Lu Qian

史载（Historical Record）

Lu Qian, styled Zike, was a native of Rencheng. While Cao Cao was in Yanzhou, he heard that Lu Qian had courage and stratagem, and so appointed him an attendant officer and had him lead his household troops to garrison Hulu^[1]. At that time, Jiongmu and others, subjects of the Xiangben colonel Du Song, rose in revolt and colluded with Chang Xi. Cao Cao then sent Lu Qian to replace Du Song. After taking up his post, Lu Qian adopted a strategy of pacification, luring Jiongmu and several dozen of his fellow chiefs to come, and setting a banquet to entertain them. He secretly arranged stalwarts to lie in ambush at the sides. When Jiongmu and the others were flushed with wine, Lu Qian gave the signal, and the ambushers all sprang out and slew these chiefs to a man. He then pacified the rest of their followers and successfully put down the rebellion^[1].

Cao Cao therefore appointed Lu Qian grand administrator of Taishan. Taishan Commandery lay between mountains and sea, and in those chaotic times many of the people went into hiding. Several dozen men such as Guo Zu and Gongsun Du, appointed Generals of the Household by Yuan Shao, entrenched themselves in the mountains as bandits, and the people suffered greatly from them. After Lu Qian arrived in Taishan Commandery with his household troops, he widely extended kindness and trust; the partisans of Guo Zu and the others surrendered in droves, and the people who had hidden in the mountains all came out and settled into peaceful lives. Lu Qian selected the strong and able from among them to fill the ranks of his soldiers, and Taishan Commandery thereby gained an elite force whose fame surpassed that of any province or commandery^[1].

The Yellow Turban bandit Xu He and others of Jinan plundered officials everywhere and attacked the towns. Lu Qian led troops to join Xiahou Yuan and campaign against them together. They fought several dozen battles in all, killing and capturing several thousand. Cao Cao further ordered Lu Qian to take command of the troops of the various commanderies of Qing Province and campaign against the bandit horde of Li Tiao and others at Donglai, achieving merit. Cao Cao therefore issued an order commending Lu Qian, praising that "having such resolve, he must accomplish the deed," extolling him for "since coming to the commandery, capturing the treacherous and suppressing the violent, so that the people gained peace; he braved arrows and stones in person, and wherever he campaigned he conquered," and ranking him alongside such famous generals of history as Kou Xun and Geng Yan^[1]. Lu Qian was therefore recommended as a man of flourishing talent, given the additional title of cavalry commandant, and continued to serve as grand administrator of Taishan. He served in Taishan Commandery for over ten years, deeply winning the hearts of the people, with both awe and trust held in equal measure^[1].

After Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, ascended the throne, he gave Lu Qian the additional title of assistant general, enfeoffed him as Marquis of Yishou Precinct, and later promoted him to inspector of Xu Province with the added title of General Who Overawes the Caitiffs. He once invited Wang Xiang of Langya to serve as his aide, entrusting all the commandery's affairs to Wang Xiang's handling, and people widely praised his skill in employing the worthy^[2]. Lu Qian also campaigned against the rebels at Licheng, achieving merit in capturing and killing. After Emperor Ming of Wei, Cao Rui, ascended the throne, he re-enfeoffed him as Marquis of Wannian Precinct and increased his fief by two hundred households, bringing the total together with the previous to six hundred households. After Lu Qian died, his son Lü Fan inherited the title. After Lü Fan died, his son Lü Gui succeeded to the title^[2].

演中（In the Novel）

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Lu Qian's appearance differs slightly from the historical record; he is portrayed as one of the many talents Cao Cao recruited when seeking out the worthy. In Chapter 10, Xun Yu recommended Cheng Yu to Cao Cao, Cheng Yu recommended Guo Jia, and Guo Jia recommended Liu Ye. Liu Ye in turn recommended Man Chong and Lu Qian. The Romance relates that Cao Cao had long known the fame of Man Chong and Lu Qian, and so engaged them as attendant officers in his army^[3]. This differs from the historical record in which Lu Qian, because he "had courage and stratagem," was directly appointed an attendant officer by Cao Cao and led household troops to guard Hulu; the Romance places more emphasis on the background of his being recommended.

Lu Qian first displays his valor in the Romance in Chapter 12. When Cao Cao was returning to Yanzhou, Xue Lan and Li Feng came out of the city to fight. After Xu Chu beheaded Li Feng, Xue Lan hurriedly fled, but was pursued on horseback by Lu Qian, who shot him off his horse with a single arrow, causing Xue Lan's army to scatter^[4]. This episode is not recorded in the histories and is fabricated by the Romance to shape Lu Qian's valorous image.

After Cao Cao styled himself General-in-Chief and Marquis of Wuping, Lu Qian was appointed colonel, ranked alongside Li Dian, Yue Jin, Yu Jin, Xu Huang and others^[5]. Thereafter Lu Qian appears repeatedly in Cao Cao's military operations. For example, in Chapter 18, after Xiahou Dun was defeated by Gao Shun, Lu Qian and Li Dian together withdrew the defeated troops to make camp at Jibei^[6].

In Chapter 26, when Cao Cao was confronting Yuan Shao, Cao Cao ordered "the rear army to become the front army and the front army the rear; let the provisions go first and the troops follow behind." Lu Qian, puzzled by this, asked Cao Cao what he meant, and Cao Cao explained that "with provisions in the rear, they are often plundered, so I order them to go in front," and Lu Qian asked, "But what if they meet enemy troops and are carried off?" Lu Qian's question reflects his caution as a general and his consideration of the situation^[7].

In Chapter 32, when Yuan Tan sought aid from Cao Cao, Lu Qian and Man Chong together expressed their distrust of Yuan Tan and advised Cao Cao that he should not cast aside an outward ally to help Yuan Tan^[8]. This differs from the historical image of Lu Qian "extending kindness and trust" in governing Taishan Commandery; here the Romance lays more stress on his judgment as a military strategist.

On the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs, when Cao Cao designated his generals, Lu Qian was appointed the black-banner commander of the rear of the navy^[9]. Although he had no prominent performance in the Battle of Red Cliffs, this arrangement shows his standing in Cao Cao's military system.

关键关系

* Cao Cao (serves): Lu Qian was an important general and local official under Cao Cao. The histories record that Cao Cao appointed him an attendant officer because he "had courage and stratagem," promoted him to grand administrator of Taishan, and later gave him the additional titles of assistant general and inspector of Xu Province^[1],^[2]. In the Romance, Lu Qian was engaged by Cao Cao as an attendant officer in his army through Liu Ye's recommendation, and followed Cao Cao in campaigns in all directions^[3].
* Cao Wei (serves): Lu Qian served the Cao Wei regime loyally all his life, from Cao Cao's time through the two reigns of Cao Pi and Cao Rui, rising to inspector of Xu Province and being enfeoffed as Marquis of Wannian Precinct^[2].
* Jiongmu (enemy_of): The histories record that in pacifying the rebellion at Hulu, Lu Qian schemed to lure and kill Jiongmu and several dozen of his fellows, successfully quelling the rebellion^[1].
* Guo Zu and Gongsun Du (enemy_of): The histories record that during his tenure as grand administrator of Taishan, Lu Qian, through a strategy of "extending kindness and trust," induced the partisans of Guo Zu, Gongsun Du and others entrenched in the mountains to surrender in droves, pacifying the local bandit troubles^[1].
* Xue Lan and Li Feng (enemy_of, Romance only): In the Romance, when Cao Cao campaigned against Yanzhou, Lu Qian pursued and shot down the fleeing Xue Lan, displaying his valorous side^[4].
* Wang Xiang (colleague): The histories record that while serving as inspector of Xu Province, Lu Qian invited Wang Xiang of Langya to serve as his aide and entrusted the commandery's affairs to him, reflecting Lu Qian's skill in employing the worthy^[2].
* Xiahou Yuan (colleague): The histories record that Lu Qian once joined Xiahou Yuan in campaigning against the Jinan Yellow Turban bandit Xu He, achieving notable results^[1].
* Man Chong (colleague): In the Romance, Man Chong and Lu Qian were recommended together to Cao Cao by Liu Ye and jointly served as attendant officers in his army^[3]. They also together voiced their distrust of Yuan Tan when Cao Cao discussed his appeal for aid^[8].

标志性场景

* Cleverly killing Jiongmu and pacifying the Hulu rebellion: When Lu Qian first served as an attendant officer, facing the rebels Jiongmu and others, he did not choose a frontal assault but used a stratagem, setting a banquet and secretly placing ambushers, and when the moment was ripe, slew the ringleaders in one stroke, successfully pacifying the rebellion. This event fully displays Lu Qian's "courage and stratagem" and resourcefulness^[1].
* Combining kindness and might to govern Taishan Commandery: During his tenure as grand administrator of Taishan, facing Guo Zu, Gongsun Du and others who made themselves bandits in the mountains, Lu Qian adopted a strategy of "extending kindness and trust," so that the bandits surrendered and the people settled in peace. At the same time, he selected the strong and able to fill the ranks of his army, giving Taishan Commandery an elite force. This style of governance combining kindness and might earned him "great awe and beneficence" in Taishan Commandery^[1].
* Coordinated campaigns, repeatedly achieving merit: Lu Qian took part in many of Cao Cao's military operations, including campaigning together with Xiahou Yuan against the Jinan Yellow Turban bandit Xu He, and taking command of the troops of the various commanderies of Qing Province to campaign against the Donglai bandit horde of Li Tiao and others, all achieving notable merit and earning Cao Cao's commendation that "wherever he campaigned he conquered"^[1].
* Shooting down Xue Lan with an arrow (Romance only): In the Romance, when Cao Cao campaigned against Yanzhou, Lu Qian pursued the fleeing Xue Lan and shot him off his horse with a single arrow, displaying his valor and precise archery as a warrior^[4].
* Questioning Cao Cao's plan to send provisions first (Romance only): When confronting Yuan Shao, Cao Cao ordered the provisions to go first, and Lu Qian raised a question, asking how they would respond if they met enemy troops and were plundered. Though this scene did not alter the course of the battle, it portrays Lu Qian's caution as a general and his consideration of military strategy^[7].