A study on the relationship between Zhuge Xuan, Yuan Shu, and Liu Biao

A study on the relationship between Zhuge Xuan, Yuan Shu, and Liu Biao

The "Zhuge Ruins" in Pingshan, Yexian County, were Zhuge Liang's residence and cultivated land when he was a teenager, so why did Zhuge Liang leave the remains of his residence and cultivation in the Pingshan area of Yexian County before he cultivated Nanyang? By studying the relationship between Zhuge Liang's uncles Zhuge Xuan, Yuan Shu, and Liu Biao, it helps us to sort out this problem.

1. Yuan Shu, Liu Biao, Zhuge Xuan, and Yu Zhang Taishou

Yuan Shu, Liu Biao, and Zhuge Xuan, the historical records do not record what the relationship between these three people was, but on the issue of appointing Yuzhang Taishou, the three appeared at the same time. Why three people are involved in this issue, the historical record goes like this:

1. "Romance of the Three Kingdoms": "Liang was lonely early, from his father Xuan to Yuan Shu's Yuzhang Taishou, Xuan general Liang and Liang brother were all officials." The Hui Han Dynasty chose Zhu Hao's generation, and Xuan Su and Jingzhou Mu Liu Biao had an old and relied on it. Xuan Pawn, Bright Ploughing LongMu".

2. "Emperor Xian's Spring and Autumn": "In the beginning, Yuzhang Taishou Zhoushu died of illness, and Zhuge Xuan on Liu Biao was Yuzhang Taishou and ruled Nanchang. The Han Dynasty heard that Zhou Shu died and sent Zhu Hao to dai Xuan. Hao assassinated Liu Xuan from Yangzhou to attack Xuan, Xuan retreated to Tunxi City, and Hao entered Nanchang. In the first month of the second year of Jian'an, the people of Xicheng rebelled, killed Xuan, and sent the first eunuch." Pei Songzhi also found this problem when he was annotating the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, adding that "this book is different from this biography".

The records of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the Spring and Autumn of the Emperor Xiandi are the same that both books confirm that Zhuge Xuan served as the Taishou of Yuzhang and was replaced by a man named Zhu Hao. The difference is two places: 1. The Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms records that it was Yuan Shu who appointed Zhuge Xuan, and the "Spring and Autumn of the Xiandi Emperor" records that it was Liu Biao who appointed Zhuge Xuan; 2. The "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" records that Zhuge Xuan defected to Liu Biao after losing his official position, while the "Spring and Autumn of the Emperor Xian" directly records that Zhuge Xuan died in Nanchang.

From the current point of view of historians, basically do not agree with the record of "Xiandi Chunqiu", first of all, the historical data authority of the zhengshi "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is much higher than the wild history "Xiandi Chunqiu", and then if Zhuge Xuan really died in Yuzhang, many events in the later period can not be talked about. Therefore, on the question of who appointed Zhuge Xuan to serve as Yuzhang Taishou, I also agree with the record in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms that it was Yuan Shu rather than Liu Biao who appointed Zhuge Xuan as Yuzhang Taishou. In addition to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, there are the following reasons:

(1) Liu Biao did not have the power to appoint Zhuge Xuan

Yuzhang belonged to Yangzhou, and the appointment of its magistrates should be appointed by the Yangzhou Assassins at that time. And Liu Biao's position is Jingzhou Thorn History, Jingzhou and Yangzhou are two different places, just like the relationship between Henan and Hubei today, Shandong and Shanxi, Liu Biao, as the Assassin of Jingzhou, does not have the power and qualifications to appoint Yuzhang Taishou across regions.

There is also a hypothesis that it will not be Liu Biao of Jingzhou who recommended Zhuge Xuan to be Yuzhang Taishou, and Liu Biao is only a recommender rather than an appointee. In this case, Liu Biao could only recommend to two people: one was recommended to the emperor at that time, Emperor Xian of Han, and the other was recommended to the Yangzhou Assassin History of the same rank. However, judging from the fact that the rulers of the Han Dynasty, as recorded in the Spring and Autumn of the Xiandi Emperor, sent Zhu Hao to replace Zhuge Xuan, and the Yangzhou Assassins attacked Zhuge Xuan, this reason did not make sense at all. Therefore, the record of Liu Biao's appointment of Zhuge Xuan as Yuzhang Taishou in the "Spring and Autumn of the Xiandi Emperor" is wrong, and Liu Biao has no opportunity or qualification to appoint Yuzhang Taishou at all.

(2) Yuan Shu had the power to appoint Yuzhang Taishou

On the issue of appointing Yuzhang Taishou, the Jingzhou Assassin History was not qualified, except for the direct airborne appointment of the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, the only person who had the qualification for appointment was the Yangzhou Thorn History of Yuzhang County. In 190, Yuan Shu occupied Nanyang and served as the Taishou of Nanyang; in 193, after Yuan Shu failed to attack Cao Cao, he expelled the Yangzhou Assassin Chen Yu and established himself as the Yangzhou Assassin. As the Assassin of Yangzhou, Yuan Shu had the power to appoint Yuzhang Taishou.

It is worth noting that Yuan Shu's History of The Assassination of Yangzhou did not come directly from the appointment of the imperial court, but that Yuan Shu expelled the original History of the Assassination of Yangzhou by force and established himself as the History of the Assassination of Yangzhou. From this, it is easy to understand why Yuzhang Taishou appointed by Yuan Shu was ostracized by the imperial court and the original Yangzhou Assassin History, all because Yuan Shu's Yangzhou Assassin History was not reasonable, and Zhuge Xuan's promotion and loss of official positions was a peculiar phenomenon of the struggle between Yuan Shu and the imperial court and other warlords.

Therefore, we can also judge that Zhuge Xuan served as Yuzhang Taishou between 193 and 197, and it is most likely that Yuan Shu was unstable in 193 years in the early Yangzhou period. Although the later Yangzhou Assassin History of Yuan Shu gained a firm foothold and was tacitly acquiesced by the imperial court. But for Zhuge Xuan, there was no longer any meaning.

Second, why Zhuge Xuan appeared in Pingshan, Ye County

Zhuge Xuan's hometown is Langya, zhuge Xuan's brother Zhuge Jue worked in Taishan County, and these two locations were the first places where the Yellow Turban Rebellion took place at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. In 188, the Yellow Turban Army revolted again, and Zhuge Liang's hometown was once again in chaos, and it is recorded in the Zhuge clan genealogy that in this year Zhuge Liang's father Zhuge Jue died in this war. Academic circles generally believe that this time in 188 is the time when Zhuge Xuan fled with Zhuge Liang.

From zhuge Jue's death in 188 to Zhuge Xuan's promotion and loss of office in 193, there was a total of 5 years, if Zhuge Xuan had remained in Langya and not fled, in addition to the war in 188, in 191, 192, and 193, 300,000 Yellow Turban troops attacked Taishan County, Cao Cao suppressed a million Yellow Turban Army, Guandong warlords rebelled against Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao rebelled against Xuzhou Taoqian, and there were similar killings like slaughtering the city. It can be seen that in the 5 years from 188 to 193, there was a war near Zhuge Xuan's hometown, how did Zhuge Xuan stay in Langya under such circumstances? Therefore, we can judge that Zhuge Xuan's family had left their hometown for refuge at least in 188.

Regarding where Zhuge Xuan took refuge after leaving Langya, the "Broken Stone Building" found in Pingshan, Ye County, Nanyang Records that "Hou's father Ruozu took refuge from Langya", which obviously refers to Zhuge Liang's father and ancestors leaving Langya to escape the war and came to Pingshan, which shows that the Zhuge Xuan family at that time went southwest from Langya along the Chen Wan Ancient Road to the Pingshan area. Therefore, before Zhuge Xuan was promoted to Yuzhang Taishou, his people were in Pingshan, Ye County, Nanyang.

Third, the relationship between Zhuge Xuan and Yuan Shu and Liu Biao

Yuan Shu was the History of Yangzhou Thorns, and Liu Biao was the History of Jingzhou Thorns, both of whom were local princes on the side of Xiong, and they were also high-ranking officials that ordinary people could not reach. Judging from zhuge Xuan's appointment as too much by Yuan Shu and his defection to Liu Biao in Xiangyang after losing Taishou, Zhuge Xuan also had an extraordinary relationship with Liu Biao at that time. As a cloth-clad citizen, why was Zhuge Xuan able to get acquainted with the history of thorns in Jingzhou and the history of thorns in Yangzhou at the same time?

For Zhuge Xuan, there are only two possibilities for recognizing the two high-ranking officials in theory: the first is Zhuge Xuan's passive understanding. That is, Yuan Shu and Liu Biao successively went to the place of Zhuge Xuan's activities, and Zhuge Xuan passively realized the two high-ranking officials, and this possibility was only a theoretical possibility, not only without historical support, but also without the possibility of facts. The second is active awareness. That is, Zhuge Xuan took the initiative to go to the place where the two high-ranking officials existed at the same time, and had the opportunity to know the two high-ranking officials. It should be said that this possibility is in line with the facts. Based on this information, we can make the following judgments:

(1) Yuan Shu knew Zhuge Xuan before 193

In 193, when Zhuge Xuan was appointed as the Taishou of Yuzhang, at the beginning of that year, Yuan Shu left Nanyang, fought with Cao Cao at Kuangting (Xinxiang Changyuan), and fled to the Huaishui area after a major defeat. It can be seen that during this year, Yuan Shu had been marching and fighting, and if Yuan Shu had only known Zhuge Xuan in this year, how could Yuan Shu have completed the series of processes of knowing, trusting, and appointing Zhuge Xuan in this year's continuous conquests? This is something that cannot happen in a year's time. Therefore, Yuan Shu must have known Zhuge Xuan before the war with Cao Cao in 193.

From 190 to 193, Yuan Shu was always in Nanyang. Zhuge Xuan began to flee to the bottom of Pingshan Mountain in Ye County, Nanyang in 188, and was not far away from Yuan Shu, so Zhuge Xuan had the opportunity to know Yuan Shu. During the two or three years spent in Nanyang, Yuan Shu had full trust in Zhuge Xuan, so when the opportunity came, Yuan Shu appointed Zhuge Xuan, who was deeply trusted by himself, to serve as Yuzhang Taishou.

Yuan Shu appointed Zhuge Xuan as Yuzhang too punctual, where were Zhuge Xuanren? There are two possibilities, the first is that Zhuge Xuan is in Nanyang, Yuan Shu established yangzhou too punctual, thinking of his old friend Zhuge Xuan in Nanyang, when the position is vacant, send someone to notify Zhuge Xuan of Pingshan to take office in Yuzhang. The second was that Zhuge Xuan followed Yuan Shu's march to fight, and Yuan Shu directly appointed Zhuge Xuan, who was around him, to Yuzhang. Both of these scenarios are possible.

(2) There was an antagonistic relationship between Yuan Shu and Liu Biao

Zhuge Xuan was a commoner, Both Yuan Shu and Liu Biao were magistrates, and Zhuge Xuan and Yuan Shu or Liu Biao could be regarded as friends between civilians and local officials. But the relationship between Yuan Shu and Liu Biao is not a friendship, but a hostile relationship.

In 190, when Yuan Shu had just occupied Nanyang, Liu Biao had just settled in Xiangyang, and under the internal and external troubles, Liu Biao was unwilling to directly feud with Yuan Shu, and in the case that Yuan Shu had already settled in Nanyang, he made a Shunshui favor and recommended Yuan Shu as the Taishou of Nanyang. But Yuan Shu had been plotting against Liu Biao's Jingzhou. In the following year, in 191, there was a war between Yuan Shu and Liu Biao, in which Sun Ce and Sun Quan's father Sun Jian died in battle, which not only shattered Yuan Shu's dream of plotting against Jingzhou, but also prompted Yuan Shu to leave Nanyang to attack Cao Cao.

According to this, it can be seen that the relationship between Yuan Shu and Liu Biao is not intimate, but also a hostile relationship.

(3) Zhuge Xuan does not belong to Yuan Shu, nor does it belong to Liu Biao

Zhuge Xuan appeared between Yuan Shu and Liu Biao, who had a hostile relationship, and it was very difficult to maintain a good relationship with the two at the same time. However, since Zhuge Xuan lost his position as a Taishou, Zhuge Xuan was actually able to defect to Yuan Shu's "enemy", in addition to the factors that Zhuge Xuan was cornered at that time, it also showed that zhuge Xuan and Liu Biao were not only not hostile, but also had a relatively close relationship, at least Zhuge Xuan thought so.

This also shows that the "third party" between Zhuge Xuan's identity and Yuan Shu and Liu Biao does not belong to Yuan Shu or Liu Biao.

(4) Zhuge Xuan is the closest to Yuan Shu and far away from Liu Biao

Zhuge Xuan knew Yuan Shu and also knew Liu Biao. Judging from Yuan Shu's act of appointing Zhuge Xuan as The Taishou of Yuzhang, Yuan Shu is the party who takes the initiative to appoint and Zhuge Xuan is the party that passively accepts, which shows that Yuan Shu and Zhuge Xuan have a very close relationship; judging from Zhuge Xuan's defection to Xiangyang Liu Biao, Zhuge Xuan is the party that actively surrenders, and Liu Biao is the passive party. As for Zhuge Xuan's surrender, Liu Biao has the right to choose to accept it, or he can choose not to accept it.

It can be seen from this that although Zhuge Xuan has contacts with Yuan Shu and Liu Biao, from the perspective of distance, Zhuge Xuan is definitely the closest to Yuan Shu, and although there is an "old friendship" with Liu Biao, it is not as good as the relationship with Yuan Shu, and even this "old friendship" is just Zhuge Xuan's wishful thinking.

(5) Zhuge Xuan's identity is likely to be a "lobbyist" between Yuan Shu and Liu Biao.

Zhuge Xuan was born in a family of official eunuchs, and his distant ancestor Zhuge Feng and his elder brother Zhuge Jue all held important positions, and later he was appointed by Yuan Shu as Yuzhang Taishou, which shows that Zhuge Xuan has the ability to engage in politics as an official, and his knowledge and insight are different from ordinary people.

Judging from the fact that Zhuge Xuan and both sides have an "old friendship" relationship and do not belong to either party, Zhuge Xuan's identity is likely to be a "lobbyist" between Yuan Shu and Liu Biao, not interfering in the interest relationship between both sides, but taking care of the interests of both sides. Therefore, while Zhuge Xuan benefited from Yuan Shu, he could also be confident that he could benefit from Liu Biao at the same time.

Sixth, Zhuge Xuan's presence in Pingshan, YeXian County, is in line with historical facts

From the perspective of time: in 188, Zhuge Xuan led his family to flee from Langya and came to Pingshan, Ye County, Nanyang; in 190, Liu Biao settled in Xiangyang; in 190, Yuan Shu settled in Nanyang. Zhuge Xuan, Liu Biao, and Yuan Shu, three people, appeared in the Nanyang and Xiangyang areas at this point in time in 190, and met the conditions in terms of time.

From the distance point of view: Yuan Shu is in Nanyang, Liu Biao is in Xiangyang, and Zhuge Xuan is in Pingshan, Ye County, Nanyang. Zhuge Xuan's Ye County Pingshan belonged to Yuan Shu's Nanyang, and Yuan Shu's Nanyang County belonged to Liu Biao's Jingzhou. Therefore, Zhuge Xuan, who lived under the Pingshan Mountains, had the possibility of contacting the local officials Yuan Shu and Liu Biao step by step. From the perspective of straight-line distance and superior-subordinate relationship, Zhuge Xuan's distance from Pingshan to Nanyang of Yuan Shu is the closest, and the distance to Xiangyang of Liu Biao is farther, which also reflects the relationship between the three people: Zhuge Xuan and Yuan Shu are the closest, followed by Liu Biao.

From the point of view of choice. After Zhuge Xuan lost his position as Taishou in Yuzhang, where should he go? At this time, there are four ways: First, return to their hometown langya, but at this time, langya is already a scorched earth, and it is unrealistic to return to their hometown. The third is to return to Pingshan. This is theoretically feasible, but from his own point of view, Zhuge Xuan's promotion to too punctual, Pingshan's father and fellow villagers all know that Zhuge Xuan is going to become a high official, and as a result, he returned to his hometown in a few days, which made Zhuge Xuan how to face Pingshan's father and fellow villagers? Zhuge Xuan had to face tremendous psychological pressure. The fourth is to run to other relatives and friends, and everything starts from the beginning. Judging from the choices zhuge Xuan faced after losing his official position, the best way was to go to his relatives and friends, at that time Zhuge Xuan and Liu Biao also had contacts and were trusted, Liu Biao was in a high position, and Xiangyang, where he was located, was a rare still land in the chaotic world, so it was not surprising why Zhuge Xuan chose to defect to Xiangyang Liu Biao.

Therefore, from carefully combing and studying the relationship between Zhuge Xuan, Liu Biao, and Yuan Shu, we can analyze that after Zhuge Xuan left Langya, he did come to live in the Pingshan area of Ye County, and from Pingshan to Yuzhang, and then from Yuzhang to Xiangyang.