Yuan Shu

Yuan Shu was a warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the Han court in 189. He was the younger cousin of Yuan Shao. After the death of He Jin, he led a force to slay the eunuchs as the Imperial Corps Commander of the Imperial Tiger Guard, which was located just outside the capital. Later, he participated in against Dong Zhuo led by Yuan Shao. After the dissension of this alliance, he was never on good terms with Yuan Shao again.

Yuan Shu fled to Shouchun after repeated defeats by the combined armies of Cao Cao and Yuan Shao. He declared himself emperor under the short-lived Zhong Dynasty in 197, citing superstition as his justification, including the Hanzi in his name and style name.. This audacious action made him a target of the other warlords. His extravagant lifestyle and arrogance caused many of his officers to desert him. Most devastating of the departures and defections - both to Yuan Shu personally and to the strength of his forces - was that of Sun Ce, who had recently conquered most of the Jiangdong territory under Yuan's banner. Following crushing defeats by the armies of Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Lü Bu, Yuan Shu attempted to flee north to join Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao sent his son, Yuan Tan, to try to aid Yuan Shu, but Tan arrived too late, and Yuan Shu's forces were decimated by Liu Bei. He died shortly thereafter of his grief.