Sun Yu would twice serve in the sensitive area of Danyang (丹楊), showing generosity to those fleeing the chaos in the north and a keenness to learn, he was also active in Jing province as a general.
[11] One refugee from the north in Sun Yu's circle was Ma Pu(馬普) of Jiyin, a scholar of the ancient history.
Then those hundreds of people were used to help establish schools in Danyang and lectures with Sun Yu ensured food and drink was provided.
[12][3][13] Promoted from Colonel to General at some point after taking command of Danyang,[14] in 206 and 207 he joined with Zhou Yu to attack and capture the refugees in Mo and Bao among the marshes in present-day Jiayu in Hubei[15] as Sun Quan prepared to attack Huang Zu, Liu Biao's commander in the south of Jing.
Sun Yu, always generous to refugees,[28] had an open-door policy to those fleeing south, he sent Rao Zhu (饒助) and Yan Lian (顏連) to Xiang'an (襄安) and Juchao (居巢), south-east of Lujiang to win people over while also appealing to the people of Jiujiang.
[28] Despite often being involved in military affairs, Sun Yu always had an interest in classical texts, he never stopped reading and reciting.