Chen Wu ( Han Dynasty ) Chen Wu ( died 215 ) , Zilie , was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan in the late Eastern Han Dynasty . He previously served under Sun Ce , Sun Quan ' s elder brother and predecessor . Life . Chen Wu was a native of Songzi ( 松滋 ) , Lujiang ( 廬江 ) commandery , which is in present - day Susong County , Anqing , Anhui . He was seven " chi " and seven " cun " tall ( approximately 181 – 186 cm ) . When he was around the age of 17 , he travelled to Shouchun ( 壽春 ; present - day Shou County , Lu ' an , Anhui ) to meet Sun Ce , who was then a subordinate of the warlord Yuan Shu . Chen Wu later accompanied Sun Ce on his conquests in the Jiangdong region in the 190s , and was appointed as a " Major of Separate Command " ( 別部司馬 ) for his contributions in battle . He also followed Sun Ce to attack a minor warlord Liu Xun and helped to recruit many capable men from Lujiang to join Sun Ce ' s army , with him as their commander . After Sun Ce ' s death in 200 CE , Chen Wu continued serving under Sun Quan , Sun Ce ' s younger brother and successor . He was put in command of five regiments . Chen Wu was known to a kind and generous person , and he won the hearts of many people from his hometown and other places . He was deeply favoured by Sun Quan , who visited his house on several occasions . Chen Wu was later promoted to Lieutenant - General ( 偏將軍 ) for his achievements . In 215 , Chen Wu followed Sun Quan to attack Hefei , a city under the control of a rival warlord Cao Cao , which led to the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford . Sun Quan ' s forces suffered a disastrous defeat at the hands of Cao Cao ' s general Zhang Liao , who was defending Hefei . Chen Wu was killed in action . Sun Quan mourned Chen Wu ' s death and attended the latter ' s funeral . Sun Quan also had Chen Wu ' s favourite concubine sacrificed to join Chen in death , and he awarded Chen ' s family with 200 taxable households . The historian Sun Sheng criticised Sun Quan ' s act of forcing Chen Wu ' s concubine to join Chen in death , citing an earlier negative example of Duke Mu of Qin and a positive example of Wei Ke ( 魏顆 ) . Descendants . Chen Wu had two known sons — Chen Xiu ( 陳脩 ) and Chen Biao . Chen Xiu had a personality which resembled his father ' s . When he was 19 years old , Sun Quan summoned him and appointed him as a " Major of Separate Command " ( 別部司馬 ) and put him in charge of 500 troops . At that time , many newly recruited soldiers were unwilling to serve in the army so they deserted . However , Chen Xiu treated his men well and not a single soldier under him deserted . Sun Quan was surprised and pleased , so he promoted Chen Xiu to Colonel ( 校尉 ) . In the late 210s , when Sun Quan granted awards to the descendants of his deceased subjects to honour his subjects for their service , Chen Xiu received the title of " Marquis of a Chief Village " ( 都亭侯 ) in recognition of his father ' s contributions . He later became a commander in the " jiefan " ( 解煩 ) corps , one of the most elite units in Sun Quan ' s military forces . He died in 229 , shortly after Sun Quan proclaimed himself " Emperor of Eastern Wu " . Chen Biao was born to one of Chen Wu ' s concubines . He also served in Eastern Wu . After Chen Biao ' s death , his son Chen Ao ( 陳敖 ) was commissioned as a " Major of Separate Command " ( 別部司馬 ) at the age of 16 and was placed in charge of 400 troops . When Chen Ao died , his military appointment was inherited by his cousin Chen Yan ( 陳延 ) , who was Chen Xiu ' s son . Chen Yan had a younger brother , Chen Yong ( 陳延 ) , who became a general and received a marquis title . In fiction . Although no details were given on how Chen Wu died at the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford in 215 , his death was dramatised in chapter 68 of the historical novel " Romance of the Three Kingdoms " by Luo Guanzhong , which romanticises the historical events before and during the Three Kingdoms period . In the novel , Chen Wu encountered Pang De ( who had recently joined Cao Cao ' s forces ) in another battle right after the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford . While fighting with Pang De , he was driven into a valley full of thick vegetation and his sleeve was caught in some tree branches . He was killed by Pang De while attempting to free himself .