Meng You 孟優

In Chapter 88 of the Romance, Meng Huo, released by Zhuge Liang, returns to his cave and confers with his full younger brother Meng You, telling him that he now knows all of Zhuge Liang's strengths and weaknesses and that Meng You should go and do thus and thus. Taking his elder brother's plan, Meng You leads a hundred or so Man soldiers, loads up gold, pearls, treasures, ivory, rhinoceros horn and the like, crosses the Lu River and heads for Zhuge Liang's main camp. Just as he has crossed the river he is badly startled by Ma Dai's troops barring the way, and Ma Dai, after asking why he has come, has him stay in an outer side building. Zhuge Liang confirms that the view Ma Su has written down and submitted matches his own, and only after secretly giving plans to Zhao Yun, Wei Yan, Wang Ping, Ma Zhong and Guan Suo does he summon Meng You to his tent. Romance, Ch. 88 §25–29

Meng You bows twice below the tent and says that his elder brother Meng Huo, moved by the Chancellor's kindness in sparing his life but having nothing to offer, has for the time being prepared gold, pearls and treasures as means for rewarding the troops, and that tribute gifts for the Son of Heaven will follow. Asked where his elder brother is, he answers that Meng Huo has gone to Mount Yinkeng to gather treasures, and that the hundred or so men he has brought are all porters. Zhuge Liang seats these men, with their green eyes, dark faces, yellow hair and purple beards, and has his generals press wine on them. Two men who go back to Meng Huo report that the second great king proposes that tonight at the second watch they act together from inside and outside to accomplish the great undertaking. Romance, Ch. 88 §29–31

When Meng Huo divides 30,000 Man soldiers into three columns and attacks, he finds the main camp empty, and inside the tent Meng You and the barbarian soldiers all lying collapsed. Zhuge Liang had had Ma Su and Lü Kai entertain Meng You, had musicians perform variety plays, and had drugs put in the wine. Meng Huo rescues Meng You and the others, but chased by the troops of Wang Ping, Wei Yan and Zhao Yun on three routes, he flees and is captured on a boat manned by Ma Dai's men, while Meng You is captured by Zhao Yun. Meng Huo refuses to submit, saying that the great undertaking was ruined because his younger brother, greedy for food and drink, fell for the poison, and Zhuge Liang releases Meng You and the chieftains of the various caves together with Meng Huo. Romance, Ch. 88 §31–39

In Chapter 89, seeing three empty Shu camps, Meng You asks whether Zhuge's abandoning his camps and fleeing might not be a stratagem, but Meng Huo says that some urgent matter has arisen in Shu and gives chase. After Meng Huo falls into a pit and is bound by Wei Yan, Zhang Yi brings Meng You in under escort, and Zhuge Liang admonishes him that since his elder brother is foolish he ought to have remonstrated with him, and that having now been captured by Zhuge Liang four times, he can have no face left to meet anyone. Meng You, his face full of shame, prostrates himself and begs only to be spared death; told to admonish his elder brother, he is released and leaves weeping and bowing. Romance, Ch. 89 §8–9 · 12–15

Released again and heading south, Meng Huo meets Meng You, who has regrouped the remaining troops and is coming to avenge his elder brother, and the two brothers weep in each other's arms. Meng You says that since they have lost many times they should withdraw and hide in the caves on the shaded side of the mountains, for the Shu troops will not bear the heat and will withdraw of their own accord, and he proposes relying on King Duosi, lord of Tulong Cave, with whom he is on very close terms. Meng Huo sends Meng You ahead to Tulong Cave, and after that Meng Huo and Meng You feast with King Duosi every day. In the same chapter the recluse Meng Jie tells Zhuge Liang that his two younger brothers were fierce and wicked and did not follow the king's civilizing rule, and that since they would not listen to his repeated remonstrance he changed his name and surname and lived in hiding. Romance, Ch. 89 §17–18 · 22 · 38

When the poisonous springs fail, Meng Huo says that the two of them, the brothers, will fight the Shu troops to the death; but at the banquet to entertain Yang Feng (楊鋒), lord of Yinye Cave, who has come with his sons to help in the fight, Meng Huo and Meng You are seized and presented by the two sons whom Yang Feng had sent to offer them cups. Zhuge Liang releases Meng Huo, then also loosens the bonds of Meng You and King Duosi, gives them wine and food, and sends them back on saddled horses. In Chapter 90 Meng Huo, captured for the seventh time, is drinking in another tent with Lady Zhurong, Meng You, the Dailai Cave Chief and his clan when he is told he will be released again; together with his brothers, wife and children and clan he kneels below the tent, bares his shoulders and begs pardon, vowing never to rebel again. Meng You does not appear in the Romance after this. Romance, Ch. 89 §45–46 · 48–49 · 51 · 53Romance, Ch. 90 §60–61