Chen Gong
In the novel, Lü Boshe is a sworn brother of Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, so Cao Cao regards him as an uncle. Cao Cao and Chen Gong pass by Lü Boshe's house while they are on their way to Cao Cao's home after Cao Cao escaped from Luoyang following his failed attempt on Dong Zhuo's life. Lü Boshe gives them a warm reception and instructs his family and servants to treat the guests well while he travels to town to purchase more items for a feast. During their stay in Lü Boshe's house, Cao Cao overhears the sharpening of knives and a conversation among Lü Boshe's servants about whether to "kill or to tie up first". He suspects that Lü Boshe is pretending to be hospitable towards him while actually plotting to harm him. He and Chen Gong dash out and indiscriminately kill everyone in Lü Boshe's household. Later, they discover that the servants were actually talking about slaughtering a pig for the feast and that they had killed innocent people. As it is too late for regrets, Cao Cao and Chen Gong immediately pack their belongings and leave the house. Along the way, they meet Lü Boshe, who is returning from his errand. When Lü Boshe asks them to stay, Cao Cao asks him: "Who is that behind you?" When Lü Boshe turns around, Cao Cao stabs him from behind and kills him. A shocked Chen Gong asks Cao Cao: "Just now, you made a genuine mistake when you killed those people. But what about now?". Cao Cao replies: "If Lü Boshe goes home and sees his family members all dead, do you think he will let us off? If he brings soldiers to pursue us, we will be in deep trouble." Chen Gong says: "It is a grave sin to kill someone with the intention of doing so." Cao Cao remarks: "I'd rather do wrong to the world than allow the world to do wrong to me." (寧教我負天下人，休教天下人負我) Chen Gong does not respond and he leaves Cao Cao that night.