Lady Mi (simplified: 糜夫人, traditional: 糜夫人, pinyin: Mí Fūrén) was the sister of Mi Zhu and Mi Fang. When Liu Bei was in difficulty—after Lü Bu had taken Xiapi and captured Liu Bei’s family—Mi Zhu gave his sister in marriage to Liu Bei and provided gold, silver, and two thousand servants to support his army. That support was crucial to Liu Bei’s recovery. Lady Mi was one of Liu Bei’s wives and was with him during the flight south in 208 when Cao Cao’s cavalry caught the refugees at Changban. In the chaos she was lost or died; Liu Shan (then an infant) was rescued by Zhao Yun. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms portrays her entrusting Liu Shan to Zhao Yun and then committing suicide by throwing herself into a well so as not to slow his escape.
Biography
Marriage and support to Liu Bei
The Mi family were wealthy merchants in Donghai. Mi Zhu had welcomed Liu Bei to Xu Province and supported him. When Liu Bei lost his family to Lü Bu, Mi Zhu gave Lady Mi in marriage and supplied men and money. Lady Mi thus became one of Liu Bei’s principal consorts and shared in his campaigns and reverses.
Changban
In 208, when Cao Cao marched south and Liu Bei fled with his followers, the column was overtaken at Changban. In the rout, Lady Mi was separated from Liu Bei; she was either killed, lost, or (in the Romance) committed suicide after entrusting Liu Shan to Zhao Yun. Liu Shan was brought to safety by Zhao Yun and later became emperor of Shu.
Legacy
Lady Mi is remembered as the Mi family’s gift to Liu Bei that helped sustain him in adversity, and as the consort lost at Changban whose stepson was saved by Zhao Yun.