Li Gui 李珪

In Chapter 40 of the Romance, Liu Biao of Jing Province, his illness grown grave, summons Xuande and entrusts his children to him. When Xuande hurries back to Xinye through the night on news that Cao Cao is coming with a great army, Liu Biao writes a will making his eldest son Liu Qi lord of Jing Province and having Xuande assist him. Hearing of this, Lady Cai is enraged and has Cai Mao and Zhang Yun guard the outer gate, and Cai Mao turns away at the gate Liu Qi, who has come from Jiangxia to visit his sick father. Liu Biao dies waiting for Liu Qi, on the wushen day of the eighth month. Romance, Ch. 40 §12–14

Lady Cai consults with Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, forges a will making the second son Liu Cong lord of Jing Province, and only then announces the death. When the fourteen-year-old Liu Cong gathers the assembly and asks how they will explain themselves if his elder brother in Jiangxia and his uncle Xuande in Xinye raise troops to call them to account, the staff officer Li Gui steps forward before the other officials can answer. The young lord's words are right, he says; if they promptly send word of the death to Jiangxia, receive the eldest son as lord of Jing Province and have Xuande share in the conduct of government, they will be able to oppose Cao Cao in the north and hold off Sun Quan in the south, and this is a plan of perfect safety. Romance, Ch. 40 §16–17

When Cai Mao rebukes him, 'Who are you, that you dare to babble recklessly and defy our lord's dying command?', Li Gui curses him loudly: 'You have plotted together within and without, falsely invoked a dying command, deposed the eldest and set up the younger son; I can see before my eyes the nine commanderies of Jing and Xiang being handed over to the Cai clan!' He adds that if their late lord's spirit has power, it will surely strike Cai Mao dead. Cai Mao, enraged, orders his attendants to drag him out and behead him, and Li Gui does not stop cursing until the moment of his death. Romance, Ch. 40 §17–18

So Cai Mao at last sets up Liu Cong as lord; the Cai clan divide the troops of Jing Province among themselves, and the Headquarters Officer Deng Yi and the Officer with Separate Carriage Liu Xian (劉先) are made to hold Jing Province. Lady Cai goes with Liu Cong to Xiangyang to guard against Liu Qi and Liu Bei, and Liu Biao's coffin is buried on the plain of Hanyang east of the city of Xiangyang, without any notice of the death ever being sent to Liu Qi or Xuande. Then, when word arrives that Cao Cao is leading a great army toward Xiangyang, Liu Cong follows the advice of Fu Xun, Kuai Yue and Wang Can, decides to offer the nine commanderies of Jing and Xiang to Cao Cao, and writes a letter of surrender. Romance, Ch. 40 §18–20 · 22 · 25