Hou Xuan

Hou Xuan (onyomi: Kō Sen) is an officer who first serves Han Sui but defects to join Wei.

Role in Games
Hou Xuan is usually seen serving the allied forces at the battle of Tong Gate in the Dynasty Warriors series. His role in the battle varies, he is sometimes among the generals who defect to Cao Cao's forces after Han Sui's defection, but sometimes he continues to stay on the allied forces' side. Recent games also have him appear in the battle of Liang Province, where he is among the generals of Bian Zhang who rebel against the Han Dynasty.

Hou Xuan is an average general in Romance of the Three Kingdoms with battle stats in the 60's and his other stats being lower than that. As most of the Xiliang generals, he has a high cavalry rating, but lacks experience with other unit types. He serves either Ma Teng, Ma Chao, Han Sui or Wei in the games' scenarios, on some occasions he may serve Zhang Lu.

Historical Information
Hou Xuan was born in Hedong, Si Province and was a minor warlord in Liang Province. In 211, Cao Cao chose to attack Zhang Lu and marched his forces to Hanzhong. Suspecting that Cao Cao wanted to attack Liang instead, Ma Chao and Han Sui rallied the warlords of Liang to oppose him. Hou Xuan answered the call and led his men to fight Cao Cao at Tong Gate, where the Guanxi Coalition was defeated. Hou Xuan retreated to Liang and aided Ma Chao in his fighting against Cao Cao, but they were eventually defeated and fled to Zhang Lu. Hou Xuan stayed by Zhang Lu's side until Cao Cao invaded Hanzhong in 215. He was among the generals who surrendered to Cao Cao and was given a post in Liang Province.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Hou Xuan is introduced in the novel as one of Han Sui's Eight Knights. In chapter 58, he is mentioned as one of the leaders of the Guanxi Coalition. He later appears in chapter 59, where he and Yang Qiu were sent as messengers to Cao Cao in order to convince him to negotiate. He was later among the officers who rode out with Han Sui to speak to Cao Cao, but Cao Cao did not show up and instead sent Cao Hong, who told Han Sui loudly that Cao Cao already understood everything the night before and rode off again in order to make Ma Chao suspicious of Han Sui's loyalty. He is last mentioned after Han Sui's surrender, when he and Yang Qiu were given noble ranks and offices in Weikou.