Wu Xi

Historical Record

Concerning Wu Xi, there is no clear record in the official histories. In sources such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms and Pei Songzhi's commentary, no biography or account of deeds related to Wu Xi can be found. Therefore, from the standpoint of historical verification, Wu Xi's actual existence in history and the specific events of his life cannot be verified. This suggests that Wu Xi is very likely a figure wholly fabricated by literary creation, or that his deeds went unrecorded by the official histories in the long course of history.

In the Novel

In the narrative of Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Wu Xi appears as a military officer, his deeds concentrated in the period of warlord struggles at the end of the Han. He is portrayed as a figure opposed to Guo Si. According to the novel, after Cao Cao led his army back to Xu, Wu Xi, together with Duan Wei, presented to Cao Cao the heads of Li Jue and Guo Si ^c:4516. Specifically, chapter 17 of the novel states, "Word came that Duan Wei had slain Li Jue and Wu Xi had slain Guo Si, and they brought the heads to present." ^c:4516 This episode is Wu Xi's most notable appearance in the novel. By slaying Guo Si and presenting his head, he declared his loyalty to Cao Cao and thereby won Cao Cao's favor. Subsequently, Cao Cao memorialized the Son of Heaven and enfeoffed Wu Xi as General Who Exterminates the Yu, ordering him, together with Duan Wei, to garrison Chang'an ^c:4516. Wu Xi's appearance in the novel mainly serves to advance the plot — that is, to clear away the remnants of Dong Zhuo's faction and pave the way for Cao Cao to further control the court and campaign on all sides. The novel's shaping of Wu Xi makes him a typical figure who, at a particular historical juncture, pledges allegiance to a rising power through force. It is worth noting, however, that these episodes about Wu Xi in the novel have no corresponding record in the official histories and belong to the novel's literary creation.

Key Relationships

Cao Wei (defected_to): In the novel, Wu Xi clearly shows his submission to Cao Cao. By slaying Guo Si and presenting his head, he won Cao Cao's recognition and reward, was appointed General Who Exterminates the Yu, and was ordered to garrison Chang'an ^c:4516. This shows that Wu Xi chose to pledge allegiance to the Cao Wei power that Cao Cao represented and became one of his subordinates. This relationship is purely a fiction of the novel, with no record in history.

Guo Si (enemy_of): There was an antagonistic relationship between Wu Xi and Guo Si. The novel clearly records that "Wu Xi slew Guo Si" ^c:4516 and presented his head to Cao Cao. This act directly brought about Guo Si's destruction and established Wu Xi's standing in Cao Cao's camp. This antagonistic relationship and its outcome are the core event through which Wu Xi appears and wins reward in the novel. This relationship is purely a fiction of the novel, with no record in history.

Signature Scenes

Wu Xi's most signature scene in the novel is undoubtedly the episode of "slaying Guo Si and presenting his head." In chapter 17 of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, when Cao Cao led his army back to Xu, word came that "Wu Xi had slain Guo Si and brought the head to present" ^c:4516. This scene not only directly led to the destruction of Guo Si, one of the remnants of Dong Zhuo's faction, but also enabled Wu Xi to render a great service before Cao Cao. Subsequently, at the grand banquet of peace, in accordance with Cao Cao's memorial, the Son of Heaven enfeoffed Wu Xi as General Who Exterminates the Yu and ordered him, together with Duan Wei, to garrison Chang'an ^c:4516. This scene is Wu Xi's only important appearance in the novel, and it concentrates the display of his valor and his submission to Cao Cao. Through this event, Wu Xi completed his main mission in the novel — that is, as one force, to help Cao Cao clear away the old powers and consolidate his political position. Since Wu Xi has no record in the official histories, this signature scene is entirely a literary creation of the novel (unique to the novel).