Guan Hai 管亥

Guan Hai has no biography of his own in the Records and appears in the biography of Taishi Ci in Records of Wu 4. Kong Rong, Chancellor of Beihai, heard of Taishi Ci, who had taken refuge in Liaodong, and thought him remarkable, and he sent people many times to call on his mother and send her gifts. At that time, as the Yellow Turbans were rampaging, Kong Rong had gone out to garrison Duchang and was surrounded by the rebel Guan Hai. Taishi Ci, returning from Liaodong, heard his mother tell him to go to Kong Rong's rescue, and after staying three days he went straight to Duchang alone on foot. Records, Wu 4 §20–21

As the siege was not yet tight, Taishi Ci watched for a gap at night, slipped in and met Kong Rong, and asked for troops to go out and attack the rebels. Kong Rong would not listen and wanted to wait for help from outside, but none came, and the siege tightened day by day. Kong Rong wished to report his plight to Liu Bei, Chancellor of Pingyuan, but no one in the city had a way to get out, and Taishi Ci asked to go himself. Kong Rong hesitated, saying that the rebel siege was very tight and everyone said it could not be done, but after hearing Taishi Ci out he gave his consent. Records, Wu 4 §22–23

At daybreak Taishi Ci took up his bow and mounted, had two horsemen each carry a target, opened the city gate and rode straight out. The rebels on either side below the outer siege lines were all alarmed, and men and horses came rushing out one after another. Taishi Ci set up the targets inside the moat, shot at them and then went straight back in through the gate; the next morning he did the same, and of the besiegers some stood up and some stayed lying down. When he did it once more on the following morning, no one stood up any longer. Then Taishi Ci whipped his horse and dashed straight through the middle of the siege. By the time the rebels realized it, he had already passed, and he shot several more men dead, so that no one dared pursue him. Records, Wu 4 §23–24

Reaching Pingyuan, Taishi Ci told Liu Bei that although he was neither a blood relative nor a fellow townsman of Kong of Beihai, he was bound to him by the duty of sharing calamity and enduring hardship together, and asked for help, saying, 'Now Guan Hai has risen in violent rebellion and Beihai is besieged; it is isolated and helpless, and its danger is a matter of morning or evening.' Liu Bei composed his face and answered, 'So Kong of Beihai knows that there is a Liu Bei in this world!' and at once sent 3,000 elite troops to follow Taishi Ci; hearing that troops were coming, the rebels lifted the siege and scattered in flight. Chen Shou's main text records nothing more of Guan Hai after this, nor does it say in what year these events took place. Records, Wu 4 §25–26