Liu Qu 劉璩

In Chapter 118 of the Romance, when news reaches Chengdu that Deng Ai has taken Mianzhu and that Zhuge Zhan and his son are already dead, the officials debate whether to flee to the seven commanderies of Nanzhong or to seek refuge with Wu. The Grand Master of Splendid Happiness Qiao Zhou says it would be better to surrender to Wei than to seek refuge with Wu, and the next day he submits another memorial to remonstrate. As the Later Sovereign, following Qiao Zhou's advice, is about to go out and surrender, his fifth son Liu Chen, Prince of Beidi, comes out from behind a screen and rebukes Qiao Zhou. Romance, Ch. 118 §1–4

At this point the Romance lists the Later Sovereign's seven sons: the eldest was Liu Xuan, the second Liu Yao, the third Liu Cong, the fourth Liu Zan, the fifth Liu Chen, Prince of Beidi, the sixth Liu Xun and the seventh Liu Qu. Of the seven sons, it says, only Liu Chen had been intelligent and quick beyond others since childhood, while the rest were all weak and meek. This is the only time Liu Qu's name appears in the Romance. Romance, Ch. 118 §4–5

Liu Chen tearfully urges that they fight one battle with their backs to the city wall and die together with the altars of the state, but the Later Sovereign will not listen, has his close attendants push him out of the palace gate, and then has Qiao Zhou draft the letter of surrender. When it is settled that sovereign and ministers will go out and surrender on the first day of the twelfth month, Liu Chen, after his wife Lady Cui has died first, kills his three sons and cuts his own throat in the temple of Emperor Zhaolie (Liu Bei). The next day, when the Wei army arrives in force, the Later Sovereign, leading the crown prince, the princes and more than sixty of his ministers, with his own hands bound behind him and a coffin carried on a cart, goes out ten li beyond the north gate and surrenders. Romance, Ch. 118 §6–7 · 9–11 · 13