Xu Sheng (died c.224–229),[1] courtesy name Wenxiang, was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan in the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period of China.
Sun Quan appointed Xu Sheng as a Major of Separate Command (別部司馬), placed him in command of 500 troops, and appointed him as the Chief of Chaisang (柴桑; around present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi) to defend the county from attacks by Huang Zu, the Administrator of Jiangxia Commandery (江夏郡; around present-day Xinzhou District, Wuhan, Hubei).
During an early skirmish, when Sun Quan's forces were just setting up their camps outside Hefei, Zhang Liao suddenly led hundreds of troops on a fierce assault, completely catching the enemy off guard.
As they were retreating, Zhang Liao and his troops launched a sudden counterattack and inflicted a crushing defeat on the enemy at Xiaoyao Ford.
Xu Sheng was promoted to General Who Builds Martial Might (建武將軍), enfeoffed as a Marquis of a Chief Village (都亭侯), appointed as the Administrator of Lujiang Commandery (廬江郡), and given Lincheng County (臨城縣) as his marquisate.
Sun Quan's generals were browbeaten because they had lost about half of their ships in the storm, but were overjoyed when they heard of the arrival of He Qi, who reached Dongkou behind schedule and was not affected by the disaster.
A naval battle ensued, during which Cao Xiu targeted Lü Fan while sending his subordinates to attack Xu Sheng.
[9][10] In late 224, when Cao Pi mobilised a large army to attack Sun Quan, Xu Sheng suggested to pitch encampments from Jianye, erect fake towers within each camp, and suspend some warships on the river.
Xu Sheng's ruse effectively led to the construction of a "wall" along the river banks that served as a border stretching over hundreds of li.
When Cao Pi reached Guangling Commandery (廣陵郡; covering parts of present-day Jiangsu), he saw Sun Quan's "strong defences" and the high tide and sighed, "Wei has thousands of armed cavalry units but they can't be deployed here".
Cao Pi sent Xing Zhen as an emissary to meet Sun Quan and confer the title "King of Wu" (吳王) on him.
When Xing Zhen heard Xu Sheng's remark, he told an aide: "It's obvious from the reactions of the subjects of Jiangdong that they won't remain subservient for long.
When Sun Quan heard about it, he visited Ruxu and hosted a party for all the officers there, during which he asked Zhou Tai to display his battle scars for all to see.
When he was serving as the Prefect of Wuhu County, he arrested one of Jiang Qin's subordinates and sought permission from Sun Quan to have that man executed.