Wang Kai

Historical Record

The historical records on Wang Kai are extremely sparse. In the existing historical sources, no clear account can be found of Wang Kai's life, official posts, or the role he played in historical events. This means that, within the scope of the official histories, Wang Kai is not a figure with any notable record, and his historical reality, or his influence in history, cannot be confirmed from the extant sources. We therefore cannot describe him in detail from a historical standpoint.

In the Novel

In the literary world of Luo Guanzhong's *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Wang Kai appears as one of Lü Bu's strategists, his image and deeds concentrated mainly in Chapter 19. Together with Xu Si, he offered counsel to Lü Bu when Lü Bu was besieged by Cao Cao at Xiapi^[1]. At that time Lü Bu spent his days drinking with Lady Yan and Diao Chan to dispel his cares, at a loss before his predicament. Wang Kai and Xu Si advised Lü Bu to once again seek aid from Yuan Shu, and brought up the fact that Lü Bu had once made a marriage agreement with Yuan Shu, intending to break Cao Cao's siege through a pincer attack from within and without. This stratagem was adopted by Lü Bu, who at once wrote a letter and dispatched Wang Kai and Xu Si to Shouchun^[1].

Upon arriving at Shouchun, Wang Kai and Xu Si had an audience with Yuan Shu and presented Lü Bu's letter. Yuan Shu, however, had long been displeased with Lü Bu's fickle nature, and questioned Lü Bu's motives in coming to seek aid only when in straits. Faced with Yuan Shu's questioning, Wang Kai and Xu Si argued strenuously, attributing the earlier grievances to Cao Cao's cunning schemes and stressing the principle that "when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold," in an attempt to persuade Yuan Shu to send troops to help^[2]. Wang Kai pointed out that if Yuan Shu did not lend a hand, then once Lü Bu was destroyed Yuan Shu himself would face danger. Yuan Shu, however, insisted that Lü Bu first send his daughter before he would dispatch troops. In the end Wang Kai and Xu Si failed to persuade Yuan Shu to send troops at once, and could only return together with Hao Meng^[2]. On the return journey, to avoid being discovered by Cao Cao's army, Xu Si suggested traveling by night, with Hao Meng covering the rear. Wang Kai's appearances in the novel revolve mainly around offering stratagems for Lü Bu and serving as an envoy traveling back and forth between Lü Bu and Yuan Shu; his image is that of one among Lü Bu's many strategists, but his stratagem in the end could not change Lü Bu's fate.

Key Relationships

* Lü Bu (serves): In the novel Wang Kai is a strategist of Lü Bu, offering him counsel and being charged to serve as an envoy^[1]. His relationship with Lü Bu is that of subordinate to lord, reflecting Lü Bu's reliance on his strategists in his predicament.
* Xu Si (colleague): In the novel Wang Kai and Xu Si are colleagues, together offering counsel to Lü Bu and going together to Shouchun to persuade Yuan Shu^[1]. The two cooperated with each other in their actions, jointly facing Yuan Shu's questioning.
* Yuan Shu (negotiator): As Lü Bu's envoy, Wang Kai negotiated with Yuan Shu, attempting to persuade him to send troops to aid Lü Bu^[2]. However, Yuan Shu's distrust of Lü Bu meant the negotiation in the end failed to achieve the result Lü Bu had hoped for.

Iconic Scenes

* Proposing to seek aid from Yuan Shu: When Lü Bu was besieged by Cao Cao at Xiapi, Wang Kai and Xu Si advised Lü Bu to once again seek aid from Yuan Shu, in the hope of attacking Cao Cao from within and without. This scene is Wang Kai's first and chief appearance in the novel, and directly drove the renewed contact between Lü Bu and Yuan Shu^[1] (novel only).
* Persuading Yuan Shu at Shouchun: As Lü Bu's envoys, Wang Kai and Xu Si went to Shouchun to have audience with Yuan Shu and attempt to persuade him to send troops. Faced with Yuan Shu's questioning, Wang Kai strenuously urged him with the principle that "when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold," displaying his side as a persuader^[2] (novel only). Though not entirely successful, this scene is the passage in which Wang Kai speaks the most and plays the most prominent role in the novel.