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Xu You was one of the famous strategists at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The most brilliant feat of his life was nothing more than the strategy of "burning the Wuchao" after he rebelled against Yuan Yuan and surrendered to Cao Cao, which enabled Cao Cao to defeat Yuan Shao in the Battle of Guandu and lay the foundation for the unification of northern China.
Other feats, on the other hand, are lackluster.
Sima Guang commented: "Han de Chen Ping and Xue Xiang, Wei De Xu You and Yuan Shao. The material subjects of the enemy country come for their own use, and the good assets of the enterprising are also good. ”
Obviously, Sima Guang was still very sure of Xu You's talent.
Stills of Xu You and Cao Cao
In the Battle of Guandu, Xu You also suggested that Yuan Shao go to the capital of Xu Du, where the troops were empty, to meet the Heavenly Son to order the princes, and realistically said that this was a good plan, but when he met the master who was like a pig's brain, what could he do?
Xu You's wisdom and strategy are beyond doubt, but in the Three Kingdoms at the end of the Han Dynasty, the crowd chased the deer to bring the stars shining and the strange plots to multiply the chaotic world, Xu You did not have the talents of Guo Jia and Xun Yu, let alone Wang Yu's loyal and upright conduct, and the typical moral unworthiness!
Let me say that Sima Guang's statement that "Wei De Xu You broke Yuan Shao" was actually only half right.
The reason why Cao Cao was able to defeat Yuan Shao at the Battle of Guandu was indeed to burn Wuchao and make the first contribution, but that was not because of Xu You's wisdom, but because of Xu You's betrayal of the intelligence.
In other words, as long as anyone who knew about the deployment of Yuan Shao's garrison tun grain surrendered to Cao Cao, he told Cao Cao the information about the Wuchao tun grain and the emptiness of the garrison.
With Cao Cao's strategy and the situation that there was no grain and grass in the foreign reinforcements at that time, it was entirely possible to make the decision to sneak attack Wuchao, not to mention Guo Jia, Jia Xu, and Xun Yu, who were far above Xu You?
Battle of Guandu
From 189 onwards, Xu You followed Yuan Shao and became an important adviser to Yuan Shao.
By the time the Battle of Guandu broke out in 200 AD, the lord and his subjects had worked together for 11 years, which was already valuable in an era of surrender and betrayal.
However, Xu You was arrested for breaking the law by his family, and at the most critical moment of Yuan Cao's decisive battle, he surrendered to Cao Cao in anger and fiercely inserted a sharp knife with blood in Yuan Shao's back.
According to the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, Yuan Shao's management of his subjects was relatively loose, and he connived at bureaucrats to seek profit and wealth. Yuan Shao was also interesting enough for Xu You, although the history books did not record why Xu You's family was arrested, but the inference should have been a big mistake.
It is the great righteousness of the country to arrest the family after making a big mistake, but it is the great righteousness of the country to be angry because of family affairs, and betraying and surrendering to the enemy is an evil act of losing great righteousness, and family affairs can be resolved afterwards, but how can it be the work of gentlemen and scholars who defect to the enemy at the moment of life and death?
What is even more hateful is that after Xu You surrendered to Cao Cao, he also told Cao Cao all the information about the situation of the Wuchao Tun grain garrison, resulting in all the noses of a thousand defenders being cut off, and the tragic situation is difficult to describe.
The general Chun Yu Qiong was punished with a nose cut and could have been spared a death, but Xu You, instead of saving him, fell into the well and caused Chun Yu Qiong to be killed.
Yesterday was still a brother in life and death, and today is your enemy who dies and dies, is there no friendship between brothers at all?
The extent to which Xu You's character is bad can be seen!
Wang Huan collected the body for Yuan Tan
Similarly, you see how Wang Xuan did it. After Kong Rong's death, Wang Followed Yuan Tan. When Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang's brothers fought, everyone betrayed Yuan Tan, and only Wang Yu led his troops to rescue them, and also set out from the day to persuade the brothers to reconcile.
In 203, Cao Cao rebelled against Yuan Tan. Wang Huan only brought dozens of retinues to rescue him, knowing that he would be defeated and still went to the tang to fight the fire. After hearing that Yuan Tan had been killed, Wang Huan found Cao Cao and requested that the body of Yuan Tan be recovered.
Although Yuan Tan surrendered to Cao Cao, it was after the death of his master, and he did not do anything to apologize to the Yuan family after he surrendered.
In this regard, Mao Zonggang commented: "The same surrender, and Xu You helped Cao Mou Yuan, Wang Yu could not bear to help Cao Mou Yuan, and Wang Yuxian was far away from Xu You. ”
In 204 AD, Cao Cao attacked Xia Ye. After Xu You surrendered to Cao Cao, he made several meritorious achievements, and gradually even Cao Cao did not pay attention to him, and even called Cao Cao's milk name Ah Qi in front of the courtiers.
Cao Cao also smiled and said, "Ah, it turned out to be Lao Xu", but he hated him to death in his heart.
Once, passing through the xiaye city gate, Xu You said unashamedly: "If it were not for me, Ah Qiu Would like to enter this gate", someone reported Xu You's words to Cao Cao, and Cao Cao finally couldn't bear it.
Soon after, Xu You was killed by Cao Cao.
However, Wang Xuan was given a good death, and the official was the Great Sinong.
Some people say that he was killed because Xu You slighted Cao Cao, but I don't think it was a wooden reason.
Cao Cao rarely killed prisoners in his life, so why did he kill Xu You alone?
Cao Cao regarded loyalty and filial piety as a value, so he could treat Zhang Rust, Guan Yu, and so on kindly regardless of previous suspicions, and he must have been very disgusted with Xu You's betrayal of Yuan Shao from the bottom of his heart.
After all, Xu You's betrayal was not forced by the situation, but he took the initiative, and after taking credit, he was arrogant and rude, and he could easily betray Yuan Shao and stab him in the back, so how could he guarantee that he would not betray Cao Cao? That's the real reason he was killed!
Isn't Xu You deserved?
References: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Wei
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