Yang Hu

Yang Hu (onyomi: Yō Ko) is an officer who served Wei in the games. Historically, he was considered a close friend of Lu Kang and a talented general of Jin. The Records of Three Kingdoms describe him as being of "medium height with fine eyebrows and a beautiful beard" and was known to be an incredibly compassionate individual.

Historical Info
Yang Hu was born in Nancheng of Taishan to Yang Heng. His older sister, Yang Huiyu, was married to Sima Shi, giving him close ties to the Sima faction. Even in his youth he showed a kindhearted spirit, taking an extended time to mourn the death of his father at the young age of twelve. Xiahou Wei took note of Yang Hu as he grew into adulthood and employed him as a clerk for the government. Wei even arranged his marriage with Xiahou Ba's daughter to draw him closer to their family. Despite possessing a reputation of wisdom and benevolence, Yang Hu kept a low profile until after the fall of Cao Shuang. He decided to keep his wife and association with the Xiahou family after Ba's flight to Shu.

With the rise of Sima Zhao, Yang Hu finally accepted a higher positions within the Wei government. He was further elevated to Duke Within the Passes when Cao Huan became emperor. However, Yang Hu soon felt undesired as an advisor and was granted the lower position of Supervisor of Secretaries, where he focused on ensuring imperial edicts were worded properly. During this time he came to dislike Zhong Hui and warned Sima Zhao that he would be treacherous, which garnered greater trust with him when Hui rebelled. When Sima Yan became emperor, Yang Hu was promoted to marquis alongside the rank of General of Middle Army. Around 265 CE, Yang Hu was recognized for his ability again and appointed Imperial Secretary Left Minister, which was part of a group who acted collectively with the authority of a prime minister. Along with this new position, Yang Hu was tasked with the duty to bring the land of Wu under Jin control.

To achieve this end, Yang Hu sought to win the hearts of the local population and bring this last holdout into submission. From the beginning he adopted the policy of permitting soldiers of Wu to surrender to him and return home without consequence. To improve the struggling borderlands financial situation, Yang Hu ended the tradition of tearing down and rebuilding officials' homes after they died due to superstition that the old buildings were cursed. Yang Hu used nonlethal strategies to drive off the local Wu garrison near Xiangyang to gain back over 800 acres of farmable land, allowing him to finally reverse the area' loss in food production and begin accumulating food stores once again. Hu encouraged the idea of his compassion by not usually wear armor when in camp and only keeping about ten attendants with him at any given time. His general dismissal of personal safety eventually provoked a subordinate, Xu Yin, to finally prevent him from spending time away from his forces unguarded.

In 272, Bu Chan, the Wu governor of Xiling, rebelled and turned the city over to Yang Hu out of fear of the tyrannical Sun Hao. Wanting to avoid the continued loss of ground to Jin, Lu Kang led a force to take the city back. Yang Hu met Kang in battle and was defeated. After this defeat, Hu insisted on being demoted, but would quickly earn the rank back with his new strategy. Hu recognized defeating Lu Kang in open warfare would be too costly and possibly out of his reach, so he instead turned to victory through benevolence. He achieved his strategy by placing well guarded fortresses around fertile land to grow plenty of food to share with the population, regardless of jurisdiction. Yang Hu also struck up a mutual friendship/rivalry with Lu Kang as they sought to outdo one another in acts of kindness. One such example of their respect towards one another happened when Kang was sick and Hu sent him medicine for the illness, which the Wu officer took without hesitation, realizing Hu would not resort to poisoning his foe to win.

Unfortunately for Wu, Lu Kang died in 274, leaving Yang Hu to continue his strategy with great success. Many Wu officers, soldiers, and citizens willingly fled to Yang Hu over the continually disintegrating Wu empire. The only hitch in Yang Hu's plan was his failing health in old age. Having already received approval for his plans to finally capture Wu, Yang Hu proposed Du Yu replace him in his efforts, as he had trained Du Yu and knew him to be virtuous enough to fulfill their plan. He died in 278, with the local population building a monument to his honor on Mt. Xian.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Yang Hu appears only in the final chapter of the novel where it focuses on the last part of his career serving Jin after Sima Yan's elevation to Emperor. Jia Chong is named as the adviser who has Yang Hu appointed to conquer Wu. The book elaborates on his friendship with Lu Kang, beginning their respect for one another during a hunting trip when both parties hunted in the same woodlands. Yang Hu had his men avoid crossing into Wu territory and afterwards had the captured animals inspected, sending any animal pierced my Wu arrows back to Lu Kang. For his own part, Kang sent Hu some of his personal store of wine, which Hu accepted gladly. The book also lists Jia Chong, Xun Xu, and Feng Dan as the men who blocked Yang Hu from conquering Wu after Lu Kang's death. His last days are also dramatized greatly, with Sima Yan visiting Hu on his deathbed to hear who should replace Yang Hu in conquering Wu.