生平

英才卓越

诸葛恪少有才思，辩论应机，莫与为对。及长，英才卓越、超逾伦匹，令孙权大为欣赏。222年，诸葛恪弱冠，拜为骑都尉，与顾谭、张休等随侍太子孙登讲论道艺，为太子宾友。后来又从中庶子转任左辅都尉。

一次，孙权见到诸葛恪，问他：「你的父亲（诸葛瑾）和你的叔父（诸葛亮）谁比较优秀？」诸葛恪应声回答：「我的父亲比较优秀。」孙权问他原因，诸葛恪说：「我父亲知道侍奉谁为君主才对，而叔父不知，所以我父亲比较优秀。」孙权听罢大笑，便命诸葛恪依次给大家斟酒。

诸葛恪斟到张昭面前，张昭已几分酒意，不肯再喝，对诸葛恪说：「这样的劝酒，恐怕不符合尊敬老人的礼节。」孙权说：「你能否让张公理屈词穷，喝下这杯酒？」于是诸葛恪反驳张昭：「吕尚年九十，依然高举白旄、手持兵器、指挥部队作战，还没有告老退休。如今军队上的事，将军您跟在后边；聚会饮宴的事，将军您总被请到前面，这还不够尊敬老人？」张昭无话可说，只好饮酒。

后来蜀汉有使者到来，群臣集会。孙权对蜀汉使者说：「这个诸葛恪很喜欢骑马，回去告诉诸葛丞相，为他的侄子选一匹好马送来。」诸葛恪当即跪在孙权面前拜谢，孙权感到奇怪，问他：「马还没有到为何就当面称谢呢？」诸葛恪说：「蜀汉就好像陛下在外面的马厩，如今有了旨意，好马就一定能送到，我如何敢不谢呢？」

才略博达

诸葛恪多次要求自己领兵平定丹阳山上的山越人；认为丹阳山势险峻、民风果敢刚劲，以前虽也在那里徵发过兵众，但征的不过是边缘县分的平民，很少有深远腹地的人。他想去把那里的兵员全部调发出来，并说，只要三年，就可徵得甲士四万人。朝中官员议论纷纷，都认为丹阳地势险阻，地形四通八达，那里的百姓自制兵器，崇尚习武，出山就为强盗，朝廷出兵征讨就躲回山中不见踪影，自汉朝以来就无法管制，皆认为不太可能，连父亲诸葛瑾亦认为不会成功，更说：「诸葛恪若不能令我家大为兴盛，便会让我家血流遍地。」

嘉禾三年（234年）八月，孙权提拔诸葛恪为抚越将军，领丹阳太守。诸葛恪上任后，实行坚壁清野政策，成功逼山越人向朝廷投降；诸葛恪下令不得对投降的山越人怀疑或拘禁。臼阳长胡伉拘禁投降的恶霸周遗，诸葛恪以违令为由将胡伉处死，其馀未投降的山越人见此，确认朝廷并无加害意图，相继出降。孙权为嘉状诸葛恪平定山越的功绩，拜诸葛恪为威北将军，封都乡候。诸葛恪出兵袭击舒县，后来更计划攻击寿春，但因孙权认为不会成功受阻。

骄吝不至

赤乌六年（243年），魏将司马懿欲攻诸葛恪，孙权想发兵接应，可望气者说不利于出兵，于是让诸葛恪移守柴桑（今江西九江市）。

赤乌八年（245年），诸葛恪得知丞相陆逊猜疑自己，便写信给他（诸葛恪与陆逊书），讲述不能听信谗言而责备，应该互相配合，以大局为重。诸葛恪因为知道陆逊对此而有意见，故此称赞他所说的道理。不久，陆逊去世，诸葛恪升为大将军、假节，驻武昌，并代替陆逊领荆州事。

专权自度

后来孙权不适，见太子孙亮年幼，便命令诸葛恪兼任太子太傅，中书令孙弘兼任太子少傅。神凤元年（252年），孙权病危，与众人议论托孤后事，当时朝臣们都意在诸葛恪，孙峻亦认为诸葛恪的大器可以辅政，可辅助大事。但孙权嫌诸葛恪刚愎自用，不过孙峻认定当时朝中大臣都无人能与诸葛恪相比，孙权在其一直坚持之下，还是选择诸葛恪，于是召集诸葛恪、孙弘、太常滕胤、荡魏将军吕据以及侍中孙峻处理身后事。第二天，孙权去世。孙弘平时与诸葛恪不和，害怕以后受制于他，便封锁孙权去世的消息，想矫诏除掉他。诸葛恪闻知，诛杀孙弘，发布孙权死讯，为之治丧。孙亮即位后，拜诸葛恪为太傅。诸葛恪为收取民心，广施德政，取消监视官民情事的制度、罢免耳目之官、免掉拖欠的赋税、取消关税。每一举措，都尽量给百姓实惠，民众无不高兴。诸葛恪每次外出，都有很多人引颈相望，想一睹其风采。

东兴之战

建兴元年（252年）十月，曹魏大将军司马师欲因孙权病亡乘机攻吴。诸葛恪命人修筑大堤，在两山之间筑城两座，以防魏军。同年十二月，司马师命司马昭为监军，派王昶、毌丘俭诱敌，并各攻打攻南郡、武昌，胡遵、诸葛诞率步骑七万，架浮桥攻东兴（今安徽巢县东南），欲毁坏大堤。诸葛恪亲率领四万援军到东兴。并命冠军将军丁奉与吕据、留赞、唐谘等作前锋。丁奉亲率三千人，两日到达东兴并占据徐塘。因天降大雪，胡遵等人喝酒而毫无戒备。丁奉率本部人马轻装突袭魏军营垒，吕据等部也相继到达。吴镇南将军朱异，督水军攻浮桥，魏军不敌，见状便惊恐慌而逃。因争渡浮桥令其超载断裂，落水者更互相践踏，死者计有万人。魏将韩综、桓嘉先后遇溺，毌丘俭、王昶等见东兴兵败烧营而逃，诸葛恪于是取得东兴之战的胜利，缴获大批物资。诸葛恪亦因功封阳都侯，加扬、荆州二州州牧，督中外诸军事。据《建康实录》，诸葛恪还因此功加丞相，后来张悌也曾对诸葛靓说「且我作儿童时，便为卿家丞相所拔」。但《三国志·齐王纪》《张嶷传》等仍称之为吴太傅。

刚愎自用

东兴大胜后，诸葛恪开始轻敌。上一战役十二月才结束，他已打算明年（253年）春季出兵伐魏。诸葛恪派遣司马李衡为使赴蜀游说姜维共同出兵北伐。姜维见过来使后欣然接受诸葛恪的提议。然而，吴众大臣认为士兵刚战争结束不久而身体劳损，一起劝谏诸葛恪，但不受。中散大夫蒋延固执争论，被强扶离开。诸葛恪于是撰写论谕：天下没有两个太阳，地上也没有两个皇帝。用战国、曹操等趁势做大，不祸及自己，但祸及后人的故事，来作为进攻魏国的原因。与其一直友好的丹阳太守聂友，也写信劝谏道：「大行皇帝本有打算遏制东关之计，计却没有实行。现在你辅助大业，完成先帝之志，敌人远方来送死，将士有赖凭借威德，献身舍命，一旦有不同的战功，岂非神灵社稷的保佑！现在让兵养精蓄锐，观察对方的间隙而动。今天乘著获胜此势，而打算大举出兵，天时不允许。而打算有此意，我自己的心不安。」诸葛恪看后便回信：「足下虽然有个中道理，然而未见大局的变数。这你应当知道这个道理。你若思考所说的言论，便可以开啓悟性。」于是诸葛恪违背众人的意愿，强引二十万兵马进发合肥，百姓骚动，渐失民心。

合肥新城之战

攻魏途中，诸葛恪打算在淮南炫耀军力，驱掠百姓。而众将领为难地说：「现今引军深入，战场上的百姓一定会远逃，恐怕士兵过度追赶疲劳，而成效少，不如只围新城。新城被围，必有人救，我们只要击败救兵便大获全胜。」诸葛恪听从此计，下令围攻合肥新城。新城将失守，曹魏守将张特便以曹魏国法为理由，告知诸葛恪，能坚守一百天后就算投降也不会祸及家人，请求已围攻新城九十多日的东吴军再等几天，更送上官印当作诚意。诸葛恪信以为真停止攻城。张特趁机修复围墙继续抵御，对吴军说：「我只有战斗而死了！」诸葛恪大怒，猛烈进攻，但不能破。盛夏暑热吴军爆发疾病，很多将士病倒，将领报告诸葛恪，诸葛恪认为是诈报，打算斩杀诈报者，士兵不敢说。后来曹魏知吴军疲惫而陆续赶至，诸葛恪才于七月撤军。撤退路上，吴兵因伤病溃不成军，遭文钦追击而大败，被斩万馀人。但诸葛恪对于当前劣势仍然安然自若，更想在寻阳屯田，只因朝廷屡诏诸葛恪回军，才逼他撤返建业，怨声载道。

步朝伏刺

诸葛恪回朝召中书令孙嘿叱责他屡写诏命、召他回军。孙嘿不安，回家不出。诸葛恪又将他出征以后选曹所选任的官员都罢免重选，常责备官员，意图重新立威。另改亲信为自近衞，下令整兵，打算出兵青、徐地区。

孙峻见诸葛恪民心渐失，中伤诸葛恪打算发动政变。晋见吴主当天早上，诸葛恪烦躁不安，zh-tw:盥洗;zh-cn:洗漱的水与衣服都感觉有臭味，深感惆怅不悦。整装完毕离开时，狗咬他的衣服，诸葛恪说：「狗不想我去吗？」诸葛恪坐回座位，过一会儿又起来要走出门，但狗又咬他的衣服。诸葛恪令随从把狗赶走，于是登车走。

孙亮与孙峻伏兵设宴。散骑常侍张约及朱恩私下给写字条警告。诸葛恪门前看到滕胤藉口腹疼，但滕胤不知情劝诸葛恪参加，诸葛恪于是带剑入席，剑履上殿。最终孙峻伺机命令伏兵杀死诸葛恪并枭首示众，诛灭其三族，时年五十一岁。

早有童谣：「诸葛恪，芦苇单衣篾钩落，于何相求成子閤。」成子閤反语是石子冈，石子冈是埋葬死人的地方，钩落就是皮带的饰物，民间称为「钩络带」。诸葛恪果然被苇席裹身，竹篾当钩钩在腰间，抛尸在石子冈。临淮人臧均上表，称孙峻诛杀诸葛恪是超越西汉刘章、刘兴居诛诸吕之事的义举，诸葛恪之死大快人心、诸葛恪父子悬首示众遭人唾骂，但请求如项羽、韩信故事收葬诸葛恪。孙亮、孙峻听从，吩咐下属找诸葛恪尸体安葬。

吴景帝孙休诛灭孙峻的权力继承人孙綝后，为被孙峻、孙綝加害的诸葛恪等人平反、改葬和祭奠。朝臣建议为诸葛恪立碑纪念功勋，博士盛冲不同意，认为诸葛恪劳而无功是无能，身为托孤大臣被竖子所杀是无智。孙休同意不立碑。

人物

• 诸葛恪身长七尺六寸（吴一尺为24厘米），须眉少，折頞广额，大口高声。

• 诸葛恪年轻的时候就很有名气，才思敏捷，辩论起来随机应变，没有人能在口舌之争上赢他。也因此有相当多有趣的逸闻，经常和孙权一唱一和，孙权亦称其为「蓝田生玉」

• 另一方面，诸葛恪做事急躁且好大喜功，对同僚刚愎自矜，以至于父亲、张承、陆逊等人都认为他无法担下国事重任。孙权也因此不欲任用他为辅佐大臣。

轶事

父亲诸葛瑾的脸型长，一次孙权大会群臣，就命人拖了一只驴子进来，并写上「诸葛子瑜」（其表字），和诸葛瑾开个玩笑。诸葛恪见此立刻要求在题字上加两字，变成「诸葛子瑜之驴」。孙权于是将驴子赐给诸葛恪。

又一次孙权与蜀汉使者费禕吃喝时拿著麦饼，便作《麦赋》喝彩，而诸葛恪也作《磨赋》助兴。

家庭

父亲

• 诸葛瑾

兄弟

• 诸葛乔，二弟，过继给叔父诸葛亮，年少时同诸葛恪出名，当时的人认为诸葛恪虽然在才能上超越诸葛乔，反而在品性上不及诸葛乔。

• 诸葛融，三弟

堂兄弟

• 诸葛瞻

姊妹

• 诸葛氏，嫁张承

子女

• 诸葛绰，诸葛恪长子，骑都尉，因与鲁王孙霸交往，被诸葛恪以毒酒杀害。

• 诸葛竦，长水校尉，诸葛恪被杀后被孙峻手下刘承追杀，于白都被杀。

• 诸葛建，步兵校尉，诸葛恪死后与母亲向魏国逃走，中途被逮捕，被诛杀。

评价

• 陈寿：诸葛恪才气干略，邦人所称，然骄且吝，周公无观，况在于恪？矜己陵人，能无败乎！若躬行所与陆逊及弟融之书，则悔吝不至，何尤祸之有哉？

• 胡综：英才卓越，超逾伦匹，则诸葛恪。

• 孙登：诸葛恪才略博达，器任佐时。

• 孙休：盛夏出军，士卒伤损，无尺寸之功，不可谓能；受托孤之任，死于竖子之手，不可谓智。

• 孙权：蓝田生玉，真不虚也。

• 诸葛亮：恪性疏，今使典主粮谷，粮谷军之要最，仆虽在远，窃用不安。

• 诸葛瑾：恪不大兴吾家，将大赤吾族也。也另外提到「...恪父瑾常以为戚，曰：「非保家之主也。」」

• 陆逊：今观君气陵其上，意蔑乎下，非安德之基也。

• 张承：终败诸葛氏者，元逊也。

• 张嶷：离少主，履敌庭，恐非良计长算之术也。

• 张缉：光禄大夫张缉言于师曰：「恪虽克捷，见诛不久。」师曰：「何故？」缉曰：「威震其主，功盖一国，求不得死乎！」

• 邓艾：新秉国政，而内无其主，不念抚恤上下以立根基，竞于外事，虐用其民，番国之众，顿于坚城，死者数万，载祸而归，此恪获罪之时也。

• 孙盛：恪与胤亲厚，约等疏，非常大事，势应示胤，共谋安危。然恪性强梁，加素侮峻，自不信，故入，岂胤微劝，便为之冒祸乎？

• 臧均：恪素性刚愎，矜己陵人，不能敬守神器，穆静邦内，兴功暴师，未期三出，虚耗士民，空竭府藏，专擅国宪，废易由意，假刑劫众，大小屏息。

• 《江表传》：恪少有才名，发藻岐嶷，辩论应机，莫与为对。

动漫

• 《火凤燎原》（陈某）、火凤燎原外传小说《伯符》（王贻兴）: 尚未登场，仅于外传小说中交代孙权死后曾调停大臣之间争执。

Early life and career

In 221, when the Wu emperor Sun Quan designated his son Sun Deng as crown prince, he set up a staff for the crown prince composed of the sons of key officials in his government or other well-known younger members of the administration. The four most prominent ones were Zhuge Ke (Zhuge Jin's son), Zhang Xiu (Zhang Zhao's son), Gu Tan (Gu Yong's grandson) and Chen Biao (Chen Wu's son). Sun Deng treated the four of them as his close friends and they served as his advisers. When he ordered his secretary Hu Zong (胡综) to write a commentary on his advisers in 229, Hu Zong wrote that Zhuge Ke was the most skilful and intelligent of his generation. While this might have been true, Zhuge Ke was also known for being reckless – a negative trait that his father Zhuge Jin repeatedly chided him for. On one occasion, Zhuge Jin observed, "This child will either bring great honour to my household or destroy it."

Pacifying the Shanyue

Around 234, Zhuge Ke submitted a plan to Sun Quan to suppress the indigenous Shanyue tribes and recruit about 40,000 locals to serve as soldiers in Danyang Commandery (丹阳郡; around present-day Xuancheng, Anhui). Most of Sun Quan's senior officials, including Zhuge Ke's father Zhuge Jin, considered the plan reckless and costly. However, after Zhuge Ke insisted that his plan would be successful, Sun Quan appointed him as the Administrator (太守) of Danyang Commandery and General Who Pacifies the Yue (抚越将军), effectively giving him full authority to implement his plan. Once Zhuge Ke arrived in Danyang Commandery, he requested the Administrators of the four neighbouring commanderies to seal their borders and refrain from using military force against the Shanyue. When it was the harvesting season, he gave orders to quickly harvest the grain and stockpile them far away from the Shanyue. The Shanyue, deprived of food supplies, had no choice but to surrender to Zhuge Ke, who treated them kindly and earned their respect. By 237, Danyang Commandery was completely under the Wu government's control and had become a highly productive commandery for manpower and supplies. Zhuge Ke was also able to easily fulfil his quota of conscripting 40,000 local men to serve as soldiers. Sun Quan was so impressed with Zhuge Ke that he promoted him to General Who Awes the North (威北将军) and awarded him the title of a Marquis of a Chief District (都乡侯).

Planned attack on Shouchun

In 243, Zhuge Ke planned to launch a major attack on Shouchun (寿春; around present-day Shou County, Anhui), a strategic location in Eastern Wu's rival state, Cao Wei. After he positioned his forces in preparation for the attack, the Wei general Sima Yi showed up with his troops to defend Shouchun and counterattack Zhuge Ke. Instead of allowing Zhuge Ke to engage Sima Yi, Sun Quan ordered him to retreat back to Wu. Despite his withdrawal, Zhuge Ke became famous among the Wu people for willing to stand up to Sima Yi, who had a huge reputation in Wei. The Wu general Lu Xun was concerned about Zhuge Ke's recklessness so he wrote a letter to him, urging him to be more cautious in the future. Zhuge Ke decided to defer to Lu Xun, who was much more senior than him, so he wrote back and apologised for his attitude. After Lu Xun's death in 245, Sun Quan appointed Zhuge Ke as General-in-Chief (大将军) and ordered him to assume Lu Xun's role at Wuchang (武昌; present-day Ezhou, Hubei) to supervise military affairs in Jing Province.

Appointment as regent

In 251, when Sun Quan became critically ill, he sought a regent for his young son and heir apparent, Sun Liang. One of his close aides, Sun Jun, recommended Zhuge Ke. Although Sun Quan had second thoughts about Zhuge Ke, particularly his arrogance, he eventually heeded Sun Jun's advice and recalled Zhuge Ke back from Wuchang to the Wu imperial capital, Jianye. Before Zhuge Ke left Wuchang, the senior Wu general Lü Dai told him, "What you will be doing is a difficult task. Before you do anything, you should reconsider ten times." Zhuge Ke responded in a disrespectful manner: "When Ji Wenzi (季文子) reconsidered thrice before acting, Confucius told him, 'Only reconsider twice.' You, Sir, are telling me to reconsider ten times. Are you not saying that I am stupid?" Lü Dai did not respond. Historians interpreted this incident as a sign of Zhuge Ke's growing arrogance and recklessness. Indeed, Zhuge Ke became more arrogant after his appointment as regent, and especially after a dying Sun Quan instructed his subjects to let Zhuge Ke review all important policy decisions first.

As regent to Sun Liang

Sun Quan died in 252 and was succeeded by Sun Liang, who became the second emperor of Eastern Wu. After his coronation, Sun Liang appointed Zhuge Ke as Grand Tutor (太傅). During his short tenure as regent, Zhuge Ke relaxed some of the strict laws enacted in Sun Quan's reign and reduced tax rates. The people of Wu were very pleased with him; wherever he went, there were massive crowds jostling to get a better view of him.

Battle of Dongxing

In late 252, Zhuge Ke gave orders to rebuild the dam at Dongxing (东兴; in present-day Chaohu, Anhui), which was constructed earlier in 230 but had been destroyed in 241. His plan was to create a reservoir near the Chao Lake and use it as a defensive structure against potential invasions from Wei, as well as to construct two castles nearby to serve as forward attack mechanisms for Wu ships. In response, the Wei regent Sima Shi sent three separate forces to attack Wu, with the main one focusing on the Dongxing dam. Zhuge Ke, along with the veteran Wu general Ding Feng and others, caught the enemy off guard by pretending to lower their guard, and inflicted a devastating defeat on them and forced them to withdraw from Dongxing.

Battle of Hefei

In 253, Zhuge Ke prepared for another invasion of Wei and said that he wanted to take advantage of Sima Shi's "youth and inexperience" (even though Sima Shi was 45 years old then). Despite strong opposition from some Wu officials, Zhuge Ke rallied an army from among all able-bodied men in Wu for the invasion. He also coordinated the invasion with Jiang Wei, a general from Wu's ally state Shu Han. (At the time, Jiang Wei was also actively launching a series of campaigns against Wei at Wei's western border.)

However, Zhuge Ke's strategy turned out to be flawed when he switched his target from Shouchun (寿春; around present-day Shou County, Anhui) to Hefei, even though Hefei's defences were much stronger and built to withstand enemy attacks. After a long siege, the Wu forces failed to breach Hefei's walls. When a plague broke out in the Wu army, Zhuge Ke ignored it and continued to press on the siege. He only withdrew after hearing that Wei reinforcements had arrived. Instead of returning to the Wu imperial capital Jianye to apologise for his mistakes, he stayed away from Jianye for some time and refused to take responsibility for the Wu defeat.

Downfall, death and posthumous rehabilitation

When Zhuge Ke returned to Jianye later in 253, he attempted to wipe out all dissent against him by punishing those who disagreed with him. He also made plans for another invasion of Wei, despite much resentment from the people over the heavy losses incurred from the previous campaign.

Sun Jun, a Wu general distantly related to the Wu emperor Sun Liang, decided to launch a coup d'état against Zhuge Ke to oust him from power. He lied to Sun Liang that Zhuge Ke was secretly plotting to usurp the throne and then set up a trap for Zhuge Ke. (The extent of Sun Liang's involvement in the coup d'état is unclear. However, historians traditionally consider him to have understood and approved Sun Jun's actions even though he was only about 10 years old then.) Zhuge Ke met his end at the hands of Sun Jun's assassins when he unsuspectingly attended a banquet hosted by Sun Liang in the imperial palace. After Zhuge Ke's death, Sun Jun used the opportunity to send his troops to capture and execute Zhuge Ke's family members.

Sun Jun became the new Wu regent after Zhuge Ke's death and he monopolised state power until his death in 256, after which his cousin Sun Chen succeeded him and continued to rule as regent. In 258, Sun Chen deposed Sun Liang and replaced him with his brother Sun Xiu as the new Wu emperor. Sun Xiu staged a coup against Sun Chen shortly after his accession to the throne and succeeded in eliminating him. Sun Xiu posthumously rehabilitated Zhuge Ke and ordered him to be reburied with full honours. However, he refused to have a monument built to commemorate Zhuge Ke when someone suggested doing so, because he felt that Zhuge Ke's recklessness and the losses he caused to Wu made him unworthy of such commemoration.

Anecdotes and legends

An anecdote goes that sometime in Zhuge Ke's childhood or adolescence, he attended a banquet hosted by the Wu emperor Sun Quan. Among the Wu officials, there was a joke that Zhuge Jin (Zhuge Ke's father) had a very long face. Sun Quan played along by ordering a donkey to be brought to the banquet, bearing a sign which said "Zhuge Ziyu". ("Ziyu" was Zhuge Jin's courtesy name.) He then turned to Zhuge Ke and asked him to add any two characters to the sign. Zhuge Ke added zhi lü (之驴; "the donkey of") and requested the donkey as a gift for his father. Sun Quan was impressed with the young Zhuge Ke's wit.

In another anecdote, also in a banquet setting, Sun Quan once asked Zhuge Ke whether he thought that his father Zhuge Jin was better compared to his uncle Zhuge Liang, the Imperial Chancellor of Wu's ally state Shu Han. When Zhuge Ke said his father was better, Sun Quan asked him why and he replied, "My father chose the right Emperor to serve while my uncle didn't. Therefore, my father is better than my uncle." Impressed by the subtle flattery, Sun Quan instructed Zhuge Ke to serve wine to the other guests present at the banquet. (It was an honour for junior officials to serve wine to senior officials at the time.) When Zhuge Ke came to Zhang Zhao, the latter refused to drink and said, "This isn't the proper form for a ceremony to pay respect to an elder." After learning of Zhang Zhao's refusal, Sun Quan told Zhuge Ke, "Get Zhang Zhao to drink for me." Zhuge Ke then returned to Zhang Zhao and said, "Long ago, the great strategist Jiang Ziya, at the age of 90, went to battle holding a signal flag and carrying a battleaxe; he never considered himself old. In days of trial by arms, you are always in the rear; in days of feasting, you are always in the front. What do you mean when you say this is not a proper ceremony to pay respect to an elder?" At a loss for words, Zhang Zhao consented and accepted the wine offered by Zhuge Ke. After this incident, Sun Quan regarded Zhuge Ke even more highly and consequently appointed him as a close aide to his then-heir apparent, Sun Deng.

On another occasion, an ambassador from Wu's ally state, Shu, showed up with a gift of horses for Sun Quan. Knowing that Zhuge Ke was a good rider, Sun Quan summoned him with the intention of giving him one of the horses. When Zhuge Ke arrived, he immediately knelt down and thanked Sun Quan for the gift. Sun Quan was surprised at how Zhuge Ke already knew why he was summoned there, so he asked him. Zhuge Ke replied, "Shu is only capable of serving as Your Majesty's stable. That is why I am certain that the ambassador came here to offer a tribute of fine steeds." Sun Quan was impressed.

Physical Appearance

In the Record of Wu, Chinese author Zhang Bo notes that Zhuge Ke was a loud spoken man and was about 182–184 cm tall, and that he had a crooked nose, wide forehead, large mouth, with little facial hair and eyebrows.