Amidst Fierce Battles and Trivial Moments
In the midst of intense battles and trivial moments, we continued our fierce clashes with Cao Cao’s forces across Hanzhong.
Yangping Pass in the northwest of Hanzhong had endured relentless attacks from Cao Hong since the early days of the war. I had heard that the fortress, stubbornly defended by Guo Jun and Wang Wei, was holding firm against multiple times more enemy troops than expected.
Meanwhile, around the main battlefield centered on Zhengjun Mountain, fierce fighting raged on day after day. Having eliminated Cao Cao’s two vanguard commanders and leveraging the rugged terrain, we had seized the initiative. Yet Cao Cao had sharpened his blade well, and his counterattacks were no less formidable.
Our forces, which had secured the key position and established camp, were frequently forced to withstand enemy assaults. Especially, I was startled to learn that Liu Bei’s personal unit had been ambushed not long ago. The story I heard unfolded as follows.
Liu Bei was inspecting the region around Zhengjun Mountain with his subordinate troops. But had the enemy already read his movements? It was Jin Do’s urgent shout that allowed Liu Bei to detect the ambush in time.
“My Lord! It’s an ambush! Advance the shield troops!”
Shhh! Shush!
At the same moment, a barrage of arrows rained down. Thanks to Jin Do’s swift response, the personal guards raised their shields and encircled Liu Bei just in time to block the incoming projectiles.
“My Lord, quickly evade!”
Jin Do shouted, but Liu Bei gritted his teeth and stared fixedly at the direction from which the attack was coming.
“Cao Mengde… even in his old age, Cao Mengde is still Cao Mengde!”
As someone who had spent his life on the battlefield before becoming a lord, Liu Bei was not shaken by the surprise attack. Instead, he quickly assessed the terrain and the enemy’s approach and issued orders.
“Convey to Huang Zhong: strike through the right shortcut! Wei Yan, move to the left mountain path to harass them!”
“My Lord, you must evade first!”
“Have the orders been passed? In a moment, Huang Zhong and Wei Yan will drive them back.”
“I have already sent scouts. We should withdraw as well.”
Jin Do urged again, but Liu Bei remained unmoved, eyes blazing as he watched the enemy’s approach.
Arrows thudded into the shields one after another. The situation had grown so urgent that it was striking at the command level itself.
At that moment, Fa Zheng stepped forward in front of Liu Bei. Even as arrows poured down like rain, he stood straight and tall. Liu Bei called out in alarm.
“Fa Zheng! Evade at once!”
Fa Zheng did not move. Instead, he spoke with clear anger.
“My Lord personally endured arrows like this—how could I possibly evade? As long as my Lord does not flee, neither will I. Know that.”
It was not the proper attitude for a subject toward his lord, yet Liu Bei understood the meaning behind it.
“Very well, Fa Zheng. Let us withdraw together.”
Under Fa Zheng’s persuasion, Liu Bei took his personal guards and left the position.
Meanwhile, Huang Zhong targeted the enemy’s flank, and Wei Yan disturbed them from the heights of the mountain. The general who had ambushed Liu Bei was Hou Yuan, and it was said he withdrew orderly after being counterattacked by Huang Zhong and Wei Yan.
I wiped the sweat from my brow upon hearing the tale. It was a great relief that both Liu Bei and my father were safe and that the damage had been minimal. Liu Bei had likely acted that way to avoid showing panic before his soldiers, and Fa Zheng had wisely restrained any excess.
Another name surfaced in my mind.
“So the one who ambushed them was Hou Yuan…”
He truly was a master of surprise attacks. Even after Huang Zhong and Wei Yan’s counteroffensive, he had withdrawn with perfect discipline—exactly the movements of one of Cao Cao’s famed generals. As long as he lived, the threat would remain.
Another significant battle during the campaign was the Battle of Maming Gorge. I had once passed through the pass on my way to Hanzhong as an envoy with Deng Yi. Recalling that moment, I advised Liu Bei to commit forces to its defense.
“Cao Cao is also eyeing Maming Gorge. If it falls, our retreat and supply lines will be cut.”
While Jin Shi held the pass, Cao Zhen struck from above. I had been lying in ambush nearby and, coordinating with Jin Shi, shattered Cao Zhen’s forces and successfully defended the gorge.
Afterward, we continued clashing across Hanzhong. And small, yet amusing, incidents occurred from time to time.
“General Zhang Fei. How did I come to possess this? Would it be better to present it to my daughter?”
When I offered a small, animal-shaped doll, Zhang Fei stared at it with open curiosity.
“Where did you get that?”
“Actually, just a moment ago…”
While we fought the Wei army, various things had happened, including encounters with civilians. Hanzhong was not an empty wasteland, after all, so civilians were inevitably present. Even if we tried to spare them as much as possible, such incidents were unavoidable. And a short while earlier, some Qingzhou soldiers had looted a nearby village.
The Qingzhou troops were a violent unit composed of Yellow Turban remnants who frequently preyed on civilians. I had chased them away along with my own soldiers. It turned out later that Cao Zhang had punished the ringleaders of the looting.
After our previous clash, Cao Zhang seemed to have gained influence over the Qingzhou army—perhaps because their commander, Zang Ba, had fallen.
Among the civilians, one young girl thanked me and pressed the small, adorable doll into my hands.
I tried to refuse with a laugh, but the girl insisted.
“Then… give it to my daughter!”
“…”
The unexpected words left me momentarily stunned. At over twenty years of age, having a child was hardly strange. In this era, not yet being married was far stranger.
“Such a thing happened… The great general of the realm got struck by a child. Hehe…”
“Indeed. Haha…”
Zhang Fei looked as though he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and I smiled faintly, feeling a bit empty.
There were times when people gave me pitying glances because I was still unmarried. Truthfully, I was fine with it.
“Anyway, I think my daughter would like it.”
The doll was a rather cute item that a young girl would enjoy. It would be better to give it to Zhang Fei, who cherished his daughter, than to keep it myself.
“Would Ying like it?”
“Of course. She would love it very much.”
“Really? She would definitely like it?”
He accepted it without hesitation. His words were in the form of a question, yet his eyes sparkled with anticipation. He was already imagining the delight on his daughter’s face.
“Hehe…”
Zhang Fei fiddled with the doll, laughing heartily. Good choice.
At that moment, a familiar voice came from outside the tent.
“Lord General. It’s Zheng Sui. I have something to report.”
“What? Come in.”
Zheng Sui entered with a start and froze for a moment when he saw Zhang Fei fiddling with the small doll and chattering to himself.
But he quickly composed his expression and stepped forward. Sensing his tension, I glanced at him. When I nodded reassuringly, he relaxed slightly and began his report.
“General, some of the stored rice has been ruined by rainwater.”
“What? Why?”
“It was… During the morning, the enemy attacked and part of the warehouse roof collapsed. Then a little rain fell…”
“What? How much damage?”
“According to the investigation…”
The damage appeared minor. Yet Zhang Fei tolerated no small mistakes, so Zheng Sui was clearly bracing himself for a scolding.
“Sigh. Tsk tsk.”
After clicking his tongue once, Zhang Fei turned to me first.
“General Jin, when is our next supply coming?”
“In three days. With this much damage, we can hold until then. Chancellor Zhuge Liang is personally overseeing preparations, so it should be reliable. We also have sufficient supplies within the camp, and the broken warehouse can be repaired quickly.”
After listening, Zhang Fei pondered briefly before addressing Zheng Sui.
“Then separate the wet rice and throw it away. Move the good rice to another warehouse.”
“Yes, yes, General…”
“And mark!”
“Yes, sir!”
Zheng Sui tensed at Zhang Fei’s abrupt shout.
“Listen here. Don’t be discouraged—stand tall and proud. Understood? I won’t eat you for this. Handle the matter and rest.”
“Yes…”
I had expected a proper scolding, but it passed smoothly, leaving Zheng Sui puzzled. He glanced at me again. I nodded, signaling that it was fine for him to leave.
“Yes! General!”
Zheng Sui straightened his shoulders and answered with renewed vigor.
The next day, the warehouse repairs proceeded smoothly, and Zhang Fei wore a satisfied smile.
The struggle for Hanzhong continued without end, its outcome still uncertain, bound by both fierce battles and small moments. The war of push and pull would soon reach its decisive clash. And in the heart of that battle, I was also present.