Chen Gui

史载（Historical Record）

Chen Gui, courtesy name Hanyu, was a native of Pei State and once served as Chancellor of Pei. He came from a noble lineage and was a disciple of the Grand Commandant Huang Wan. Yuan Shu and Chen Gui had a friendship in earlier years, and when the empire fell into chaos, Yuan Shu wrote to Chen Gui, attempting to win him over, taking Chen Gui's son Chen Ying as a hostage in order to compel Chen Gui to submit to him. ^c:4101 However, Chen Gui stood firm and replied with stern words refusing Yuan Shu's overtures, pointing out that Yuan Shu's conduct was like the tyranny of the fallen Qin, whereas Cao Cao accorded with the Mandate of Heaven and upheld the House of Han. He urged Yuan Shu to turn back from his lost path and declared that he would never curry favor with a rebel for his own selfish gain. ^c:4101

Yuan Shu once wished to form a marriage alliance with Lü Bu in order to consolidate his influence in the Xu and Yang regions. Knowing that this would threaten the House of Han, Chen Gui went to persuade Lü Bu, pointing out the legitimacy of Cao Cao in welcoming the Son of Heaven and assisting in governing the state, and urging Lü Bu to join forces with Cao Cao rather than form a marriage tie with Yuan Shu, lest he bear the name of disloyalty. ^c:6625 Lü Bu heeded Chen Gui's advice, recalled his daughter who was already on the road, and beheaded Yuan Shu's envoy Han Yin. Chen Gui also once recommended Hua Tuo as a Filial and Incorrupt candidate, but Hua Tuo did not answer the summons. ^c:4102

Later, Yuan Shu, enraged at the failed marriage alliance, joined with the generals Han Xian, Yang Feng, and others to attack Lü Bu. Lü Bu thereupon blamed Chen Gui. Chen Gui then offered Lü Bu a plan, pointing out that the alliance of Han Xian, Yang Feng, and Yuan Shu was no more than a ragtag host, hard to maintain for long, and could be sown with discord by stratagem. Lü Bu adopted Chen Gui's plan and successfully persuaded Han Xian and Yang Feng to turn their spears around, crushingly defeating Yuan Shu's army. ^c:15332 Chen Gui's son Chen Deng was also given an important post by Cao Cao, appointed Grand Administrator of Guangling, and Cao Cao placed high hopes on him, entrusting him with affairs in the east. ^c:6625

演中（In the Novel）

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Chen Gui's character is further shaped into a far-sighted sage loyal to the House of Han. When he first appears, he expresses concern over the marriage alliance between Yuan Shu and Lü Bu, regarding it as "a scheme to estrange the close through the distant" and foreseeing that Liu Bei would face danger. ^c:15324 In persuading Lü Bu, he not only stressed Yuan Shu's ambition to proclaim himself emperor but also pointed out that once Lü Bu formed a marriage tie with Yuan Shu, he would become "kin of a rebel," intolerable to the realm. ^c:15326 This episode is largely consistent with the historical record but adds more detail and dialogue, strengthening the force of Chen Gui's persuasion.

Chen Gui and his son Chen Deng played the key role in the novel of sowing discord between Lü Bu and Yuan Shu and ultimately bringing about Cao Cao's destruction of Lü Bu. When Yuan Shu's great army bore down, Chen Gong once suspected that the Chen father and son had invited disaster, and even advised Lü Bu to behead them to appease Yuan Shu's anger. ^c:6627 However, Chen Gui, by his wisdom, successfully sowed discord between the alliance of Han Xian, Yang Feng, and Yuan Shu, helping Lü Bu defeat Yuan Shu. ^c:15327 After Lü Bu's victory, Chen Gui then cleverly advised Lü Bu not to keep Han Xian and Yang Feng, lest he "add claws and fangs to a tiger." ^c:15327

When Cao Cao besieged Xu Province, the Chen father and son served as Cao Cao's inside agents and played an important role. Before Chen Deng set out, Chen Gui instructed him to exploit the opportunity of Cao Cao's words "all matters of the east are entrusted to you" to plot against Lü Bu. ^c:4104 Chen Deng also offered Lü Bu a plan to move his household and grain stores to Xiaopei, in fact to create an opportunity for Cao Cao to attack the city. Even when Liu Bei was set up by Che Zhou, Chen Gui ordered Chen Deng to go and pass on the warning, helping Liu Bei escape danger. ^c:4105 These episodes all highlight the loyalty of the Chen father and son to Cao Cao and their betrayal of Lü Bu; although some details have no clear basis in the historical sources, they suit the novel's needs in shaping the characters.

关键关系

* Yuan Shu (enemy_of): Chen Gui firmly opposed Yuan Shu's proclaiming himself emperor, refused his overtures, and repeatedly contrived to wreck Yuan Shu's plans, including blocking his marriage alliance with Lü Bu and sowing discord between him and Han Xian and Yang Feng. ^c:4101
* Cao Wei (serves): The Chen father and son were loyal to the House of Han and ultimately chose to serve Cao Cao, playing a key role as inside agents when Cao Cao attacked Lü Bu. ^c:6626
* Hua Tuo (witnesses): Chen Gui once recommended Hua Tuo as a Filial and Incorrupt candidate, showing his discernment of talent. ^c:4102
* Lü Bu's faction (serves): Chen Gui once devised strategies for Lü Bu, helping him defeat Yuan Shu, but in fact this was to sow discord between Lü Bu and external powers, ultimately bringing about Lü Bu's ruin. ^c:15332
* Chen Deng (father_of): Chen Gui's son; father and son together devised strategies for Cao Cao and were an important aid in Cao Cao's destruction of Lü Bu. ^c:6626
* Han Xian, Yang Feng (enemy_of): Chen Gui successfully sowed discord between them and Yuan Shu, and advised Lü Bu not to keep them, to prevent "adding claws and fangs to a tiger." ^c:15327 (novel only)

标志性场景

* Refusing Yuan Shu's overtures: Yuan Shu took Chen Gui's son as a hostage in an attempt to win Chen Gui over, but Chen Gui sternly refused and replied with a letter denouncing Yuan Shu's treasonous conduct, declaring his loyalty to the House of Han. ^c:4101
* Dissuading Lü Bu from the marriage alliance: Chen Gui went to persuade Lü Bu, pointing out the dangers of a marriage tie with Yuan Shu, successfully preventing the union of Lü Bu and Yuan Shu and prompting Lü Bu to behead Han Yin. ^c:6625
* Sowing discord in Yuan Shu's alliance: When Yuan Shu attacked Lü Bu, Chen Gui offered the plan to sow discord between Han Xian and Yang Feng, making them turn their spears around and crushingly defeat Yuan Shu's army. ^c:15332
* The "adding claws and fangs to a tiger" analogy: After Lü Bu defeated Yuan Shu and wished to keep Han Xian and Yang Feng, Chen Gui dissuaded him, saying: "If the two assist Lü Bu, it would instead be adding claws and fangs to a tiger." These words won Chen Deng's deep admiration. ^c:15327 (novel only)
* Father and son as Cao Cao's inside agents: When Cao Cao attacked Lü Bu, the Chen father and son served as inside agents, providing important help to Cao Cao and ultimately bringing about Lü Bu's ruin. ^c:6626