Hou Teng

**Hou Teng** (c. 175–249), courtesy name **Xuanwen** was a statesman politician and strategist who served under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. As one of Cao Cao's most trusted Advisor, he contributes the foundation of Cao Wei founded by Cao Cao's son and successor Cao Ang, and served as Chancellor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms Period. Hou Teng was recognized as one of the most accomplished Strategists of his era. Hou Teng was regarded as one of Three Great Military Strategist along with Zhuge Liang and Gongye Jin.

Despite his humble origin, Hou Teng was best remembered as a brilliant strategist and is remembered for his efficiency and resourcefulness in domestic and military affairs, Hou Teng's rise, success and prominence making him an important figure in Wei after the establishment of Wei, Hou Teng advise Cao Ang to formally established Chen Qun's nine-rank system as the base for civil service nomination which drew many talents in the Government and defended Wei from a series of invasion led by Wei's Rival States Shu Han and Eastern Wu.

## Early life

Hou Teng was from Wuyang County (武陽縣), Dong Commandery, which is located at the border between present-day Henan and Shandong provinces. Hou Teng was from a Poor Family his Father died of illness when he was still young Hou Teng was known to be a friendly and laidback person in his youth and had various friends and acquaintances from different backgrounds. In 192 Hou Teng left his hometown and travel to Yan Province there on where he joins Cao Cao.

## Service under Cao Cao

### Defending Luoyang

Cao Cao was not really impressed with him so he appointed Hou Teng as his register when Cao Cao successfully subdued Yan Province and made it as his power base, later in 196 Cao Cao gain control of the Emperor and use the Emperor to control warlord meanwhile Li Jue and Guo Si invade Luoyang to retake the emperor Hou Teng volunteer to defend Luoyang Cao Cao, although, Cao Cao rebuff his claim but agreed to place him in charge of defending Luoyang.

Hou Teng first focuses on recruiting enough troops to defended Luoyang and repairing the area in Luoyang that was destroyed by Dong Zhuo. Hou Teng to gain support from local people and amass amount funds by having civilians selling their property to nearby merchants reconstructed many temples and palace and build homes for the people.

As Li Jue and Guo Si's forces near approaching Luoyang, a subordinate of Li Jue name Wei Zhong led his men to submit to Hou Teng. When Hou Teng saw Wei Zhong he consider as capable general and became a subordinate under Hou Teng he planned have Wei Zhong lure Li Jue and Guo Si by claiming that Emperor is still in Luoyang and was successful and routed Li Jue and Guo Si and both were later killed by their own men and surrender to Hou Teng. Hou Teng later sent a large amount logistic and Li Jue and Guo Si's head to Cao Cao at Xuchang and Cao Cao was completely surprise by Hou Teng's achievement and eventually promoted him and rewarded him for his accomplishments and Hou Teng recommended Wei Zhong to served under Cao Cao.

### Campaign against Lu Bu

Sometime between 197-198 Cao Cao officially launched his military campaign against Lü Bu Hou Teng accompanied Cao Cao on his campaign.

When Lu Bu surrender Cao Cao initially wanted to spare Lü Bu's life after Lü pledged to serve him. However, Hou Teng immediately stopped Cao Cao and said, "Lü Bu is a formidable warrior and his allies are nearby and is an untrustworthy person. He switched allegiances erratically and freely betrayed his allies without any hesitation so he shouldn't be spared. Eventually, Cao Cao had Lu Bu executed.

### Role in the Cao Yuan Conflict

In 200 tension between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, and Yuan Shao marched southwards on Xu City in the name of rescuing the emperor. He had amassed more than 110,000 troops, including 10,000 heavy cavalry, while Cao Cao gathered around 40,000 men, Hou Teng aid Cao Cao during the Battle of Guandu

### Campaign against Sun Jian

#### Battle of Xiaoyao Ford

Around 214, before Cao Cao went on a campaign against the warlord Zhang Lu in Hanzhong Commandery, appointed Hou Teng as Grand Chief Controller (大都督) and put him in command of 20,000 troops to guard Hefei from attacks by Sun Jian appointing Zhang Liao Yue Jin Li Dian and others as his subordinate, Later that year, Sun Jian led about 200,000 troops to attack Hefei. Hou Teng began preperation to defended Hefei.

## Service under Cao Pi

Cao Ang died in 226 and was succeeded by his brother Cao Pi as the emperor of Wei. Hou Teng stationed himself at Jing Province ordered Cao Ren to garrison in Fancheng to defend Wei's southern border from Eastern Wu. Later on, Hou Teng dispatch Cao Ren and Wen Ping to led troops to attack Wu forces commanded by Liu E (劉阿) and defeated them at Qikou (祁口).

### Repelling First Shu Invasion

#### Tianshui Revolts

In 227, Zhuge Liang, the regent of Wei's rival state Shu Han, led the Shu forces on the first of a series of campaigns to attack Wei. Three Wei-controlled commanderies – Nan'an (南安; in present-day Dingxi, Gansu), Tianshui and Anding (安定; covering parts of present-day Ningxia and Gansu) – had responded to Zhuge Liang's call and defected to Shu Hou Teng led his forces to Tianshui and send Xiahou Dun Cao Ren and Zhang He to engage the Shu Forces.

#### Xincheng Rebellion

Later that year Meng Da who previously serves under Liu Bei defected to Wei starting a rebellion. Earlier, during Cao Ang's reign, Hou Teng was wary of Meng Da and perceived him as untrustworthy and often caution Cao Ang to be wary of him.

When Hou Teng first learns of Meng Da's intention of rebelling Hou Teng wrote letters to Meng Da to put the latter in a dilemma on whether to rebel or not and secretly order Sima Yi and Xu Huang to attack Meng Da's base in Xincheng. Sima Yi's forces arrived at Xincheng in just eight days and caught Meng Da completely off guard with Meng Da was taken by utter surprise as he did not expect Sima Yi to show up at Shangyong Commandery so quickly.

As Meng Da was surrounded on three sides by a river, he set up wooden barriers to defend himself. Sima Yi's forces crossed the rivers, destroyed the barriers, and arrived just outside Shangyong. Later Meng Da was betrayed by his nephew Deng Xian (鄧賢) and subordinate Li Fu (李輔) and his rebellion were swiftly suppressed. Meng Da was captured by Xu Huang and was executed by Hou Teng.

#### Battle of Jieting

In 228 Hou Teng arrived at set up camp to defend Wei's western borders in the Guanzhong region (covering areas in present-day Gansu and Shaanxi) from the Shu armies later that year Hou Teng defeated Ma Su at the Battle Jieting by following Zhang He's suggestion by first cutting off the enemy's access to water supplies and then attacking them.

### First Campaign against Wu

#### Battle Shiting

Later that year Hou Teng submit a memorial to Cao Pi to launch a campaign against Wu. He first ordered Sima Yi to lead Wei forces from Jing Province and sail down the Han River to Xunyang County (尋陽縣; southwest of present-day Huangmei County, Hubei) and supervise the invasion.

Hou Teng led his forces to at Shiting and appointed Cao Xiu as the commander of the army at Shiting to engaged the Wu Forces however Cao Xiu fell for a ruse by a Wu military officer Zhou Fang, who pretended to defect to Wei in order to lure Wei forces into a trap by erecting the camp at a steep road which would leave Cao Xiu isolated at it was too deep into Wu Territory and suffered a disastrous defeat when they fell into the trap. Cao Xiu managed to retreat to Shiting (石亭; or Shi Village, in present-day Qianshan County, Anhui), but his soldiers started panicking at night and many of them deserted and left behind their weapons, armor, and equipment. Hou Teng orders Cao Xiu arrest and Cao Xiu did not resist arrest and Hou Teng order to have Cao Xiu to be executed but Cao Xiu died from skin infections on his back resulting from the wounds he sustained during the Battle of Shiting before execution order would be carried out.

### Siege of Chencang

In 229 Hou Teng observed that if Shu were to invade Wei again, they would attack via Chencang (陳倉; east of present-day Baoji, Shaanxi). He then put Cao Zhen Hao Zhao and Wang Shuang (王生) in charge of defending Chencang and ordered them to strengthen the fortress's defences. As Hou Teng foresaw, Zhuge Liang indeed led Shu forces to attack Chencang in the spring of 229

### Liaodong Campaign

Around that time, Gongsun Yuan, a warlord based in Liaodong Commandery (in present-day Liaoning) who previously pledged allegiance to the Wei state, started a rebellion and declared independence, Hou Teng began preperation lead a campaign against Liaodong sending Sima Yi and Guanqiu Jian to engaged them Cao Pi summoned Hou Teng and asked how Gongsun Yuan will respond, Hou Teng stated that there were three choices available: to flee, to resist, and to defend his capital city with the last being the worst choice, and the one he was most likely going to employ against Hou Teng after putting up some initial resistance. When further asked by the Cao Pi on how long it will take, Hou Teng said that he needed only one year in total to lead the troops to Liaodong, to suppress the revolt, and to then return and repose.

## Service under Cao Rui

### Battle of Hefei 241

The Cao Wei emperor Cao Pi died and was succeeded by his son Cao Rui and entrust Hou Teng to assist him to stabilize the empire In light Cao Pi's Death in 240 Gongye Jin launch another campaign against Wei.

### Incident of the Gaoping Temple and Death

On 5 February 249, Cao Shuang and his brothers accompanied the emperor Cao Rui on a visit to the Gaoping Tombs (高平陵). On that day, Sima Yi seized the opportunity to stage a coup d'état against Cao Shuang. before that, he visits the now ill Hou Teng and soon passes away. Hou Teng intending to have Sima Yi eliminated soon after his death as he was aware Sima Yi intending to seize power after his death and instruct Cao Shuang to remain cautious toward Sima Yi and find the perfect opportunity to eliminated Sima Yi, Cao Shuang fail to properly follow his instruction and Sima Yi manage to overthrown Cao Shuang and later had his Family executed but Sima Yi spared Hou Teng's Family He was buried and was posthumously granted the title "Marquis Zhongwu" (忠武侯; literally "loyal and martial marquis") by Cao Rui. While Cao Rui expressed regret, not listening to Hou Teng's sounded advice on given princes any authority to oppose them with Cao Rui's uncle Cao Zhang and Cao Zhi are the only princes that held any real authority but both died in 245 and 248.

## Legacy

Hou Teng had made several achievements and much success throughout his life despite his peasant origin his descendant who became well-known historian who wrote great detail of his time and other well-known people in his time Hou Teng was respected by many among Cao Cao subject as he slowly rises to success and prominence he was even respected by his two nemeses Zhuge Liang and Gongye Jin as they noted him as a brilliant strategist and for efficiently in governing the empire.

Li Shimin the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty noted that Hou Teng has been known for being very resourceful and efficient in handling both domestic and military affair and in gathering resources and wealth needed to stabilize the empire and reinforced the defense in the area when defending Wei from a military expedition led by Zhuge Liang and Gongye Jin and purging any corruption or threat against the Empire. He also has been known to strict and harsh but fair in governing and capable of tolerating humiliation and often give well-mean advice to Cao Ang Cao Pi and Cao Rui.

Hou Teng maintains not allowing any relative of the Empress or Empress Dowager to become court officials if they do not have any significant role in the administration and never consented to it this policy was well maintained and no serious trouble caused by the Empress or their family members with only a few members of an Empress Family was made court official through Nine Rank System for civil nomination.

Before Sima Yi was overthrown Cao Shuang He visits Hou Teng where Hou Teng predict that Sima Yi and his Family action will bring more disorder further in the future the peace will only be temporary under their rule When Sima Yi's Grandson Sima Yan founded the Jin Dynasty and when Sima Yan passed away in 290 The Jin Dynasty went through great turmoil and causing the Wu Hu uprisings that nearly destroyed the Jin Dynasty and forced its relocation to the region south of the Huai River Just as Hou Teng Predicted.

## Family

Hou Teng has two brothers Hou Shang and Hou Jian both of them serve under Cao Cao and later the state of Cao Wei

Hou Teng had married the younger sister of Xin Pi Lady Xin and bore him Three Daughters Lady Xin soon died from illness in 208 Hou Teng later married the daughter of Cai Yong Cai Yan in an arranged marriage by Cao Cao and bore him two sons and one Daughter his two sons Hou Shao and Hou Cong both of them serve under the State of Cao Wei and later the Jin Dynasty