Sun Li

Not to be confused with Lady Sun Li.

Sun Li is a Wei officer who partook in their campaign to conquer Shu. He served under Cao Zhen and Sima Yi.

Historical Information
Sun Li is believed to have been born and raised in Rongcheng County. He was known as a rather honest yet kind man. He was childhood friends with Lu Yu as they were born in the same town and the same year. It is said that they were commonly compared to one another as both earned similar fame and ranks in their time in Wei.

He worked in his early years to help support his mother. The person he worked under, however, was involved in corrupt and scandalous work. After his mother was separated from him due to military conflicts at Fanyang, Sun Li held no resistance to the soldiers that came to detain him. He voluntarily surrendered and said, "A vassal does not have the honor of escape." His statement made Wen Hui and Cao Cao admire him and he was quickly employed after he served a brief time of imprisonment.

As a soldier, he won many early accomplishments and was quickly promoted after he quelled bandit rebellions where Lu once existed. Soon after, he was invited into the court and became a minister. During this time, the Imperial Prince room had just been restored. Seeing the distress of the common people, Sun Li took care to balance the agriculture and cover for the restoration's costs. He was also one of the people who acted as one of Cao Rui's attendants and was known for admonishing the boy. Cao Cao caught word of Sun Li's accomplishments and was ready to promote him. However, Cao Shuang, who disliked Sun Li's methods, disapproved of the move. Cao Cao reconsidered his son's words and punished by Sun Li making him act as a guard at a province in Yangzhou.

While at his new post the Wu vassal, Quan Cong, invaded with a vast army. Sun Li was undermanned and at a clear disadvantage yet he lead his troops into battle. Both armies suffered several casualties and Sun Li was said to have also been struck by arrows. When it appeared that his army's situation was grave, he unsheathed a white blade and rode his steed into Wu's army. He paved a bloody path through them and was presumably headed toward Quan Cong. The sight of his ferocity demoralized his enemies and they eventually withdrew from the area. He was ranked as an Excellency and named the marquis of the same province. However, since he earned these titles when he was supposed to be reflecting on his behavior, Sun Li was going to be revoked of his seals for five years. Cao Cao, after hearing several voice their favor of Sun Li, granted them in one year's time.

Years later, when the Xiongnu and Xianbei tribes were beginning to threaten their kingdoms boarders, Sun Li was promoted a higher rank by Sima Yi to stop their invasion. Before he departed, a story says that he gave a toast to all the generals who died and grieved for them. He served Cao Shuang and returned to Wei after his master's passing. He was given one more grand title before he passed away.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Sun Li was described as a bold man who earned his rank by saving his master from a leaping tiger. He was Cao Zhen's friend and vassal, appearing in chapter 95 to quell Zhuge Liang's northern campaign. He and Cao Zhen were ordered to stop his advance and they stall the Shu forces.

In chapter 98, he suggested attacking Shu by leading a "defenseless" convoy. Knowing that the Shu forces were running low on supplies, he secretly set sulfur into the carts and planned to set fire on them at the most opportune moment. Using the fire as a signal, the waiting ally forces would then ambush the Shu army. Zhuge Liang saw through the ruse and decided to counter with one of his own by setting fire on the enemy's storehouse. Thinking that their plan worked, the Wei army ran out of their camp but fell victim to Ma Dai's attack. Sun Li was caught by Ma Zheng and Zhang Ni but was able to escape in the chaos of the fire attack. Following their chain of losses, Sun Li was assigned to defend Yongcheng.

He and Guo Huai were defeated once more in the following chapter and began to fear Zhuge Liang's smarts. Sun Li acknowledges the strategist to be greater than Sima Yi and apologized for losing two more forts to Shu. He was ordered to protect Yongcheng once more. His last mention in the novel was joining the front to attack Hanzhong.