Sui Gu

Historical Record

Sui Gu, styled Baitu ("White Hare," as recorded in the Dianlüe)^[1], was a general under Zhang Yang, Grand Administrator of Henei in the late Eastern Han. When the Son of Heaven was adrift in Hedong, Zhang Yang led troops to Anyi and was enfeoffed as General Who Pacifies the State and Marquis of Jinyang. He once intended to escort the Son of Heaven back to Luoyang, but as the various generals would not follow, he returned to Yewang. In the first year of the Jian'an era (196 CE), when Emperor Xian of Han returned to the old capital of Luoyang under the escort of Yang Feng, Dong Cheng, and Han Xian, Zhang Yang provided grain aid and told the generals that the Son of Heaven should be shared with all under Heaven, while he himself was willing to guard against external troubles and need not remain in the capital. He then returned again to Yewang and was appointed Grand Marshal^[1].

Zhang Yang had always been on good terms with Lü Bu. When Cao Cao besieged Lü Bu at Xiapi, Zhang Yang tried to relieve him but could not succeed, only sending troops to Dongshi to make a distant show of force^[1]. However, Zhang Yang's general Yang Chou harbored treacherous designs and killed Zhang Yang, intending to defect to Cao Cao. Sui Gu, as Zhang Yang's old subordinate, thereupon killed Yang Chou and gathered up Zhang Yang's forces. He did not choose to submit to Cao Cao but led his troops north, seeking to join Yuan Shao^[1].

In the second month of the fourth year of Jian'an (199 CE), Cao Cao returned from Changyi and learned of Sui Gu's movements. Sui Gu was at that time encamped at Shequan. In the fourth month of summer, Cao Cao advanced to Linhe and dispatched Shi Huan and Cao Ren to cross the river and attack Sui Gu. Sui Gu left Zhang Yang's former Chief Clerk Xue Hong and the Henei Grand Administrator Miao Shang to guard Shequan, while he himself led the main force north to meet Yuan Shao's reinforcements. At Quancheng, Sui Gu encountered the forces of Shi Huan and Cao Ren and a fierce battle ensued. Cao Cao's forces crushed Sui Gu's troops and slew Sui Gu in battle^[2]. Cao Cao then crossed the river and besieged Shequan. Seeing the cause was lost, Xue Hong and Miao Shang led their men to surrender and were enfeoffed by Cao Cao as full marquises. Cao Cao then returned his army to Aocang and appointed Wei Zhong as Grand Administrator of Henei, in charge of affairs north of the river^[2].

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the image of Sui Gu revolves mainly around his loyalty to Zhang Yang and his conflict with Cao Cao. In Chapter 19, Cao Cao besieged Lü Bu at Xiapi but could not take it for a long time. At this point came news that Zhang Yang, Grand Administrator of Henei, had sent troops to Dongshi intending to relieve Lü Bu. However, Zhang Yang's general Yang Chou betrayed and killed him, intending to present Zhang Yang's head to Cao Cao. But Yang Chou's scheme came to nothing: Zhang Yang's trusted general Sui Gu thereupon killed Yang Chou and led his troops off to Quancheng^[3].

On hearing this news, Cao Cao at once dispatched Shi Huan to pursue and slay Sui Gu. In the novel, after learning that Zhang Yang was dead and Sui Gu had fled to Quancheng, Cao Cao once considered abandoning Lü Bu and returning to the capital to rest from the campaign, owing to the threat of Yuan Shao to the north, Liu Biao and Zhang Xiu to the east, and the long failure to take Xiapi. But Xun You and Guo Jia strongly urged Cao Cao on, pointing out that Lü Bu's edge had been blunted and the moment could be seized. Guo Jia further offered the plan of breaking the Yi and Si rivers to flood the city, and Xiapi was at last successfully taken^[3].

Compared with the historical record, Romance of the Three Kingdoms depicts Sui Gu rather briefly, mainly as a minor figure advancing the plot. The novel emphasizes Sui Gu's identity as "Zhang Yang's trusted general," highlighting his loyalty to Zhang Yang—that is, killing Yang Chou to avenge Zhang Yang. But as for Sui Gu's specific intent after killing Yang Chou, the novel only mentions that he "turned and fled to Quancheng," without clearly stating, as the histories do, his political consideration of "joining Yuan Shao to the north"^[3]. Moreover, the novel does not elaborate on the details of Sui Gu's pursuit and slaying by Shi Huan, treating it in a single stroke, unlike the historical record's detail of Cao Cao dispatching Shi Huan and Cao Ren to cross the river and strike him, battling at Quancheng, and crushing and slaying Sui Gu^[2].

Key Relationships

* Yang Chou (enemy_of): Sui Gu and Yang Chou were foes. Yang Chou betrayed and killed Zhang Yang, while Sui Gu avenged Zhang Yang by killing Yang Chou in turn^[1]. This episode appears in both the histories and the novel and is an important motive for Sui Gu's actions.
* Yuan Shao's Faction (serves): In the histories, after killing Yang Chou, Sui Gu clearly intended to lead his men north to join Yuan Shao, and to that end encamped at Shequan and went north to seek Yuan Shao's aid^[2]. This shows Sui Gu sought to ally himself with Yuan Shao and become a force under him. In the novel, however, after killing Yang Chou Sui Gu is only said to have "turned and fled to Quancheng," without clearly stating his intent to join Yuan Shao^[3] (novel only).
* Zhang Yang (serves): Sui Gu was a general under Zhang Yang, and after Zhang Yang was killed he avenged him, showing his loyalty to Zhang Yang^[1]. The novel even calls him "Zhang Yang's trusted general"^[3].
* Cao Cao's Faction (enemy_of): After killing Yang Chou, Sui Gu chose to make an enemy of Cao Cao and sought to join Yuan Shao. Cao Cao dispatched Shi Huan and Cao Ren to encircle and destroy him, finally slaying him^[2].

Iconic Scenes

* Avenging Zhang Yang by Slaying Yang Chou: This is an iconic scene for Sui Gu in both the histories and the novel. Yang Chou betrayed and killed Zhang Yang, and Sui Gu thereupon avenged Zhang Yang by killing Yang Chou and gathering up Zhang Yang's forces. This act displays Sui Gu's loyalty and decisiveness^[1].
* Encamping at Shequan, Going North to Meet Yuan Shao: In the histories, after killing Yang Chou, Sui Gu led his troops to encamp at Shequan and clearly intended to go north to join Yuan Shao. He even left Xue Hong and Miao Shang to guard Shequan while personally leading troops north to seek Yuan Shao's aid. This scene reveals Sui Gu's political leanings and strategic intent, and directly led to his conflict with Cao Cao^[2].
* The Battle of Quancheng, Defeat and Death: At Quancheng, Sui Gu encountered the forces of Shi Huan and Cao Ren dispatched by Cao Cao, and the two sides fought fiercely. In the end Sui Gu was defeated and slain, and his forces were absorbed by Cao Cao. This was the end of Sui Gu's life and an important step in Cao Cao's pacification of Hebei. It is worth noting that the Dianlüe records that a shaman once warned Sui Gu, "General, your style-name is 'Hare,' yet this town is named 'Dog'; when the hare sees the dog its momentum is sure to be startled—you should move away at once." But Sui Gu would not heed it and in the end died in battle at Quancheng, lending the episode a fatalistic color^[1].
* Cao Cao Debates Abandoning Lü Bu, the Turn of Events upon Sui Gu's Death: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the news of Sui Gu's death reached Cao Cao's ears together with that of Zhang Yang's death. Cao Cao once considered abandoning the siege of Lü Bu owing to threats on many sides, but at the remonstrance of Xun You and Guo Jia he finally decided to press the attack on Xiapi. Sui Gu's death becomes, in the novel, a small interlude in Cao Cao's strategic decision-making, indirectly affecting Cao Cao's eventual victory over Lü Bu^[3] (novel only).