Dowager Wu 吳國太

Chapter 7 of the Romance says that Sun Jian had four sons by Lady Wu, Sun Ce, Sun Quan, Sun Yi and Sun Kuang, and that Lady Wu's younger sister was Sun Jian's second wife and bore a son, Sun Lang, and a daughter, Sun Ren. In Chapter 38, in the 10th month, in winter, of the 12th year of Jian'an, Lady Wu, near death, charges Sun Quan that her younger sister married his father together with her and so is also his mother, that he must serve her as he served herself, and that he must also raise his sister with kindness and choose a good husband to marry her to. Romance, Ch. 7 §29Romance, Ch. 38 §39 · 41

In Chapter 43, when Sun Quan, unable to decide whether to fight Cao Cao or surrender, can neither sleep nor eat in his private quarters, Dowager Wu asks what is wrong and says, 'Why do you not remember the words my elder sister spoke on her deathbed?' In Chapter 44 she tells him her sister's words that Sun Ce had said on his deathbed, 'For matters within that you cannot decide, ask Zhang Zhao; for matters without that you cannot decide, ask Zhou Yu,' and Sun Quan, overjoyed, sends a messenger to Poyang to summon Zhou Yu. Romance, Ch. 43 §48–49Romance, Ch. 44 §1

In Chapter 54, when Qiao Guolao comes to offer congratulations, Dowager Wu only then learns, to her astonishment, that her daughter has been promised to Liu Bei as his wife. Beating her breast and weeping, she rebukes Sun Quan: 'I am your mother, so in any matter you ought to consult me,' and 'The daughter is my daughter!' When Sun Quan says it is merely Zhou Yu's plan to obtain Jing Province, Dowager Wu berates Zhou Yu, asking whether the Grand Commander of six commanderies and eighty-one provinces has not a single plan for taking Jing Province and must use her daughter in a beauty trap, and she says she will see Liu Bei for herself at Ganlu Temple the next day. Romance, Ch. 54 §27–33

Seeing Liu Bei at Ganlu Temple, Dowager Wu is overjoyed and says, 'Truly my son-in-law!', and she also grants wine to Zhao Yun, who held A Dou to his breast at Changban. When Liu Bei tearfully reports that axe-and-sword men are hidden in the corridors, Dowager Wu rebukes Sun Quan, saying that Liu Bei, having become her son-in-law, is her own child, and orders Jia Hua beheaded, but when Liu Bei and Qiao Guolao intercede, she merely sends him away. On hearing that Liu Bei fears someone may harm him, she has him moved into the study hall of her residence and chooses a day to complete the wedding. Romance, Ch. 54 §36–39 · 49

In Chapter 55, when Sun Quan, following Zhou Yu's plan, furnishes the Eastern Mansion for Liu Bei and his sister to live in, Dowager Wu believes only that Sun Quan is acting out of goodwill and is delighted. On New Year's Day of the 15th year of Jian'an, when Liu Bei and Lady Sun say they wish to make offerings to their ancestors by the river, she gives her permission, saying that this is filial piety and how could she refuse. The four generals sent in pursuit, Chen Wu, Pan Zhang and the others, withdraw, reasoning that the Dowager is behind the matter and that the Marquis of Wu, a filial son, would not dare go against his mother's word. Romance, Ch. 55 §6 · 14 · 29 · 31

In Chapter 61, when Gu Yong proposes attacking Jing and Xiang while Liu Bei has gone to Xichuan, Dowager Wu comes out from behind a screen and thunders, 'Whoever proposed this plan should be beheaded! Do you mean to take my daughter's life?' Saying that she has only one daughter in all her life, she rebukes Sun Quan for heeding only petty gain and giving no thought to his own flesh and blood, even though he holds the patrimony built by his father and elder brother and rules eighty-one provinces. Zhang Zhao then devises a plan to bring back Lady Sun and A Dou with a false secret letter saying that the Dowager is gravely ill, and when Zhou Shan delivers the letter, Lady Sun boards a ship with A Dou. Romance, Ch. 61 §8–14