Novel scene
Zhao Yun Defeats a Host with a Few on the Han River 據漢水趙雲寡勝眾
About this event
"Zhao Yun Defeats a Host with a Few on the Han River" is the latter scene of Chapter 71 of the Romance, whose chapter title reads "Seizing the Opposite Hill, Huang Zhong Waits at Ease for the Weary; Holding the Han River, Zhao Yun Defeats Many with Few," and a passage of the Battle of Han River. When Cao Cao comes with a great army after Xiahou Yuan's death, Zhao Yun rescues Huang Zhong, who has gone to seize the provisions at the Northern Hill and been surrounded, and, leaving his camp gate open, drives off Cao Cao's pursuing troops with bows and crossbows lying in ambush. Romance, Ch. 71 §31–33 · 39–47
Chen Shou's text has no such scene. The Biography of the First Sovereign records that after Xiahou Yuan was cut down, Cao Cao came south from Chang'an in person, and Liu Bei gathered his forces and held the strongpoints without ever joining battle, so that Cao Cao, unable to win after several months, went back in the summer. The biography of Zhao Yun in Records of Shu 6 does not mention the fighting on the Han River either. Records, Shu 2 §38–39Records, Shu 6 §39–41
In the Romance
In Chapter 71 of the Romance, Cao Cao, hearing of Xiahou Yuan's death, comes in person with a great army to take revenge, and Zhang He moves the provisions and fodder from Mount Micang to the foot of the Northern Hill by the Han River. When Zhuge Liang looks for someone to burn those provisions, Huang Zhong steps forward, and Liu Bei says that beheading Zhang He would be worth ten times beheading Xiahou Yuan. Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun draw lots and Huang Zhong is to go first, and they agree that if he has not returned by noon Zhao Yun will come to his aid. Zhao Yun tells his lieutenant Zhang Yi to guard carefully the camp on the Han River. Romance, Ch. 71 §31–37
Huang Zhong crosses the Han River at night with Zhang Zhu and is piling firewood on the provisions below the Northern Hill when he is surrounded by Zhang He and Xu Huang, and Zhang Zhu, who has broken out, is also trapped by Wen Pin and troops following behind. When Huang Zhong has not returned by past noon, Zhao Yun goes out with 3,000 men, kills Wen Pin's lieutenant Murong Lie and the Wei general Jiao Bing each with a single thrust of his spear, breaks through the layered encirclement to rescue Huang Zhong, then goes in again to the southeast and rescues Zhang Zhu. Cao Cao, watching from a height, hears that he is Zhao Zilong of Changshan and says that the hero of Changban at Dangyang is still alive and well. Romance, Ch. 71 §38–44
When Cao Cao comes in pursuit in person, Zhang Yi proposes shutting the camp gates, but Zhao Yun rebukes him, citing the affair at Changban in Dangyang; he places archers and crossbowmen in ambush in the moat outside the camp, has the banners lowered and the gongs and drums silenced, and stands alone with his spear outside the camp gate. Zhang He and Xu Huang, arriving at dusk, dare not advance, and the moment the troops, approaching at Cao Cao's urging, turn back, the bows and crossbows in the moat shoot all at once. Cao Cao's troops trample one another as they are driven to the bank of the Han River, and countless men drown; Liu Feng and Meng Da come in by the Mount Micang road and burn the provisions, so Cao Cao abandons the provisions at the Northern Hill and returns to Nanzheng. Romance, Ch. 71 §44–47
Zhao Yun occupies Cao Cao's camp and Huang Zhong seizes the provisions. Liu Bei, coming to the Han River, hears the story of the battle from Zhao Yun's soldiers and rejoices, saying, "Zilong is courage through and through!", and calls Zhao Yun the General of Tiger Might. Romance, Ch. 71 §48–50
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.