Li Chunxiang 李春香

Li Chunxiang 李春香 was a fictional character who appears in chapter 57 of the fictitious 14th century novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Biography
Li Chunxiang was a concubine of Huang Kui 黃奎, but had a secret relationship with Huang Kui's brother-in-law Miao Ze 苗澤, who was the younger brother of Huang Kui's wife Lady Zhi.

Li Chunxiang was aware of Huang Kui's displeasure, and she spoke of it to her lover, and he told her she could probably draw from him what was wrong by a leading question. Miao Ze suggested:


 * "Ask him what is the truth about two men, Liu Bei and Cao Cao? Who is the wicked one."

That evening Huang Kui went to the apartments of his concubine and Li Chunxiang took the chance to presently put the question proposed by her lover. Huang Kui answered:


 * "You are not an official; still you know right from wrong as well as I. My enemy, and the man I would slay if I could, is Cao Cao."

Li Chunxiang responded:
 * "But why? And if you wish to slay him, why do you not do something?"

Huang Kui answered:
 * "I have done something. I have settled with General Ma Teng to assassinate Cao Cao at the review."

Li Chunxiang told Miao Ze, and Miao Ze told Cao Cao, who made immediate arrangements to defeat the plot. After the plot was dealt with Miao Ze wished for just one reward:


 * "I desire no other reward than Li Chunxiang as wife."

But Cao Cao smiled and said:


 * "For her sake then you have brought a whole household to death. What advantage would there be in preserving such a miscreant?"

Cao Cao bade the executioners to put both Li Chunxiang and Miao Ze to death.