Zhai Yuan 翟元

In Chapter 73 of the Romance, after Xuande ascends as King of Hanzhong at Mianyang in the autumn, seventh month, of the 24th year of Jian'an (219), Cao Cao sends Man Chong to Wu to arrange a joint attack on Jing Province. On Bu Zhi's advice Sun Quan sends a letter to Cao Cao asking him to have Cao Ren raise troops first and take Jing Province by the land route, and Cao Cao sends Man Chong to Fancheng as a staff adviser to assist Cao Ren. Learning of this, the King of Hanzhong follows Kongming's advice and sends Fei Shi to Jing Province, and Fei Shi conveys the King's will, ordering Yunchang to lead his troops and take Fancheng. Romance, Ch. 73 §8 · 19 · 23–24 · 26 · 33

Yunchang makes Liao Hua his vanguard and Guan Ping his deputy general and advances, personally commanding the central army. When an envoy of the King of Hanzhong arrives to appoint him General of the Front, grant him the tally and axe and put him in command of the affairs of the nine commanderies of Jing and Xiang, Yunchang at last raises his army and hastens along the main road toward Xiangyang. Romance, Ch. 73 §36 · 38–39

At the report that Yunchang is coming in person, Cao Ren is greatly alarmed and wants to hold fast and not go out. His deputy general Zhai Yuan asks why he should avoid the enemy, saying that the King of Wei has told the general to join with Eastern Wu in taking Jing Province, and that now the enemy has come of his own accord, which is coming to his death. The staff adviser Man Chong remonstrates that Yunchang is brave as well as resourceful and that holding fast is the best plan, but when the valiant general Xiahou Cun calls this a scholar's talk and says that by resting and waiting for a weary enemy they can win, Cao Ren follows him, leaves Man Chong to hold Fancheng and leads out his troops in person. Romance, Ch. 73 §40–41

Yunchang gives Guan Ping and Liao Hua a plan and sends them off. When the two armies face each other, Liao Hua challenges them to battle and Zhai Yuan comes out to meet him; after only a short fight Liao Hua feigns defeat and flees, Zhai Yuan pursues and attacks, and the Jing Province troops fall back 20 li. The next day Xiahou Cun and Zhai Yuan come out together and again chase the Jing Province troops more than 20 li. Then battle cries rise loudly from the rear as Guan Ping and Liao Hua charge in, and Cao Cao's troops are thrown into great disorder. Realizing that he has fallen into a trap, Cao Ren hurries toward Xiangyang, but seeing Yunchang blocking the road he dares not fight and flees by a side road. Romance, Ch. 73 §42–43

Xiahou Cun, arriving next, engages Yunchang and is cut down and killed in a single bout, and Zhai Yuan flees, but Guan Ping overtakes him and cuts him down with a single stroke. Pressing the advantage in pursuit, they drive more than half of Cao Cao's troops to their deaths in the Xiangjiang River, and Cao Ren withdraws to hold Fancheng. Yunchang gains Xiangyang, and Cao Ren in Fancheng laments to Man Chong that by not heeding his words his army has been defeated, his generals killed and even Xiangyang lost. Romance, Ch. 73 §44–45 · 48