備負國，是非未決，羽亦何敢重欲幹命！」乃趨就羽。羽曰：「烏林之役，左將軍身在行間，寢不脫介，戮力破魏，豈得徒勞，無一塊壤，而足下來欲收地邪？」肅曰：「不然。始與豫州觀於長阪，豫州之眾不當一校，計窮慮極，志勢摧弱，圖欲遠竄，望不及此。主上矜愍豫州之身，無有處所，不愛土地士人之力，使有所庇廕以濟其患，而豫州私獨飾情，愆德隳好。今已藉手於西州矣，又欲翦並荊州之土，斯蓋凡夫所不忍行，而況整領人物之主乎！肅聞貪而棄義，必為禍階。吾子屬當重任，曾不能明道處分，以義輔時，而負恃弱眾以圖力爭，師曲為老，將何獲濟？」羽無以答。〉備遂割湘水為界，於是罷軍。

Earlier, Liu Zhang's rule in Yizhou had grown slack. Zhou Yu and Gan Ning urged Sun Quan to strike Shu; Sun Quan sounded Liu Bei, who secretly meant to take it himself. Liu Bei answered with a lie: "Liu Zhang and I are kinsmen; we hoped to restore the Han together. He has offended you; I tremble at the news and beg mercy for him. Deny me, and I shall retire to the hills and let my hair flow free—no more politics." Then Liu Bei marched west against Liu Zhang and left Guan Yu to hold Jingzhou. Sun Quan snarled, "The slippery fox played us!" Where Guan Yu and Lu Su shared a frontier, suspicion flared and incidents multiplied; Lu Su smoothed each clash with patience. Once Liu Bei took Yizhou, Sun Quan demanded Changsha, Lingling, and Guiyang; Liu Bei refused, so Sun Quan sent Lü Meng to snatch them. Liu Bei raced back to Gong'an and sent Guan Yu to fight for the three commanderies. Lu Su encamped at Yiyang opposite Guan Yu. Lu Su asked for a parley: both sides halted their lines a hundred paces off while the commanders stepped forward alone, each with one blade. Lu Su reproached him: "We lent you ground because you arrived broken and landless after defeat. You hold Yizhou now yet refuse the three counties we ask for—what justice is that?" A voice from the crowd broke in: "Land belongs to whoever has virtue—nothing is fixed!" Lu Su barked him silent, face hard with anger. Guan Yu seized his sword and rose: "State business—what does a clerk know?" He glared the man away. 〈The Wu shu says Lu Su's officers feared a trap and begged him not to go. Lu Su said, "Today we must speak plainly. Liu Bei has wronged the alliance; until that is settled, would Guan Yu dare defy his lord's orders?" He walked straight to Guan Yu. Guan Yu answered, "My lord fought at Wulin without doffing his mail—how can you call that empty labor and demand our soil back?" Lu Su said, "Not so. At Changban your master had fewer men than a single cohort, plans exhausted, ready to bolt—he never dreamed of holding Jingzhou. Our lord pitied him, gave land and troops for shelter, and saved him from ruin—yet Liu Bei dressed up his own desires, broke faith, and shattered the friendship. Now that he has a foothold in the west he would gulp the east as well—commoners shrink from such greed, let alone a ruler of men! Lu Su has heard that greed without right breeds calamity. You bear a great charge yet preach force instead of principle—an unjust army grows weary; what can it win?" Guan Yu had no reply.〉 Liu Bei then split the region along the Xiang and both sides stood down.

肅年四十六，建安二十二年卒。權為舉哀，又臨其葬。諸葛亮亦為發哀。〈《吳書》曰：肅為人方嚴，寡於玩飾，內外節儉，不務俗好。治軍整頓，禁令必行，雖在軍陳，手不釋卷。又善談論，能屬文辭，思度弘遠，有過人之明。周瑜之後，肅為之冠。〉權稱尊號，臨壇，願謂公卿曰：「昔魯子敬嘗道此，可謂明於事勢矣。」肅遣腹子淑既壯，濡須督張承謂終當到至。永安中，為昭武將軍、都亭侯、武昌督。建衡中，假節，遷夏口督。所在嚴整，有方乾。鳳皇三年卒。子睦襲爵，領兵馬。

Lu Su died at forty-six in Jian'an 22 (217). Sun Quan mourned him and walked in his funeral train. Zhuge Liang mourned him from Shu. 〈The Wu shu paints him as austere, frugal, and indifferent to display. His troops were disciplined, orders absolute; even in camp he kept a book in hand. He excelled at debate and prose, thought in wide arcs, and saw further than most. After Zhou Yu's death he stood first among Wu's strategists.〉 When Sun Quan took the throne he told his nobles, "Lu Zijing foretold this—he read the age aright." Lu Su left a posthumous son, Lu Shu; when the boy grew up, Zhang Cheng, area commander at Ruxu, declared he would rise to the highest rank. In the Yongan era he became general who displays martial might, village marquis of Du, and Wuchang area commander. Under Jianheng he received the credential staff and moved to command Xiakou. At every station he kept discipline tight and proved a steady hand. He died in Fenghuang 3 (274). His son Lu Mu inherited the fief and took command of troops.

呂蒙字子明，汝南富陂人也。少南渡，依姊夫鄧當。當為孫策將，數討山越。蒙年十五六，竊隨當擊賊，當顧見大驚，呵叱不能禁止。歸以告蒙母，母恚欲罰之，蒙曰：「貧賤難可居，脫誤有功，富貴可致。旦不探虎穴，安得虎子？」母哀而捨之。時當職吏以蒙年小輕之，曰：「彼堅子何能為？此欲以肉餧虎耳。」他日與蒙會，又蚩辱之。蒙大怒，引刀殺吏，出走，逃邑子鄭長家。出因校尉袁雄自首，承間為言，策召見奇之，引置左右。數歲，鄧當死，張昭薦蒙代當，拜別部司馬。權統事，料諸小將兵少而用薄者，欲併合之。蒙陰賒貰，為兵作絳衣行滕，及簡日，陳列赫然，兵人練習，權見之大悅，增其兵。從討丹楊，所向有功，拜平北都尉，領廣德長。從徵黃祖，祖令都督陳就逆以水軍出戰。蒙勒前鋒，親梟就首，將士乘勝，進攻其城。祖聞就死，委城走，兵追禽之。權曰：「事之克，由陳就先獲也。」以蒙為橫野中郎將，賜錢千萬。

Lü Meng, styled Ziming, came from Fuqiu in Runan. As a boy he crossed south to live with his brother-in-law Deng Dang. Deng Dang served Sun Ce and often campaigned against the hill tribes. At fifteen or sixteen Lü Meng tagged along on a raid; Deng Dang spotted him, startled, and could not drive him off by scolding. Deng Dang told Lady Lü, who meant to beat her son; Lü Meng said, "We cannot live poor forever—if I win merit, rank and riches follow. Besides, who wins a whelp without entering the lair?" His mother relented. A petty clerk sneered at his age: "What can a brat do? He is only throwing meat to a tiger." The next time they met the clerk mocked him again. Lü Meng drew steel, slew the man, bolted, and hid with a neighbor named Zheng Chang. He gave himself up through Colonel Yuan Xiong, who put in a word at court; Sun Ce interviewed him, saw something in the boy, and kept him at his side. When Deng Dang died, Zhang Zhao recommended Lü Meng to succeed him as major of a separate command. Sun Quan, on taking power, planned to consolidate junior commands whose units were small and poorly supplied. Lü Meng quietly bought crimson uniforms and leggings on credit; on inspection day his men drilled smartly in brilliant red, and Sun Quan was so pleased he enlarged the command. He campaigned in Danyang with repeated success, became colonel who pacifies the north, and magistrate of Guangde. In the strike on Huang Zu, the enemy admiral Chen Jiu led the river fleet out to fight. Lü Meng led the van and took Chen Jiu's head; the army pressed the assault on the city. Huang Zu fled when he heard Chen Jiu was dead; Wu riders ran him down and took him. Sun Quan said, "We won because Chen Jiu fell first." He named Lü Meng general of the household who spans the wilds and paid him ten million cash.

是歲，又與周瑜、程普等西破曹公於烏林，圍曹仁於南郡。益州將襲肅舉軍來附，瑜表以肅兵益蒙，蒙盛稱肅有膽用。且慕化遠來，於義宜益不宜奪也。權善其言，還肅兵。瑜使甘寧前據夷陵，曹仁分眾圍寧，寧困急，使使請救。諸將以兵少不足分，蒙謂瑜、普曰：「留凌公績，蒙與君行，解圍釋急，勢亦不久，蒙保公績能十日守也。」又說瑜分遣三百人柴斷險道，賊走可得其馬。瑜從之。軍到夷陵，即日交戰，所殺過半。敵夜遁去，行遇柴道，騎皆捨馬步走。兵追蹙擊，獲馬三百匹，方船載還。於是將士形勢自倍，乃渡江立屯，與相攻擊，曹仁退走。遂據南郡，撫定荊州。還，拜偏將軍，領尋陽令。

The same year he joined Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu to defeat Cao Cao at Wulin and besiege Cao Ren in Nan commandery. When the Shu officer Xi Su defected with his whole command, Zhou Yu wanted to fold his troops into Lü Meng's; Lü Meng insisted Xi Su had courage and should keep his men. Men who cross allegiance out of conviction should be rewarded, not robbed of their soldiers. Sun Quan agreed and gave Xi Su his troops back. Zhou Yu sent Gan Ning to Yiling; Cao Ren surrounded him; Gan Ning begged for relief. The generals thought the army too thin to split; Lü Meng told Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu, "Leave Ling Tong; I will ride with you to lift the siege—it will not take long, and Ling Tong can hold ten days." He also urged Zhou Yu to detail three hundred men to cordon the defile with logs and seize the enemy horses when they ran. Zhou Yu agreed. They fought at Yiling the same day they arrived and killed more than half the defenders. The foe fled by night, hit the blocked pass, and abandoned their mounts to flee on foot. Wu pursuers ran them down, took three hundred horses, and ferried the spoils home. Morale doubled; they crossed the river, dug in, and drove Cao Ren back. They secured Nan commandery and pacified the Jing front. He came home lieutenant general and magistrate of Xunyang.

魯肅代周瑜，當之陸口，過蒙屯下。肅意尚輕蒙，或說肅曰：「呂將軍功名日顯，不可以故意待也，君宜顧之。」遂往詣蒙。酒酣，蒙問肅曰：「君受重任，與關羽為鄰，將何計畧以備不虞？」肅造次應曰：「臨時施宜。」蒙曰：「今東西雖為一家，而關羽實熊虎也，計安可不豫定？」因為肅畫五策。肅於是越席就之，拊其背曰：「呂子明，吾不知卿才畧所及乃至於此也。」遂拜蒙母，結友而別。〈《江表傳》曰：初，權謂蒙及蔣欽曰：「卿今並當塗掌事，宜學問以自開益。」蒙曰：「在軍中常苦多務，恐不容复讀書。」權曰：「孤豈欲卿治經為博士邪？但當令涉獵見往事耳。卿言多務孰若孤，孤少時歷《詩》、《書》、《禮記》、《左傳》、《國語》，惟不讀《易》。至統事以來，省三史、諸家兵書，自以為大有所益。如卿二人，意性朗悟，學必得之，寧當不為乎？宜急讀《孫子》、《六韜》、《左傳》、《國語》及三史。孔子言『終日不食，終夜不寢以思，無益，不如學也』。光武當兵馬之務，手不釋卷。孟德亦自謂老而好學。卿何獨不自勉勗邪？」蒙始就學，篤志不倦，其所覽見，舊儒不勝。後魯肅上代周瑜，過蒙言議，常欲受屈。肅拊蒙背曰：「吾謂大弟但有武略耳，至於今者，學識英博，非復吳下阿蒙。」蒙曰：「士別三日，即更刮目相待。大兄今論，何一稱穰侯乎。兄今代公瑾，既難為繼，且與關羽為鄰。斯人長而好學，讀左傳略皆上口，梗亮有雄氣，然性頗自負，好陵人。今與為對，當有單衤復以（卿）待之。」。密為肅陳三策，肅敬受之，秘而不宣。權常歎曰：「人長而進益，如呂蒙、蔣欽，蓋不可及也。富貴榮顯，更能折節好學，耽悅書傳，輕財尚義，所行可跡，並作國士，不亦休乎！」〉時蒙與成當、宋定、徐顧屯次比近，三將死，子弟幼弱，權悉以兵並蒙。蒙固辭，陳啟顧等皆勤勞國事，子弟雖小，不可廢也。書三上，權乃聽。蒙於是又為擇師，使輔導之，其操心率如此。

Lu Su, succeeding Zhou Yu, passed Lü Meng's camp on the way to Lukou. Su's mind still belittled Meng; someone persuaded Su, saying, "General Lü's merit and fame grow daily more evident; you cannot treat him with old intent—you ought to visit him." He called on Lü Meng. Over wine Lü Meng asked how Lu Su meant to guard against Guan Yu." Lu Su answered offhand, "We will improvise when the time comes." Lü Meng replied, "East and west are allies on paper, yet Guan Yu is a tiger—plans cannot wait." He laid out five countermeasures for Lu Su. Lu Su crossed the mat, clapped his shoulder, and cried, "Ziming, I never knew you had this in you!" He paid his respects to Lady Lü, swore friendship, and rode on. 〈The Jiangbiao zhuan records Sun Quan telling Lü Meng and Jiang Qin that high office demanded study." Lü Meng pleaded busy camp life." Sun Quan retorted, "I am not asking you to become a textual doctor. Skim history and learn from it—nothing more. You call yourself busy—I was busier; as a boy I read the Odes, Documents, Rites, Zuo, and Guoyu, only skipping the Changes. Since ruling I have read the three histories and the military classics and profited greatly. You two are quick-witted; study will stick—why refuse? Read Sunzi, Six Secret Teachings, Zuo, Guoyu, and the three histories without delay. Confucius said fretting all night beats no book. Even Guangwu kept a book in hand on campaign. Cao Cao boasted of learning in old age. Will you alone not strive?" Lü Meng took up reading with fierce concentration and soon outread the pedants. When Lu Su succeeded Zhou Yu and debated policy with him, Lu Su found himself outmatched. Lu Su clapped his back: "I thought you were all sword; now you are no longer the crude Ah Meng of old." Lü Meng smiled, "Scholars change fast—look again after three days. Why do you praise me like the Marquis Rang of Qin? You step into Zhou Yu's shoes—a tall order—and face Guan Yu across the line. He is huge, well read—Zuo almost by heart—blunt, proud, and domineering. Against him you need paired stratagems—open and covert—to (you) handle him." He whispered three plans to Lu Su, who pocketed them in silence. Quan often sighed, saying, "Men who grow and advance, such as Lü Meng and Jiang Qin—probably cannot be overtaken. Rich and famous, they still bent to books, loved learning, prized honor over coin, and became true pillars of the state—what joy!"〉" When Cheng Dang, Song Ding, and Xu Gu died, Sun Quan tried to merge their orphans' commands into Lü Meng's. Lü Meng refused thrice, arguing their sons still deserved to inherit their fathers' service. After three memorials Sun Quan yielded. He even found tutors for the young heirs—such was his thoroughness.

魏使廬江謝奇為蘄春典農，屯皖田鄉，數為邊寇。蒙使人誘之，不從，則伺隙襲擊，奇遂縮退，其部伍孫子才、宋豪等，皆攜負老弱，詣蒙降。後從權拒曹公於濡須，數近奇計，又勸權夾水口立塢，所以備禦甚精，〈《吳錄》曰：權欲作塢，諸將皆曰：「上岸擊賊，洗足入船，何用塢為？」呂蒙曰：「兵有利鈍，戰無百勝，如有邂逅，敵步騎蹙人，不暇及水，其得入船乎？」權曰：「善。」遂作之。〉曹公不能下而退。

Wei posted Xie Qi of Lujiang as Qichun agricultural director at Wancun, where he raided the border often. Lü Meng baited him, ambushed when he refused, and broke him; Sun Zicai and Song Hao brought families and surrendered. At Ruxu he fed Sun Quan stratagems and urged twin ramparts athwart the narrows—defenses Cao Cao could not crack, 〈The Wu lu says the generals scoffed at building forts: "We fight ashore and splash back aboard—why walls?" Lü Meng answered, "No army wins every fight; if enemy horse trap you inland, you will never reach the boats." Sun Quan said, "Good." They built the ramparts.〉 Cao Cao could not force them and withdrew.

曹公遣朱光為廬江太守，屯皖，大開稻田，又令間人招誘鄱陽賊帥，使作內應。蒙曰：「皖田肥美，若一收孰，彼眾必增，如是數歲，操態見矣，宜早除之。」乃具陳其狀。於是權親征皖，引見諸將，問以計策。〈《吳書》曰：諸將皆勸作土山，添攻具，蒙趨進曰：「治攻具及土山，必曆日乃成，城備既脩，外救必至，不可圖也。且乘雨水以入，若留經日，水必向盡，還道艱難，蒙竊危之。今觀此城，不能甚固，以三軍銳氣，四面並攻，不移時可拔，及水以歸，全勝之道也。」權從之。〉蒙乃薦甘寧為升城督，督攻在前，蒙以精銳繼之。侵晨進攻，蒙手執枹鼓，士卒皆騰踴自升，食時破之。既而張遼至夾石，聞城已拔，乃退。權嘉其功，即拜廬江太守，所得人馬皆分與之，別賜尋陽屯田六百戶，官屬三十人。蒙還尋陽，未期而盧陵賊起，諸將討擊不能禽，權曰：「鷙鳥累百，不如一鶚。」復令蒙討之。蒙至，誅其首惡，餘皆釋放，復為平民。

Cao Cao put Zhu Guang in Wan to flood the plain with rice paddies and bribe Poyang bandits as fifth columnists. Lü Meng warned that rich harvests at Wan would swell Wei's power—strike before the granaries filled." He laid out the intelligence in full. Sun Quan marched on Wan and polled his generals. 〈The Wu shu states: The generals all urged building earthen hills and adding siege gear; Meng hurried forward and said, "To prepare siege gear and earthen hills must take many days to complete; once city defenses are repaired, outside rescue is sure to arrive—it cannot be planned for. March in on the flood, linger, and the moats dry—your retreat becomes deadly. This wall is weak; hit it on four sides with fresh troops and it falls before the water fails—that is total victory." Sun Quan agreed.〉 He named Gan Ning chief of the storming party and followed with picked men. At dawn Lü Meng beat the drum himself; his men swarmed the walls and took the city by breakfast. Zhang Liao reached Jiashi too late and turned back. Sun Quan made him governor of Lujiang, shared the captured men and mounts, and added six hundred military-farmer households at Xunyang plus thirty staff. Before he reached Xunyang, Luling rebels baffled other generals; Sun Quan said, "A hundred kites are not one eagle." He sent Lü Meng again. Lü Meng executed the ringleaders and freed the rest as farmers.

是時劉備令關羽鎮守，專有荊士，權命蒙西取長沙、零、桂三郡。蒙移書二郡，望風歸服，惟零陵太守郝普城守不降。而備自蜀親至公安，遣羽爭三郡。權時住陸口，使魯肅萬人屯益陽拒羽，而飛書召蒙，使捨零陵，急還助肅。初，蒙既定長沙，當之零陵，過酃，載南陽鄧玄之，玄之者郝普之舊也，欲令誘普。及被書當還，蒙秘之。夜召諸將，授以方畧，晨當攻城。顧謂玄之曰：

Liu Bei had left Guan Yu to hold Jingzhou; Sun Quan ordered Lü Meng west to seize Changsha, Lingling, and Guiyang. Two counties capitulated to his letters; only Lingling under Hao Pu held out. Liu Bei flew from Shu to Gong'an and sent Guan Yu to fight for the three commanderies. Sun Quan, at Lukou, posted Lu Su at Yiyang against Guan Yu and recalled Lü Meng from Lingling. Earlier, marching on Lingling, Lü Meng had picked up Deng Xuanzhi, an old friend of Hao Pu, to talk him down. When the recall arrived, Lü Meng hid the order. That night he briefed his captains to storm the walls at dawn. He turned to Deng Xuanzhi and said:

郝子太聞世間有忠義事，亦欲為之，而不知時也。左將軍在漢中，為夏侯淵所圍。關羽在南郡，今至尊身自臨之。近者破樊本屯，救酃，逆為孫規所破。此皆目前之事，君所親見也。彼方首尾倒懸，救死不給，豈有餘力復營此哉？今吾士卒精銳，人思致命。至尊遣兵，相繼於道。今子太以旦夕之命，待不可望之救。猶牛蹄中魚，冀賴江漢，其不可恃亦明矣。若子太必能一士卒之心，保孤城之守，尚能稽延旦夕，以待所歸者，可也。今吾計力度慮，而以攻此，曾不移日，而城必破，城破之後，身死何益於事，而令百歲老母，戴白受誅，豈不痛哉？度此家不得外問，謂援可恃，故至於此耳。君可見之，為陳禍福。

Hao Pu thinks himself loyal yet misreads the hour. The General of the Left is trapped at Hanzhong by Xiahou Yuan. Guan Yu is pinned in Nan commandery while our sovereign strikes him in person. He had just overrun the Fan garrison, marched to relieve Ling, yet Sun Gui broke him in the field. You have seen these reverses yourself. They are drowning—how can they spare a man for you? Our troops are fresh and eager to die for the cause. Our sovereign is pushing column after column up the road. Hao Pu clings to a day-to-day existence, waiting for help that will never come. He is a fish in a hoofprint puddle hoping the great rivers will save him—obviously a vain hope. If he could truly rally every defender and hold the walls until allies arrived, there might be a case. By my reckoning we will storm it in a day; once it falls his death buys nothing while his aged mother dies disgraced—think of that pain. He hears nothing from outside, imagines relief is coming, and clings to a fantasy. Go in and lay out fortune and ruin for him.

玄之見普，具宣蒙意，普懼而聽之。玄之先出報蒙：「普尋後當至。」蒙豫敕四將，各選百人，普出，便入守城門。須臾普出，蒙迎執其手，與俱下船。語畢，出書示之。因拊手大笑。普見書，知備在公安，而羽在益陽，慚恨入地。蒙留（孫河），委以後事，即日引軍赴益陽。劉備請盟，權乃歸普等。割湘水，以零陵還之。以尋陽、陽新為蒙奉邑。

Deng Xuanzhi saw Hao Pu and delivered Lü Meng's terms; terror broke him. Deng Xuanzhi slipped out to Lü Meng: "Hao Pu will come out shortly." Lü Meng told four captains to pick a hundred men each and seize the gates the moment Hao Pu stepped out. Hao Pu emerged; Lü Meng took his hand and walked him straight to a boat. When the words were done, Lü Meng showed him Sun Quan's recall order. Then he clapped his hands and laughed. Hao Pu read that Liu Bei was at Gong'an and Guan Yu at Yiyang—mortified, he wished the earth would swallow him. Lü Meng left (Sun He) , leaving Sun He to manage the rear, and marched that day for Yiyang. Liu Bei sued for peace; Sun Quan sent Hao Pu and the rest back. They divided the territory along the Xiang and restored Lingling to Liu Bei. Xunyang and Yangxin became Lü Meng's rent lands.

師還，遂徵合肥，既撤兵，為張遼等所襲，蒙與淩統以死扦衛。後曹公又大出濡須，權以蒙為督，據前所立塢，置強弩萬張於其上，以拒曹公。曹公前鋒屯未就，蒙攻破之，曹公引退。拜蒙左護軍、虎威將軍。

On the retreat from Hefei, Zhang Liao ambushed the army; Lü Meng and Ling Tong fought a desperate rearguard. When Cao Cao struck Ruxu again, Sun Quan put Lü Meng in charge of the old ramparts with ten thousand heavy crossbows on the parapet. Lü Meng shattered Cao Cao's unfinished forward camp and forced a withdrawal. He became left protector of the army and general who shows tiger might.

魯肅卒，蒙西屯陸口，肅軍人馬萬餘盡以屬蒙。又拜漢昌太守，食下雋、劉陽、漢昌、州陵。與關羽分土接境，知羽驍雄，有並兼心，且居國上流，其勢難久。初，魯肅等以為曹公尚存，禍難始構，宜相輔協，與之同仇，不可失也。蒙乃密陳計策曰：「今令徵虜守南郡，潘璋住白帝，蔣欽將遊兵萬人循江上下，應敵所在，蒙為國家前據襄陽，如此，何憂於操，何賴於羽？且羽君臣，矜其詐力，所在反覆，不可以腹心待也。今羽所以未便東向者，以至尊聖明，蒙等尚存也。今不於強壯時圖之，一日僵僕，欲復陳力，其可得邪？」權深納其策，又聊復與論取徐州意。蒙對曰：「今操遠在河北，新破諸袁，撫集幽、冀，未暇東顧。徐土守兵，聞不足言，往自可克。然地勢陸通，驍騎所聘，至尊今日得徐州，操後旬必來爭，雖以七八萬人守之，猶當懷憂。不如取羽，全據長江，形勢益張。」權尤以此言為當。及蒙代肅，初至陸口，外倍修恩厚，與羽結好。

Lu Su's death moved Lü Meng to Lukou with ten thousand of Lu Su's troops. He added the governorship of Hanchang with income from four counties. He shared a frontier with Guan Yu—a fierce expansionist upstream who could not be tolerated forever. Lu Su's generation had allied with Liu Bei while Cao Cao lived—a necessary evil. Meng then secretly set forth a plan, saying, "Now order the General Who Subdues Captives to guard Nan commandery, Pan Zhang to hold Baidicheng, Jiang Qin to lead ten thousand mobile troops up and down the river responding wherever the enemy is, while Meng for the state advances to hold Xiangyang in front—thus what worry of Cao, what reliance on Yu? Guan Yu and his master trade on treachery and shift with every wind—they are no brothers-in-arms. Guan Yu has not struck east only because you are vigilant and we still stand in his path. Wait until we are feeble to move against him and it will be too late." Sun Quan embraced the plan and chatted further about Xuzhou. Meng replied, "Now Cao is far in Hebei, has newly broken the Yuans, is soothing and gathering You and Ji, and has no leisure to look east. Xuzhou's garrison is negligible—you could seize it at a march. But Xuzhou is open country for cavalry; Cao Cao would retake it within ten days even if you poured seventy thousand men in. Better seize Guan Yu and own the whole river—that enlarges your posture." Sun Quan judged that the sounder counsel. When Lü Meng replaced Lu Su at Lukou, he doubled the courtesy to Guan Yu and played the ally.

後羽討樊，留兵將備公安、南郡。蒙上疏曰：「羽討樊而多留備兵，必恐蒙圖其後故也。蒙常有病，乞分士眾還建業，以治疾為名。羽聞之，必撤備兵，盡赴襄陽。大軍浮江，晝夜馳上，襲其空虛，則南郡可下，而羽可擒也。」遂稱病篤，權乃露檄召蒙還，陰與圖計。羽果信之，稍撤兵以赴樊。魏使於禁救樊，羽盡擒禁等，人馬數萬，託以糧乏，擅取湘關米。權聞之，遂行。先遣蒙在前。蒙至尋陽，盡伏其精兵𦩷𦪇中，使白衣搖櫓，作商賈人服，晝夜兼行，至羽所置江邊屯候，盡收縛之，是故羽不聞知。遂到南郡，士仁、麋芳皆降。〈《吳書》曰：將軍士仁在公安拒守，蒙令虞翻說之。翻至城門，謂守者曰：「吾欲與汝將軍語。」仁不肯相見。乃為書曰：「明者防禍於未萌，智者圖患於將來，知得知失，可與為人，知存知亡，足別吉凶。大軍之行，斥候不及施，烽火不及舉，此非天命，必有內應。將軍不先見時，時至又不應之，獨守縈帶之城而不降，死戰則毀宗滅祀，為天下譏笑。呂虎威欲徑到南郡，斷絕陸道，生路一塞，案其地形，將軍為在箕舌上耳，奔走不得免，降則失義，竊為將軍不安，幸熟思焉。」仁得書，流涕而降。翻謂蒙曰：「此譎兵也，當將仁行，留兵備城。」遂將仁至南郡。南郡太守麋芳城守，蒙以仁示之，遂降。《吳錄》曰：初，南郡城中失火，頗焚燒軍器。羽以責芳，芳內畏懼，權聞而誘之，芳潛相和。及蒙攻之，乃以牛酒出降。〉蒙入據城，盡得羽及將士家屬，皆撫慰，約令軍中不得乾歷人家，有所求取。蒙麾下士，是汝南人，取民家一笠，以覆官鎧，官鎧雖公，蒙猶以為犯軍令，不可以鄉里故而廢法，遂垂涕斬之。於是軍中震慄，道不拾遺。蒙旦暮使親近存卹耆老，問所不足，疾病者給醫藥，饑寒者賜衣糧。羽府藏財寶，皆封閉以待權至。羽還，在道路，數使人與蒙相聞，蒙輒厚遇其使，周遊城中，家家致問，或手書示信。羽人還，私相參訊，咸知家門無恙，見待過於平時，故羽吏士無鬬心。會權尋至，羽自知孤窮，乃走麥城，西至漳鄉，眾皆委羽而降。權使朱然、潘璋斷其徑路，即父子俱獲，荊州遂定。

When Guan Yu marched on Fan, he left a screen at Gong'an and Nan commandery. Meng submitted a memorial saying, "Yu campaigns against Fan yet leaves many preparatory troops—surely because he fears Meng will plot his rear. Let me feign serious illness and withdraw my command to Jianye for a cure. Guan Yu will strip the rear to feed the Fan front. We then sail upstream day and night and strike the hollow core—Nan commandery falls and Guan Yu is ours." He played deathly ill; Sun Quan published a recall while plotting in secret. Guan Yu swallowed the bait and thinned his garrisons for Fan. When Yu Jin surrendered, Guan Yu fed tens of thousands of prisoners and seized Wu grain at the Xiang barrier without asking. Sun Quan marched on the news. Lü Meng led the van. At Xunyang he stowed picked troops in cargo barges, manned the sweeps with merchants in white, seized every river picket before word could run to Guan Yu. Nan commandery opened; Shi Ren and Mi Fang yielded. 〈The Wu shu says Lü Meng sent Yu Fan to talk down Shi Ren at Gong'an. When Fan reached the city gate, he said to the guards, "I wish to speak with your general." Shi Ren refused a meeting. Then he wrote a letter, saying, "The enlightened guard disaster before it sprouts; the wise plot harm before it comes; knowing gain and knowing loss, one can be with others as a person; knowing survival and knowing destruction, enough to distinguish auspicious and inauspicious. Wu's army moved too fast for beacons—someone inside must have opened the door. Cling to a doomed citadel and your line ends in ridicule. General Lü Who Shows Tiger Might wishes to go straight to Nan commandery, cut off the land route; once the living road is blocked, according to the terrain the general is on the tongue of a winnowing basket—running cannot obtain escape; surrender loses righteousness—I privately deem the general unsafe; I hope you think it through maturely." Shi Ren wept and opened the gates. Yu Fan warned this was a ruse—escort Shi Ren under guard and leave a garrison." They marched Shi Ren south. Mi Fang held the walls until Lü Meng paraded Shi Ren before him, then capitulated. The Wu lu notes a fire in Nan commandery that destroyed stores. Guan Yu rebuked Mi Fang; terrified, he had been dealing secretly with Sun Quan. When Lü Meng struck, he surrendered with oxen and wine.〉 Lü Meng took the city, gathered every family of Guan Yu's men, and forbade looting on pain of death. A Runan trooper borrowed a peasant's conical hat to shield state armor; Lü Meng wept and executed him for breaking the ban—even a townsman could not be spared. The host stood in awe; nothing lay long on the road. He sent aides daily to succor elders, heal the sick, and feed the hungry. Guan Yu's treasury he sealed for Sun Quan. Guan Yu's couriers found Lü Meng's men feasting them, touring the city, and bearing letters proving the families safe. They compared notes and found kin unharmed and better treated than before—Guan Yu's army lost its stomach for war. Sun Quan closed in; Guan Yu fled to Maicheng and west to Zhang village while his men melted away. Zhu Ran and Pan Zhang sealed his escape; father and son were taken and Jingzhou was Wu's.

以蒙為南郡太守，封孱陵候，〈《江表傳》曰：權於公安大會，呂蒙以疾辭，權笑曰：「禽羽之功，子明謀也，今大功已捷，慶賞未行，豈邑邑邪？」乃增給步騎鼓吹，敕選虎威將軍官屬，並南郡、廬江二郡威儀。拜畢還營，兵馬導從，前後鼓吹，光燿於路。〉賜錢一億，黃金五百斤。蒙固辭金錢，權不許。封爵未下。會蒙疾發，權時在公安，迎置內殿。所以治護者萬方，募封內有能愈蒙疾者，賜千金。時有針加，權為之慘戚，欲數見其顏色，又恐勞動，常穿壁瞻之，見小能下食則喜，顧左右言笑，不然則咄唶，夜不能寐。病中瘳，為下赦令，群臣畢賀。後更增篤，權自臨視，命道士於星辰下為之請命。年四十二，遂卒於內殿。時權哀痛甚，為之降損。蒙未死時，所得金寶諸賜盡付府藏，敕主者命絕之日皆上還，喪事務約。權聞之，益以悲感。

Sun Quan named him governor of Nan commandery and marquis of Chanling, 〈The Jiangbiao zhuan says Sun Quan feasted at Gong'an; Lü Meng pleaded sick; Sun Quan laughed: "Capturing Guan Yu was your design—will you sulk now that the work is done?" He added guards of honor, picked a full staff for the Tiger Might general, and furnished parades for Nan and Lujiang. Lü Meng rode back to camp through streets lined with music and glitter.〉 The court gave him a hundred million cash and five hundred jin of gold. Lü Meng refused the treasure; Sun Quan would not hear it. The patent of nobility had not yet arrived. Lü Meng collapsed at Gong'an; Sun Quan brought him into the palace. Sun Quan tried every cure and offered a thousand jin of gold to any physician who could save him. Each acupuncture left Sun Quan wretched; he spied through a wall lest visits exhaust the patient, rejoiced at a spoonful of food, and paced sleepless when the fever returned. A remission brought a general amnesty and court congratulations. Relapse brought Sun Quan to his bedside and Daoist rites under the stars. He died in the inner hall at forty-two. Sun Quan cut court splendor in mourning. Before death he returned every gift to the state treasury and ordered a plain funeral. Sun Quan wept the more at that thrift.

蒙少不修書傳，每陳大事，常口占為箋疏。常以部曲事為江夏太守蔡遺所白，蒙無恨意。及豫章太守顧邵卒，權問所用，蒙因薦遺奉職佳吏，權笑曰：「君欲為祁奚耶？」於是用之。甘寧粗暴好殺，既常失蒙意，又時違權令，權怒之，蒙輒陳請：「天下未定，鬥將如寧難得，宜容忍之。」權遂厚寧，卒得其用。蒙子霸襲爵，與守塚三百家，復田五十頃。霸卒，兄琮襲候。琮卒，弟睦嗣。

Lü Meng had little formal schooling; he dictated state papers from his sickbed. Cai Yi of Jiangxia once impeached his camp accounts; Lü Meng bore no grudge. When Gu Shao died, Lü Meng recommended Cai Yi—the man who had denounced him—like Qi Xi promoting his foe." Sun Quan laughed and used him. Gan Ning was a killer who defied orders; when Sun Quan raged, Lü Meng argued that such brawlers were still precious in unsettled times." Sun Quan indulged Gan Ning and reaped his service. His son Lü Ba inherited the title with three hundred tomb guards and fifty qing of tax-free land. When Lü Ba died, his brother Lü Cong took the marquisate. When Lü Cong died, Lü Mu succeeded.

孫權與陸遜論周瑜、魯肅及蒙曰：

Sun Quan said to Lu Xun, speaking of Zhou Yu, Lu Su, and Lü Meng:

公瑾雄烈，膽略兼人，遂破孟德，開拓荊州，邈焉難繼，君今繼之。公瑾昔要子敬來東，致達於孤，孤與宴語，便及大略帝王之業，此一快也。後孟德因獲劉琮之勢，張言方率數十萬眾水步俱下。孤普請諸將，諮問所宜，無適先對，至子佈、文表，俱言宜遣使修檄迎之，子敬即駁言不可，勸孤急呼公瑾，付任以眾，逆而擊之，此二快也。且其決計策意，出張、蘇遠矣。後雖勸吾借玄德地，是其一短，不足以損其二長也。周公不求備於一人，故孤忘其短而貴其長，常以比方鄧禹也。又子明少時，孤謂不辭劇易，果敢有膽而已。及身長大，學問開益，籌略奇至，可以次於公瑾，但言議英發不及之耳。圖取關羽，勝於子敬。子敬答孤書云：『帝王之起，皆有驅除，羽不足忌。』此子敬內不能辦，外為大言耳，孤亦恕，不苟責也。然其作軍屯營，不失令行禁止，部界無廢負，路無拾遺，其法亦美也。

Zhou Yu was heroic and resourceful beyond common men: he shattered Cao Cao and carved out Jingzhou—feats almost impossible to match. You stand in his line now. Zhou Yu once brought Lu Su east to me; over wine we touched the blueprint of empire—that was the first great moment. Then Cao Cao, riding his seizure of Liu Cong, boasted he would march hundreds of thousands downriver by land and water. I polled my commanders; none spoke until Zhang Zhao and Qin Song urged surrender; Lu Su alone vetoed the idea and told me to summon Zhou Yu at once and give him the army to strike Cao Cao head-on—the second great moment. In clarity of decision he left Zhang Zhao and the other waverers far behind. Later he urged me to lend Liu Bei ground—that was his one flaw beside two towering strengths. The Duke of Zhou did not demand perfection in a single man; I forgave Lu Su's lapse and prized his gifts, as I might compare him to Deng Yu. In youth I thought Lü Meng a blunt fighter who feared neither hard nor easy work. Grown and schooled, his stratagems rivaled Zhou Yu's—second only in eloquence. In the design to capture Guan Yu he outdid Lu Su. Lu Su wrote me that every founder sweeps rivals aside and that Guan Yu was nothing to dread. That was bluster masking inner doubt—I let it pass without harsh blame. Yet his camps ran tight: orders held, districts orderly, roads clean—admirable discipline.

【評】

Editorial heading marking Chen Shou's closing appraisal.

評曰：曹公乘漢相之資，挾天子而掃群桀，新蕩荊城，仗威東夏，於時議者莫不疑貳。周瑜、魯肅建獨斷之明出眾人之表，實奇才也。呂蒙勇而有謀，斷識軍計，譎郝普，禽關羽，最其妙者。初雖輕果妄殺，終於克己，有國士之量，豈徒武將而已乎！孫權之論，優劣允當，故載錄焉。」

The historian says: Cao Cao used the Han chancellorship and the emperor's person to crush rivals, then overran Jingzhou and menaced the east; every adviser hesitated. Zhou Yu and Lu Su alone saw clearly and stood above the assembly—they were singular talents. Lü Meng coupled courage with cunning: tricking Hao Pu and taking Guan Yu were his masterstrokes. He began as a rash killer yet learned restraint—no mere brawler but a man of true statecraft. Sun Quan's verdicts ring true, so they are set down here.”

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The Book of Jin (Jinshu, 晉書) contains a detailed biography of Chen Shou, who authored the Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguo Zhi, 三國志). He was said to love books from a young age, becoming a clerk in the imperial library of Shu-Han. His early career was mired in controversy. When the eunuch Huang Hao dominated the Shu-Han court, Chen Shou refused to ingratiate himself with him, and was repeatedly demoted and censured. Later, when Chen Shou's father died, he himself fell ill, and he violated ritual by having a servant girl prepare his medicine. Others found out about this, and Chen Shou was disgraced. His reputation would not recover for several years, even outliving the Shu-Han dynasty, which was invaded and toppled by Wei dynasty forces.

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