Liu Ye (170s - 234), courtesy name Ziyang, was an adviser to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. After the fall of the Eastern Han dynasty, he served as an official in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period, serving under Cao Pi and Cao Rui. He was a member of the House of Liu, the imperial clan of the Han dynasty, and a direct descendant of Emperor Guangwu, via Guangwu's seventh son Liu Yan. He had two sons: Liu Yu () and Liu Tao ().

Early life

Liu's mother died when he was six. On her deathbed, she told him and his brother Liu Huan to kill a dangerous and treacherous servant belonging to his father Liu Pu (劉普) once they were older.(而母病困。临终，戒涣、晔以“普之侍人，有谄害之性。身死之后，惧必乱家。汝长大能除之，则吾无恨矣。) Sanguozhi, vol. 14 Liu killed the servant six years later. Liu Pu was angry and asked his son the reason for the murder.(普怒，遣人追晔。) Sanguozhi, vol. 14 Liu Ye replied that he was just following his mother's last wish and was ready to take punishment. After hearing the explanation, Liu Pu had a change of heart, and forgave Ye.(晔还拜谢曰：“亡母顾命之言，敢受不请擅行之罚。”普心异之，遂不责也。) Sanguozhi, vol. 14

While Xu Shao was at Yangzhou, he praised Liu Ye as someone with the ability to help a sovereign govern his realm.(汝南许劭名知人，避地扬州，称晔有佐世之才。) Sanguozhi, vol.14

Due to his family background and act of killing the servant, Liu already had a great reputation when he was in his early twenties. During this time, some local rich landowners had formed their own private armies. Among them, Zheng Bao (郑宝) was the strongest and he wanted to force people living in Huainan to move to another prefecture.(宝最骁果，才力过人，一方所惮。欲驱略百姓越赴江表) Sanguozhi, vol. 14 Zheng wanted to take advantage of Liu's reputation to assist with the eviction; Liu Ye was unwilling to do so. Around this period, an emissary from Cao Cao came to visit Liu Ye to discuss current state of affairs; Liu Ye persuaded the emissary to stay with him for a few days.(会太祖遣使诣州，有所案问。晔往见，为论事势，要将与归，驻止数日) Sanguozhi, vol. 14 Zheng Bao wanted to meet Cao Cao's emissary, so he went to Liu's home with hundreds of soldiers, bringing along cows and wine.(宝果从数百人赍牛酒来候使), Sanguozhi, vol. 14 Liu Ye then entertained Zheng with a feast. During the feast, he killed Zheng during a toast and threatened the now-leaderless soldiers to withdraw by claiming that by Cao Cao's orders, anyone who attacked would be guilty of the same offences as Zheng.(晔因自引取佩刀斫杀宝，斩其首以令其军，云：“曹公有令，敢有动者，与宝同罪。”) Sanguozhi, vol. 14 After the feast, Liu went to Zheng Bao's military camp with several servants. At the camp, Liu persuaded Zheng's private army to surrender by analysing the situation for the soldiers. Liu Ye felt that as a member of the imperial Liu clan, he should not have his own army as the Han dynasty was by then floundering; he then gave these thousands of surrendered soldiers to the local governor, Liu Xun (劉勛).(晔睹汉室渐微，己为支属，不欲拥兵, 遂委其部曲与庐江太守刘勋) Sanguozhi, vol. 14 After this incident, Liu Ye became a counselor serving under Liu Xun.

Liu Ye could be the "Liu Ziyang" mentioned in Lu Su's biography in Sanguozhi, who was a friend of Lu and wrote a letter to him, asking him to join Zheng Bao. Sima Guang, author of Zizhi Tongjian, was skeptical that "Liu Ziyang" was Liu Ye.

Serving Liu Xun While Liu Ye was serving under Liu Xun, Sun Ce invited Liu Xun to attack Shangliao City (上缭城); Sun sent Liu Xun gifts and Sun's emissary was overly humble. Liu Ye advised Liu Xun not to attack Shangliao, but Liu Xun did not listen. During the attack on Shangliao, Sun Ce attacked Liu Xun. The defeated Liu Xun then decided to join Cao Cao, and Liu Ye followed suit.(勋不从。兴兵伐上缭，策果袭其后。勋穷踧，遂奔太祖。) Sanguozhi, vol. 14

Serving Cao Cao Before Wei Feng's rebellion, he had an excellent reputation, and many middle- and low- ranking officials were close friends of Wei. However, Liu Ye, upon seeing Wei for the first time, claimed that Wei will eventually rebel.(《傅子》曰：初，太祖时，魏讽有重名，自卿相以下皆倾心交之。其后孟达去刘备归文帝，论者多称有乐毅之量。晔一见讽、达而皆云必反，卒如其言。) Fu Zi annotation in Sanguozhi, vol.14

After Zhang Lu had surrendered to Cao Cao, Liu Ye urged Cao to use the opportunity to attack Yi Province which at the time was newly occupied by Liu Bei; he further warned that if Liu Bei was allowed to establish himself, he would cause trouble to Cao Cao in the future. However, Cao Cao rejected the idea.(汉中遂平。晔进曰："明公以步卒五千，将诛董卓，北破袁绍，南征刘表，九州百郡，十并其八，威震天下，势慑海外。今举汉中，蜀人望风，破胆失守，推此而前，蜀可传檄而定。刘备，人杰也，有度而迟，得蜀日浅，蜀人未恃也。今破汉中，蜀人震恐，其势自倾。以公之神明，因其倾而压之，无不克也。若小缓之，诸葛亮明于治而为相，关羽、张飞勇冠三军而为将，蜀民既定，据险守要，则不可犯矣。今不取，必为后忧。" 太祖不从，...) Sanguozhi, vol.14

Serving Cao Pi After Guan Yu's death, Cao Pi once held a meeting with court officials to discuss if Liu Bei would invade Wu to avenge Guan. Most officials were of the opinion that Shu was a "small country" and only had one famous general: Guan; now that Guan was dead and his troops scattered, Shu would be filled with fear and would not dare to attack. However, Liu Ye gave a different opinion: "Shu may be weak, but given Liu Bei's desire to have a show of force, he'll definitely mobilise his armies to show that he is still a threat to be reckoned with. Also, Guan Yu and Liu Bei have a deep relationship: they are sovereign and subject, as well as father and son. If Liu Bei cannot mobilise his armies to avenge Guan, it would not be a fitting end to this relationship."(黄初元年，....诏问群臣令料刘备当为关羽出报吴不。众议咸云：“蜀，小国耳，名将唯羽。羽死军破，国内忧惧，无缘复出。”晔独曰：“蜀虽狭弱，而备之谋欲以威武自强，势必用众以示其有馀。且关羽与备，义为君臣，恩犹父子；羽死不能为兴军报敌，于终始之分不足。) Sanguozhi, vol.14. Note that Chen Shou did not explicitly indicate who was the "father" or "son" in the relationship between Guan Yu and Liu Bei.

In late 220 or early 221, not long after Cao Pi crowned himself emperor, Meng Da defected to Wei and brought with him 4000 soldiers. Meng Da received various important appointments and the title of a marquis. In addition, Cao Pi merged the three commanderies of Fangling, Shangyong and Xicheng (西城) to form a larger commandery, Xincheng (新城), and he appointed Meng Da as the Administrator (太守) of Xincheng and tasked him with defending Wei's southwestern border. Liu Ye advised Cao Pi, "Meng Da is always looking out for rewards which are not rightfully his, and he is prone to schemes due to his talent. Thus, he will not be grateful to Your Excellency. Xincheng borders Sun Quan's and Liu Bei's territories. If the regional situation changes, it will create troubles for the realm."; Cao Pi ignored Liu.(达率部曲四千馀家来降。达有容止才观，王甚器爱之，引与同辇，以达为散骑常侍、建武将军，封平阳亭侯。合房陵、上庸、西城三郡为新城，以达领新城太守，委以西南之任。行军长史刘晔曰：“达有苟得之心，而恃才好术，必不能感恩怀义。新城与孙、刘接连，若有变态，为国生患。”王不听。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.69

Also in 220, Liu Ye was made Palace Attendant (侍中) and bestowed the peerage of a Secondary Marquis (關內侯). At that time, Cao Pi asked his court whether Liu Bei would avenge Guan Yu, who was killed during Sun Quan's attack on Jingzhou. Most of them opined that Shu was a small state and that Guan Yu was its only famous general. But Liu Ye thought that Liu Bei would definitely wage war to revive his prestige; he also believed that Liu Bei and Guan Yu had a very close relationship and so Liu would avenge Guan.(黄初元年，以晔为侍中，赐爵关内侯。诏问群臣令料刘备当为关羽出报吴不。众议咸云：“蜀，小国耳，名将唯羽。羽死军破，国内忧惧，无缘复出。”晔独曰：“蜀虽狭弱，而备之谋欲以威武自强，势必用众以示其有馀。且关羽与备，义为君臣，恩犹父子；羽死不能为兴军报敌，于终始之分不足。”) Sanguozhi, vol.14 In the end, Liu Bei did attack Sun Quan the following year. By then, Sun Quan was mobilising the power of the entire state of Wu to deal with the invasion, and he proclaimed himself a vassal to Cao Wei. Many officials congratulated Cao Pi, but Liu Ye believed that Sun Quan had no intention of submitting, and submitted himself as a vassal only as a last resort. Liu Ye even suggested that Cao Pi take advantage of the situation to lead troops to attack Wu to avoid future troubles.(后备果出兵击吴。吴悉国应之，而遣使称籓。朝臣皆贺，独晔曰：“吴绝在江、汉之表，无内臣之心久矣。陛下虽齐德有虞，然丑虏之性，未有所感。因难求臣，必难信也。彼必外迫内困，然后发此使耳，可因其穷，袭而取之。夫一日纵敌，数世之患，不可不察也。”) Sanguozhi, vol.14 But Cao Pi disagreed, in a decision that most historians believe doomed his domain to ruling only the northern frontiers of China - such an opportunity would not come again; Cao Pi's future expeditions against Eastern Wu would all end in failure.

When Zhang Liao fell ill while stationed at Yongqiu, Cao Pi sent Liu Ye, along with imperial physicians, to visit Zhang.(辽还屯雍丘，得疾。帝遣侍中刘晔将太医视疾...) Sanguozhi, vol. 17 Also, just before Cao Pi's death, he asked various officials, including Liu Ye, about Yang Fu. At the officials' recommendations, Cao Pi wanted to promote Yang, but died before he could do so.(文帝问侍中刘晔等：“武都太守何如人也？”皆称阜有公辅之节。未及用，会帝崩。) Sanguozhi, vol. 25

Serving Cao Rui Liu Ye continued his service under Emperor Cao Rui. According to the Zizhi Tongjian,Zizhi Tongjian, vol.72 at one point Liu Ye gave conflicting perspectives about attacking Shu. He supported the campaign in front of Cao Rui, but he told other officials that he was actually against the campaign. When Cao Rui asked him about it, Liu Ye said that he was doing that to make sure the war plans were not spreading. However, Liu Ye's relationship with Cao Rui became distant when the emperor was warned by someone that Liu was good in reading Cao Rui's intention and then just agreeing with him. Cao Rui decided to test this out by consulting Liu Ye about something that he actually did not agree with, and he found Liu Ye agreeing with him. When he realized that Liu Ye was indeed pandering to him, he began to avoid Liu.(《傅子》曰:或恶晔于帝曰：“晔不尽忠，善伺上意所趋而合之。陛下试与晔言，皆反意而问之，若皆与所问反者，是晔常与圣意合也。复每问皆同者，晔之情必无所逃矣。”帝如言以验之，果得其情，从此疏焉.) Fu Zi annotation in Sanguozhi, vol. 14 He continued serving Wei until he died in 234.

The historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms told a similar event. Cao Rui consults Liu Ye about the plan of invading Shu, and the advisor agrees. But later Liu Ye tells other officials that attacking Shu is actually too difficult. After hearing about this, Cao Rui confronts Liu Ye. However, the advisor says he is simply keeping the plan secret, and Cao Rui believes that.

See also Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms

Notes

References

Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi). Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotated Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).