Novel scene
Zhuge Liang Captures Zhang Ren 孔明定計捉張任
About this event
This is the scene from the chapter title of Chapter 64 of the Romance, "Kongming Lays a Plan and Captures Zhang Ren," the passage of Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province in which the city of Luo falls. Arriving at Luo, Zhuge Liang lures Zhang Ren out to Jinyan Bridge, has the bridge cut and has him captured by troops lying in ambush, and beheads Zhang Ren, who refuses to serve two masters. The next day Zhang Yi inside the city beheads Liu Gui and opens the gates, and Luo falls. Romance, Ch. 64 §16–26
Chen Shou's text, in the Biography of the First Sovereign in Records of Shu 2, records only that the city of Luo, held by Liu Xun, was attacked for nearly a year and broken in the summer of the 19th year of Jian'an (214); it does not record Zhang Ren's capture. Records, Shu 2 §32–33
In the Romance
In Chapter 64 of the Romance, Liu Bei, following Huang Zhong's advice, raids Zhang Ren's camp at night and surrounds the city of Luo. Attacking the west gate, Liu Bei is chased by Zhang Ren, who comes out of the south gate, and fleeing alone by a byway he meets Zhang Fei coming with Yan Yan and escapes the danger. When Zhang Fei says that the forty-five passes on his way were all taken through Yan Yan's merit, Liu Bei takes off his golden chain-mail armor and gives it to Yan Yan. Then Wu Lan and Lei Tong surrender, and Wu Yi, who has lured and surrounded Zhang Fei, is captured in a single bout by Zhao Yun, who comes out from the riverside. Romance, Ch. 64 §3–16
Having learned from Wu Yi the situation inside the city and the name of Jinyan Bridge, Zhuge Liang places Wei Yan's spearmen and Huang Zhong's swordsmen in the reed beds south of the bridge, Zhang Fei on the byway east of the hills and Zhao Yun north of the bridge, and in person lures Zhang Ren out with troops whose ranks are not even in order. Zhang Ren, giving chase and saying that Zhuge Liang has the name but not the substance, finds the bridge cut and Zhao Yun's men lined up on the north bank, flees south, loses his cavalry in the reed beds and is captured by Zhang Fei. Zhuo Ying, who came out with him, surrenders to Zhao Yun. Romance, Ch. 64 §16–22
Zhang Ren refuses to surrender, saying, "How could a loyal subject serve two masters?", and Zhuge Liang beheads him to keep his name intact. Liu Bei buries his body beside Jinyan Bridge. The next day, when they come below the city with the surrendered generals in front, Zhang Yi, a man of Wuyang, beheads Liu Gui, who is cursing them from the wall, opens the city gates and surrenders, and Liu Xun slips out through the west gate and flees to Chengdu. Romance, Ch. 64 §23–26
Where the Romance differs
Zhang Ren and Zhuge Liang: In Chapter 64 of the Romance, Zhang Ren falls into Zhuge Liang's trap in front of the city of Luo, is captured, refuses to surrender and is beheaded. The Biography of the First Sovereign in Chen Shou's text records only that Zhang Ren, together with Liu Gui, Leng Bao and Deng Xian, resisted Liu Bei at Fu County, was defeated and fell back to Mianzhu. In the biography of Zhao Yun, Zhuge Liang led Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei up the Yangtze to pacify the commanderies and counties, and at Jiangzhou sent Zhao Yun to Jiangyang to meet him at Chengdu. Romance, Ch. 64 §17–24Records, Shu 2 §32Records, Shu 6 §40
The fall of Luo and the surrendered generals: In the Romance, the city of Luo falls the day after Zhang Ren's death, when Zhang Yi beheads Liu Gui and opens the gates. The Biography of the First Sovereign records that the city of Luo, held by Liu Xun, was attacked for nearly a year and broken in the summer of the 19th year of Jian'an. Zhuo Ying, who appears in the Romance as a general of Liu Zhang and surrenders, is in the Biography of the First Sovereign a general who led Liu Bei's troops together with Huang Zhong from the start, and the biography of Zhang Yi records only that when Liu Bei pacified Yi Province, Zhang Yi became an Assistant Clerk. Romance, Ch. 64 §19 · 22 · 26Records, Shu 2 §32–33Records, Shu 15 §12
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.