Novel scene
Xu Shu Rides Off and Recommends Zhuge Liang 元直走馬薦諸葛
About this event
This is the scene of the title of Chapter 36 of the Romance, "Xu Shu Rides Off and Recommends Zhuge Liang": the passage in which Xu Shu, having received a forged letter saying that Cao Cao had seized his mother, took leave of Liu Bei and set off, then turned his horse back and recommended Zhuge Liang of Longzhong. The Romance places this in the Xinye period, before Liu Bei visited Zhuge Liang. Romance, Ch. 36 §21–24 · 31–35
In Chen Shou's text, too, the Biography of Zhuge Liang in Records of Shu 5 records both Xu Shu's recommending Zhuge Liang to the First Sovereign and, later, Xu Shu's taking leave of the First Sovereign after his mother was captured, but the two events differ in time and place. Records, Shu 5 §4 · 10–11
In the Romance
In Chapter 36 of the Romance, when Cao Cao heard that the plan that had defeated Cao Ren came from Shan Fu, Cheng Yu told him that Shan Fu was Xu Shu of Yingchuan, a most filial son, and that if his mother were brought and made to summon him by letter he would come. Xu Shu's mother, brought to Xuchang, instead rebuked Cao Cao, who disparaged Liu Bei, as a traitor to the Han and threw an inkstone at him; Cheng Yu had her life spared, then imitated her handwriting and sent a forged letter to Xinye. Romance, Ch. 36 §13–20
On receiving the letter, Xu Shu revealed his real name and asked Liu Bei for leave to go. Sun Qian said that if they kept him, Cao Cao would kill his mother, but Liu Bei refused, saying it would be neither benevolent nor righteous. Liu Bei, who saw him off as far as the long pavilion, said he wished to cut down every tree because the woods hid Xu Shu from view, and just then Xu Shu whipped his horse back and told him to seek out an extraordinary scholar living at Longzhong, twenty li outside the city of Xiangyang. Romance, Ch. 36 §21–31
Xu Shu said that the man was Zhuge Liang of Yangdu in Langya, who compared himself to Guan Zhong and Yue Yi though even Guan Zhong and Yue Yi did not measure up to him, and that since he could not be summoned, Liu Bei should go to him in person. Only then did Liu Bei realize that the Hidden Dragon Sima Hui had spoken of was Zhuge Liang and the Young Phoenix was Pang Tong. Before leaving, Xu Shu went to the thatched cottage on Sleeping Dragon Ridge and told Zhuge Liang of his recommendation, but Zhuge Liang said, "Do you take me for a sacrificial victim?" and, shaking out his sleeves, went inside. Romance, Ch. 36 §31–38
Where the Romance differs
When he made the recommendation: In Chapter 36 of the Romance, Xu Shu, having taken leave of Liu Bei and set off, turned his horse back and recommended Zhuge Liang. In the Biography of Zhuge Liang in the Records, when the First Sovereign was stationed at Xinye, Xu Shu met him and was highly regarded, and at that time recommended Zhuge Liang, saying that Zhuge Kongming was a Sleeping Dragon whom he should go to see. Romance, Ch. 36 §31–32Records, Shu 5 §4
Why and when Xu Shu left: In Chapter 36 of the Romance, Xu Shu left Xinye after Cao Cao had lured his mother to Xuchang by deceit and he had received the forged letter devised by Cheng Yu. In the Biography of Zhuge Liang in the Records, Xu Shu's mother was captured when the First Sovereign, heading south from Fan, was pursued and defeated by Lord Cao, and Xu Shu, pointing to his heart, said that having lost his mother his mind was in turmoil and he would be of no use, took his leave and went to Lord Cao. Romance, Ch. 36 §15–22Records, Shu 5 §10–11
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.