Xun Kai 荀愷

Xun Kai's family line descends from Xun Yun, the eldest son of Xun Yu. Cao Cao gave his daughter in marriage to Xun Yun, and she was later known as Princess Anyang. Xun Yun inherited the marquisate and rose to General of the Household Rapid as Tigers, but because he was on good terms with Cao Zhi and on bad terms with Xiahou Shang, he incurred the deep hatred of Emperor Wen, Cao Pi. Xun Yun died young, but his sons Xun Han and Xun Yi were Cao Pi's nephews through his sister and so were still treated with favor. Records, Wei 10 §40 · 45

Xun Yi rose to Central Commander of the Army, and after his death he was given the posthumous name Marquis Zhen and posthumously made General of Agile Cavalry. His son Xun Kai succeeded him. Xun Yi's wife was the sister of Sima Shi and Sima Zhao, so both of them were on close terms with Xun Yi. When the five ranks of nobility were newly established in the Xianxi era (264–265), Xun Kai was re-enfeoffed as Viscount of Nandun because Xun Yi had rendered distinguished service under the previous reigns. Records, Wei 10 §48–49

In the winter of the 3rd year of Jingyuan (262), Zhong Hui became General Who Guards the West, was granted the Tally and was made Commander of all military affairs in Guanzhong. In the autumn of the 4th year (263) an edict was issued sending Deng Ai and Zhuge Xu, each with more than 30,000 men, to pin down Jiang Wei and cut off his way back, while Zhong Hui, with a host of more than 100,000, entered by separate routes through the Xie Valley and the Luo Valley. Zhong Hui sent the Gate General Xu Yi ahead to repair the road, and when a hole opened in a bridge and a horse's hoof sank through, he beheaded Xu Yi. Records, Wei 28 §102–103

Shu ordered its various defensive positions not to give battle but to fall back and hold the two cities of Hancheng and Lecheng. When the Wei armies, advancing side by side along several routes, reached Hanzhong, the Shu Army Supervisor Wang Han was holding Lecheng and the Protector of the Army Jiang Bin was holding Hancheng, each with 5,000 troops. Zhong Hui gave the Protector of the Army Xun Kai and the General of the Front Li Fu 10,000 men each, and had Xun Kai besiege Hancheng and Li Fu besiege Lecheng. Zhong Hui himself passed straight on and went out west through Yang'ankou. Records, Wei 28 §104–105

The Biography of Jiang Wei records that Zhong Hui attacked and besieged the two cities of Hancheng and Lecheng and sent a separate commander to attack the pass, and that he attacked Lecheng but could not take it. Chen Shou's main text does not record what became of Hancheng, which Xun Kai besieged, or anything Xun Kai did afterward. Records, Shu 14 §45Records, Wei 28 §104

In Chen Shou's main text Xun Kai appears only in the passage on Xun Yi at the end of the Biography of Xun Yu and in this passage of the Biography of Zhong Hui. The assessment of Book 28 discusses Wang Ling, Guanqiu Jian, Zhuge Dan, Zhong Hui, Deng Ai and others, but does not assess Xun Kai separately. Records, Wei 10 §49Records, Wei 28 §104 · 140