The Deadly Strategist: Jia Xu

This biographical novel tells the story of Jia Xu. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Ten Attendants wreaked havoc at court, and General-in-Chief He Jin and Yuan Shao secretly summoned the frontier general Dong Zhuo to the capital to eliminate the eunuchs. Jia Xu devised a devious plan for Dong Zhuo, provoking a clash between the eunuchs and He Jin. Dong Zhuo seized the opportunity to enter the capital and reap the benefits. Jia Xu then helped Dong Zhuo persuade Lü Bu to kill his adoptive father, Ding Yuan, and absorb the Bingzhou army, giving Dong Zhuo control of the court and the power to depose and install emperors. Cao Cao, meanwhile, tried to win Dong Zhuo’s favor by killing eunuchs, but soon saw an opportunity to act. After his assassination attempt failed, he fled Luoyang. Jia Xu recognized Cao Cao’s ruthless ambition early on and quietly kept his options open. He foresaw Dong Zhuo’s downfall and advised him to move the capital to Chang’an for safety, then watched coolly as Wang Yun used Diaochan to drive a wedge between Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu. After Dong Zhuo’s death, the Liangzhou army was left without a leader. Jia Xu urged Li Jue and Guo Si to counterattack Chang’an and take control of the court once more. But the two men were brutal and soon turned against each other, so Jia Xu switched his support to his fellow townsman Zhang Ji. He plotted to use Emperor Xian of Han as a bargaining chip and hand him over to Cao Cao. Though the plan failed, it paved the way for Jia Xu to join Cao Cao later. Jia Xu subsequently served Zhang Xiu, Zhang Ji’s nephew. Zhang Xiu first submitted to Liu Biao, then surrendered to Cao Cao. Before the Battle of Guandu, Jia Xu offered a crucial recommendation that helped Zhang Xiu secure his footing in Cao Cao’s camp. Jia Xu’s plans rarely failed. Though he changed masters several times, he was ultimately put to good use under Cao Cao and found a place where he could live in safety.