Xu Gong

Xu Gong (died 200) was a Chinese politician and minor warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Life Xu Gong started his career sometime between 190 and 193 as the Commandant of Wu Commandery (around present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu). He was a close friend of Xu Jing, who fled to the Jiangdong territories in the early 190s to evade the chaos in central China. Xu Gong accepted Xu Jing and treated him like an honoured guest. At the time, Xu Gong's direct superior was Sheng Xian, the Administrator of Wu Commandery. Around the early 190s, the warlord Yuan Shu occupied parts of Yang Province and defeated the brothers Zhou Ang, Zhou Xin and Zhou Yu (Renming), who used to control the territories there. Xu Gong killed Zhou Yu (Renming) while the latter was on his way home to Kuaiji Commandery. As Yuan Shu also killed the Inspector of Yang Province, the Han central government appointed Liu Yao to be the new Inspector. Since Yuan Shu already seized control of Shouchun (壽春; present-day Shou County, Anhui), the administrative centre of Yang Province, Liu Yao had no choice but to set up a new administrative centre at Qu'e County (曲阿縣; around present-day Danyang, Jiangsu). In 194, Sheng Xian resigned because he was ill, so Xu Gong replaced him as the Administrator of Wu Commandery. Xu Gong, in turn, was succeeded by Zhu Zhi as the Commandant of Wu Commandery. After assuming office, Xu Gong attempted to murder his predecessor Sheng Xian. However, Gao Dai helped Sheng Xian by hiding him in the home of Xu Zhao, one of Xu Gong's subordinates. Xu Gong then arrested Gao Dai's mother to try to lure Gao Dai out and then kill them, but Gao Dai managed to escape with the help of his friends.