Chen Ying 陳應

In Chapter 52 of the Romance, when Xuande, having taken Lingling, asked who would take Guiyang Commandery, Zhao Yun, chosen by drawing lots, set out for Guiyang with 3,000 troops. When Zhao Fan, Administrator of Guiyang, received the report of the scouting horsemen and gathered his followers to deliberate, the Colonels in Command of Troops Chen Ying and Bao Long said they would lead troops out to fight. The Romance records that both were once hunters from Lingshan village in Guiyang, that Chen Ying was skilled at hurling a flying fork, and that Bao Long had once shot and killed two tigers. Trusting in their own strength and courage, the two said that if Liu Bei came to attack, they would lead the vanguard. Romance, Ch. 52 §25–27

Zhao Fan, citing Kongming, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei on Liu Xuande's side, and Zhao Zilong, who had ridden in and out of an army of a million at Changban in Dangyang, said there was nothing for it but to surrender. When Chen Ying asked to go out and fight, saying that if he could not capture Zhao Yun, it would not be too late to surrender then, Zhao Fan, unable to overcome his insistence, reluctantly gave his consent. Chen Ying led 3,000 men and horses out of the city and rode forth gripping his flying fork, and when Zhao Yun rebuked him for daring to resist, he cursed back that they submitted only to Chancellor Cao and would never follow Liu Bei. Romance, Ch. 52 §28–30

When the two horses met and they had fought four or five bouts, Chen Ying, judging that he was no match, fled and hurled his flying fork at the pursuing Zhao Yun, but Zhao Yun caught it and threw it back, and as Chen Ying hastily dodged, Zhao Yun seized him alive, dragged him onto his own horse, threw him to the ground and had him bound and taken back to camp. Zhao Yun said he would not kill him but would send him back, and told him to tell Zhao Fan to come quickly and surrender; Chen Ying begged pardon and, clutching his head, scurried back to the city like a rat. Zhao Fan rebuked Chen Ying, saying that he had meant to surrender all along and that this had come about because Chen Ying had forced a fight, dismissed him, and then went out bearing his seal and ribbon to surrender. Romance, Ch. 52 §30–31

Zhao Fan, who had sworn brotherhood with Zhao Yun, offered the next day to give his widowed sister-in-law Lady Fan to Zhao Yun as his wife, but Zhao Yun flew into a rage, saying that the sister-in-law of his sworn brother was his own sister-in-law, knocked Zhao Fan down with his fist and left the city. When Zhao Fan hurriedly summoned Chen Ying and Bao Long to deliberate, Chen Ying said that the man had gone off in anger, so there was nothing for it now but to fight. When Bao Long said that the two of them would surrender falsely and stay in his army, and that when the Administrator challenged him to battle they would capture him on the battlefield, Chen Ying said they must take some men and horses with them, and Bao Long said 500 horsemen would be enough. Romance, Ch. 52 §32 · 34–38

That night the two led 500 troops to Zhao Yun's camp and said that Zhao Fan had meant to get Zhao Yun drunk with the ploy of a beautiful woman, kill him, and present his head to Chancellor Cao, and that they had come to surrender because they feared disaster would fall on them. Zhao Yun, who already knew inwardly that this was a deception, pretended to be pleased and drank heavily with the two, and when they were thoroughly drunk he tied them up in his tent, then seized their men and questioned them, confirming that the surrender was false. Zhao Yun calmed the 500 troops, telling them that those who meant to harm him were Chen Ying and Bao Long and that it had nothing to do with them, and beheaded the two on the spot. Then, with those 500 troops leading the way, he reached the city of Guiyang, and Zhao Fan, who hurried out of the city, was captured. Romance, Ch. 52 §38–41