Novel scene
Zhuge Zhan Dies in Battle at Mianzhu 諸葛瞻戰死綿竹
About this event
This scene is the episode named in the chapter title of Chapter 117 of the Romance, "Zhuge Zhan dies fighting at Mianzhu," the passage in the Conquest of Shu by Wei in which, when Deng Ai has reached Fu, the Later Sovereign gives the troops of Chengdu to Zhuge Liang's son Zhuge Zhan to stop him, and Zhuge Zhan dies fighting at Mianzhu together with his son Zhuge Shang. Romance, Ch. 117 §27–30 · 43–45
Chen Shou recorded this battle in the account of Zhuge Zhan appended to the Biography of Zhuge Liang, Records of Shu 5, in the Biography of Deng Ai, Records of Wei 28, and in the account of Huang Chong in Records of Shu 13. In the winter of the 6th year of Jingyao (263) Zhuge Zhan was heavily defeated at Mianzhu and died in the battle line at the age of thirty-seven, and his eldest son Zhuge Shang died with him. Records, Shu 5 §60–61Records, Wei 28 §71–72Records, Shu 13 §10
In the Romance
In Chapter 117 of the Romance, at the urgent report that Deng Ai has reached Fu, the Later Sovereign tries to consult Huang Hao and the sorceress, but the sorceress has vanished, and on Xi Zheng's advice he summons with three edicts Zhuge Zhan, who had been staying away on the pretext of illness because of Huang Hao. Zhuge Zhan sets out with seventy thousand troops from Chengdu, and his nineteen-year-old eldest son Zhuge Shang volunteers for the vanguard. Romance, Ch. 117 §26–30
Having learned the roads from Fu to Chengdu from a map presented by Ma Miao, Deng Ai sends Shi Zuan and Deng Zhong to Mianzhu. The two men see, amid the Shu army drawn up in the Eight Formations, a banner inscribed "Zhuge, Marquis Wu, Chancellor of Han" and a man on a four-wheeled carriage, and flee, saying Kongming is still alive; but it was a wooden statue of Kongming. Going out to fight again, the two are pushed back by Zhuge Shang, heavily defeated by Zhuge Zhan's troops, and return wounded. Romance, Ch. 117 §31–37
On Qiu Ben's advice, Deng Ai tries to win Zhuge Zhan over with a letter promising to have him made Prince of Langya, but Zhuge Zhan tears up the letter and beheads the envoy. Going out of the city to fight, Zhuge Zhan is beaten by an ambush of Wang Qi and Qian Hong and withdraws into Mianzhu, and he asks Wu for help, but no relief army arrives. At last he opens the city gate and goes out to fight, is surrounded, and when an arrow strikes him and he falls from his horse, he cuts his own throat; Zhuge Shang, seeing this from the walls, also rides out and dies fighting. Zhang Zun, Huang Chong and Li Qiu also die fighting, and Deng Ai takes Mianzhu. Romance, Ch. 117 §37–47
Where the Romance differs
Zhuge Zhan's march: In Chapter 117 of the Romance, Zhuge Zhan is called out from Chengdu after Deng Ai is already encamped at Fu. In the account of Zhuge Zhan in the Records, Zhuge Zhan led the armies to Fu County and halted there, and when his vanguard was broken he fell back to Mianzhu; the account of Huang Chong records that Huang Chong tearfully urged him to advance quickly and seize the strongpoints, but Zhuge Zhan hesitated. Romance, Ch. 117 §29–30Records, Shu 5 §61Records, Shu 13 §10
The retreat of Deng Zhong and Shi Zuan: In Chapter 117 of the Romance, the two men flee on seeing the wooden statue of Kongming on the carriage. In the Biography of Deng Ai in the Records, when Deng Zhong and Shi Zuan fought without success, they fell back saying the enemy could not be attacked, and when Deng Ai in his anger was about to behead them, they fought again and won a great victory. Romance, Ch. 117 §33–35Records, Wei 28 §72
Zhuge Zhan's death: In Chapter 117 of the Romance, Zhuge Zhan falls from his horse when struck by an arrow and then cuts his own throat. The account of Zhuge Zhan in the Records says that he was heavily defeated and died in the battle line, and the Biography of Deng Ai records that Deng Zhong and Shi Zuan took the heads of Zhuge Zhan, the Master of Writing Zhang Zun and others. Romance, Ch. 117 §44Records, Shu 5 §61Records, Wei 28 §72
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.