Book of Wei, Chapter 17 · Biography of Xu Huang · with Zhu Ling

徐晃字公明，河東楊人也。為郡吏，從車騎將軍楊奉討賊有功，拜騎都尉。李傕、郭汜之亂長安也，晃說奉，令與天子還洛陽，奉從其計。天子渡河至安邑，封晃都亭侯。及到洛陽，韓暹、董承日爭鬬，晃說奉令歸太祖；奉欲從之，後悔。太祖討奉於梁，晃遂歸太祖。

Xu Huang, courtesy name Gongming, was from Yang, Hedong. He served as a commandery clerk and followed General of Chariots and Cavalry Yang Feng in suppressing rebels. Having earned merit, he was appointed Commandant of Cavalry. During the turmoil caused by Li Jue and Guo Si in Chang'an, Xu Huang urged Yang Feng to escort the emperor back to Luoyang, and Yang Feng adopted his plan. After the emperor crossed the Yellow River and reached Anyi, Xu Huang was enfeoffed as Capital Neighbourhood Marquis. Upon their arrival in Luoyang, Han Xian and Dong Cheng fought daily. Xu Huang urged Yang Feng to go over to Cao Cao (posthumously honoured as Taizu, the Grand Progenitor). Yang Feng intended to follow his advice, but later changed his mind. When Cao Cao attacked Yang Feng at Liang, Xu Huang went over to Cao Cao.

太祖授晃兵，使擊卷、原武賊，破之，拜裨將軍。從征呂布，別降布將趙庶、李鄒等。與史渙斬眭固於河內。從破劉備，又從破顏良，拔白馬，進至延津，破文醜，拜偏將軍。與曹洪擊㶏彊賊祝臂，破之，又與史渙擊袁紹運車於故市，功最多，封都亭侯。太祖旣圍鄴，破邯鄲，易陽令韓範偽以城降而拒守，太祖遣晃攻之。

Cao Cao gave Xu Huang troops and sent him against the bandits at Juan and Yuanwu. After defeating them, Xu Huang was appointed Assistant General. He took part in the campaign against Lü Bu, separately securing the surrender of Lü Bu's generals Zhao Shu, Li Zou, and others. Together with Shi Huan, he slew Sui Gu in Henei. Xu Huang then helped defeat Liu Bei and Yan Liang, captured Baima, advanced to Yanjin, and defeated Wen Chou. He was appointed Adjunct General. Later, Xu Huang and Cao Hong defeated the rebel Zhu Bi at Yinjiang. He then joined Shi Huan in attacking Yuan Shao's supply wagons at Gushi, where he earned the greatest merit, and was enfeoffed as Capital Neighbourhood Marquis. After Cao Cao had laid siege to Ye and taken Handan, Han Fan, Magistrate of Yiyang, feigned surrender but continued to hold the city. Cao Cao sent Xu Huang to attack him.

晃至，飛矢城中，為陳成敗。範悔，晃輙降之。旣而言於太祖曰：「二袁未破，諸城未下者傾耳而聽，今日滅易陽，明日皆以死守，恐河北無定時也。願公降易陽以示諸城，則莫不望風。」太祖善之。別討毛城，設伏兵掩擊，破三屯。從破袁譚於南皮，討平原叛賊，克之。從征蹋頓，拜橫野將軍。從征荊州，別屯樊，討中廬、臨沮、宜城賊。又與滿寵討關羽於漢津，與曹仁擊周瑜於江陵。

When Xu Huang arrived, he shot a letter into the city on an arrow, setting out the consequences of success and failure. Han Fan regretted his resistance, and Xu Huang promptly accepted his surrender. He then said to Cao Cao, "The two Yuans have yet to be defeated, and the cities that have not submitted are listening closely. If Yiyang is destroyed today, tomorrow they will all resolve to defend themselves to the death, and I fear the lands north of the Yellow River will not be pacified. I urge you, my lord, to accept Yiyang's surrender and thereby encourage the other cities. When word spreads, they will surely submit." Cao Cao approved of his words. Xu Huang then separately attacked Maocheng. He laid an ambush, launched a surprise attack, and broke three encampments. He later accompanied Cao Cao in defeating Yuan Tan at Nanpi, and subdued the rebels in Pingyuan. Thereafter, Xu Huang took part in the campaign against Tadun and was appointed General Who Sweeps Across the Wilderness. He also joined the expedition against Jing Province, where he separately garrisoned at Fancheng and suppressed the rebels at Zhonglu, Linju, and Yicheng. He then joined Man Chong in attacking Guan Yu at Hanjin, and Cao Ren in attacking Zhou Yu at Jiangling.

十五年，討太原反者，圍大陵，拔之，斬賊帥商曜。韓遂、馬超等反關右，遣晃屯汾陰以撫河東，賜牛酒，令上先人墓。太祖至潼關，恐不得渡，召問晃。晃曰：「公盛兵於此，而賊不復別守蒲阪，知其無謀也。今假臣精兵蒲阪津，為軍先置，以截其裏，賊可擒也。」太祖曰：「善。」使晃以步騎四千人渡津。

In the fifteenth year of Jian'an, Xu Huang campaigned against the rebels in Taiyuan. He besieged and captured Daling, and beheaded the rebel leader Shang Yao. When Han Sui, Ma Chao, and others rebelled west of the passes, Xu Huang was sent to garrison Fenyin and pacify Hedong. He was granted oxen and wine and ordered to pay respects at his ancestors' graves. When Cao Cao reached Tongguan, he feared that he would be unable to cross the river and summoned Xu Huang for his counsel. Xu Huang said, "My lord, you have concentrated a great army here, yet the enemy has sent no force to guard Puban. This shows that they are without a plan. Entrust your servant with elite troops, and I shall cross at Pubanjin and secure an advance position for the army, cutting off the enemy's rear. We can then capture them." "Excellent," said Cao Cao, and he ordered Xu Huang to cross at the ford with four thousand infantry and cavalry.

作塹柵未成，賊梁興夜將步騎五千餘人攻晃，晃擊走之，太祖軍得渡。遂破超等，使晃與夏侯淵平隃麋、汧諸氐，與太祖會安定。太祖還鄴，使晃與夏侯淵平鄜、夏陽餘賊，斬梁興，降三千餘戶。從征張魯。別遣晃討攻櫝、仇夷諸山氐，皆降之。遷平寇將軍。解將軍張順圍。擊賊陳福等三十餘屯，皆破之。

Before the trenches and palisades were complete, Liang Xing led more than five thousand infantry and cavalry in a night attack on Xu Huang. Xu Huang routed them, enabling Cao Cao's army to cross. Cao Cao then defeated Ma Chao and his allies, and ordered Xu Huang and Xiahou Yuan to pacify the Di at Yumi and Qian before joining him at Anding. When Cao Cao returned to Ye, he sent Xu Huang and Xiahou Yuan to suppress the remaining bandits at Fucheng and Xiayang. They killed Liang Xing and received the surrender of more than three thousand households. Thereafter, Xu Huang took part in the campaign against Zhang Lu. He was then sent separately to campaign against the mountain Di at Gongdu and Qiuyi, all of whom surrendered. He was promoted to General Who Subdues the Bandits. Later, Xu Huang relieved General Zhang Shun from a siege, then attacked and destroyed more than thirty camps held by Chen Fu and other rebels.

太祖還鄴，留晃與夏侯淵拒劉備於陽平。備遣陳式等十餘營絕馬鳴閣道，晃別征破之，賊自投山谷，多死者。太祖聞，甚喜，假晃節，令曰：「此閣道，漢中之險要咽喉也。劉備欲斷絕外內，以取漢中。將軍一舉，克奪賊計，善之善者也。」太祖遂自至陽平，引出漢中諸軍。復遣晃助曹仁討關羽，屯宛。會漢水暴隘，于禁等沒。羽圍仁於樊，又圍將軍呂常於襄陽。晃所將多新卒，以羽難與爭鋒，遂前至陽陵陂屯。

When Cao Cao returned to Ye, he left Xu Huang and Xiahou Yuan to resist Liu Bei at Yangpingguan. Liu Bei sent Chen Shi and others with more than ten encampments to cut the Mamingge roads. Xu Huang attacked them separately and routed them. Many enemy soldiers threw themselves into the mountain ravines and died. When Cao Cao heard of this, he was greatly pleased. He appointed Xu Huang Provisional Bearer of the Imperial Tally and issued an order: "This plank road is the strategic throat of Hanzhong. Liu Bei sought to sever all communication between the interior and the outside, and thus seize Hanzhong. In a single stroke, the General has thwarted the enemy's design. No achievement could be finer." Cao Cao then went in person to Yangpingguan and led the armies to withdraw from Hanzhong. Some time after, Cao Cao sent Xu Huang to aid Cao Ren in the campaign against Guan Yu, and Xu Huang garrisoned at Wan. Around this time, the Han River flooded suddenly, engulfing Yu Jin and the others. Guan Yu besieged Cao Ren at Fancheng and General Lü Chang at Xiangyang. Most of Xu Huang's men were fresh recruits, and could not yet withstand Guan Yu's strength. Xu Huang therefore relocated to Yanglingbei and encamped there instead.

太祖復還，遣將軍徐商、呂建等詣晃，令曰：「須兵馬集至，乃俱前。」賊屯偃城。晃到，詭道作都塹，示欲截其後，賊燒屯走。晃得偃城，兩面連營，稍前，去賊圍三丈所。未攻，太祖前後遣殷署、朱蓋等凡十二營詣晃。賊圍頭有屯，又別屯四冢。晃揚聲當攻圍頭屯，而密攻四冢。羽見四冢欲壞，自將步騎五千出戰，晃擊之，退走，遂追陷與俱入圍，破之，或自投沔水死。

When Cao Cao returned, he sent the generals Xu Shang, Lü Jian, and others to Xu Huang with orders: "Wait until all the troops and cavalry have assembled, then advance together." The enemy was encamped at Yancheng. On arriving, Xu Huang used a ruse, digging a long trench as if to cut off their rear. The enemy then burnt their camp and fled. Xu Huang took Yancheng, established a chain of camps on either side, and gradually advanced to within some three zhang of the enemy's siege lines. Before the attack, Cao Cao sent Yin Shu, Zhu Gai, and others to reinforce him with a total of twelve encampments. The enemy had a camp at the front of their siege lines and another at the Four Mounds nearby. Xu Huang publicly declared that he would attack the former, but secretly struck the Four Mounds. Seeing that the Four Mounds were about to fall, Guan Yu personally led out five thousand infantry and cavalry to give battle. Xu Huang defeated them and drove them back, then pursued them into the siege lines and broke them. Some enemy soldiers even threw themselves into the Mian River and drowned.

太祖令曰：「賊圍塹鹿角十重，將軍致戰全勝，遂陷賊圍，多斬首虜。吾用兵三十餘年，及所聞古之善用兵者，未有長驅徑入敵圍者也。且樊、襄陽之在圍，過於莒、即墨，將軍之功，踰孫武、穰苴。」晃振旅還摩陂，太祖迎晃七里，置酒大會。太祖舉巵酒勸晃，且勞之曰：「全樊、襄陽，將軍之功也。」時諸軍皆集，太祖案行諸營，士卒咸離陣觀，而晃軍營整齊，將士駐陣不動。太祖歎曰：「徐將軍可謂有周亞夫之風矣。」

Cao Cao issued an order: "The rebels were protected by ten lines of trenches and abatis. You, General, engaged them and won a complete victory, then broke through their encirclement, killing and capturing many. In more than thirty years of commanding armies, and from all I have heard of the great commanders of antiquity, never have I known anyone drive straight into an enemy encirclement. Moreover, Fancheng and Xiangyang were in greater peril than Ju and Jimo when under siege. Your achievement, General, surpasses those of Sun Wu and Rangju." Xu Huang returned in triumph to Mo Lake. Cao Cao went seven Li out to meet him and held a great banquet. Raising a goblet, he urged Huang to drink and commended him: "Fancheng and Xiangyang were saved because of your achievement, General!" Later, when all the armies had assembled, Cao Cao inspected each camp, and the soldiers left their ranks to watch him pass. Xu Huang's camp alone remained orderly, its officers and men standing motionless in formation. Cao Cao exclaimed, "General Xu may truly be said to possess the spirit of Zhou Yafu."

文帝即王位，以晃為右將軍，進封逯鄉侯。及踐阼，進封楊侯。與夏侯尚討劉備於上庸，破之。以晃鎮陽平，徙封陽平侯。明帝即位，拒吳將諸葛瑾於襄陽。增邑二百，并前三千一百戶。病篤，遺令歛以時服。

When Emperor Wen (posthumously honoured as Emperor Wen, the Civil Emperor) succeeded as King of Wei, he appointed Xu Huang General of the Right and advanced him to Township Marquis of Lu. After ascending the imperial throne, the emperor made him Marquis of Yang. Xu Huang later joined Xiahou Shang in attacking Liu Bei at Shangyong and defeated him. As Xu Huang had formerly been stationed at Yangpingguan, he was transferred to become Marquis of Yangping. When Cao Rui (posthumously honoured as Emperor Ming, the Illustrious Emperor) came to the throne, Xu Huang repelled the Wu general Zhuge Jin at Xiangyang. His fief was increased by two hundred households, bringing the total to 3100. When gravely ill, he left instructions that he be dressed for burial in ordinary clothes.

性儉約畏慎，將軍常遠斥候，先為不可勝，然後戰，追奔爭利，士不暇食。常歎曰：「古人患不遭明君，今幸遇之，常以功自效，何用私譽為！」終不廣交援。太和元年薨，謚曰壯侯。子蓋嗣。蓋薨，子霸嗣。明帝分晃戶，封晃子孫二人列侯。

Xu Huang was frugal and cautious by nature, and when commanding an army always sent scouts far afield, first ensuring that he could not be defeated before giving battle. In pursuing a routed enemy or pressing for an advantage, his men had no time even to eat. He often sighed, "The men of old lamented that they did not encounter an enlightened lord. Now that I have had the good fortune to meet one, I should prove myself through achievement. What need have I of personal renown?" To the end, he never cultivated a wide circle of allies. Xu Huang died in the first year of Taihe and was posthumously titled Marquis Zhuang, the Valiant Marquis. His son Xu Gai succeeded him. When Xu Gai died, his son Xu Ba succeeded him. Emperor Ming later divided the households of Xu Huang's fief and granted two of his descendants the title of Marquis.

初，清河朱靈為袁紹將。太祖之征陶謙，紹使靈督三營助太祖，戰有功。紹所遣諸將各罷歸，靈曰：「靈觀人多矣，無若曹公者，此乃真明主也。今以遇，復何之？」遂留不去。所將士卒慕之，皆隨靈留。靈後遂為好將，名亞晃等，至後將軍，封高唐亭侯。

Initially, Zhu Ling of Qinghe served as a general under Yuan Shao. When Cao Cao campaigned against Tao Qian, Yuan Shao sent Zhu Ling to command three encampments in his support, and Zhu Ling earned merit in battle. When Yuan Shao's other generals returned, Zhu Ling said, "I have observed many men, but none compares with Lord Cao. He is truly an enlightened lord. Now that I have found him, where else should I go?" He therefore remained. The soldiers under his command admired him, and all stayed with him. Zhu Ling later became an able general, his reputation second only to Xu Huang and his peers. He rose to General of the Rear and was enfeoffed as Neighbourhood Marquis of Gaotang.