Zhang Qi

Zhang Qi (onyomi: Chō Shū) is a politician of Wei and the son of Zhang Ji. He was a close associate of Emperor Cao Fang and plotted to kill Sima Shi.

Role in Games
In Dynasty Warriors 7, Zhang Qi appears at Xuchang when Sima Shi is attacked by Wei loyalists. He ambushes the player in the center of the castle at the stairs with ballistae and soldiers. Defeating Zhang Qi allows the player to use the ballistae against the Wei soldiers.

Dynasty Warriors 8 reduces his role to only appearing in Ambition Mode as an enemy.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Qi is usually given low battle skills and above average intelligence and politics, though the latest installment considerably boosts his leadership and intelligence to the 70's and 80's respectively. He only appears late into the game and serves Wei in those scenarios.

Historical Information
Zhang Qi was the son of Wei minister Zhang Ji. In his early years of service, he became a Commandery Governor. In the year 252, Cao Fang's wife died due to illness and he married Zhang Qi's daughter, who became Empress in the process, making Zhang Qi Cao Fang's father-in-law. Zhang Qi was then appointed Senior Minister. When Hefei was attacked by Zhuge Ke in the following year and the Wu forces defeated, Zhang Qi predicted that Zhuge Ke would eventually be killed by the men of Wu. In 254, Sima Shi suspected that the minister Li Feng was plotting with Cao Fang to remove him from power and kill him. Thus, he had Li Feng beaten to death when the latter refused to confess the plot. Zhang Qi and Xiahou Xuan, who were both friends of Li Feng, were also accused of treason by Sima Shi and executed. One month later, Cao Fang was forced to depose Empress Zhang, who was likely executed with the rest of Zhang Qi's family afterwards.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Zhang Qi makes his first appearance in chapter 108 of the novel, where he predicted the death of Zhuge Ke. In the next chapter, Zhang Qi was called with Li Feng and Xiahou Xuan to Cao Fang, who discussed the assassination of Sima Shi with them. Zhang Qi was given the edict by Cao Fang and urged to be careful. When the plot was discovered, the three were searched for and the edict was found on Zhang Qi. Sima Shi ordered them to be executed in public, while Zhang Qi's daughter Empress Zhang was strangled at the palace gate.