Su Fei 蘇飛

In Chapter 38 of the Romance, in the spring of the year after Sun Quan's mother has died, while Sun Quan is discussing an attack on Huang Zu, the Chief Commandant Who Pacifies the North, Lü Meng, comes in and reports that Huang Zu's subordinate general Gan Ning has come to surrender. Lü Meng relates that Gan Ning had attached himself to Liu Biao and then wanted to come over to Eastern Wu, but was detained by Huang Zu and stayed at Xiakou, and that although Huang Zu had once returned alive to Xiakou thanks to Gan Ning's strength when Eastern Wu defeated him, Huang Zu treated Gan Ning very meanly. Romance, Ch. 38 §41–43

According to Lü Meng, the commander Su Fei recommended Gan Ning several times, but Huang Zu said that Gan Ning was a pirate who plundered the river and could not be given an important post, and Gan Ning bore a grudge because of this. Knowing his feelings, Su Fei set out wine and invited Gan Ning to his house, and said that he had recommended him several times but their lord would not employ him, so what could be done; the days and months were passing, life was short, and Gan Ning should make far-reaching plans for himself. He then said that he would recommend Gan Ning as Chief of Zhu County, so that Gan Ning could decide his own course, and in this way Gan Ning got out of Xiakou. Romance, Ch. 38 §43–44

Sun Quan makes Zhou Yu Grand Commander, Lü Meng vanguard of the forward division, and Dong Xi and Gan Ning lieutenant generals, and sets out in person with a great army of 100,000 to attack Huang Zu. Learning of this, Huang Zu makes Su Fei his senior commander and Chen Jiu and Deng Long his vanguard, raises every soldier in Jiangxia to meet them, and Chen Jiu and Deng Long block Miankou with mengchong warships tied in place on the water with thick cables. Gan Ning cuts the cables, leaps onto a mengchong warship and cuts down Deng Long, and Lü Meng sets the ships on fire and cuts down Chen Jiu as he tries to get ashore. Romance, Ch. 38 §47–50

By the time Su Fei comes with his troops to give support on the riverbank, the generals of Eastern Wu have all landed together and their momentum cannot be withstood, and Huang Zu's army is badly defeated. Su Fei flees across the fields, runs into Pan Zhang, a senior commander of Eastern Wu, and is captured before they have fought even a few bouts; he is taken straight onto a ship to see Sun Quan. Sun Quan has him locked in a cage cart and says that he will be put to death together with Huang Zu once Huang Zu has been captured alive. Romance, Ch. 38 §50–51

In Chapter 39, Gan Ning shoots the fleeing Huang Zu in the back and presents his head, and Sun Quan, on Zhang Zhao's advice, abandons Jiangxia and returns to Jiangdong. From the cage cart Su Fei secretly sends someone to ask Gan Ning to save him, and Gan Ning says that even if Su Fei had said nothing, how could he forget him. When the great army reaches Wuhui and Sun Quan orders Su Fei beheaded and his head offered as a sacrifice together with Huang Zu's, Gan Ning kowtows before Sun Quan and, weeping, says that had he not met Su Fei in the past, his bones would have filled a ditch, and asks to give up his own rank and office to redeem Su Fei's crime. Romance, Ch. 39 §1–5

When Sun Quan asks what will happen if Su Fei runs away, Gan Ning says that if Su Fei is spared death he will be overwhelmed with gratitude, so how could he run away, and that if he does run away, Gan Ning will offer his own head at the foot of the steps. Sun Quan thereupon pardons Su Fei and offers only Huang Zu's head as a sacrifice. The Romance records nothing more of Su Fei after this. Romance, Ch. 39 §5