Huang Hao

Named once, inside Qiao Zhou's complaint, as the eunuch the Emperor's confidence has been given to while 'State affairs are neglected for pleasure'. The naming is the first warning, but the man himself arrives later.

The instrument of the chapter's last reversal. Xue Xu reports that every affair of state is in his hands and the courtiers treat him as a father. Sima Wang then names him as the way to beat Jiang Wei without fighting - 'Let us use the eunuch to sow distrust between the Emperor and his general and so get Jiang Wei recalled' - and Dang Jun's gold, pearls and precious things buy him. He carries the manufactured rumour that Jiang Wei means to go over to Wei straight to the throne, and the recall follows.

Runs the court and cries on cue. He 'encouraged him in every form of self-indulgence and ministered to every desire for luxury and dissipation. Government was left to look after itself.' Puts Yan Yun's case for replacing Jiang Wei, which produces the three recall edicts. Then hides among the rocks by a pond when Jiang Wei gets into the garden, is fetched out to apologise, and performs: 'I am always in attendance upon the Sacred One---that is all I do. I never meddle in state affairs... If you desire my death, I am in your hands, but pity me.' 'And tears ran down his cheeks. Jiang Wei went away in ill humor.'

Loses the war before it starts, and does it with a medium. Handed Jiang Wei's memorial naming Deng Ai and Zhong Hui, he tells the Emperor 'There is nothing of the sort. Jiang Wei only wants to get a name for himself' and proposes 'a certain wise woman I know. She is a real prophetess.' Fetches her himself in a chariot; she lets down her hair, drops her slippers, capers barefoot and coils up on a table, and announces as the guardian spirit of the West River Land that 'Within a few years the land of Wei shall come under you.' The Latter Ruler is delighted and believes everything she says thereafter - 'The immediate result was that Jiang Wei's memorial remained unanswered; and as the Latter Ruler was wholly given to pleasure, it was easy for Huang Hao to intercept all urgent memorials from the commander.'

Keeps denying it until the evidence is at the gates. Told of Deng Ai at Fucheng, he assures the throne 'That is just false rumor. The spirits would not deceive Your Majesty' - and when the Latter Ruler sends for the wise woman to confirm it, 'the messengers said she had gone no one knew whither.' After that the memorials come in 'like a snow storm' and there is nothing left to intercept.

Deng Ai decides to put him to death as the man whose counsels ruined his master — and 'However, Huang Hao was rich, and he gave bribes to Deng Ai's people, and so he escaped the death penalty.' He buys his way out of the fall of the kingdom he destroyed, and the chapter leaves him alive.

Executed here - which settles the ch118 question. Deng Ai's people took his bribes and let him live; Sima Zhao does not: 'Huang Hao, whose evil influence had brought the kingdom to nought, and who had oppressed the people, was put to death with ignominy in the public place.'

Named in passing only, and executed in ch119 - recalled in the closing accounting as the eunuch whose influence brought a kingdom to nothing.