Novel scene
Jiang Wei Fights Fiercely at Changcheng 取長城伯約鏖兵
About this event
This scene is the episode named in the chapter title of Chapter 112 of the Romance, "Attacking Changcheng, Boyue fights a fierce battle," the passage in Jiang Wei's Northern Expeditions in which Jiang Wei, taking advantage of Wei's forces being drawn east by Zhuge Dan's Rebellion, passes through the Luo Valley to attack Changcheng, where grain is stockpiled, but is blocked by Deng Ai and his son and withdraws. The Romance dates this to the 20th year of Yanxi of Shu-Han (the year the era was changed to Jingyao 1), and says that Jiang Wei turned back on news that Sima Zhao had broken Shouchun and was coming to relieve Changcheng. Romance, Ch. 112 §22–23 · 28 · 36–40
Chen Shou recorded this battle briefly in the Biography of Jiang Wei, Records of Shu 14, the Biography of the Later Sovereign, Records of Shu 3, and the Biography of Deng Ai, Records of Wei 28. The Biography of Jiang Wei says that in the 20th year of Yanxi (257) Jiang Wei came out of the Luo Valley with several tens of thousands of men and reached Shenling Ridge, that Sima Wang and Deng Ai encamped at Changcheng to oppose him, and that in the 1st year of Jingyao (258), on news that Zhuge Dan had been crushed, he returned to Chengdu. Records, Shu 14 §39–40Records, Shu 3 §37–38Records, Wei 28 §66
In the Romance
In Chapter 112 of the Romance, Jiang Wei at Hanzhong is delighted at the news that Zhuge Dan has attacked Sima Zhao and that Sima Zhao has taken the field bringing the Wei sovereign and the Empress Dowager with him, and asks to take the field. The Grand Master of Palace Leisure Qiao Zhou writes the "Discourse on Rival States" and sends it to him, arguing that one must not exhaust one's arms without weighing the times, but Jiang Wei throws it to the ground as the talk of a pedantic scholar. When Fu Qian says that Wei's grain and fodder are all at Changcheng and proposes taking the Luo Valley, crossing Shenling Ridge and first burning the grain at Changcheng, Jiang Wei heads straight for Changcheng. Romance, Ch. 112 §23–24 · 27–28
Sima Wang, Sima Zhao's clan elder cousin who is guarding Changcheng, sets up camp twenty li from the city to oppose him, but Fu Qian, deliberately feigning an opening, captures Wang Zhen, throws him to the ground, and strikes dead Li Peng, who is chasing him, with an iron mace. When Sima Wang goes into the city and shuts the gates, the next day the Shu army shoots fire arrows and fire bombs and burns the thatched buildings on the walls. Romance, Ch. 112 §29–32
In the midst of the attack on the city, a Wei army surges up from behind, and a young general of twenty-odd fights Jiang Wei for thirty or forty bouts, has his spear wrested from him and falls back. He is Deng Ai's son Deng Zhong, and when Deng Ai then appears, he and Jiang Wei agree to a decisive battle the next day and pull back their troops. Deng Ai builds his camp against the Wei River and waits for the troops from Guanzhong, never coming out despite five or six challenges to battle. While Jiang Wei is considering joining forces with Sun Chen of Wu, news comes that Sima Zhao has broken Shouchun and is coming to relieve Changcheng, and saying that this campaign too has become a painted cake, Jiang Wei resolves to go back. Romance, Ch. 112 §33–40
Where the Romance differs
The "Discourse on Rival States": In Chapter 112 of the Romance, Qiao Zhou, hearing that Jiang Wei is taking the field, writes the "Discourse on Rival States" and sends it to Jiang Wei. The Biography of Qiao Zhou in the Records records that when the armies went out often and the people were worn down, Qiao Zhou discussed the advantages and harms with the Prefect of the Masters of Writing Chen Zhi, then withdrew and wrote it down, calling it the "Discourse on Rival States"; it says nothing of sending it to Jiang Wei. Romance, Ch. 112 §24Records, Shu 12 §61
The fighting at Changcheng: In Chapter 112 of the Romance, Fu Qian captures the Wei general Wang Zhen and strikes Li Peng dead, the Shu army sets Changcheng on fire, and Jiang Wei crosses weapons with Deng Zhong. In the Biography of Jiang Wei in the Records, when Jiang Wei reached the Mang River and built his camps against the mountains, Sima Wang and Deng Ai held firm by the Wei River and did not respond to Jiang Wei's repeated challenges to battle; nothing is recorded of attacking the city or slaying generals. Romance, Ch. 112 §30–35Records, Shu 14 §40
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.