Han Hao 韓浩

In Chapter 70 of the Romance, when Zhang He suffers yet another defeat at the hands of Huang Zhong and Yan Yan, Cao Hong is about to call him to account again, but follows Guo Huai's advice that Zhang He, if hard pressed, is sure to go over to Western Shu, so generals should be sent to help him while keeping watch over him as supervisors. Cao Hong sends Xiahou Shang, Xiahou Dun's nephew, and Han Hao, the younger brother of the surrendered general Han Xuan, to lead five thousand troops to his aid, and when the two generals arrive at his camp, Zhang He tells them that the veteran general Huang Zhong is a true hero and has Yan Yan helping him as well, so he must not be taken lightly. Romance, Ch. 70 §29–30

Han Hao says that he learned at Changsha how formidable this old bandit is, and that since Huang Zhong, together with Wei Yan, surrendered the city and brought about the death of his own elder brother, he will surely take revenge now that they have met. Earlier, in Chapter 53, the Romance depicts Wei Yan fighting his way up onto the city wall, cutting Han Xuan, Administrator of Changsha, in two with a single stroke, and leaving the city with his head to surrender to Guan Yu, while Liu Bei receives the report that the generals who have surrendered are Huang Zhong and Wei Yan. Romance, Ch. 70 §31Romance, Ch. 53 §20 · 22

Before the battle lines, Han Hao heaps abuse on Huang Zhong as a faithless old bandit and charges at him with spear levelled, and Xiahou Shang comes out to attack with him. Huang Zhong fights each of the two generals for more than ten bouts before fleeing in defeat, and loses again and again after that until he has fallen back to the top of the pass, while the two generals seize one camp after another and pitch camp right up against the pass. Zhuge Liang calls this the veteran general's plan to make the enemy arrogant, and at the second watch of the night Huang Zhong leads five thousand men down from the pass and breaks the camps of the two generals, who have grown slack after seeing him stay up on the pass for days without coming out. The two generals each flee for their lives, and by daybreak Huang Zhong has taken three camps. Romance, Ch. 70 §33–35 · 38

When Zhang He, who has fallen back to the bank of the Han River, discusses with Xiahou Shang and Han Hao how to hold Mount Tiandang, Xiahou Shang proposes that they go to Mount Tiandang, held by his elder brother Xiahou De, and defend that mountain, and Zhang He goes with the two generals through the night to Mount Tiandang and meets Xiahou De. When word comes that Huang Zhong's troops have arrived, Zhang He says they should first hold firm, but Han Hao says that if he is lent three thousand picked troops he will go and strike them and is sure to win, and Xiahou De at last divides his forces, gives them to Han Hao and has him go down the mountain. Huang Zhong, who has rejected Liu Feng's advice to rest since the sun has set and has pressed on, charges straight at Han Hao as he comes to fight at the head of his troops, brandishing his blade, and cuts him down from his horse in a single bout, and the Shu troops fight their way up the mountain. Romance, Ch. 70 §39–44

Meanwhile flames shoot up behind the mountain and Xiahou De is cut down by Yan Yan, and Zhang He and Xiahou Shang abandon Mount Tiandang and flee to Xiahou Yuan at Mount Dingjun. In Chapter 71 the two report to Xiahou Yuan that Mount Tiandang has already been lost and that Xiahou De and Han Hao have been lost, and on hearing the news Cao Cao raises an army of four hundred thousand and sets out on campaign in person. The Romance dates the time when Liu Bei resolves, after the battle of Mount Tiandang, to make a bid for Hanzhong to the 7th month, autumn, of the 23rd year of Jian'an (218). Romance, Ch. 70 §45–46 · 48Romance, Ch. 71 §3–4