Empire Divided

Lu Su

By Cow Pie

Lu Su was a man from Dong Cheng his father had died when he was young and he lived with his grandmother. His family was wealthy and had many fields, he often donated food to those in need, this was how he met General Zhou Yu, an officer under Sun Quan. Zhou Yu was passing through the area while under service to Yuan Shu, Yu asked for some supplies. Lu Su pointed to one store house and told Zhou Yu to take it. The two formed a strong friendship and Zhou Yu had a strong opinion of Lu Su.

Lu Su was visited by Yuan Shu but Lu Su thought that Shu did not know how to handle himself, or his troops. Refusing to join Yuan Shu, Lu Su packed his belongings and went south, he was accompanied by a small troop of men. 1

It was during this time that the rebel Zhong Zhou was plundering areas along the Huai river. Lu Sus congregation of men was attacked by the group but Lu Su convinced the rebel group to stop pursuing saying they had nothing to gain. Su continued on to Jiangdong were he impressed Sun Ce, he returned to Dong Cheng only when his Grandmother died to give her a proper burial.
A friend of Lu Sus sent him a letter telling him to join a local warlord in Lujiang,2 he agreed and travelled to Que to visit his mother, he discovered that his mother had been removed to Wu by Zhou Yu. Lu Su traveled to Wu to thank Zhou Yu who told Lu Su that Vassals must choose their lord well and than proceeded to give in detail the greatness of Sun Quan.

Lu Su met Sun Quan at a party the latter was holding, after the part Lu Su bade Sun Quan goodbye by Quan had Su come back and the two sat on a couch and discussed the empire. Lu Su recommended that Sun Quan obtain control of Jiongdong and observe the happenings of the Empire, and when the time was right move against Huang Zu and than Liu Biao himself.

When Liu Biao died Lu Su saw the situation in the nine districts of Jingzhou as a chance for Sun Quan to expand. Lu Su urged Sun Quan to send him to Jingzhou to offer condolence to Liu Biaos sons, while there he was to scope out the land, get to know the former leaders in Liu Biaos military, and to urge Liu Bei to gather Biaos followers and ally with Sun Quan.

Lu Su arrived and Xiakou only to hear that Liu Cong had given the province to Cao Cao and that Liu Bei had been defeated. Lu Su met with Bei and offered the plan of allying with the South, Bei was further convinced when his advisor Zhuge Liang agreed with Su. While talking with Liang, Su said, I am a friend of Ziyu. The two became immediate friends.

Upon his return to Sun Quans court he found his lord in deep discussions over a letter that had arrived from Cao Cao. All of Quans ministers present favored submission, only Lu Su did not speak, instead he followed Sun Quan once the meeting was over.

Lu Su urged Sun Quan to recall Zhou Yu from the Poyang lakes in order to repel Cao Caos men. Sun Quan agreed and made Lu Su colonel who assists the army, and he was assigned to help Zhou Yu in the planning stages. Together the two armies of the allies defeated Cao Cao in a battle and Cao retreated to Jingzhou.

Lu Su was the first to arrive back in the capital and Sun Quan ordered all his officers to assemble to meet him. Sun Quan himself dismounted his horse but Lu Su rode as normal Sun Quan asked his vassal, I have dismounted for you Zijing is that not enough providence for you? Lu Su replied, No.

The other officers were shocked before Lu Su replied, When your dominion is established through the entire land that will be providence enough for me.

Liu Bei traveled to Jing City2 and asked Sun Quan if he could govern the province, Lu Su has been urging Sun Quan to take this course of action and described that Cao Cao could not hold Jingzhou because he did not utilize Liu Bei and invite him to administer the province with him. Lu Fan argued in favor of retaining Liu Bei in the South. Sun Quan took Lu Sus advice and Liu Bei was sent to govern Jingzhou.

Shortly after his success at Chi Bi Zhou Yu became sick, and feeling his end was near, wrote Sun Quan:
"Possessing but ordinary abilities, there was no reason why I should have been the recipient of your confidence and high office, but I have not spared myself in the leadership of the great army under my command that thereby I might prove my gratitude. Yet none can measure life, and the number of our days is ordained by fate. Before I could achieve even my poor intentions, my feeble body has failed me. I regret it without measure. I die with Cao Cao threatening and our northern borders disturbed, and with Liu Bei in your family as though you were feeding a fierce tiger. None can foretell the fate of the empire in these nervous days of stress and of peculiar anxiety for you.3

Lu Su is most loyal, careful in all matters and a fitting man to succeed to my office. When a person is near death, his words are wise. If I may haply retain your regard, I may die but I shall not decay."

Lu Su inherited Zhou Yus position and troops, he was than stationed in Jiangling. Later he moved to Lukuo with an additional ten thousand troops. He became Governor of Hanchang and Pian Jiang Jun. In the year 214 Lu Su captured Wan from Zhang Liao.

Sun Quan had been advised by his officers Zhou Yu and Gan Ning to attack the ever weakening Liu Zhang. In this endeavor Sun Quan asked for Liu Beis help, Bei had his own plans for Liu Zhang and refused to help saying that since the two were of the same blood line it would be dishonest to attack. Bei even went so far as to imply that he had contacted Liu Zhang and the two planned to reestablish the House of Han.

When Liu Bei attacked Yizhou and left Guan Yu in command of Jingzhou Sun Quan was outraged. He demanded the three provinces of: Chang Sha, Wu Ling, and Ling Ling. Liu Bei refused to give the land to Sun Quan and the latter ordered Lu Meng to invade Jingzhou.
Lu Su and Guan Yu were neighbors in the conflict and Su sent a message inviting Guan Yu to a banquet. Each man was attended by a hundred soldiers but each had only a sword at their side. At the meeting Guan demanded to know why Sun Quan had invaded Jingzhou. Lu Su countered asking why Liu Bei came all the way from Yizhou just to suffer defeat. One of Guan Yus subordinates said from the side, , "Only the virtuous get hold of territory. Does that mean only you people?" Guan Yu grabbed his sword and threatened the officer, "These are the affairs of the State, what would you know of them?" At the conclusion of the meeting Liu Bei drew the line of Jingzhou at the Xiang river.

Lu Su died in the year 217, Sun Quan personally attended his funeral.

1. Lu Su most likely knew that Shu would hold a grudge against him and make things difficult for Su, so he went south.
2. Jiang Ling
3. From C.H.Brewitt Taylor translation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms

TK History

Divisions

Lu Su