Early life

Yang Fu was from Ji County (冀縣; or Jicheng 冀城), Tianshui Commandery (天水郡), which is around present-day Gangu County, Gansu. He served as a minor official in the local commandery office in his youth. Once, when the military officers in his home commandery sought his opinion on who would win the battle of Guandu, he replied that "Lord Yuan (Yuan Shao) is lenient but indecisive, foxy but inconclusive; people won't be afraid of his might since he is indecisive, and he'll let opportunities slip by since he is inconclusive. Even he may be powerful now, he won't achieve anything great in the end. On the other hand, Lord Cao (Cao Cao) has ambition and vision, and he is able to make decisions without hesitation. His army is disciplined and strong, his officers come from a diverse range of backgrounds and are hardworking, so his forces will win." His prediction turned out to be accurate and he became famous throughout Liang Province for his foresight and brilliance. Later, Wei Kang, the Inspector of Liang Province, recruited him to be an Attendant Officer.

Struggle for Liang Province

In 211, a coalition of warlords from the west of Hangu Pass started a rebellion against the Han central government, which was under the control of the warlord Cao Cao. Cao Cao led his forces to fight the warlords at the Battle of Tong Pass and defeated them. Ma Chao, one of the leading warlords in the coalition, managed to escape to the territory of the Qiang and Hu tribes to recuperate. Cao Cao pressed on his attacks against the remnants of the coalition and pursued Ma Chao to Anding Commandery, but pulled back his forces after hearing about unrest in his territories in the east. During this time, Yang Fu warned Cao Cao, "Ma Chao has the courage of Ying Bu and Han Xin, and he has the support of the Qiang and Hu tribes. If you order the army to retreat now and don't make enough preparations here, we'll forfeit the commanderies in the area." Cao Cao applauded Yang Fu's proposal but could not adopt it because he had to deal with Su Bo's rebellion in Hejian Commandery and Sun Quan's attack on Ruxu.

In 213, as soon as Cao Cao and his army left Liang Province, as Yang Fu foresaw, Ma Chao attacked the commanderies in Liang Province with support from Zhang Lu, a warlord in Hanzhong Commandery. Ma Chao soon besieged Ji County, the last stronghold in Liang Province which remained under Han control. Despite Yang Fu's valiant efforts to resist the enemy, Ji County still fell to Ma Chao, and Yang Fu was forced to submit to Ma Chao. Disgruntled by Ma Chao's cruelty and treachery (including his murder of Wei Kang, the Inspector of Liang Province), Yang Fu and other officials in Liang Province secretly hatched a plot to drive Ma Chao out of Liang Province. Yang Fu lied to Ma Chao that he wanted to see to the funeral arrangements for his recently deceased wife and gained permission to leave Ji County. He then used the opportunity to contact the other officials and prepare for their revolt against Ma Chao.

In September 213, Yang Fu started a rebellion against Ma Chao in Lu County to lure Ma Chao to lead his troops out of Ji County to attack him. In the meantime, while Ma Chao was away, the other officials in Ji County responded to Yang Fu's call and killed Ma Chao's wife and child(ren), who were in Ji County. Ma Chao was unable to retake Lu County so he retreated back to Ji County, only to find his family dead and the city gates shut. He then led his remaining forces to attack Li County, where some of Yang Fu's relatives and the families of the officials who rebelled against him were, and killed them in revenge. During the battles against Ma Chao, Yang Fu sustained five wounds over his body and lost seven relatives. Ma Chao eventually gave up on Liang Province and fled to Hanzhong Commandery to join the warlord Zhang Lu.

Service under Cao Rui

Yang Fu continued serving in the Cao Wei state, founded by Cao Cao's son and successor Cao Pi, after the end of the Han dynasty in 220. He lived through the reigns of the first two Wei emperors, Cao Pi and Cao Rui, and was enfeoffed as a Secondary Marquis.

In 230, the Wei general Cao Zhen led an army to invade Wei's rival state Shu, but the advancement was thwarted by heavy rainfall, which lasted for more than a month and rendered the mountainous paths untraversable. Yang Fu, along with others, advised Cao Rui to order Cao Zhen to withdraw the Wei troops.

Later, when Cao Rui started on his extravagant construction projects and expansion of his imperial harem, Yang Fu repeatedly advised the emperor against such actions. However, Cao Rui ignored his advice. Yang Fu then sought permission to resign from his position as Minister Steward, but was denied. Since then, Cao Rui applauded Yang Fu for his suggestions but seldom acted on them.

Yang Fu died in an unknown year without much family property. He was succeeded by his grandson, Yang Bao (楊豹), presumably because his son(s) died early.

生平

楊阜最初是涼州從事，為刺史張既提拔，後被涼州牧韋端派遣出使在許都掌控了漢獻帝的曹操，受封為安定長史。當時曹操正與河北袁紹對峙，楊阜返回涼州後周圍的人都問他對袁曹之爭的看法，楊阜從性格上分析兩人，認為曹操必勝，之後勝負果然如此。此後楊阜辭去自己不喜歡的長史這個職位，州牧韋端被提升為太僕，韋端之子韋康繼任涼州刺史，任命楊阜為別駕。楊阜之後被舉為孝廉，被曹操的丞相府選中，但是涼州卻將其留下參與軍事。

此後西涼軍閥馬超在渭南被曹操大軍擊敗，向西敗逃，曹操追至安定郡，卻有蘇伯在河間郡起兵反叛，只能收兵東回。楊阜進諫說：「馬超有韓信、英布一樣的武勇，深得羌人、胡人的信任，涼州等西方郡縣都畏懼他，如果大軍撤走，而不嚴格防備馬超，則隴上的幾郡必然失守。」曹操雖然認為他說的有理，但是最終倉猝撤軍，而未善加準備。

建安十八年（213年）馬超召集戎兵攻打隴上，各郡縣都響應馬超而投降，只有冀城在涼州刺史韋康和天水太守的指揮下堅守。馬超得到張魯派遣大將楊昂率軍助陣，共約一萬人，圍攻冀城。楊阜率領自己的宗族子弟千餘人幫助守城，派遣從弟楊岳在城牆上作偃月營，從正月一直堅守到八月，但是曹操方面仍然沒有派出救兵。韋康派遣別駕閻溫潛水出城求救，被馬超軍隊抓獲殺死，刺史韋康和天水太守驚慌失色，商量投降馬超。楊阜哭勸韋康，寧願死守而不投降，韋康不聽，開城門請和投降。馬超入城後，殺死韋康及天水太守，拘禁楊岳。

楊阜因此懷著報複馬超之心，不過未得機會。此後正好他妻子去世，楊阜以此為藉口向馬超請假去安葬妻子，而得以離開冀城來到歷城。楊阜的表兄姜敘身在歷城，而楊阜從小就在姜敘家長大。楊阜與姜敘商議對付馬超，姜敘母親也大力贊成，于是與歷城當地及周邊各地的姜隱、趙昂、趙衢許多人一起約定計劃，並派遣從弟楊謨返回冀城通知了楊岳。九月，楊阜和姜敘在鹵城起兵，馬超得知後果然親自從冀城出兵，于是楊謨與同謀的趙衢放出楊岳，關閉冀城門斷了馬超的退路，又殺死了馬超的妻兒。馬超襲擊歷城，殺死了姜敘的母親和兒子，又與楊阜交戰，殺死了七個他宗族的兄弟，楊阜本人也五處負傷。馬超于是南去投奔張魯。

楊阜因此受到曹操封賞，是討伐馬超有功被封為關內侯的十一人之一。此後一直為曹魏之臣，擔任武都郡太守十多年，征舉為城門校尉，又遷少府，多次直諫魏明帝曹叡。由于魏明帝經常不聽他的進諫，楊阜多次辭職，但都沒有被批准。不久後去世，死時家無餘財。

軼事

都護曹洪在漢中之戰擊退張飛、馬超等大辦慶功宴，期間令歌女跳脫衣舞，也令當時同席人員見笑，楊阜因此厲聲譴責曹洪，使曹洪停止脫衣舞，令當時的場面頓然嚴肅。

家族

• 堂弟：楊岳、楊謨

• 孫：楊豹，繼承祖父的爵位。