Huan Fan

Minister of Agriculture, nicknamed 'Bag of Wisdom', the one man among Cao Shuang's six confidants with 'good parts' — and he spends the chapter warning: first against the endless hunting trips, then against the Gaoping Tombs procession itself. 'Your Lordship are in charge of the capital security, and you and your brothers should not leave the city together. Suppose there were a revolt, what then?' Cao Shuang's answer is 'Who would dare make trouble? Hold your wild tongue!'

The one man in the chapter who knows what to do, and the chapter is about nobody listening to him. Refuses Sima Yi's summons on his son's advice, bluffs his way out of the barred South Gate with a slip of bamboo and 'The Empress's command: Open the gate for me', and rides to Cao Shuang with the only workable plan: the Emperor to Xuchang, the regional troops called up, years of supplies, the South Pass forces, and the seal of the Minister of War, which he has brought with him in his sleeve. 'Even a fool in this crisis would think only of life. You have the Son of Heaven with you here and command all the forces of the empire. None would dare disobey you, and yet you march quietly to death.' Leaves the tent wailing when the sword goes down — 'Cao Zhen might boast of his abilities, but his sons are mere cattle' — and is answered by Sima Yi's whip pointed at him from horseback at the bridge: 'What brought you to this?' Si Fan's testimony about the forged command is what condemns him.