Ju Shou Ju Shou ( died 200 ) was an advisor serving under the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history . Biography . Ju Shou first started his career as a local clerk under the Governor of Ji Province , Han Fu . In AD 191 , Han Fu ' s former ally , Yuan Shao overtook Ji Province . Ju Shou was made the Army Controller to help keep the discipline of Yuan Shao ' s forces . Ju Shou was much involved in the war fought between Yuan Shao and the Yan Province warlord , Gongsun Zan . However , Yuan Shao later grew weary of Ju Shao ' s suggestion , as they contradicted the advice of Guo Tu , who was a favorite of him . Prior to the Battle of Guandu , Ju Shou advised against having Yan Liang strike Cao Cao ' s forces at Boma and Yanjing ( 延津 ) based on the general ' s impetuousness . Yuan Shao ignored the advisor , resulting in a major defeat , in which Yan Liang was slain in battle . In Luo Guanzhong ' s historical novel " Romance of the Three Kingdoms " , Ju Shou advised Yuan Shao to kill Liu Bei ( who was with Yuan at the time to avoid Cao Cao ) since it is highly likely Liu was acting as a mole for Cao Cao as Liu Bei ' s general Guan Yu slew Yan Liang and Wen Chou . However Yuan Shao was tricked into thinking that an enemy general who resembled Guan Yu had slain his general and refused to execute Liu Bei . Earlier , Tian Feng advised against the strike on the basis that Cao Cao was near Guandu at Xuchang , and they had missed their perfect chance to capture Xuchang earlier when Cao was busy attacking Liu Bei at Xiapi . Ju Shou also agreed with Tian Feng ' s suggestion , however this angered Yuan Shao and he perceived it as lowering his army ' s morale , and put Tian in prison . This also served as a warning to Ju Shou . Later , Yuan Shao personally led his 100 , 000 strong army to attack Cao Cao during the Battle of Guandu . Ju Shou advised Yuan Shao not to be overconfident , and instead concentrate on defense and reach a stalemate since Yuan ' s army was abundant in soldiers and supplies , and had landscape advantage , while Cao Cao ' s army lacked in all three ; after Cao ' s force inevitably weakens , Yuan could launch a full force attack at the retreating Cao forces and score a major victory and take over Xuchang . However , Yuan Shao once again ignored this advice and had Ju Shou locked up under the same charge as Tian Feng , affecting the army ' s morale . He was overconfident that his forces were significantly stronger and had no need for a long term defensive fight , and it was more " prideful " to launch an all - out offensive . Yuan Shao assigned Chunyu Qiong to be in charge of the army ' s main supply base at Wuchao ( 乌巢 ) . Ju Shou knew that Chunyu Qiong was incapable of taking the responsibility of guarding the supplies and provisions and requested audience with Yuan Shao . He then advised Yuan Shao to let someone else be in charge as the loss of Wuchao would likely result in defeat . Yuan Shao was sick and tired of Ju Shou and ignored him . As Ju Shou had predicted , Yuan Shao ' s army suffered a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Guandu when their supplies and provisions at Wuchao were burnt down by Cao Cao ' s troops . Yuan Shao managed to flee back to Hebei but Ju Shou was captured in battle by Cao Cao ' s troops . Cao Cao treated Ju Shou with respect and offered to let Ju join him as an advisor . Ju Shou stated that his family had always served the Yuans , and that will never change . Cao Cao was moved by his loyalty and gave him a few days to think about the offer and kept him in his camp . However , Ju Shou attempted to escape at night by stealing a horse , but was killed by Cao Cao ' s men . Saddened by the loss of a great scholar , Ju Shou was given a proper burial and his grave was visited by Cao Cao himself .