Xu Chu (birth and death year unknown), courtesy name Zhongkang, was a native of Guo County, Anhui (present-day Bo County, Anhui). General of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms.
In his early years, Xu Chu gathered thousands of local youth and clans to build barriers against thieves. In the second year of Emperor Jian'an (197), Xu Chu led his troops to Cao Cao and served as the capital lieutenant. In the third year of Jian'an (198), he accompanied Cao Cao to fight Zhang Xiu, took the lead in landing on the city, killed countless enemies, and was promoted to lieutenant. During the Battle of Guandu, the strategist Xu He and others plotted to rebel and were killed by Xu Chu, and Cao Cao trusted Xu Chu even more. Later, Xu Chu surrounded the county with Cao Cao, fought hard, and gave Guan Neihou.
In the sixteenth year of Jian'an (211), when Han Sui and Ma Chao crossed the Yellow River, Xu Chu fought to the death to protect Cao Cao and barely crossed to the opposite bank. After the two armies went to war, the Cao army defeated Ma Chao, and Xu Chu was appointed as a lieutenant general of Wuwei. Xu Chu is as big as a tiger, but not smart, so the army calls him a "tiger idiot". However, he was cautious and law-abiding, silent and silent, which was deeply cherished by Cao Cao, and later promoted to a stalwart general. In the first year of the early Huang Dynasty (220), Cao Cao died, and Xu Chu wept and vomited blood. After Cao Pi ascended the throne, he made Xu Chu the Marquis of Wannian Pavilion, promoted to general of Wuwei, and the governor of the Zhongjun Suwei forbidden army. In the first year of Taihe (227), Emperor Ming ascended the throne, made Muxiang Marquis, ate 700 households, and gave a son Guan Nei Marquis
Why is Cao Cao's first favorite general?
First of all, Xu Chu is very brave, and history books record that Xu Chu is extremely powerful and brave. Of course, Cao Cao likes people who are brave and strong in martial arts, and Cao Cao loves talents, which is well known. Of course, it was not because of Xu Chu's courage that Cao Cao liked and trusted Xu Chu. Secondly, Xu Chu saved Cao Cao's life many times at critical moments. There is no need to question this, but it is not only because Xu Chu is brave and fierce, Xu Chu has saved him, Cao Cao likes and trusts Xu Chu. In fact, in addition to these, there is an important reason, what is this important reason? The reason for this is that Xu Chu and Cao Cao are fellow villagers and people from one place. Cao Cao and Xu Chu's hometown is in Qiandi, which is now Bozhou, Anhui, and because of this relationship, Cao Cao naturally has a good impression of Xu Chu and a sense of closeness.
Of course, in addition to Xu Chu, the people who are in one place with Cao Cao also have Xiahou Wei, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Cao Hong and other clan generals, since they are clan generals, their hometown is all in one place, naturally one step closer to other martial generals, this is for sure. Of course, Cao Cao does not only like fellow villagers, not only trust fellow villagers, as long as he is loyal, he likes them all, but just said that because of the relationship between fellow villagers, Cao Cao trusts Xu Chu more. Cao Cao's two most trusted personal guards, in addition to Xu Chu, there is also Dian Wei, who is also extremely powerful and brave, but Dian Wei is Chen Liuren, that is, now a native of Ningling County, Shangqiu City, Henan. Although Dian Wei was not a place with Cao Cao, Cao Cao also liked and trusted Dian Wei very much, and Dian Wei usually patrolled near Cao Cao's big tent to protect Cao Cao, and also slept near Cao Cao's big tent at night, rarely returning to his camp.
In the battle of Wancheng, Zhang Xiu surrendered to Cao Cao, Cao Cao took Zhang Xiu's aunt, Zhang Xiu felt insulted, so, suddenly rebelled, raided Cao Cao, Cao Cao was caught off guard, was beaten and fell into the water, Dian Wei fought to the death in order to protect Cao Cao from breaking through the siege, killing countless enemies, and in the end, because he was outnumbered and died in battle, he sacrificed his life to save Cao Cao. When Cao Cao heard that Dian Wei had died in battle, he cried and mourned Dian Wei, and later often missed Dian Wei. After Dian Wei's death, Xu Chu became Cao Cao's personal guard until his death. Xu Chu became Cao Cao's most trusted personal guard. After Cao Cao's death, Xu Chu cried until he vomited blood, which shows the depth of his feelings for Cao Cao and the degree of loyalty to Cao Cao. Xu Chu later became Cao Pi's personal bodyguard and was loyal to the Cao family. Shortly after Emperor Wei Ming ascended the throne, Xu Chu died, a generation of fierce generals, through three generations of the Cao clan, with great merit.