Cao Zun 曹遵

In Chapter 93 of the Romance, when Zhuge Liang marches out to Qishan, the Wei ruler Cao Rui, on Wang Lang's recommendation, makes Cao Zhen Grand Commander. Cao Zhen makes his clansman-younger-brother Cao Zun vanguard and Zhu Zan, General Who Sweeps Away Bandits, deputy vanguard, and in the 11th month of the 1st year of Taihe (227) he sets out with 200,000 troops from the eastern and western capitals and pitches camp west of the Wei River. Romance, Ch. 93 §30–33

After Wang Lang dies on hearing Zhuge Liang's rebuke before the battle lines, the Vice Commander Guo Huai reckons that Zhuge Liang, expecting the Wei army to be holding mourning, will surely come to raid the camp that night, and proposes dividing the troops four ways, two to raid the Shu camp and two to lie in ambush outside their own. Cao Zhen orders Cao Zun and Zhu Zan each to take 10,000 men around behind Qishan, to attack the Shu camp if they see the Shu troops heading for the Wei camp, and if the Shu troops do not move, to come back rather than advance rashly. Cao Zun leaves camp at dusk, and around the second watch, seeing troops moving in front of the hills, he declares Commander Guo's plan truly marvelous and urges his men on. Romance, Ch. 93 §44 · 46–47 · 52

Around the third watch Cao Zun is the first to burst into the Shu camp, but it is empty, without a single man; just as he realizes he has fallen into a trap and tries to withdraw, fire breaks out inside the camp. His men fight and kill Zhu Zan's troops, who have come up behind, and only when the two men meet face to face on horseback do they realize they have been trampling their own side; then Wang Ping, Ma Dai, Zhang Ni and Zhang Yi attack from all sides, and the two flee along the main road with a hundred or so trusted horsemen. Blocked in turn by Zhao Yun and Wei Yan, they are heavily defeated and return to their camp, but the troops guarding the camp, thinking the Shu army has come, light the signal fires, so they again fight and kill one another with the troops of Cao Zhen and Guo Huai, while Wei Yan, Guan Xing and Zhang Bao fall on them from behind. Romance, Ch. 93 §52–54

In Chapter 94, on the report that the Shu army has broken camp and set off, Guo Huai says they are withdrawing because the Qiang troops are attacking, and has them pursued along two routes. While the vanguard Cao Zun is in hot pursuit, troops led by Wei Yan burst out; greatly alarmed, he spurs his horse to engage, but before three bouts are over he is cut down from his horse by Wei Yan's blade. The deputy vanguard Zhu Zan is also killed by Zhao Yun's spear, and Cao Zhen, having lost both his vanguards, grieves unceasingly and asks the court for reinforcements. Romance, Ch. 94 §21–23