Lü Bu Lü Bu (died 198) was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was a master in horseback riding and archery, and was thus known as the Flying General. His image as a handsome and mighty warrior wielding a ji known as the "Sky Piercer" (方天畫戟) on top of his steed Red Hare was later popularized by the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Lü Bu's downfall In 198, Cao Cao and Liu Bei formed a short-term alliance and laid siege on Lü Bu in Xiapi. The siege dragged on for two months without significant gains. Two advisors to Cao Cao, Xun Yu and Guo Jia, then suggested flooding the city with water from the Yi River (沂水) and Si River (泗水).
As the water level rose and submerged the city gates, Lü Bu's subjects rushed to inform their leader, but Lü Bu dismissed the threat on account that his Red Hare could run as well in water as on land. Thereupon he returned to his wine cups and consorts. However, heavy indulgence in alcohol and women had wasted his strength away such that one day Lü Bu looked into the mirror and found himself looking thin and pallid. Making the resolution to quit drinking, Lü Bu then passed an order for all within the city to keep off wine.
One day, Hou Cheng, an officer under Lü Bu, caught a defector who attempted to steal fifty horses and give it to the enemy. Hou Cheng then prepared barrels of wine to celebrate with his colleagues. Fearing wrath of Lü Bu, he then had five bottles sent to his superior to appease the latter, which turned out to a terrible mistake. Seeing the bottles of wine, Lü Bu was enraged at the opposition to his alcoholic ban, and had Hou Cheng thrashed sixty times as punishment.
The unhappy Hou Cheng then plotted with two colleagues, Song Xian and Wei Xu, to betray Lü Bu to the enemy. Under the cover of the night Hou Cheng stole Lü Bu's Red Hare and galloped out of the only gate not submerged in water towards Cao Cao's camp.
The next morning, Cao Cao's troops launched a fierce attack on the city. Lü Bu had to personally take part in the defense of the walls. The battle dragged into high noon and the attackers backed off for a rest. The exhausted Lü Bu then slept on top of the wall.
Taking the opportunity, Song Xian and Wei Xu tied Lü Bu up and hoisted a white flag. The two also threw Lü Bu's halberd down the wall as proof. Seeing the signals, Cao Cao's troops then poured into the city and seized it in no time.
After he had been captured he was taken in front of Cao Cao. Lü Bu attempted to appease Cao Cao, claiming that together, they would conquer China and the world beyond easily. Cao Cao, who had a penchant for recruiting powerful officers, was nearly swayed. To reinforce his point, Lü Bu then tried to get Liu Bei to plea for him. Liu Bei, however, had seen through him, and said to Cao Cao, "Don't you remember what happened to Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo?" The warlord remembered Lü Bu's reputation, and being suspicious by nature, had him strangled and then beheaded as a precaution. The last words Lü Bu ever said were threats directed at Liu Bei, claiming that he would be waiting to settle the score in hell.
