Xu You

Historical Record

Xu You, courtesy name Ziyuan, was originally an advisor to Yuan Shao. At the critical juncture of the Battle of Guandu, Xu You, an advisor to Yuan Shao, was greedy for wealth, and when Yuan Shao failed to satisfy his demands, he abandoned Yuan Shao and went over to Cao Cao ^c:3364. Xu You's arrival was of great significance to Cao Cao. According to the Biography of Cao Man, when Cao Cao heard that Xu You had come over, he even came out to greet him barefoot, clapping his hands and laughing with joy, calling out, "Ziqing has come from afar — my cause is accomplished!" ^c:3364.

Xu You offered Cao Cao a plan, pointing out that Yuan Shao's grain and supply train was all stockpiled at Wuchao with lax defenses. He advised Cao Cao to make a surprise raid on Wuchao with light troops, burn the grain stores, cut off Yuan Shao's logistics, and predicted that Yuan Shao's army would collapse without a fight ^c:3364. Cao Cao adopted Xu You's plan and personally led five thousand elite foot and horse, disguised as Yuan's troops, with bits in their mouths and their horses' muzzles tied, marching by night along back roads to make a surprise attack on Wuchao. The raid was a great success: Cao Cao's army crushed Chunyu Qiong and his units, burned all of Yuan Shao's grain and treasures, beheaded the commanding generals Sui Yuanjin, Han Juzi, Lü Weihuang, and Zhao Rui, and cut off the nose of Chunyu Zhongjian to show the Yuan troops ^c:3364.

The victory at Wuchao directly brought about the collapse of Yuan Shao's army. When Yuan Shao learned that Chunyu Qiong had been crushed, his commanders Zhang He and Gao Lan also went over and surrendered to Cao Cao. Yuan Shao's great army scattered, and he and his eldest son Yuan Tan abandoned the army and fled, crossing the river to escape. Cao Cao's army thereby captured a great quantity of Yuan Shao's supplies, documents, and treasures, and took prisoner many of his soldiers ^c:3364. After the battle, Cao Cao found among Yuan Shao's documents many letters exchanged between people in Xu Chang and in his own army and Yuan Shao, but Cao Cao did not pursue the matter and instead burned all the letters, showing his magnanimous side ^c:3364.

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Xu You's image is further developed; he appears earlier and his character traits are more distinct. On his first appearance, he comes on as Yuan Shao's advisor, jointly managing the affairs of Jizhou along with Tian Feng, Ju Shou, and Feng Ji ^c:6253. Before the Battle of Guandu, Xu You and the other advisors together urged Yuan Shao to raise troops and attack Cao Cao, holding that "with Your Lordship overcoming the few with the many, attacking the weak with the strong, chastising the Han traitor to support the royal house, raising troops is right" ^c:6254.

Xu You's defection to Cao Cao is depicted more dramatically in the novel. Because his plan to raid Xu Chang was not adopted by Yuan Shao, and because Shen Pei falsely accused his sons and nephews of corruption, he was enraged and meant to cut his own throat. Only after those around him counseled otherwise did he resolve to "forsake the dark and turn to the light," going over to his old friend Cao Cao ^c:6256. Cao Cao showed enormous warmth at Xu You's arrival, even coming out to greet him barefoot, "not pausing to put on his shoes," and bowing to him, saying, "You are Cao Cao's old friend — how could I dare rank you by titles and ranks!" ^c:6257.

In offering the Wuchao plan, the novel especially depicts the exchange between Xu You and Cao Cao. At first Cao Cao concealed the amount of his army's grain, first saying it "could last a year," then changing to "only half a year," and finally, under Xu You's pressing, admitting "the army has only this month's grain" ^c:13645. Xu You went so far as to point out the grain-urging letters between Cao Cao and Xun Yu, greatly startling Cao Cao and so winning his complete trust. Xu You then offered the plan to burn Wuchao and pointed out the weakness of Chunyu Qiong, who was "fond of wine and unprepared" ^c:13645.

In the novel, Xu You also offered a plan when Cao Cao attacked Jizhou, advising him to "break open the waters of the Zhang River to flood it" ^c:13652. After Cao Cao entered the city of Jizhou, however, Xu You at last lost his life through reckless speech. He pointed at the city gate and called out to Cao Cao, "Aman, without me, how could you have entered this gate?" ^c:3366, and then, meeting Xu Chu in the city, again boasted of his own merit and reviled Xu Chu and the others as "common churls." In his fury, Xu Chu drew his sword and cut Xu You down ^c:13654. Though Cao Cao rebuked Xu Chu, he still gave Xu You a lavish burial, showing his remembrance of an old friend.

Key Relationships

* Cao Cao (defected_to): Xu You and Cao Cao were friends from youth, and this bond played a key role when Xu You forsook Yuan and went over to Cao. Cao Cao showed great regard and courtesy at Xu You's arrival, even greeting him barefoot ^c:3364. Xu You thereby offered Cao Cao the decisive plan to burn Wuchao, helping Cao Cao win the Battle of Guandu. In the novel, however, Xu You was in the end killed by Xu Chu for his reckless speech; though Cao Cao rebuked Xu Chu, he also gave Xu You a lavish burial ^c:13654.
* Yuan Shao's Faction (serves): Xu You was once an important advisor to Yuan Shao, taking part in the early development and decisions of the Yuan Shao faction ^c:6253. His relationship with Yuan Shao was unstable, however, and in the end he turned away from Yuan Shao because his greed for wealth was unsatisfied (the histories) or because his plan was not adopted and his sons and nephews were falsely accused (the novel) ^c:3364, ^c:6256.
* Cao Wei (defected_to): At the critical moment of the Battle of Guandu, Xu You went over to Cao Cao, and his plan directly brought about Cao Cao's victory at Guandu, laying a foundation for the establishment of the Cao Wei regime ^c:3364.
* Xu Chu (killer of Xu You, novel only): In the novel, because of his contemptuous speech and his boasting of his merit, Xu You enraged Cao Cao's guard Xu Chu, and was in the end cut down by Xu Chu ^c:13654.

Signature Scene

* Greeting him barefoot: On learning that Xu You had come over, Cao Cao "came out to greet him barefoot," clapping his hands and laughing with joy, calling out, "Ziqing has come from afar — my cause is accomplished!" ^c:3364. This scene fully displays Cao Cao's regard for Xu You and their old friendship, and foreshadows the important role Xu You was to play in the coming battle.
* Offering the Wuchao plan: Xu You offered Cao Cao a plan, pointing out that Yuan Shao's grain was stockpiled at Wuchao with lax defenses, and advising Cao Cao to make a surprise raid with light troops and burn the grain. This plan was adopted by Cao Cao and successfully carried out, becoming the turning point of the Battle of Guandu and directly causing Yuan Shao's crushing defeat ^c:3364, ^c:13645.
* Killed for reckless speech (novel only): In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, after Cao Cao captured Jizhou, Xu You, presuming on his great merit, spoke recklessly — first addressing Cao Cao directly as "Aman" ^c:3366, then speaking insolently on meeting Xu Chu, and in the end being cut down by an enraged Xu Chu ^c:13654. This scene highlights the arrogant, conceited flaw in Xu You's character and reflects the novel's dramatized handling of a figure's fate.