Che Liji 徹裏吉

In Chapter 94 of the Romance, Guo Huai tells Cao Zhen that the people of the Western Qiang have paid tribute every year since the time of Taizu and that Emperor Wen also showed them favour, so if they send men by byways into the Qiang lands to ask for help and promise friendly relations, the Qiang will surely attack the rear of the Shu army. Cao Zhen follows his advice and sends men riding through the night to deliver a letter to the Qiang. Romance, Ch. 94 §1

Che Liji, King of the Western Qiang, has paid tribute every year since the time of Cao Cao, and under him are a civil official, Chancellor Yadan, and a military official, Marshal Yueji. The Wei envoy arrives with gold, pearls and a letter, first presents gifts to Yadan and explains that he has come to ask for help, and Yadan brings the envoy before the king to present the letter and the gifts. When Che Liji reads the letter and confers with his followers, Yadan says that Wei and they have long had dealings with each other, and that since Commander-in-Chief Cao is asking for help and even promises friendly relations, they ought to agree. Che Liji follows his advice and has Yadan and Marshal Yueji raise 150,000 Qiang troops. These troops are practised in bows and crossbows, spears and swords, caltrops and flying hammers, and they load grain and weapons onto war chariots sheathed in iron plates and studded with nails, drawn by camels or by mules and horses; they are called the Iron Chariot Troops. Romance, Ch. 94 §2–3

The two take leave of the king and drive straight on Xiping Pass, and Han Zhen, the Shu general guarding the pass, reports to Kongming. Kongming gives Guan Xing and Zhang Bao 50,000 picked troops and attaches Ma Dai, who knows the nature of the Qiang well, as their guide, but the iron chariots surge forward like the tide and the bows and crossbows loose all at once; the Shu army is badly defeated, and Guan Xing, pursued by Yueji, falls into a stream. Romance, Ch. 94 §4–9

Kongming comes in person to Ma Dai's camp, and when heavy snow falls at the end of the twelfth month, he leaves only empty banners standing in the camp, takes up a qin, mounts a carriage and flees. When Yueji is suspicious, Yadan says that it is merely a cunning trick of Zhuge Liang's, setting up decoy troops, and has him attack; the Qiang soldiers fall into pits and trenches hidden under the snow, and the iron chariots following behind cannot stop and trample one another. When Guan Xing and Zhang Bao shoot their crossbows and Jiang Wei, Ma Dai and Zhang Yi attack from the rear, Yueji is cut down by Guan Xing in a single bout and Yadan is captured by Ma Dai. Romance, Ch. 94 §12 · 14–18

Kongming unties Yadan's bonds, gives him wine, and asks why, when his own lord is the Emperor of the Great Han and has commanded him to punish the traitors, they are helping the traitors. Then he says he will let Yadan go, and tells him to inform his lord that since their two states are neighbours they should form a lasting alliance and live in friendship, and not listen to the words of rebels. He returns all the captured Qiang soldiers, chariots, horses and weapons to Yadan and sends them back to their country, and they all bow in thanks and depart. At the Wei court, a close minister reports to Cao Rui that Grand Commander Cao Zhen has lost two vanguard commanders and that countless Qiang troops have also been defeated. Romance, Ch. 94 §19–20 · 24