Li Fu

Historical Record

Li Fu, styled Sunde, was a native of Fu in Zitong. After Liu Bei pacified Yi Province, Li Fu began his career as a clerk-assistant, then successively served as Prefect of Xichongguo, Magistrate of Chengdu, and other posts. In the first year of Jianxing, he was transferred to be Administrator of Baxi, concurrently serving as Commandant of Jiangzhou and General Who Manifests Might. Later, Li Fu entered the court as Deputy Director of the Imperial Secretariat and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Pingyang Village^[1].

In the early Yanxi period, when the Grand General Jiang Wan campaigned against Hanzhong, Li Fu served as army supervisor and concurrently held the post of marshal. According to the Yibu Qijiu Zaji, when Zhuge Liang fell gravely ill at Wugong, the Latter Lord Liu Shan sent Li Fu to visit him and to take the opportunity to consult Zhuge Liang on affairs of state. Li Fu conveyed Liu Shan's intentions to Zhuge Liang and listened to his views. A few days after Li Fu had set out to leave, he suddenly felt that he had not asked clearly about some matters, and so rode back to see Zhuge Liang again. Zhuge Liang said to Li Fu: "I know the reason for your return. Though we talked all day in recent days without rest, there remains something unsaid; this return of yours is merely to settle one more matter. The man you ask about—Jiang Gongyan (Jiang Wan) is the suitable choice." Li Fu then apologized: "I was indeed remiss before in not consulting you—after your hundred years, who can take charge of the great affairs of state? That is why I returned. Allow me to ask again: after Jiang Wan, who can bear the great responsibility?" Zhuge Liang replied: "Fei Wenwei (Fei Yi) can succeed him." Li Fu further asked who would come after Fei Yi, but Zhuge Liang did not answer again. After returning, Li Fu reported to Liu Shan, having carried out his envoy's mission very much to the sovereign's satisfaction. Li Fu was shrewd and discerning, decisive and sharp, and excelled in handling administrative affairs. His son Li Xiang, styled Shulong, was also well known, rising to the posts of Gentleman of the Imperial Secretariat and Administrator of Guanghan^[1].

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Li Fu's image centers on two key conversations during Zhuge Liang's critical illness. When Zhuge Liang fell gravely ill at the Wuzhang Plains, the Latter Lord Liu Shan, greatly alarmed at the report, hastily dispatched the Imperial Secretary Li Fu to rush day and night to the army to visit Zhuge Liang and ask about his final arrangements^[2]. Upon arriving, Li Fu conveyed Liu Shan's well-wishes to Zhuge Liang. Weeping, Zhuge Liang said to Li Fu: "I have unfortunately met my end midway, vainly squandering the great affairs of state and offending all under heaven. After my death, you must all serve the sovereign with utmost loyalty. The old institutions of the state must not be changed; the men I have employed must not be lightly cast aside. My military methods have all been passed to Jiang Wei, who can carry on my aspirations and exert himself for the state. My life hangs by a thread; I shall presently submit a final memorial to the Son of Heaven." Hearing these words, Li Fu hastily took his leave and departed^[2].

However, not long after Li Fu departed, he returned again. By then Zhuge Liang had already fallen unconscious and could not speak. Seeing this, Li Fu could not help but cry out, weeping: "I have ruined the great affairs of state!"^[3] After a moment, Zhuge Liang revived and saw Li Fu standing before his couch. Zhuge Liang said: "I already know the reason for your return." Li Fu apologized: "I came by the Son of Heaven's command to ask, after the Chancellor's hundred years, who can take charge of the great affairs of state. Just now, in my haste, I neglected to consult you, and so I returned." Zhuge Liang replied: "After my death, the one who can take charge of the great affairs is Jiang Gongyan (Jiang Wan)—he is the suitable choice." Li Fu asked again: "After Jiang Wan, who can succeed?" Zhuge Liang said: "Fei Wenwei (Fei Yi) can succeed." Li Fu pressed further: "After Fei Yi, who can take charge?" Zhuge Liang did not answer again, and then passed away^[3]. In the novel, this episode of Li Fu "returning again to ask about the successors" highlights his sense of responsibility for the state and his reliance on Zhuge Liang's wisdom, and indirectly displays Zhuge Liang's far-reaching consideration for Shu Han's future arrangement of talent.

Key Relationships

* Jiang Wan (commands_in): In the histories, Li Fu, as army supervisor, concurrently held the post of marshal under Jiang Wan during his campaign against Hanzhong in the early Yanxi period, subject to Jiang Wan's command^[1]. In the novel, the gravely ill Zhuge Liang clearly pointed out to Li Fu that Jiang Wan was the one who could take charge of the great affairs after his hundred years^[3].
* Liu Shan (serves): As an official of Shu Han, Li Fu began serving Shu Han after the Former Lord Liu Bei pacified Yi Province, rising to Deputy Director of the Imperial Secretariat and being enfeoffed as Marquis of Pingyang Village^[1]. In the novel, Li Fu went by Liu Shan's command to the Wuzhang Plains to visit the gravely ill Zhuge Liang and to ask about affairs of state and the matter of succession^[2].
* Shu Han (serves): Li Fu served the Shu Han regime all his life, holding many posts, and was one of Shu Han's important civil officials^[1]. During Zhuge Liang's critical illness, he twice asked about affairs of state and the successors, reflecting his deep concern and loyalty toward Shu Han's future^[3] (novel only).

Iconic Scenes

* Sent in haste, returning again to ask about the successors: This is Li Fu's most representative scene in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. By Liu Shan's command, he hurried to the Wuzhang Plains to visit the gravely ill Zhuge Liang and ask about affairs of state. After receiving Zhuge Liang's initial instructions, Li Fu, "having ridden off but his thoughts not exhausting his intent," returned again to press Zhuge Liang on who could take charge of the great responsibility after his hundred years. This act not only displays his sense of responsibility for the state but also highlights Zhuge Liang's central and irreplaceable position within the Shu Han regime^[2][3]. The histories also contain a similar record: when Zhuge Liang was gravely ill, Li Fu "suddenly, his thoughts not exhausting his intent, turned his horse back to see Zhuge Liang," and consulted him on the matter of succession by Jiang Wan and Fei Yi^[1].
* Seeing Kongming unconscious, weeping "I have ruined the great affairs of state!": When Li Fu returned to the Wuzhang Plains a second time, he saw that Zhuge Liang had already fallen unconscious and could not speak, and could not help but "weep aloud: 'I have ruined the great affairs of state!'"^[3] This scene vividly depicts Li Fu's anxious, remorseful state of mind, and from the side underscores Zhuge Liang's important place in the hearts of Li Fu and indeed all the subjects of Shu Han. This detail is the novel's enrichment of Li Fu's character and emotion; the histories do not directly record Li Fu making such a statement, but his act of "his thoughts not exhausting his intent" accords with the psychology shown here.
* Consulting Zhuge Liang about the successors: In both the histories and the novel, Li Fu played the role of consulting Zhuge Liang about the future successors. In the histories, during Zhuge Liang's grave illness, Li Fu twice sought his counsel on affairs of state and the successors, receiving clear answers of Jiang Wan and Fei Yi^[1]. In the novel, this episode is further dramatized, with Li Fu's two inquiries and Zhuge Liang's answers on his deathbed becoming an important passage explaining Shu Han's future personnel arrangements^[3]. This is not only Li Fu's iconic act but also an embodiment of Zhuge Liang's spirit of "bending to the task and giving his all until death."