Chen Shi 陳式

In Chapter 71 of the Romance, while Huang Zhong and Fa Zheng are encamped at the mouth of Mount Dingjun, Cao Cao's troops on the mountain come down to challenge them to battle. As Huang Zhong is about to go out to meet them, his lieutenant Chen Shi steps forward, telling the general not to move and offering to face the enemy himself, and Huang Zhong, greatly pleased, gives him a thousand men to draw up in formation at the mouth of the mountain. When Xiahou Shang feigns defeat after a few bouts and flees, Chen Shi gives chase but is stopped by logs and stones rolled down from the hills on both sides, and just as he turns back he is captured by Xiahou Yuan, who emerges behind him, and is dragged off to the enemy camp. Many of his soldiers also surrender. Romance, Ch. 71 §17–18

Following Fa Zheng's plan, Huang Zhong advances, setting up a camp at every step, and captures Xiahou Shang, who has come out to fight, in a single bout. Xiahou Yuan asks to exchange Chen Shi for Xiahou Shang, and the next day, between the two lines, both men, given no battle robes or armor and dressed only in thin clothing, run back to their own lines at the sound of a drum; just as Xiahou Shang reaches his gate, he is struck in the back by Huang Zhong's arrow. When Huang Zhong, having cut down Xiahou Yuan, goes to seize Mount Dingjun, Chen Shi and Huang Zhong attack Zhang He from two sides and put him to flight. Romance, Ch. 71 §19–22 · 29

In Chapter 98, when Kongming (Zhuge Liang) has gone out by way of Chencang and the Xie Valley to take Jianwei and the Shu troops are advancing one after another, the Later Sovereign (Liu Shan) sends the senior general Chen Shi to help. In Chapter 100, Kongming has Wei Yan, Zhang Ni, Du Qiong and Chen Shi go out through the Ji Valley and assemble at Mount Qi. Romance, Ch. 98 §43Romance, Ch. 100 §3

As the four generals advance along the Ji Valley with twenty thousand men, the adviser Deng Zhi arrives and conveys the Chancellor's order to beware of Wei ambushes and not to advance rashly. Chen Shi says that the Wei troops, having met heavy rain again and again so that their clothes and armor are all ruined, must have hurried home, and laughs that if the Chancellor were really so full of stratagems, Jieting would never have been lost. Then, saying that he will take his own five thousand men straight out through the Ji Valley and be the first to make camp at Mount Qi, and that they will see whether the Chancellor is shamed or not, he sets off, ignoring Deng Zhi's repeated attempts to stop him. Romance, Ch. 100 §9–11

Before Chen Shi has gone even a few li, ambushers pour out on all sides and surround him as tightly as an iron bucket; he charges left and right but cannot break out, until Wei Yan fights his way in and rescues him, yet of his five thousand men only four or five hundred wounded men and horses remain. Du Qiong and Zhang Ni meet the pursuing Wei troops and drive them back. Kongming, who has heard from Deng Zhi of the insolence of Wei Yan and Chen Shi, on receiving word that Chen Shi has lost more than four thousand men, sends Deng Zhi back to soothe Chen Shi so as to prevent any trouble from breaking out. Romance, Ch. 100 §12–15

When Kongming comes out to Mount Qi again, Wei Yan, Chen Shi, Du Qiong and Zhang Ni prostrate themselves before him and ask to be punished. Wei Yan says that Chen Shi ignored orders, slipped into the mouth of the valley and was badly defeated, while Chen Shi says that Wei Yan told him to do it. Kongming says, 'He actually rescued you, and you drag him into it instead? You have already disobeyed the general's order, so there is no need for clever excuses,' has Chen Shi taken out and beheaded, and hangs his head before the tent to show the generals. The Romance adds that Kongming did not kill Wei Yan at this time because he wished to keep him for later use. Romance, Ch. 100 §25–26