Uhhhhh well there’s a lot going on with her but basically she used to be a run of the mill nervous reck gal.
Luckily, she was born into a line of archangels which means she was drafted into heaven’s military the second she was born.
Even more luckily, a huge war between angles vs humans and spirits broke out when she was like 20.
And blah, blah, having to watch all her friends die, blah, blah, her mom dies, blah, blah, her sister goes missing, blah, blah, her dad neglects her because he’s actually a seraphim so he gets to stay in heaven and do paperwork.
And repeat that for roughly 50 years and you get the formula for a gal who lashes out at the slightest things, has severe abandonment issues, pushes away everyone, and is classist/racist against humans and spirits!
Also her dad even after the war turns blind eye to her whole ordeal
She used to be such a nervous reck and now she’s a jaded war criminal ❤️❤️❤️ she’s my new favorite freak child
Also feel free to send asks since I plan on posting more art of my OCs ((PLEASE ASK ME ABOUT THEM IVE HAD THEM BAKING IN MY MIND FOR YEARS AND NEED A EXCUSE TO RANT ABOUT THEM))
I like Lu Kang's approach to handling Sun Hao's orders and his bromance with Yang Hu, feels like both of them were fully aware that a battle would only cause pointless suffering and so maintained a quiet peace. I bet you could do a lot with their body language in their encounter while hunting for a live-action adaptation
Did the real Yang Hu and Lu Kang have a rivalry or is that just a fictional creation?
They were frenemies.
Yang Hu and Lu Kang both respected each other immensely, and even in times of conflict, they treated each other well. Lu Kang often praised Yang Hu to the Wu army, saying that he was better than Yue Yi or Zhuge Liang. For his part, Yang Hu once sent medicine to Lu Kang when he heard that his rival was ill. Lu Kang’s subordinates begged him not to take it, fearing that it was poison, but Lu Kang drank it without hesitation because he knew Yang Hu would never do something like that.
The two were definitely rivals, though. They held opposing positions in Jing and they fought frequently. However, prisoners were always exchanged amicably and treated well and the soldiers were always well-behaved.
There was some element of calculation to this, of course. Yang Hu believed that if he treated the people of Wu with kindness, they’d be more willing to defect to Jin and surrender when Jin invaded (he proved correct on both counts). Lu Kang knew that he had to be just as kind as Yang Hu if he wanted to keep the loyalty of the soldiers (something he explained at great length to Sun Hao).
Of all Western Jin’s generals, Yang Hu has managed to become the most famous. This is somewhat of an irony, as he is one of many individuals whose role in history is vastly different from his role in fiction. While remembered by the Sanguo Yanyi as one of Jin’s best commanders, the real Yang Hu was considerably more complex.
Yang Hu was from Nancheng county in Taishan, Yan province. He was from a rather prestigious and well-respected family. For the last nine generations, members of his family had served as government officials and because of their good work, the Yang family acquired a reputation for honesty and generally virtuous conduct. His great-great-grandfather Yang Jin/Qin was part of Dowager Deng’s faction and served as Director of Retainers, the head administrator of the capital province. Yang Hu’s great-grandfather Yang Ru was the Minister of Ceremonies under Emperor Huan.
Yang Hu’s grandfather, Yang Xu, was quite accomplished. Because of his family’s reputation and connections, he became a personal subordinate to then Grand General Dou Wu. In 168, he participated in Dou Wu’s attempt to expel the eunuchs from power. When this failed, Yang Xu was barred from office for the next 20 years. This ban was lifted in 184 in light of the Yellow Turban threat, and Yang Xu was summoned back to office. He briefly served in the offices of the Excellences and was then made Grand Administrator of Lujiang to deal with the Yellow Turbans there. When Yang Xu arrived, the commandery’s capital city, Shu, was under heavy attack. However, Yang Xu turned the tide, conscripting all able-bodied people into military service to drive them back, and he used the sick, wounded, and elderly to carry water and supplies or to fight fires. By mobilizing the entire city, he was able to defeat the Turbans. He then pacified a rebellion by the local hill tribes. In 186, Yang Xu was sent to Nanyang, which was also troubled by rebels. At first, Yang Xu visited Nanyang in secret and learned the customs and cultures of the region as well as the concerns of the common people. When he returned in the open, he used this knowledge to earn their trust and loyalty, and with their support he was able to put down the rebels. In 189, Yang Xu was offered the position of Grand Commandant. However, Emperor Ling demanded that he pay a massive fee in order to take the position. Yang Xu was a humble and frugal man who objected to excess and bribery, so he refused to pay anything and insisted that even if he was willing to pay, he had no ability to do so. Emperor Ling was greatly displeased and made him Minister of Ceremonies instead, though Yang Xu died before he could take the position. Because of his frugality and humility, he left behind no money with which to pay for his funeral. By Han law, Nanyang would have been required to pay for it, but Yang Xu left a request asking that Nanyang not be forced to bear the burden. Instead, his home commandery of Taishan was made to pay for it.
Yang Hu’s father, Yang Dao (sometimes called Yang Heng) enjoyed some fame. When the great scholar Cai Yong was on the run from his enemies in 179, Yang Dao helped to shelter him. Later, Yang Dao married one of his daughters, a sister of the tragic poetess Cai Yan. Yang Dao himself eventually joined Cao Cao’s army and, after Cao Cao’s conquest of Bing in 206, was appointed as Grand Administrator of Shangdang. He appears to have remained in this position for quite some time before passing away in 232.
As you can observe, Yang Hu was thus from prestigious stock. Not only did he enjoy a good reputation from his paternal lineage, his maternal line was also quite respected. Cai Yong was undisputably the greatest scholar of his generation, and the literati of Wei held him in particular esteem, as several of the state’s highest figures were pupils and admirers of his. Furthermore, Yang Hu’s aunt was the famous intellectual Xin Xianying, and this connection brought him some degree of notoriety as well. He was certainly one of the most well-connected people of his time.
Yang Hu was only 11 years old when his father passed away, and people of the time noted that Yang Hu mourned him far more deeply than rituals required. After this, Yang Hu and his half-sister Yang Huiyu (more on her later) were taken in by their uncle Yang Dan. During his youth, Yang Hu devoted himself to scholarship. He soon established a reputation as one of the keenest minds of his generation, comparable to Zhong Hui and Wang Bi, though unlike them he did not seek out powerful patrons to advance him. Yang Hu was a quiet and contemplative man, given to spending long hours meditating on the banks of the Wen river near his uncle’s home. When he didn’t feel like being quiet, Yang Hu was also known for being an exceptional debater.
The young man’s reputation as an intellectual was also bolstered by an impressive appearance. He grew to be a tall man, with a handsome face and an powerful beard. His reputation began to spread, and the government officials took a keen interest in him. Guo Yi, a famous judge of men, even went so far as to compare him to a modern Yanzi (Yan Hui), Kongzi’s favorite student. This reputation attracted the attention of Xiahou Wei, a son of Xiahou Yuan. He met Yang Hu and was quite impressed with him. At Xiahou Wei’s urging, Xiahou Ba arranged for his daughter to marry Yang Hu, and this proved to be a harmonious match.
Yang Hu eventually went to work in the government, accepting a position as a lowly clerk. He was offered numerous promotions and the chance to become an official state scholar, but Yang Hu was exceptionally humble and refused. When Cao Shuang became Grand General in 239, he asked Yang Hu and a friend, Wang Shen, to become personal assistants. Wang Shen eagerly accepted this opportunity, but Yang Hu refused. Wang Shen tried to persuade him to accept, but Yang Hu was adamant. He was concerned about being elevated beyond his abilities and feared that association with someone of Cao Shuang’s prestige would only cause him difficulty. During the political turmoil of the Zhenshi era, Yang Hu remained in a lowly position and generally avoided entanglement, though he was inevitably involved in one incident. At some point, Cao Fang acquired an interest in literature, so many officials sent poems in order to flatter him. One of the palace secretaries, He You, objected to this blatant flattery, so Cao Shuang’s faction had him dismissed from power. Yang Hu soon found himself in the middle of the debate over whether or not submitting flattering poems to the emperor was acceptable. He was wise enough to keep his own feelings on the subject secret and take a middle position in order to appease both factions.
After Cao Shuang was executed, Wang Shen was dismissed from office. He met with Yang Hu and praised him for his foresight, but Yang Hu admitted that he had no idea what would become of Cao Shuang and that his refusal to join Cao Shuang had nothing to do with his ultimate fate. Cao Shuang’s fall from grace soon presented a very difficult situation for Yang Hu. When Cao Shuang was executed, Xiahou Ba feared that he would be killed as well, so he fled to Shu. He left his children behind, and some officials wanted to execute them, since execution of relatives was the traditional punishment for treason. Most of Xiahou Ba’s relatives cut ties with his children in order to distance themselves from this situation, and Yang Hu was urged to divorce his wife. Yang Hu refused and instead became an even more caring and devoted husband, treating his wife with exceptional respect and kindness during this difficult time. Soon, Sima Yi pardoned Xiahou Ba’s remaining family because of Xiahou Yuan’s achievements, so no harm came to Yang Hu’s wife.
Around this time, Yang Hu’s mother and older brother, Yang Fa, both happened to pass away. Their deaths hit Yang Hu hard and it took him a long time to recover. For the next ten years, he lived an ascetic, imposing a harsh lifestyle upon himself. Though his sister married Sima Shi, Yang Hu’s depression and humility kept him from any serious association with his in-laws and he had no particular role in his brother-in-law’s regime. He remained in his lowly position until Sima Zhao became Grand General in 255. While Sima Yi and Sima Shi had respected Yang Hu’s wishes to be left alone, Sima Zhao refused to let a talented man remain in obscurity. He requested that Yang Hu become one of his personal advisors, but Yang Hu refused. Sima Zhao then persuaded him to accept a junior position among the palace secretaries. Yang Hu reluctantly agreed, and he was tasked with being one of Cao Mao’s literary companions. Yang Hu eventually accepted a few minor promotions to an advisory position on Cao Mao’s personal staff, then appointment as a regular attendant.
Despite his proximity to Cao Mao and Dowager Guo, Yang Hu was never implicated in any of their machinations, so he did not suffer from Cao Mao’s revolt or the dowager’s suspected actions. Given Yang Hu’s close ties to the Sima family, it is likely that he was given these positions in order to keep watch over the royalist faction, though if he was employed as a spy this role is downplayed in official records.
When Cao Huan was enthroned, Yang Hu was made a lesser marquis without a fief and granted a small stipend. Yang Hu believed that Cao Huang did not want him as a member of his personal staff, so he requested to be demoted to a clerical position. He was made an upper secretary with particular responsibility for the wording of edicts and the emperor’s written responses to petitions. Despite the extraordinary humility and stunning lack of ambition that Yang Hu displayed, Zhong Hui still feared him and considered him a rival, likely due to their intellectual bouts as young men. Zhong Hui wished to have him dismissed from office altogether - something that Yang Hu himself might have welcomed - but he couldn’t find any pretext upon which he could object to Yang Hu. His conduct was simply spotless. Yang Hu, in turn, warned Sima Zhao that Zhong Hui was untrustworthy. After Zhong Hui’s failed rebellion, Yang Hu was rewarded for this advice and Sima Zhao promoted him to be his Staff Advisor, a senior position in the office of the Grand General with especial responsibility for recommending officials. Later in 264, Sima Zhao reestablished the ancient system of peerage that divided the nobility into five ranks, and Yang Hu was enfeoffed as Count of Juping, with a considerably larger stipend than that which he had previously been receiving.
When Sima Zhao died and Sima Yan took power, he assigned Yang Hu even more authority. Yang Hu was given responsibility for handling Sima Yan’s confidential documents, along with his future rival Xun Xu. Despite Yang Hu’s objections, Sima Yan then made him General of the Capital, with responsibility for guarding Luoyang. In an extraordinary show of trust, Sima Yan not only assigned him command of the forces within the city, Yang Hu was also given control of the soldiers within the palace. Traditionally, this command was split to prevent the general from leading an uprising, but Sima Yan had no fears regarding Yang Hu’s loyalty. His lack of ambition and ties to the Sima family were probably the leading factors in this decision.
Soon after inheriting control of Wei, Sima Yan received Cao Huan’s abdication. As a reward for Yang Hu’s services, he altered Yang Hu’s title slightly, granting him control over even more soldiers in the capital and making him an Imperial attendant. Sima Yan also wanted to enfeoff Yang Hu as a duke, with the income of 3,000 households, a staggering elevation from his current enfeoffment. Yang Hu was horrified at the prospect and vehement declined the honor. Sima Yan compromised and instead elevated him to a marquis. Yang Hu was granted the special privilege of being permitted to choose his own subordinates, which were usually assigned by the emperor. At Yang Hu’s insistence, his wife was also enfeoffed in her own right.
Early in his reign as emperor, Sima Yan concluded that Yang Hu’s talents were still being wasted in his lowly position. He sent forth an edict praising Yang Hu’s ability and lamenting that he had not been employed in the heart of the bureaucracy. Against Yang Hu’s wishes, Sima Yan elevated him to be Left Supervisor of the Masters of Writing, making him one of the foremost ministers of the central government. Furthermore, Sima Yan promoted him to the rank of General of the Guards. Despite this elevation in rank, Yang Hu remained as humble as ever. He made an effort to put others first, particularly those who he felt had been passed over in his favor. In particular, Pei Xiu, Wang You, and Jiang Yun were respected officials since the rise of the Sima family, and Yang Hu felt that they should have been elevated before him. As such, he went to great lengths to praise them and treat them with great respect.
In 269, Sima Yan decided that Yang Hu could do even more good if he was sent out to do battle against Wu. Since Jing’s Inspector Hu Lie was just recently transferred to Qin province, Sima Yan decided to send Yang Hu to Jing. He was made Marshal of Jing with plenipotentiary authority and retained his earlier titles as an attendant and General of the Guards. Yang Hu made his headquarters at Nanxia, in Nanyang. From there, he conducted some rearrangements that greatly improved life in the province. There was a custom whereby when an official died while in office, his successor would have his headquarters torn down and rebuilt, under the theory that the place had become inauspicious. Yang Hu saw this as wasteful and nonsensical. He publicly declared that life and death were determined by fate, not by one’s residence, and banned the practice. This alone saved the province a great deal of money. He also instituted new agricultural policies that were a great success. When Yang Hu arrived in Jing, the army didn’t have enough food stockpiled to last for 100 days on the march. By Yang Hu’s third year there, there was enough food stored up to last for 10 years.
Upon his arrival in Jing, Yang Hu proved to be an unusual man. He was known for his great frugality and humility. He never kept excess money for himself; after taking care of his personal expenses, he gave the rest of his income to his soldiers as rewards. Yang Hu almost never wore armor and instead wore the robes of a scholar when he was out with the army, and he never had more than twenty bodyguards at any given time. He was also quite fond of domestic chores, farming and fishing, and would often neglect his responsibilities in order to enjoy such pastimes. Still, the work got done so no one criticized him for this. At first, Yang Hu was also fond of taking walks outside of the city at night. However, his assistant Xu Yin objected believing it was too dangerous. When Yang Hu tried to leave one night, Xu Yin stood before the gates with a spear. He begged Yang Hu not to leave, saying that the prosperity and safety of the army relied upon him. He even went so far as to say “The gate will only open tonight if I am dead.” Yang Hu was thus persuaded to stop risking his life for such leisures.
Yang Hu’s policies regarding Wu were starkly different from those of his predecessors. He believed that by treating the common people of Wu with kindness, they would be encouraged to surrender. He treated the people of Wu with unprecedented generosity and honesty. There were a number of soldiers in Jing who were originally from Wu and joined Wei after being captured in battle. Yang Hu permitted all of these men to return to their homes in Wu if they wished. He also built schools to educate the commoners, and he permitted commoners of Wu to attend. This spread his reputation throughout Jing, and soon even his enemies came to love him.
Despite his great kindness, Yang Hu was no pacifist, and he did not forget that he was at war. He was concerned about the fact that Wu occupied the city of Shi, which was just 700 leagues from Xiangyang and represented a constant threat. Yang Hu employed some sort of deception (unfortunately, the Jinshu does not clarify what) and tricked the Wu commanders into abandoning the city. He then occupied it, which allowed him to reduce the number of soldiers patrolling the border by half. With Shi, Yang Hu also obtained 800 acres of arable land. This was, in fact, Yang Hu’s first military command and the first battle he fought, and it was a great success.
By 272, Sima Yan was convinced that Yang Hu’s work was good enough to earn him another promotion and decided to make him General of the Chariots and Cavalry. Yang Hu, however, felt that he had done nothing to deserve this honor, or even to attain his current position. He sent a lengthy memorial to Sima Yan begging that he be allowed to refuse the promotion. He expressed fears about being elevated beyond his abilities and listed several men who he believed were more worthy of the position. Yang Hu’s words fell on deaf ears, however, and Sima Yan persisted in promoting Yang Hu despite his heartfelt objections.
Meanwhile, in Wu, there was quite an uproar. Decades ago, Bu Zhi had been put in command of Xiling (formerly known as Yiling) and he built a strong base of personal power there. This command was inherited by his sons and eventually fell to Bu Chan. In 272, Sun Hao summoned Bu Chan to court. Bu Chan feared that he would be taken from Xiling in order to strip his family of its power there, and he was unwilling to let this happen. Since Xiling was on the border between Jin and Wu, he decided that the best thing to do was to defect to Jin. He revolted against Sun Hao and begged Jin to send reinforcements to assist him. Sun Hao seng Lu Kang to put him down, and this resulted in one of the largest battles between Jin and Wu.
Yang Hu dispatched Jing’s Inspector, Yang Zhao, to relieve Bu Chan while Yang Hu himself sought to ease the pressure on Xiling by attacking Lu Kang’s headquarters, Jiangling. Though Lu Kang’s officers thought he should return to Jiangling to defend it, Lu Kang himself was unconcerned about Yang Hu’s assault. He believed that the defenses at Jiangling were sufficient to hold off Yang Hu’s army, and that even if Yang Hu was able to take the city, he wouldn’t be able to hold it against a counter-siege. Instead, he advanced on Xiling to deal with Bu Chan. Lu Kang didn’t totally ignore the siege of Jiangling, though. Years ago, he had built a dam to create a floodplain outside of the city in order to deter a siege. Yang Hu was planning to use this to transport supplies by boat. Lu Kang predicted this and sent a subordinate, Zhang Xian, to destroy the dam. This released the waters and drained the floodplain. As a result, Yang Hu was forced to transport his supplies by land, which took significantly more time and manpower.
Lu Kang sent subordinates ahead and ordered them to rebuild the walls around the many small towns and military camps surrounding Xiling. This served the dual purpose of keeping Bu Chan trapped in Xiling so that he couldn’t escape, and giving Lu Kang’s army a defense against Jin reinforcements. Lu Kang’s generals thought that they should be attacking the city instead of building walls around it, but Lu Kang believed that the only way to succeed was to isolate Xiling first. Since he himself designed the city’s defenses, he knew just how strong they were. When his generals continued to insist that they launch an attack instead, Lu Kang permitted one wave to attack the city. As Lu Kang predicted, the attack failed utterly. After this, his generals followed his orders. He drove the soldiers harshly to complete the project, and though the soldiers complained they did as they were told.
Soon, Yang Hu’s subordinates began to arrive in hopes of relieving Xiling. First was Xu Yin, the subordinate who once stopped Yang Hu from going out at night. He had recently become the Grand Administrator of Badong, and he sailed down the Yangzi river with a naval force, arriving at Jianping, west of Xiling. At the same time, Yang Zhao approached Jiangling from the east, pinning Lu Kang’s army between them. Lu Kang sent two generals named Liu Lu and Zhu Wan to deal with Xu Yin while he himself went to the eastern walls to fight off Yang Zhao.
Yang Zhao’s arrival frightened the Wu commanders, and two of them, Zhu Qiao and Yu Zan, defected. Yu Zan’s defection was of particular benefit to Jin, as he had been the marshal of Lu Kang’s army, a staff officer responsible for training. Yu Zan revealed to Yang Zhao that one of the three armies that Lu Kang had defending the walls was made up of tribal recruits from Wuling, and that they were poorly trained and would likely break at the first sign of trouble. Acting on this knowledge, Yang Zhao attacked the section of the wall that was defended by the tribal soldiers. Lu Kang, however, predicted this. When Yu Zan defected, Lu Kang worried that he would reveal that particular weakness to Jin, so he dismissed the tribal soldiers and brought in Wu reserves to defend that portion of the wall. As a result, Lu Kang was able to break Yang Zhao’s initial thrust. Though Yang Zhao continued to attack the walls for over a month, he was unable to make any progress.
Eventually, Yang Zhao was convinced that success was impossible and he retreated in the night. Lu Kang sent a light force to pursue him, with extra banners and drums to make them appear much larger. This caused great confusion among Yang Zhao’s army, and Lu Kang killed many Jin soldiers as they fled. With Yang Zhao dealt with, Lu Kang could focus his full attention on Xiling. He stormed the city and killed Bu Chan along with his family. With Bu Chan’s death and Xiling’s fall, Yang Hu realized that the campaign was over and he withdrew.
Many of Jin’s officials were furious about the outcome of this campaign. They criticized Yang Hu for attacking Jiangling instead of aiding Bu Chan, and for not sending Yang Zhao reinforcements when the campaign was going against him. Many wanted him to be demoted, and some even urged that he be stripped of his rank and sent to live on his fief. Sima Yan agreed that Yang Hu was responsible for the defeat, so he demoted Yang Hu to General Who Subdues the South. Yang Zhao was stripped of all titles and enfeoffment and sentenced to life as a commoner for his failure.
After his rather embarrassing defeat at Jiangling, Yang Hu redoubled his military efforts. Drawing inspiration from tactics employed by some generals from the Spring and Autumn period, he began a campaign of indirect warfare against Wu. Focusing on the region around Shi (the city he conquered when he first came to Jing), Yang Hu constructed five powerful fortresses and sent soldiers out to occupy fertile lands in the general area. He also conducted raids against Wu outposts there and drove the Wu soldiers away. In this manner, he was able to seize all of the land west of Shi, much of which previously belonged to Wu or was contested territory.
Yang Hu also increased his efforts to treat the people of Wu - commoners and soldiers alike - with extreme kindness, under the theory that this would induce them to surrender. In battle, Yang Hu shunned tactics that he deemed dishonorable, such as ambushes. When his generals presented him with deceptive stratagems, he would always refuse them. Captured prisoners were always permitted to return home undisturbed and were always treated kindly. Yang Hu displayed the same generosity off of the battlefield. If he ever sent soldiers to harvest grain across the border, he kept careful track of how much he took and sent silk to Wu as compensation. When he or his soldiers were hunting, they were restricted to the Jin side of the border, and if any of Wu’s prey fell into their hands, it was returned. This exceptional kindness to his enemies did indeed earn Yang Hu great love from the people of Wu. Among them, he was often called “Lord Yang” as a sign of their great respect for him.
From 272 to 274, Yang Hu was engaged in a series of local battles with Lu Kang and lesser Wu generals, who tried to claim portions of his territory. These battles not only displayed Yang Hu’s military prowess, he also used them as an opportunity to further demonstrate his kindness. At one point during this period, one of Yang Hus’ subordinates imprisoned two youths from Wu, and when Yang Hu heard about this, he released them without hesitation. Not long after this, he defeated aWu attack and received the surrender of two Wu generals, Xia Xiang and Shao Yi. The father of the two youths previously mentioned also came to surrender, bringing several families with him. In another attack, Yang Hu killed two Wu generals named Chen Shang and Pan Jing. Yang Hu then made a point of praising them for their integrity and bravery and gave both men elaborate funerals. Shortly after this, some of their relatives came to request the bodies back. Yang Hu readily agreed and sent them home. In a more significant battle at Xiakou, Yang Hu defeated the Wu general Deng Xiang, who he made a point of capturing alive. He then pardoned Deng Xiang and released him. Grateful for this kindness, Deng Xiang surrendered, along with all of his subordinates. While all of these incidents are relatively minor, they serve as an excellent example of Yang Hu’s policy and how effective that policy was.
Respect for Yang Hu went all the way to the top of the Wu army. Lu Kang was in charge of Wu’s forces in Jing, making him Yang Hu’s direct counterpart. Though they were rivals who fought quite often, Lu Kang developed a deep respect for Yang Hu. He frequently praised Yang Hu, saying that he surpassed the ancient general Yue Yi. For a more modern comparison, Lu Kang also said that Yang Hu was superior to Zhuge Liang. Sun Hao was naturally distrustful of the friendship that grew between the two men and demanded explanations for Lu Kang. Lu Kang explained that if Yang Hu was kind and generous while he was harsh and violent, the people would turn against Wu and side with Jin. He had to act with the same integrity and grace as Yang Hu in order to maintain the faith of his soldiers, who would otherwise go over to the enemy. He once remarked to his soldiers, “If [Yang Hu] acts on virtue and I act on terror, then the battle is lost before it is even fought.” A story in Yang Hu’s Jinshu biography illustrates the friendship and trust that grew between these two rivals. At one point, Lu Kang became ill. Yang Hu heard about this and sent him some medicine. Lu Kang’s men were afraid it was poison, but Lu Kang drank it without any hesitation, since he was sure that Yang Hu would never do something like that.
Yang Hu and Lu Kang fought on and off for the next two years. They typically only fought in prearranged locations at agreed upon times, and Yang Hu almost always won and earned the surrender of many Wu generals. After Lu Kang’s passing in 274, Wu had no generals left who could pose a serious threat to Yang Hu or to Jin’s other skilled commanders. Sima Yan celebrated Yang Hu’s victories over Wu by making him Grand General Who Conquers the South in 275.
Though one would expect the generals of Wu to be Yang Hu’s enemies, the true dangers to him came from within Jin. He had long been at odds with Jia Chong’s party, since Yang Hu - as a humble and virtuous man - resented Jia Chong’s ruthless politicking. And Yang Hu was a personal enemy of two of Jia Chong’s most important partisans, Xun Xu and Feng Shen. Yang Hu also alienated two of his relatives. His nephew, Wang Yan, visited him in Jing at one point and the two had an argument that Wang Yan never got mover. Yang Hu had an even more serious conflict with Wang Yan’s cousin, Wang Rong. During the fight over Xiling, Yang Hu had wanted to execute Wang Rong for some military wrongdoing. Though Wang Rong was pardoned by Sima Yan, he and his cousin always hated Yang Hu after this. These political enemies proved to be Yang Hu’s true obstacle during the tail end of his career.
During his time in Jing, Yang Hu crafted plans to invade and conquer Wu. The generosity he showed to the Wu soldiers was a vital part of this plan, since he believed that many would surrender if they knew that they would receive kindness from Jin. The crux of Yang Hu’s strategy was to take the Yangzi river - which had always held Wei and Jin at bay - and use it to their advantage. He wanted to have many armies advance on land and secure key positions while sending a massive fleet downriver from Yi province to Jianye. While searching for someone to command this fleet, Yang Hu heard about Wang Jun. He was the Inspector of Yi province and had just recently been made Minister of Agriculture. Yang Hu petitioned Sima Yan to keep Wang Jun in Yi province instead and to put him in command of the province’s army. Sima Yan agreed and, on Yang Hu’s recommendation, he was made General of the Dragon Cavalry. Wang Jun also received secret orders to start constructing a fleet for the eventual invasion. Meanwhile, Yang Hu himself began training soldiers specifically for this mission and stockpiling resources for it.
In 276, Yang Hu sent a memorial to Sima Yan proposing this invasion.
“The late emperor followed the will of Heaven. In the west he pacified Shu and in the south he achieved peace with Wu. Therefore the empire can rest and the common people are looking forward to peace. However, Wu went against her words and restarted the battles at the border. Also fate is destined by Heaven and ultimate work has to be done by men. If the rebels are not extinguished, those who serve in the military will never obtain peace. This can also exemplify the glory his late majesty has achieved and obtain the highest state of ruling. In the past, Yao had the battle for Danshui, and Shun fought against the Three Miaos. They did it to pacify the universe and to allow their people to set down the weapons. When Shu was pacified, the world was saying Wu had reached her end. Thirteen years have passed and now is the time to finally pacify that land. Some say that Wu will submit before the emperor once they are civilized and it is imperialism to use the military without proper manners. However, today’s circumstances cannot be compared to those of the ancient times. Therefore even the rituals should only be followed as the situation dictates. There might be many strategies but only one decision can be made. To those who believe the enemy have the geographical advantages, difficult terrains alone cannot made a state guard against herself. If the difference between the states is clear then no number of strategies can proven to be useful and no different terrain can stop the unavoidable. Take Shu for example: her terrain is very rough. Her high mountains reach up to the clouds; one cannot reach the bottoms of her deep valleys. One can only pass when he ties up his horse and abandon his carriage; the saying “one man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot go through” was all over the world. However, when the campaign was launched, there were no barriers from the terrain. Enemy generals were killed and tens of thousands of troops were extinguished. The grand military was victorious from Hanzhong to Chengdu and even the birds were afraid to come out. It is not that they did not wish to fight but the difference of the strength was simply too great. When Liu Shan submitted, the rest of the troops disbanded immediately. Now, the rough terrain of Jianghui cannot surpass those of Jiange. The mountainous terrain is less than thate of the Minhan. Sun Hao’s tyranny far surpasses Liu Shan’s and the difficulties faced by the people of Wu are much more than those of Shu. On the other hand, the army of the great Jin has increased and there are many more supplies in the storage. If Wu is not pacified today, then the two sides will fall into a stalemate. Many more would be conscripted to serve in the military and skirmishes would occur daily. Such situation cannot last hence the Four Seas should be unified at this moment If your majesty would sent the troops of Liang and Yi travel east by both land and water; the army from Jing and Chu advance to Jiangling, conquer Yuzhou and point to Xiakou; Xu, Yang, Qing, Yan troops can march toward Jianye and they would put up a lot of banners to distract the enemy. How can Wu, only one part of the world, have the strength to counter attacks from all sides? When the surprise attack launched against Ba-Han region, the fall of one place cause the entire state to fail. Wu relies on the Long River to secure its border. There are none inside and outside and her authority expands several thousand li in the east west direction. Sun Hao acts on his own will only and is filled with suspicion toward his subjects. His top ministers and generals lack self-confidence and people like Sun Xiu left out of fear. The generals are not trusted at court and the scholars are forced to stay in the farms; there are no strategy to save the country and no heart to pacify the world. Even during the regular times people have a heart to leave the country. When the troops have arrived, there will bound to be people who recognize the fate and join the right side hence the enemy cannot even fight together in a time of crisis. The troops of Wu are fast but they cannot last a long time. Their weapons cannot be compared those of the Middle Kingdom. Even though navy battle is their advantage; once our troops entered their land the Long River cannot be relied by Wu for guiding any longer. If they are forced to guard their cities, then they will be disregarding their strength and rely on their weaknesses. Then the imperial army can march forth with great determination while Wu people are only thinking of keeping their cities. At this point, the victory can be achieved in no time!”
Though Sima Yan expressed agreement with Yang Hu, he did not immediately take action, particularly as he was concerned by the continuing rebellions among the tribes of the north. Yang Hu insisted that if Wu was conquered, the rebels would give in as well, but Sima Yan was not convinced. At that point, many of Yang Hu’s enemies acted against him and argued against his plan to invade Wu. As a result, Sima Yan did not put Yang Hu’s plans into action. He tried to placate Yang Hu by making the Marquis of a newly-formed state Nancheng, with permission to rule it like a ducal state. Yang Hu attempted to refuse the position, but Sima Yan insisted and enfeoffed him anyway.
The last few years of Yang Hu’s life saw him primarily in a civil role. Though he remained in Jing, Sima Yan often sent emissaries to consult him on matters. Sima Yan wanted to bring him to court as an Excellency, but he still planned to conquer Wu and believed that it was best to leave Yang Hu in Jing. As a result, Yang Hu functioned as a sort of long-distance advisor. Sima Yan would rarely make decisions about anything without consulting Yang Hu first. Yang Hu was always very careful with these communications and handled them in secret. Some people went so far as to accuse him of paranoia, but Yang Hu ignored them and believed he was only being practical.
Even after many years in Jing and much success, Yang Hu frequently expressed a desire to retire, though he also said he could not do so until Wu was conquered. In a letter to his cousin, Yang Xiu, he went so far as to say “Once the borders are pacified, I would go back to my hometown, become a hermit, and wait to be ashes within a coffin. I was once a commoner and now I hold a high rank, how can I not be blamed for having too much prestige?”
Yang Hu always retained his fondness for nature, and since there were now few troubles along the border, he often spent days at a time touring mountains and lakes. He was particularly fond of visiting Mount Xian, a mountain near Xiangyang with many myths and legends attached to it. There, he would write poems for the whole day and even said that he hoped that his soul would reside there after death.
There were, of course, still some minor troubles along the border. Enterprising Wu generals sometimes raided Yang Hu’s territory in hopes of achieving fame by defeating him, but none of them posed any sort of challenge to Yang Hu. At one point, he was blamed for a successful Wu raid on Geyang, but he was spared from punishment when he pointed out that Geyang, in Jiangxia, was more than 800 leagues from Xiangyang and that by the time he got there, Wu would have already been gone. On most occasions, though, Yang Hu destroyed and received the surrender of the various minor commanders who troubled the borders. Sima Yan tried to increase his enfeoffment yet again, but Yang Hu managed to put him off by asking that the land be given to his nephew instead. Sima Yan compromised by making Yang Hu’s nephew, Cai Xi, a minor marquis.
In 278, Yang Hu’s generally pleasant life was marred by the death of his sister, Yang Huiyu, and he traveled to Luoyang for her funeral. At the time, Yang Hu was ill himself, so Sima Yan ordered that he be brought to the palace in the Imperial carriage and declared that he did not have to follow any particular protocols when meeting with the emperor. Now in the capital, Yang Hu visited Sima Yan and again urged for the invasion of Wu. Sima Yan established Yang Hu in quarters at the palace while he contemplated the proposal. Because of Yang Hu’s illness, Sima Yan did not want to disturb him by constantly summoning him to appear at court, so he instead ordered Zhang Hua - then Prefect of the Palace Secretaries - to meet with Yang Hu on his behalf and record their conversations. Yang Hu told his plans to Zhang Hua in full, and Zhang Hua himself was quite convinced. The two became instant allies in this endeavor and Zhang Hua became the proposal’s most ardent champion.
With Zhang Hua’s support, the proposal gained ground and Sima Yan started to make preparations to enact it. He initially asked Yang Hu to take command of the entire operation but, despite planning this invasion for years, Yang Hu refused. He feared that he would not recover from his illness and asked Sima yan to find someone else to take command of the operation. Eventually, Sima Yan settled upon Jia Chong, a somewhat ironic choice given his long opposition to Yang Hu’s plan. As Yang Hu’s illness worsened, he started to look to his own successor. He was impressed by the work of his brother-in-law, Du Yu, and asked Sima Yan to put him in charge of Jing’s military after Yang Hu’s passing. Sima Yan agreed.
Shortly after these preparations were made, Yang Hu did indeed pass away from his illness at the gate of 58. Sima Yan mourned deeply for him, following the rites appropriate for a close family member. The common people and soldiers of Jing mourned for Yang Hu as well, so much so that commerce ground to a halt for several days because no one would buy or sell goods. The goodwill Yang Hu earned among the Wu army expressed itself as well, and even the soldiers stationed along the border wept for his loss. In an edict, Sima Yan said of him, “Yang Hu had a virtuous life. He planned ahead but had a peaceful mind. He was an important part of the interior court and was about to be given more responsibilities. He was a great support to the imperial affairs with his loyalty and honesty. Within the court, he would partake in the most secretive affairs; out in the provinces, he would govern the people and army there. His talents and personality would allow him to help We until eternity; his sudden death was a great tragedy to all.” Despite Yang Hu’s wishes, Sima Yan arranged an elaborate funeral for him and personally saw the procession off when it departed from the city. Sima Yan was originally going to bury Yang Hu in his own marquisate, but at the urging of Yang Hu’s surviving relatives, Sima Yan relented and buried him with his family in Taiyuan instead.
There was some confusion regarding who would inherit Yang Hu’s estate. He had no children of his own, so Sima Yan asked his nephew Yang Ji to be his heir. Yang Ji refused, however, as his father had already passed on and he had already inherited that marquisate and did not feel it was proper for one man to be the heir of two. Sima Yan then asked Yang Ji’s younger brother, Yang Yi, but Yang Yi refused as well, for unknwon reasons. Sima Yan was angered by this and dismissed both of them. For the next several years, Yang Hu’s estate was managed by the government, as he did not have an heir. Eventually, Sima Yan named Yang Ji’s third brother, Yang Pian, as Yang Hu’s heir, probably waiting until Yang Pian came of age. For his part, Yang Pian lived a humble life. He became an Imperial attendant and was known for his generosity and humility, following Yang Hu’s example. However, he died young without particular accomplishment.
Two years after Yang Hu’s death, Sima Yan finally invaded Wu, using the plans Yang Hu had devised. The entire operation was a stunning success, and Wu was conquered in just a few months. Because of the kindness Yang Hu had shown the people of Wu before, tens of thousands of commanders, soldiers, officials, and peasants were quite ready to surrender to Jin in order to escape Sun Hao’s tyranny. Not only did this facilitate the invasion, it also meant that the new regime was widely accepted and Wu was not a hotbed of rebellion and resentment as Sima Yan feared it would become. During the victory feast after Sun Hao’s surrender, Sima Yan said that this victory was due to Yang Hu’s efforts. As a reward, he increased Lady Xiahou’s enfeoffment, making her Countess of Wanshou, with the income of 5,000 households, in addition to a staggering monetary reward.
As a final note, Yang Hu left behind an impressive body of scholarly work. In addition to a large collection of his poems, he also left behind a biography of Laozi as well as various commentaries and essays. Recalling Yang Hu’s love of Mount Xian, the people of Xiangyang built a monument to him there and conducted services to honor him every spring and autumn. Many common people visited the mountain to show respect to Yang Hu, and most were moved to tears when they arrived. Yang Hu was held in such esteem that the people of Jing treated his name as taboo, even as they did the emperor’s. Men who shared the same name as Yang Hu even went so far as to change their names to avoid breaking this rule. Even official positions in Jing that happened to share the same character as his name had their titles altered to respect this.
Yang Hu’s reputation as a general is largely undeserved. He was somewhat skilled, but he lost the most important battle he fought against Wu, and though he had many victories they were all small battles against minor commanders. His reputation as Jin’s greatest general is, however, heavily exaggerated His true importance was in the way he mended relations between Jin and Wu. The great kindness Yang Hu showed to the people of Wu greatly facilitated Jin’s conquest of the region and led to long lasting stability there. His role in Jin’s conquest of Wu was also vital. Though he was dead by the time the campaign began and commanded no troops, Yang Hu was the mastermind behind the entire operation and his plans worked perfectly. He also proved to be one of Sima Yan’s most trusted and valued advisers, a man whose opinion was all but law in the Jin court. All of that aside, Yang Hu’s exceptional conduct alone would make him worthy of praise. No other man of his day showed such kindness, generosity, humility, and generally goodness. He was a saint, a man who gave everything he had to others and was never interested in keeping anything back for himself. In an age where men fought constantly for power and recognition, Yang Hu rejected these things at all turns and never lost his basic humility. He was a truly unique man.
Yang Hu’s sister also deserves mention, though as usual not nearly enough is recorded about her. Her name was Yang Huiyu, and she was his half-sister (by the same father). Born in 214, she was seven years older than Yang Hu. Though not a great deal about her early life is recorded, Yang Huiyu is described in the Jinshu as an intelligent and virtuous woman, as well as a lady of great beauty. She was likely close to her aunt, the famous intellectual Xin Xianying.
Yang Huiyu married Sima Shi sometime after 234. The exact year of their marriage is not recorded, though it was likely in the late 230s. Though Sima Shi had five daughters from his first marriage, he had no children with Yang Huiyu. At her urging, he adopted his nephew Sima You (born 246) to be his heir. Sima You and his stepmother were extremely close, and he was noted as being an especially filial son. Yang Huiyu and her husband were also a very close pair. It is recorded that she used her intellect to assist him with his various plans during his rise and reign, though the specifics of her suggestions are not recorded.
After Sima Shi’s death, Yang Huiyu relocated to Hongxun palace, where she lived for several years. Though she was not particularly close to Sima Zhao, Sima Yan held great respect for her. When he became emperor, he made Yang Huiyu Empress Dowager, a title she shared with Sima Yan’s own mother, Wang Yuanji. She was often called the Hongxun Dowager to differentiate her from Wang Yuanji, the Chonghua Dowager. When Wang Yuanji passed away in 268, Yang Huiyu took over her duties as Dowager. Yang Huiyu followed in the footsteps of Lady Bian and Wang Yuanji, serving as a somewhat distant but powerful figure in Sima Yan’s court. Though she did not often involve herself in court politics directly, Sima Yan sought her advice on many affairs. Her opinion carried substantial weight in Jin and she was held in great esteem by the state’s various ministers.
When Sima Yan became emperor, he posthumously enfeoffed Sima Shi as Emperor Jing. Though he made Yang Huiyu Dowager, he did not grant any such enfeoffment to Sima Shi’s first wife, Xiahou Hui. Yang Huiyu thought that this was a mistake and urged Sima Yan to enfeoff her. Eventually, Sima Yan accepted her advice and enfeoffed the woman as Empress Huai, as posthumous name meaning “cherished”. Yang Huiyu also secured enfeoffment for her female relations. In 274, her stepmother Lady Cai was posthumously granted Jiyang as a fief and given the posthumous name Mu.
Yang Huiyu served as a powerful figure in the Jin government for over a decade. She ultimately passed away in 278 at the age of 65, a few months before her younger brother. She was given the posthumous name Empress Xian. She was buried in Junping field, just outside of Luoyang, with Sima Shi. Her son Sima You was also a central figure in Jin, eventually serving as Grand Commander.
This is being scrapped in favor of a better idea, but I've been coerced into posting the original draft.
-------------------Nurse Me ~ HuKang-------------------
“My lord, I hate to disturb you, but there's a messenger here,” a guard called softly from outside the tent.
Lu Kang sighed, stifling a cough. “Enter,” he responded shortly, laying his brush down carefully on the ink stone. The young strategist was hardly in a mood to entertain visitors, but he nevertheless straightened his posture and tugged the blanket a little tighter around his shoulders to keep off the chill.
A soldier quickly entered and bowed, paying his respects. “My lord, I have--”
“Ah, from Yang Shuzi, yes?” Lu Kang's face split into a wide grin, “It's a wonder that they bother to ask permission for your entry anymore, I'm always happy to receive you.”
The old soldier allowed himself a small smile as he straightened, “I appreciate your hospitality, Grand Marshall. As I began, I have a gift from Lord Yang. He heard you were ill, and commanded me to bring it to you right away.”
Youjie waved the messenger forward informally. “Let's have it then.” He left his hand outstretched and the man placed a small, lightweight pouch in his palm. The general furrowed his brow curiously. “Is that all?”
The soldier chuckled lightly. “No, Grand Marshall, I also have a letter for you,” the soldier pulled a scroll from a pocket and placed it delicately on Lu Kang's desk.
He nodded in thanks, wincing some as his heart skipped a painful beat. “Thank you as always for your hard work; get something to eat before you head back.”
The soldier bowed again and departed, leaving Lu Kang with the small package in his hand. As he opened the pouch, the guard who announced the messenger entered the tent slowly, looking at the general anxiously.
Noticing the guard's wary stare, he sighed, “I'm sure everything is fine, no need to look so worried.” He opened the bag completely to find a fine green powder, with large leaves interspersed throughout. “Ah, looks like Shuzi has been kind enough to send me some medicine,” he addressed the guard. “Please prepare some hot water for tea right away.”
"My lord,” the man began tentatively, “perhaps you shouldn't take it so readily. What if it's poisoned? Please allow someone else to try it first.”
The young strategist scoffed, “Ridiculous, old Uncle Yang Hu is no poisoner; don't be so quick to doubt his chivalrous intentions. Do as I've asked you,” Lu Kang warned, a glint of steel in his eyes.
The guard muttered apologies and bowed deeply, not wishing to challenge his commander any further. “At once, my lord,” he replied, retreating quickly.
After waiting a moment to confirm his solitude, Lu Kang dropped the small bag onto his desk and allowed his posture to slacken, clutching a hand to his chest. He mentally willed his heart to return to a natural rhythm, taking in pained gasps and trying not to aggravate his cough any further. When the attack had subsided, he took a few deep breaths to steady himself, then reached for Yang Hu's letter.
Recipient - Grand Marshall Lu Youjie
I hope this finds you well, though by report, the chances of that seem slim. In case the reports have merit, I have included a little something that I hope speeds along your recovery. It is a little of a catch-all, but it was the best I could do, considering I lack the specifics of your ailment. I will provide fair warning and tell you that it is very bitter, but please abstain from adding anything to try and sweeten it, as it will affect the medicinal properties. You can probably figure how to brew it correctly, so I will not include instructions. Drink it while it is hot, it gets worse tasting the cooler it is.
My sincerest thanks for the excellent wine; perhaps we will be able to drink together next time.
