Liu Ye

Historical Record

Liu Ye, styled Ziyang, was a native of Chengde in Huainan, and a descendant of Liu Yan, Prince of Fuling and a son of Emperor Guangwu of Han ^c:8261. His father was Liu Pu and his mother Xiu. From a young age Liu Ye displayed extraordinary courage and decisiveness. Before his mother died, she charged the two brothers, Liu Ye and his sibling, that an attendant of Pu's had a flattering and harmful nature and that she feared he would disturb the household after her death. When Liu Ye was thirteen, he resolutely struck down that attendant with his own hand and went straight to pay his respects at his mother's grave; though his father Liu Pu was at first angry, when he saw that the deed had its reason, he in the end did not punish him ^c:8261.

In his early years Liu Ye took refuge in Yang Province, where Xu Shao of Runan appraised him as having the talent to assist the age. At the time Yang Province had many reckless bravos and crafty schemers, of whom Zheng Bao was the boldest and most martial, holding troops and exalting himself. Zheng Bao wished to coerce the common people into crossing the Yangtze, and, valuing Liu Ye's reputation, sought to force him to be the spokesman. Liu Ye was troubled; just then Cao Cao sent an envoy to the province, and Liu Ye seized the chance to travel together with the envoy. Zheng Bao came with several hundred men to call on the envoy, and Liu Ye laid out a banquet to entertain him, secretly ordering stout men to watch for a chance to assassinate Zheng Bao. Because Zheng Bao was on his guard, Liu Ye then struck him down with his own hand, and overawed his followers with the authority of Lord Cao's command, in the end winning over Zheng Bao's troops. Unwilling, however, to hold troops and exalt himself, Liu Ye handed the soldiers over to Liu Xun, Administrator of Lujiang. When Liu Xun was puzzled by this, Liu Ye explained that Zheng Bao's followers had always lived by plunder and were hard to control for long, and so he had handed them over to him. Later, when Sun Ce, with humble words and rich gifts, lured Liu Xun into attacking Shangliao, Liu Ye alone argued against the consensus, pointing out that this move would surely leave Liu Xun caught between two fronts and ultimately fall prey to Sun Ce. Liu Xun did not listen, and as expected fell into the trap, in the end reaching a dead end and taking refuge with Cao Cao ^c:556.

After Cao Cao recruited Liu Ye, he greatly valued his wisdom. In the campaign against Zhang Lu, Liu Ye strongly urged an attack, pointing out that Hanzhong could be taken, and offered the strategy of sending out many crossbows to shoot at the enemy camp, which in the end caused Zhang Lu to flee and pacified Hanzhong ^c:8266. After Hanzhong was pacified, Liu Ye advised Cao Cao to seize the momentum and take the land of Shu, holding that Liu Bei had held Shu only a short time and that the people of Shu were not yet settled, so that an attack now would surely succeed; but if there were the slightest delay, then Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and others would make Shu secure, and it would be hard to take. Cao Cao did not follow his words at the time, but seven days later, when those who surrendered from Shu spoke of the land's instability, Cao Cao asked Liu Ye again, and Liu Ye then held that by now it had grown somewhat settled and could no longer be struck ^c:558.

After Emperor Wen, Cao Pi, ascended the throne, Liu Ye was appointed Palace Attendant. He accurately predicted that Liu Bei would surely attack Wu to avenge Guan Yu, and pointed out that Sun Quan's declaring himself a vassal was a move forced upon him from without and beset within, so that the moment should be seized to attack him. Later, Liu Bei did attack Wu, and Sun Quan, just as Liu Ye said, grew ever more humble in outward courtesy while inwardly acting at cross-purposes ^c:560. When Cao Pi personally campaigned at Guangling, the assembled ministers all thought Sun Quan would come in person to give battle, but Liu Ye alone judged that Sun Quan would surely not come in person but would marshal his troops and await events; in the end Cao Pi halted for several days, and Sun Quan indeed did not come ^c:8271. At court Liu Ye did not associate with the men of his time, holding that, the house of Wei being newly established, the wise know their fate, and that he, being a branch kinsman of the Han house yet serving as a confidant in Wei, found it fitting to keep few companions and little following ^c:8272.

In his later years, during the time of Emperor Ming, Cao Rui, Liu Ye displayed a character of adapting and holding to both sides over the matter of campaigning against Shu. In private he told Cao Rui that Shu could be attacked, but outside he told the court ministers it could not be attacked. The Central Commandant of the Army Yang Ji therefore reported him to Cao Rui, and Cao Rui summoned Liu Ye to interrogate him; Liu Ye responded that "warfare is the way of deception," and won Cao Rui's understanding. However, someone slandered Liu Ye to Cao Rui, saying that he was skilled at divining the sovereign's intentions; when Cao Rui tested him, he indeed found Liu Ye's words mostly agreeing with his own thoughts, and so began to grow distant from him. Liu Ye thereupon fell ill from melancholy and at last died in the office of Grand Herald, with the posthumous title Marquis Jing ^c:8272.

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Ye's image is further developed, with many scenes of cunning strategy added, making him one of the important strategists in Cao Cao's camp.

Liu Ye first appears when Cao Cao was recruiting men of worth, brought in on Guo Jia's recommendation; Liu Ye then recommended Man Chong, Lu Qian, and others to serve Cao Cao together ^c:4708. When Cao Cao attacked Puyang, Lü Bu set a feigned-surrender stratagem to lure Cao Cao into the city. The generals were all delighted, but Liu Ye alone saw through the trick and advised Cao Cao to divide his forces into three columns — one to enter the city, two to support it — to guard against the unexpected. Cao Cao adopted his plan, and in the end Lü Bu's ambush failed to succeed ^c:562.

In the Battle of Guandu, Yuan Shao's army piled up earthen hills and shot at Cao's troops with bows and crossbows. Liu Ye offered the plan of building "stone-hurling carts" to break them, and Cao's army then built the thunderbolt carts and drove off Yuan's archers ^c:8240. Afterward, Yuan's army dug tunnels to launch a surprise attack on Cao's camp, and Liu Ye again offered a plan, having Cao's army dig a long trench around the camp, rendering Yuan's tunnels useless ^c:8241. These episodes all highlight Liu Ye's talent in military engineering and defensive strategy.

Before the Battle of Red Cliffs, when Cao Cao's great army marched south and Liu Bei led the people across the river, Liu Ye advised Cao Cao first to summon Liu Bei to surrender, to show his benevolence toward the people; if Liu Bei would not surrender, Cao Cao could still win the people's hearts. Cao Cao adopted his words and sent Xu Shu to summon Liu Bei to surrender ^c:563. This summons, however, ultimately failed.

After the Hanzhong Campaign, Sima Yi advised Cao Cao to seize the momentum and attack Shu, and Liu Ye seconded the proposal, holding that if they did not take it in time, once Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and the others made Shu secure, it would be hard to conquer. But Cao Cao did not adopt it at the time ^c:4710. When Cao Cao personally campaigned at Hanzhong, Liu Ye again advised him, pointing out that if Hanzhong were lost the Central Plains would be shaken, and urging Cao Cao to campaign in person ^c:8248. When Cao Cao wished to send Xiahou Yuan out to battle, Liu Ye further remonstrated that Xiahou Yuan was harsh by nature and might fall into a treacherous trap, advising Cao Cao to caution him by personal letter ^c:8249.

After Cao Pi proclaimed himself emperor, Liu Ye repeatedly offered original insights on military decisions. When Sun Quan sent an envoy to declare submission, Liu Ye strongly urged that, while Wu and Shu were at war, Wei should send out troops to seize Eastern Wu, holding that Sun Quan's declaration of submission was a feigned surrender and not to be trusted. He even predicted that to enfeoff Sun Quan as a king would be "to add wings to a tiger" ^c:564. Later, when Cao Pi campaigned against Wu, Liu Ye again pointed out that Eastern Wu's Lu Xun had just shattered the Shu army and was at the height of his ardor, and that with the barrier of the rivers and lakes one should not act rashly ^c:565. These all displayed Liu Ye's precise judgment of the situation under heaven.

In the time of Cao Rui, Liu Ye displayed over the question of campaigning against Shu the same character of "adapting and holding to both sides" found in the histories. He privately advised Cao Rui to campaign against Shu, but before the court ministers held the opposite view, explaining his conduct with the words "warfare is the way of deception," and won Cao Rui's understanding and respect ^c:566. In the novel, Liu Ye's cunning strategy and foresight are more fully displayed, but the episode of his ultimately losing favor through "cunning deceit" accords with the account in the historical Fu Zi ^c:8272.

Key Relationships

* Zheng Bao (enemy_of): In his early years Liu Ye rid the people of a scourge, striking down with his own hand the bold and martial Zheng Bao and winning over his troops, displaying his exceptional courage and decisiveness ^c:556.
* Liu Xun (advises_in): Liu Ye handed over the troops he had won from Zheng Bao to Liu Xun, and once warned Liu Xun not to fall into Sun Ce's trap, but Liu Xun did not heed him and in the end was defeated and took refuge with Cao Cao ^c:556.
* Cao Cao (advises_in): Liu Ye was an important strategist of Cao Cao, who repeatedly offered plans on military strategy, such as strongly urging the attack on Zhang Lu in the Hanzhong campaign, and offering the plans of building thunderbolt carts and digging the long trench in the Battle of Guandu ^c:8266, ^c:8240, ^c:8241. Cao Cao greatly valued his wisdom, praising him with "your words come near the mark" ^c:4706.
* Cao Wei (serves): Throughout his life Liu Ye served the Cao Wei regime, holding important offices from the time of Cao Cao through that of Cao Pi and Cao Rui, contributing his counsel to Cao Wei's cause of unification and the consolidation of its rule ^c:560, ^c:8272.
* Cao Pi (advises_in): In Cao Pi's time Liu Ye served as Palace Attendant and repeatedly offered advice on military and diplomatic affairs, such as predicting Liu Bei's attack on Wu and Sun Quan's feigned surrender, though his advice was often not fully adopted ^c:560, ^c:564.
* Cao Rui (advises_in): In Cao Rui's time, over the proposal to campaign against Shu, Liu Ye displayed his character of "adapting and holding to both sides"; though he ultimately won Cao Rui's understanding, he lost favor through slander ^c:8272.
* Xun Yu, Guo Jia (colleagues): In the novel, Liu Ye, together with Xun Yu, Guo Jia, and others, served as a strategist under Cao Cao, devising plans for him together ^c:4708.
* Meng Da (predicted his rebellion): Liu Ye once predicted that Meng Da had a heart bent on opportunistic gain and could never feel gratitude or cherish righteousness, and in the end Meng Da indeed rebelled, confirming Liu Ye's discernment of men ^c:559.
* Wei Feng (predicted his rebellion): Liu Ye once predicted that Wei Feng would surely rebel, and in the end it was just as he said ^c:559 (novel only).

Defining Scenes

* Striking down the attendant, resolutely ridding the household of harm: In his youth, obeying his mother's last charge, Liu Ye struck down with his own hand the household attendant, displaying a courage and decisiveness beyond the ordinary and laying the foundation of the character with which he would later assist a wise lord ^c:8261.
* Cleverly slaying Zheng Bao, handing the troops to Liu Xun: Liu Ye craftily laid a plan, struck down with his own hand the bold and martial Zheng Bao, and overawed his followers with the name of Lord Cao. He then handed the troops over to Liu Xun, unattached to power, embodying his lofty character. This act also planted the seed of Liu Xun's later defeat ^c:556.
* Warning Liu Xun, perceiving Sun Ce's ruse: When Liu Xun was about to attack Shangliao, Liu Ye alone argued against the consensus and precisely foresaw that Sun Ce would strike at the unguarded moment, leaving Liu Xun caught between two fronts. This event fully displays Liu Ye's profound insight into the military situation ^c:556.
* Offering strategy at Hanzhong, strongly urging the attack on Shu: After Cao Cao pacified Hanzhong, Liu Ye argued against the consensus and advised Cao Cao to seize the momentum and take Shu, pointing out that Liu Bei's footing was not yet secure and that this was the best moment. Although Cao Cao did not adopt it, Liu Ye's foresight was later borne out in the sources ^c:558.
* Predicting Liu Bei's attack on Wu and Sun Quan's feigned surrender: Liu Ye accurately predicted that Liu Bei would surely attack Wu to avenge Guan Yu, and pointed out that Sun Quan's declaring himself a vassal was a move forced upon him from without and beset within, advising Cao Pi to seize the chance to attack. These predictions were all verified by history, displaying his extraordinary strategic vision ^c:560.
* The Guangling campaign, predicting Sun Quan would not come: When Cao Pi personally campaigned at Guangling, the assembled ministers all thought Sun Quan would come in person to give battle, but Liu Ye alone judged that Sun Quan would not come in person but would marshal his troops and await events. In the end Sun Quan indeed did not come, and Cao Pi praised him with "your stratagem was right" ^c:8271.
* Offering plans at Guandu, building thunderbolt carts and digging the long trench (novel only): In the Battle of Guandu, Liu Ye offered the plan of building stone-hurling carts to break Yuan Shao's earthen hills, and the plan of digging a long trench to guard against Yuan's tunnels, relieving Cao Cao at critical moments and displaying his talent in military engineering ^c:8240, ^c:8241.
* Both sides over the campaign against Shu, warfare as the way of deception: In the time of Emperor Ming, Cao Rui, on the question of campaigning against Shu, Liu Ye privately said it could be attacked and publicly said it could not. When Cao Rui interrogated him, he explained with "warfare is the way of deception," emphasizing the importance of military secrecy and embodying his deep grasp of the arts of power ^c:8272.
* Losing favor through "cunning deceit," dying of melancholy: In his later years Liu Ye lost favor when he was slandered as skilled at divining the sovereign's intentions, and in the end died of melancholy. This both embodies his character and reflects the political reality that attending a lord is like attending a tiger ^c:8272.