E Huan 鄂煥

In Chapter 87 of the Romance, in the 3rd year of Jianxing (225), an urgent report arrives from Yi Province: Meng Huo, King of the Man, has raised 100,000 Man soldiers and invaded the border; Yong Kai, Administrator of Jianning, has joined him in rebellion; and Zhu Bao, Administrator of Zangke Commandery, and Gao Ding, Administrator of Yuexi Commandery, have handed over their cities. Hearing that Kongming is coming in person at the head of a great army, Yong Kai confers with Gao Ding and Zhu Bao and divides their troops along three routes, and Gao Ding, who takes the central route, makes E Huan his vanguard commander. E Huan is nine chi tall with a hideous face, wields a sky-piercing halberd, and has the courage to stand against ten thousand men. Romance, Ch. 87 §2 · 10

At the entrance to the borders of Yi Province, when Wei Yan, the Shu vanguard commander, berates him and tells the rebels to surrender at once, E Huan spurs his horse and engages him. After a few bouts Wei Yan feigns defeat and flees, and as E Huan pursues him, Zhang Yi and Wang Ping come out along two routes to cut off his retreat, Wei Yan turns back, and with the three generals combining their strength E Huan is captured. Kongming has his bonds removed and entertains him with wine and food, and on hearing that he is a subordinate general of Gao Ding, says that Gao Ding is a loyal and righteous man who has been led astray by Yong Kai; telling E Huan to urge Administrator Gao to submit quickly and escape great disaster, he lets him go. E Huan returns and speaks to Gao Ding of Kongming's virtue, and Gao Ding too is deeply moved. Romance, Ch. 87 §11–13

Yong Kai says this is Zhuge Liang's scheme to sow discord. Kongming keeps the captured soldiers of Yong Kai and of Gao Ding confined separately and then releases them all, deliberately announcing aloud to Gao Ding's soldiers that Yong Kai intends to surrender by presenting the heads of their master and of Zhu Bao, and handing a secret letter to a spy sent by Gao Ding, telling him to deliver it to Yong Kai. When Gao Ding reads the letter, flies into a rage and summons E Huan to confer, E Huan says that Kongming is a humane man and it would be unlucky to betray him, that their rebellion and wrongdoing are all Yong Kai's fault, and that the best course is to kill Yong Kai and surrender to Kongming. He then proposes that they prepare a banquet and invite Yong Kai, and if he does not come it will show he has disloyal intentions; his lord should then attack from the front while he himself lies in ambush on the byway behind the camp. Romance, Ch. 87 §13 · 15–20

When Yong Kai, suspicious, does not come, Gao Ding attacks Yong Kai's camp that night; Yong Kai flees along a mountain path, and before he has gone two li, E Huan, leading the way with his sky-piercing halberd levelled, spears him from his horse and at once cuts off his head. Kongming produces a letter saying that Zhu Bao has secretly sent in a letter of surrender and declares that Gao Ding's surrender is false, and Gao Ding offers to capture Zhu Bao and bring him back. When Gao Ding goes with his subordinate general E Huan to Zhu Bao's camp and berates Zhu Bao, E Huan comes round from behind his horse and spears Zhu Bao from his horse with his halberd. Kongming makes Gao Ding Administrator of Yizhou in charge of the three commanderies, and makes E Huan a Headquarters Officer. Romance, Ch. 87 §20–26