Xu Chu

Debuts as the swashbuckler of Qiao: pens hundreds of Yellow Scarves like cattle after catching He Yi under one arm, fights Dian Wei two hours to a draw, and is finally taken by pitfall and hooks - whereupon Cao Cao unties him with his own hands. He tells the stone-throwing, oxen-hauling stories himself, brings his clan over, and pays his 'introductory gift' by killing Li Fang in two bouts.

Cuts down Li Jue's nephews Li Xian and Li Bie in one sally and returns with both heads - 'you are really my Fan Kuai!' - then fights Xu Huang fifty bouts to a standstill on the Xuchang road. At the closing council he offers to fetch Liu Bei's and Lü Bu's heads with fifty thousand men, and is talked down by Xun Yu's subtler ruses.

Xu Chu; named in the chapter as Cao Cao's bodyguard captain (with Dian Wei still alive at the start).

Sent out against the railing Zhang Xiu and drops his general Zhang Xian in the third bout, driving the rebels behind Nanyang's walls.

Plunges into the thirty thousand Taishan brigands at the Mangdang Hills and chases the four chiefs back up to Xiao Pass.

Fetches Liu Bei to the plum-garden interview with Zhang Liao, and later chases the departed army with five hundred horse - only to ride back empty-handed before Liu Bei's 'a general in the field is deaf even to royal commands'.

Xu Chu; Cao Cao's bodyguard captain.

Xu Chu; Cao Cao's bodyguard at Xuzhou.

Springs the ambush with Xu Huang that closes the road behind the lured Guan Yu at Tushan.

Rides in the unarmed farewell escort and bristles at the mounted, wary Guan Yu - 'he is a very rude man; why not take him prisoner?' - to be answered with Cao Cao's given word.

Xu Chu; rides with Cao Cao on the Wuchao night raid as bodyguard.

Commands the advanced front in the ten-ambush plan: his feigned night attack draws Yuan Shao's whole army into the trap, and at dawn he 'simply flew to the front', killing ten generals. At the Rang Mountains he duels Zhao Zilong thirty bouts even and later pursues him in the night breakout.

Kills Yin Kai at Maocheng, opening the Shangdang road on Cao Cao's sweep toward Yejun.

Xu Chu; kills Xu You at the Yejun gate after the latter's repeated boasts.

Leads the three thousand mailed van: spooked by the shifting red and blue flags at Magpie Tail Slope, sent forward anyway, he finds the wood empty - and on the hilltop above, Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang drinking under umbrellas while logs and stones bounce him back down the slope.

Opens the chapter running from Zhang Fei at the flooded river - 'a fight with such a warrior was not to Xu Chu's taste.'

Seizes the runaway Prime Minister's bridle with Zhang Liao when the bellow-panic carries him west, hatless and streaming-haired.

Xu Chu; with Cao Cao.

Rides bare-backed against Zhang Fei at the Hulu Valley - the melee that buys Cao Cao's third escape - and drives the road-gang through the mire at sword's point.

Xu Chu; cuts through the contest by snatching the prize robe - Cao Cao laughs and keeps the peace.

Leads one of the four ambush armies that close on Ma Teng at the review.

Drags his master down the bank, leaps aboard with Cao Cao on his back, chops off the clinging hands that would swamp the boat - then poles with one hand, steers with his knees, and holds a saddle over Cao Cao's head against Ma Chao's arrows. His double armor comes ashore stuck full of shafts. Han Sui names him for the enemy: Tiger Lust.

Xu Chu; the legendary shirtless duel - strips to the waist to fight Ma Chao without armour over more than 230 bouts at Wei Bridge. Cao Cao's defining bodyguard moment of this campaign.

Xu Chu; Cao Cao's bodyguard at Ruxu.

Xu Chu; with Cao Cao in the palace raid.

Xu Chu; fights Pang De at Yangping.

Xu Chu; Cao Cao's bodyguard.

Xu Chu; defends Cao Cao after the arrow.

Xu Chu; with Cao Pi.

Xu Chu; with Cao Pi; rescues him in the rout.

Xu Chu; named in passing - long dead.