Cheng Yu 程昱

Cheng Yu 程昱 was an advisor to Cao Cao for the majority of Cao Cao's campaigns.

Biography
When Gongsun Zan was feuding with Yuan Shao over the death of his cousin, Gongsun Yue, the Inspector of Yan province, Liu Dai was indecisive of who to support. Cheng Yu of Dong prefecture was known to be a wise man so he was summoned to advise. Cheng Yu came to Liu Dai and said: "If you give up the alliance with Yuan Shao who is close at hand, and look for distant aid from Gongsun Zan, that is like getting help from a man in Yue when your son is drowning. Gongsun Zan is no match for Yuan Shao, and although he has beaten him once, Yuan Shao will get him in the end." This advice proved good as Gongsun Zan was soon defeated.

When Liu Dai was killed trying to fight bandits and Cao Cao was given Yan province, Cheng Yu naturally shifted his services to Cao Cao. Cheng Yu would continue to loyally serve Cao Cao till his death.

Battle of Yan Province
When Chen Gong orchestrated a rebellion within Yan Province, Cheng Yu was instrumental in Cao Cao's victory and highly praised for his efforts.

The rebellion had left only three cities loyal to Cao Cao: Juancheng, Fan and Dong'a. Cheng Yu, at this time the Prefect of Shouzang, was dispatched by Xun Yu to shore up morale in his hometown, Dong'a.

As Cheng Yu headed north, he stopped in Fan. Cheng Yu knew that Prefect Jin Yun's family was in the hands of Lü Bu and thus might surrender to the enemy. Cheng Yu persuaded him to place the empire above his personal stake, that Cao Cao a far better lord than Lü Bu and gave an example of officers from 300 B.C. who had successful held a defence and went on recover 70 cities.

Cheng Yu said to Jin Yun: "I have heard that Lü Bu holds your mother and your younger brother, your wife and your children. As a filial son, how can you bear this? But the empire is now in great disorder, and brave men rise up against one another. It is the way of a wise man to judge and choose the leader who can truly take control and end the disorder. He who finds his true lord will prosper, but the man who makes a bad choice will die."

"Now Chen Gong has rebelled and brought in Lü Bu. All the other cities have joined him, and it may indeed seem possible that they can take over everything. If you think about it, however, what sort of a man is Lü Bu?"

"Lü Bu is a common man's hero: he is rough, he has small affection for anyone else, he is brutal and arrogant. Just for moment Chen Gong and his fellows are obliged to be friendly with him, but they will never accept him as their chief. Though he has many soldiers, he will come to nothing in the end. By contrast, the wisdom and strategy of Commissioner Cao are not of this world, but rather gifts from Heaven."

"So you must hold Fan while I guard Dong'a, and we shall achieve the good work of Tian Dan. How can you abandon loyalty and follow evil, and so bring mother and son both to die? Please consider the matter carefully."

Cheng Yu then dispatched a contingent of cavalry to hold the Cangting Crossing preventing Chen Gong from attacking the holdout cities, before coming to Dong'a.

Because of Cheng Yu's actions, eastern Dong was not seized by Chen Gong, this in turned allowed Cao Cao to bring his forces back from Xu and reinforce the cities. When Cao Cao saw Cheng Yu he took his hand and said: "But for your strength, I would have had no place to return to." Because Cheng Yu played such an instrumental part in the survival of Cao Cao, Cao Cao made him the Chancellor of Dongping commandery and stationed him at Fan.

With the trouble in Yan not going well, Yuan Shao offered to take care of Cao Cao's family in Ye city. The stress of the rebellion getting to him, Cao Cao was considering agreeing. But Cheng Yu said: "It appears, general, that you get flustered under pressure. How else could you contemplate such a foolish move? Yuan Shao has designs upon the empire, but he is not nearly clever enough. Could you really accept him as your leader? You have the majesty of a dragon or a tiger. Are you prepared to play the role of his Han [Xin] or Peng [Yue]?"

"Even if Yan province is lost, you still possess three cities and at least ten thousand fine soldiers. With your military genius, and with Wenruo [Xun Yu] and me and others to gather men for your service, you may yet become hegemon. Please think again." Thereby convincing Cao Cao against sending his family to Yuan Shao, where they would undoubtedly be used as hostages forcing Cao Cao into Yuan Shao's service.