Gongsun Kang

Gongsun Kang (公孫康, onyomi: Kōson Kō), was a politician and minor warlord. He was a son of Gongsun Du, the Warlord of Liaodong, and after his father's death succeeded him as ruler of the Northeast.

Roles in Games
Romance of the Three Kingdoms presents Gongsun Kang as the warlord of Liaodong, appearing porminently after Gongsun Du's death. His military stats are decent, with leadership and war scores of 72 and 66 respectively, whereas domestically he is average falling in the high 50s to low 60s range.

Historical Information
Gongsun Kang was a native of Xiangping county, Liaodong commandery. In 204, he succeeded his father Gongsun Du as the Adminstrator of Liaodong after the latter's death during the same year. He became a vassal of the Warlord Cao Cao, who controlled Emperor Xian and the central government at the time. In the year 207, after Yuan Shao's sons Yuan Shang and Yuan Xi were defeated by Cao Cao at the Battle of White Wolf Mountain, the 2 fled to Liaodong, planning to seize it from Gongsun Kang and use it as a base to further resist Cao Cao. Gongsun Kang feigned hospitality at first and sheltered them willingly, but struck swiftly and had Yuan Shang and Yuan Xi killed, sending their heads to Cao Cao as a sign of submission. The Han government appointed him as General of the Left shortly after.

During his reign in Liaodong, Gongsun Kang also mantained control of the Korean territories Xuantu and Lelang gained earlier by his father. He waged war against Yiyimo, the King of Gorguryeo and defeated him, razing his capital to the ground and forcing him to flee elsewhere. He split Lelang commandery into 2 parts, with the Southern half becoming Daifang Commandery, he also launched multiple campaigns against the local tribes and had them submit to the Han Dynasty. He died in an unknown year, with his younger brother Gongsun Gong taking the reigns as the Warlord of Liaodong since his sons Gongsun Yuan and Gongsun Huang were too young to rule. Later in 228 would Gongsun Yuan depose his uncle and seize control of Liaodong for himself.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Gongsun Kang makes his only appearance in Chapter 33, when Yuan Shang and Yuan Xi flee to his teritory. Like in history, he is advised by his brother Gongsun Gong to execute the 2 and send their heads to Cao Cao. Gongsun Kang invited the Yuan brothers into the city hall, waited until they were seated, and ordered swordsmen and axe-men he had hidden to behead the two and send their heads to the capital.