Zhou Cang 周倉

In Chapter 28 of the Romance, Pei Yuanshao, who had tried to steal Guan Yu's horse, recognizes Guan Yu and tells him that Zhou Cang of Mount Woniu always speaks of the general's fame and regrets having no way to meet him. Soon Zhou Cang, dark-faced and tall, arrives leading his band and prostrates himself by the roadside; saying that he saw Guan Yu's face in the days when he followed the Yellow Turban Zhang Bao, he begs to be taken on even as a foot soldier. When Lady Gan asks why Guan Yu should take in Zhou Cang's band alone when he had earlier turned away even Liao Hua, Zhou Cang says that he will have his band follow Pei Yuanshao and will follow on foot by himself, and would not refuse even ten thousand li. Lady Gan says that one or two men will do no harm, and so Zhou Cang sets out on the road with Guan Yu. Romance, Ch. 28 §20 · 22–27

In the same chapter, seeing Zhang Fei come out of Gucheng, Guan Yu hands his blade to Zhou Cang and rides out to meet him. As Guan Yu goes to find Liu Bei, he sends Zhou Cang to Mount Woniu to gather Pei Yuanshao's band, but Zhou Cang comes back with only a few dozen men, saying that a general who had arrived first had killed Pei Yuanshao with a single thrust and taken the mountain camp, and that he himself had fought him several times and lost, taking three spear wounds. That general was Zhao Yun, and Liu Bei rejoices greatly at newly gaining Zhao Yun, and Guan Yu at gaining both Guan Ping and Zhou Cang. Romance, Ch. 28 §30 · 43–44 · 54–56 · 59

In Chapter 31 he arrives with Guan Yu and Guan Ping leading three hundred troops and drives off Zhang He, and in Chapter 49 he goes with Guan Ping when Guan Yu sets out to lie in ambush on the Huarong Road. In Chapter 63 he is among the commanders, Mi Fang, Liao Hua, Guan Ping and Zhou Cang, whom Zhuge Liang, on entering Xichuan, assigns to assist Guan Yu in holding Jing Province, and in Chapter 65 his name appears among those promoted and rewarded after Liu Bei takes Yi Province. Romance, Ch. 31 §34Romance, Ch. 49 §39Romance, Ch. 63 §32Romance, Ch. 65 §47

In Chapter 66, when Guan Yu goes to Lu Su's banquet, Zhou Cang stands beside him on the boat holding up his great blade. When Lu Su presses for the return of Jing Province, Zhou Cang shouts from below the steps, 'The lands of the realm belong only to those with virtue. Why should your Eastern Wu alone have them?' When Guan Yu snatches the blade from him and rebukes him for talking too much about affairs of state, ordering him away, Zhou Cang understands his meaning, goes to the riverbank and waves a red flag to summon Guan Ping's boats. Romance, Ch. 66 §21 · 25–26

In Chapter 74, after Yu Jin's seven armies have been flooded, Pang De tries to escape toward Fancheng by rowing a small boat, but Zhou Cang poles a large raft down from upstream, rams the small boat and overturns it, then leaps into the water and captures Pang De alive. The Romance says that this was because Zhou Cang had always been at home in the water, had grown still more skilled from living in Jing Province for several years, and was also very strong. Romance, Ch. 74 §33–34

In Chapter 77, as Guan Yu breaks out of Maicheng, he leaves Zhou Cang behind with Wang Fu to hold the city. While Wang Fu is telling of a dream in which he saw Guan Yu covered in blood, the Wu army displays the heads of Guan Yu and his son below the walls and calls on the defenders to surrender; Wang Fu, having climbed the wall and confirmed it, throws himself from the wall and dies, and Zhou Cang cuts his own throat. Thus Maicheng too passes to Eastern Wu. Romance, Ch. 77 §6 · 17–18