呂布

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The mightiest warrior of the age — "among men, Lü Bu; among horses, Red Hare." A flying general with bow and horse, he once raided a bandit camp three and four times a day. But killing two successive patrons, Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo, chained his reputation forever. He fought Cao Cao for Yan Province, snatched Xuzhou from Liu Bei, and held out as an independent warlord until his own officers sold him at Xiapi. The gate-halberd shot that stopped a war with a single arrow shows what he was at his best.

Key events

1. 189

   Dong Zhuo Seizes Power

   Entering Luoyang, Dong Zhuo deposes the boy emperor and installs Emperor Xian, seizing the court. His tyranny turned the realm’s lords against him.

   Dong ZhuoEmperor Xian

2. 191

   Hulao Gate — Three Heroes vs. Lü BuNovel

   The novel’s famous duel of the three brothers against Lü Bu at Hulao Gate. In the histories it was Sun Jian, not Guan Yu, who slew Hua Xiong.

   Liu BeiGuan YuZhang FeiSun Jian

3. 192

   Wang Yun and Lü Bu Kill Dong Zhuo

   Minister Wang Yun’s plot wins over Lü Bu, who cuts down Dong Zhuo. The novel dramatizes it with the fictional Diao Chan’s double scheme.

   Wang YunDong ZhuoDiao Chan

4. 192

   The Li Jue–Guo Si Chaos

   Refused amnesty, Dong Zhuo’s Xiliang remnants storm Chang’an and execute Wang Yun — the court falls back into the hands of violence.

   Wang YunJia XuEmperor Xian

5. 194

   Cao Cao vs. Lü Bu for Yan Province

   On Chen Gong’s counsel, Lü Bu storms Cao Cao’s home province of Yan; savage fighting at Puyang follows before Cao Cao claws it back.

   Cao CaoChen GongDian WeiXiahou Dun

History vs. the novelHistoryvsNovel

Red Hare, the crescent halberd, the romance with Diao Chan — the "strongest character" package is the novel’s stagecraft. The histories record a man as irresolute as he was invincible, who at the end even tried to sell his services to Cao Cao: "with me, you could pacify the realm."