Xi Zhicai
–c. 195

Xi Zhicai, a Yingchuan strategist under Cao Cao, is noted for Cao Cao’s regard and his early death.
In the sources
Where the books name Xi Zhicai
History · vol. 10Records of the Three Kingdoms
…先是,彧言策謀士,進戲志才。志才卒,又進郭嘉。太祖以彧爲知人,諸所進達皆稱職,唯嚴象爲楊州,韋康爲涼州,後敗亡。…
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建安元年,太祖撃破黃巾。漢獻帝自河東還洛陽。太祖議奉迎都許,或以山東未平,韓暹、楊奉新將天子到洛陽,北連張楊,未可卒制。彧勸太祖曰:「昔晉文公納周襄王而諸侯景從,髙祖東伐爲義帝縞素而天下歸心。自天子播越,將軍首唱義兵,徒以山東擾亂,未能遠赴關右,然猶分遣將帥,蒙險通使,雖禦難于外,乃心無不在王室,是將軍匡天下之素志也。今車駕旋軫,東京榛蕪,義士有存本之思,百姓感舊而增哀。誠因此時,奉主上以從民望,大順也;秉至公以服雄傑,大略也;扶弘義以致英俊,大德也。天下雖有逆節,必不能爲累,明矣。韓暹、楊奉其敢爲害!若不時定,四方生心,後雖慮之,無及。」太祖遂至洛陽,奉迎天子都許。天子拜太祖大將軍,進彧爲漢侍中,守尚書令。常居中持重,〈《典略》曰:彧折節下士,坐不累席。其在臺閣,不以私欲撓意。彧有羣從一人,才行實薄,或謂彧:「以君當事,不可不以某爲議郎邪?」彧笑曰:「官者所以表才也,若如來言,衆人其謂我何邪!」其持心平正皆類此。〉太祖雖征伐在外,軍國事皆與彧籌焉。〈《典略》曰:彧爲人偉美。又平原禰衡傳曰:衡字正平,建安初,自荊州北游許都,恃才傲逸,臧否過差,見不如己者不與語,人皆以是憎之。唯少府孔融髙貴其才,上書薦之曰:「淑質貞亮,英才卓犖。初渉藝文,升堂覩奧;目所一見,輒誦於口,耳所暫聞,不忘於心。性與道合,思若有神。弘羊心計,安世默識,以衡準之,誠不足恠。」衡時年二十四。是時許都雖新建,尚饒人士。衡嘗書一刺懷之,字漫滅而無所適。或問之曰:「何不從陳長文、司馬伯達乎?」衡曰:「卿欲使我從屠沽兒輩也!」又問曰:「當今許中,誰最可者?」衡曰:「大兒有孔文舉,小兒有楊德祖。」又問:「曹公、荀令君、趙盪寇皆足蓋世乎?」衡稱曹公不甚多;又見荀有儀容,趙有腹尺,因荅曰:「文若可借面吊喪,稚長可使監廚請客。」其意以爲荀但有貌,趙健啖肉也。於是衆人皆切齒。衡知衆不恱,將南還荊州。裝束臨發,衆人爲祖道,先設供帳於城南,自共相誡曰:「衡數不遜,今因其後到,以不起報之。」及衡至,衆人皆坐不起,衡乃號咷大哭。衆人問其故,衡曰:「行屍柩之間,能不悲乎?」衡南見劉表,表甚禮之。將軍黃祖屯夏口,祖子射與衡善,隨到夏口。祖嘉其才,毎在坐,席有異賔,介使與衡談。後衡驕蹇,荅祖言徘優饒言,祖以爲罵己也,大怒,顧伍伯捉頭出。左右遂扶以去,拉而殺之。臣松之以本傳不稱彧容貌,故載《典略》與衡傳以見之。又潘勗爲彧碑文,稱彧「瓌姿奇表」。張衡《文士傳》曰:孔融數薦衡於太祖,欲與相見,而衡疾惡之,意常憤懣。因狂疾不肯往,而數有言論。太祖聞其名,圖欲辱之,乃録爲鼓吏。後至八月朝,大宴,賔客並會。時鼓吏撃鼓過,皆當脱其故服,易着新衣。次衡,衡撃爲漁陽參檛,容態不常,音節殊妙。坐上賔客聽之,莫不慷慨。過不易衣,吏呵之,衡乃當太祖前,以次脱衣,裸身而立,徐徐乃着褌冐畢,復撃鼓參檛,而顏色不怍。太祖大笑,告四坐曰:「本欲辱衡,衡反辱孤。」至今有漁陽參檛,自衡造也。融深責數衡,并宣太祖意,欲令與太祖相見。衡許之,曰:「當爲卿往。」至十月朝,融先見太祖,説「衡欲求見」。至日晏,衡着布單衣,疎巾履,坐太祖營門外,以杖捶地,數罵太祖。太祖勑外廄急具精馬三匹,并騎二人,謂融曰:「禰衡豎子,乃敢爾!孤殺之無異於雀鼠,顧此人素有虚名,遠近所聞,今日殺之,人將謂孤不能容。今送與劉表,視卒當何如?」乃令騎以衡置馬上,兩騎扶送至南陽。《傅子》曰:衡辯於言而剋于論,見荊州牧劉表日,所以自結於表者甚至,表恱之以爲上賔。衡稱表之美盈口,而論表左右不廢繩墨。於是左右因形而譖之,曰:「衡稱將軍之仁,西伯不過也,唯以爲不能斷;終不濟者,必由此也。」是言實指表智短,而非衡所言也。表不詳察,遂疎衡而逐之。衡以交絶於劉表,智窮於黃祖,身死名滅,爲天下笑者,譖之者有形也。〉太祖問彧:「誰能代卿爲我謀者?」彧言「荀攸、鍾繇」。先是,彧言策謀士,進戲志才。志才卒,又進郭嘉。太祖以彧爲知人,諸所進達皆稱職,唯嚴象爲楊州,韋康爲涼州,後敗亡。〈《三輔決録》曰:象字文則,京兆人。少聦博,有膽智。以督軍御史中丞詣揚州討袁術,會術病卒,因以爲揚州刺史。建安五年,爲孫策廬江太守李術所殺,時年三十八。象同郡趙岐作三輔決録,恐時人不盡其意,故隱其書,唯以示象。康字元將,亦京兆人。孔融與康父端書曰:「前日元將來,淵才亮茂,雅度弘毅,偉世之器也。昨日仲將又來,懿性貞實,文愍篤誠,保家之主也。不意雙珠,近出老蚌,甚珍貴之。」端從涼州牧徴爲太僕,康代爲涼州刺史,時人榮之。後爲馬超所圍,堅守歴時,救軍不至,遂爲超所殺。仲將名誕,見劉邵傳。〉
History · vol. 14Records of the Three Kingdoms
先是時,潁川戲志才,籌畫士也,太祖甚器之。早卒。太祖與荀彧書曰:「自志才亡後,莫可與計事者。…
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先是時,潁川戲志才,籌畫士也,太祖甚器之。早卒。太祖與荀彧書曰:「自志才亡後,莫可與計事者。汝、潁固多奇士,誰可以繼之?」 彧薦嘉。召見,論天下事。太祖曰:「使孤成大業者,必此人也。」嘉出,亦喜曰:「真吾主也。」表為司空軍祭酒。〈傅子曰:太祖謂嘉曰:「本初擁冀州之眾,青、並從之,地廣兵強,而數為不遜。吾欲討之,力不敵,如何?」對曰:〉
History · vol. 14Records of the Three Kingdoms
郭嘉字奉孝,潁川陽翟人也。〈《傅子》曰:嘉少有遠量。漢末天下將亂。…
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郭嘉字奉孝,潁川陽翟人也。〈《傅子》曰:嘉少有遠量。漢末天下將亂。自弱冠匿名跡,密交結英雋,不與俗接,故時人多莫知,惟識達者奇之。年二十七,辟司徒府。〉初,北見袁紹,謂紹謀臣辛評、郭圖曰:「夫智者審於量主,故百舉百全而功名可立也。袁公徒欲效周公之下士,而未知用人之機。多端寡要,好謀無決,欲與共濟天下大難,定霸王之業,難矣!」於是遂去之。
On the boards
Where this person ranks on each board.
Xi Zhicai was a strategist from Yingchuan who was highly valued by Cao Cao. The source does not record which chapters he appears in, and he does not appear in the novel.
Deeds
Xi Zhicai once advised Cao Cao, who valued him greatly; he died young. (Recorded in historical sources)
After Xi Zhicai’s death, Cao Cao wrote to Xun Yu, saying that he had no one with whom to discuss plans, and asking who in Yingchuan could take his place. Xun Yu then recommended Guo Jia. (Recorded in historical sources)
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Xun Yu
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