Chen Biao Chen Biao ( birth and death dates unknown ) , Wen ' ao , was a military general and politician of the state of Eastern Wu in the Three Kingdoms period . Family background . Chen Biao was a son of Chen Wu , a general who served under the warlord Sun Quan in the late Eastern Han Dynasty . He was born to Chen Wu ' s concubine and was a younger half - brother of Chen Xiu ( 陳脩 ) , who was born to Chen Wu ' s official spouse . Chen Wu was killed in action in 215 at the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford , while Chen Xiu died in 229 , shortly after Sun Quan proclaimed himself " Emperor of Eastern Wu " . Service in Eastern Wu . Early career . Chen Biao was already famous in his youth . He was selected to be an aide to the crown prince Sun Deng ( Sun Quan ' s eldest son ) , together with Zhuge Ke , Gu Tan and Zhang Xiu . Chen Biao was a close friend of Ji Yan ( 曁豔 ) , an Imperial Secretary ( 尚書 ) . When Ji Yan was accused of negligence in his duties , the other officials shunned him for fear of being implicated , but Chen Biao spoke up for Ji and earned the respect of many ministers . Chen Biao was later appointed as a Crown Prince ' s Tutor ( 太子中庶子 ) and a Commandant of Central Flank ( 翼正都尉 ) . Incident with Shi Ming . Chen Biao requested to serve in the military just like his father before him , and was placed in command of 500 troops . He was eager to win the hearts of his soldiers so he treated them well and they were willing to die for him . Once , there was an incident of grand theft and the suspect was Shi Ming ( 施明 ) , a soldier from the Wunan ( 無難 ) camp . Shi Ming had been arrested and interrogated , but he remained fierce , refused to reveal the truth , and even expressed his willingness to die . The Minister of Justice ( 廷尉 ) was unable to do anything to him . Sun Quan heard that Chen Biao understood a soldier ' s mentality well so he ordered Chen to take up Shi Ming ' s case . Chen Biao had Shi Ming released from his shackles and allowed him to take a bath and have a change of clothes , and treated him to a feast . Shi Ming was so touched by Chen Biao ' s generous treatment that he confessed to the crime and named his accomplices . Sun Quan was very surprised and impressed with Chen Biao , so he granted a special pardon to Shi Ming to protect Chen ' s reputation ( because Chen would be labelled as a hypocrite if Shi were to be executed after confessing under Chen ' s kind treatment ) . Shi Ming ' s accomplices , on the other hand , were not so lucky as they were all executed . Shi Ming mended his ways and gradually rose through the ranks to become a general in Eastern Wu . Mid career . Chen Biao was later promoted to be the Right Commander ( 右部督 ) of the Wunan camp and he received the title of " Marquis of a Chief Village " ( 都亭侯 ) . However , he rejected the marquis title and requested to have it transferred to Chen Xiu ' s son , Chen Yan ( 陳延 ) , but Sun Quan refused . In 234 , Zhuge Ke was appointed as the Administrator ( 太守 ) of Danyang ( 丹楊 ) and was sent to suppress a revolt by the Shanyue tribes . Sun Quan appointed Chen Biao as the Commandant ( 都尉 ) of Xin ' an ( 新安 ) and ordered him to be Zhuge Ke ' s advisor . Earlier on , Sun Quan had granted 200 taxable households to Chen Biao ' s family in recognition of Chen Wu ' s contributions , and those families were all based in Xin ' an . Chen Biao saw that the men from those households were able - bodied and capable of serving in the military , so he requested permission from Sun Quan to recruit those men . Sun Quan asked him , " Your late father rendered meritorious service to the state , and the state has granted your family these taxable households to honour his contributions . Why do you not want them ? " Chen Biao replied , " I pledged to eliminate all the enemies of the state and avenge my father . It ' s not my wish to have these men , who are capable of military service , as my slaves . " He insisted on recruiting those men so Sun Quan agreed and praised him . Sun Quan then selected some households from other areas to replace those in Chen Biao ' s marquisate who had been conscripted . Later career . Throughout his three years in office , Chen Biao made developments in his jurisdiction and managed to recruit over 10 , 000 troops . At that time , Wu Qu ( 吳遽 ) had started a rebellion in Poyang ( 鄱陽 ) and had conquered cities , causing much fear and panic in the surrounding counties . Chen Biao led his forces to suppress the revolt and succeeded in forcing Wu Qu to surrender . On Lu Xun ' s recommendation , Chen Biao was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant - General ( 偏將軍 ) and his marquis rank was increased from a village marquis to a district marquis . He moved to Zhangkeng ( 章阬 ) and garrisoned there . Death . Chen Biao died at the age of 34 ( by East Asian age reckoning ) in an unknown year . He had dedicated all his family income to military expenses so his family was very poor when he died . The crown prince Sun Deng had a house built for Chen Biao ' s family . Anecdote . When Chen Biao ' s elder half - brother Chen Xiu died , Chen Biao ' s mother refused to submit to Chen Xiu ' s mother , who had a higher status in the family because she was Chen Wu ' s official spouse . Chen Biao told his mother , " It is unfortunate that my brother died early . Now , I ' m the head of the family so I should pay respect to my stepmother . Mother , I hope you can accept my stepmother and maintain harmonious relations with her . If you can ' t , I ' ll leave and stay elsewhere . " Chen Biao said so out of graciousness and filial piety . His mother agreed and got along well with his stepmother . Descendants . When Chen Biao ' s son , Chen Ao ( 陳敖 ) , reached the age of 16 , he was commissioned as a " Major of Separate Command " ( 別部司馬 ) and placed in charge of 400 troops . After Chen Ao died , his cousin Chen Yan ( 陳延 ) inherited his military appointment .