Han Zhen 韓禎

In Chapter 94 of the Romance, Guo Huai tells Cao Zhen that the people of the Western Qiang have sent tribute every year since the time of the Grand Progenitor, so that if they send a man by a byroad to ask for help and promise a marriage alliance, the Qiang will surely attack the rear of the Shu army. Cao Zhen follows his advice and has a letter carried to the Qiang through the night, and Che Liji, King of the Western Qiang, on the advice of Chancellor Yadan, has Yadan and Marshal Yueji raise 150,000 Qiang troops. Among these troops were the iron-cart troops, whose carts, sheathed in iron plates and studded with nails, carried grain and weapons and were drawn by camels or by mules and horses. Romance, Ch. 94 §1–3

Taking leave of their king, the two lead their army straight against Xiping Pass. Han Zhen, the Shu general holding the pass, hastily sends a man with a dispatch to inform Zhuge Liang. When Zhuge Liang, hearing the report, asks who will go and drive back the Qiang troops, Zhang Bao and Guan Xing step forward; worried that the two do not know the roads, Zhuge Liang gives them 50,000 picked troops and sends with them as their guide Ma Dai, who knows the nature of the Qiang well and has long lived in that region. Romance, Ch. 94 §4–5

After they are badly defeated, blocked by the iron carts, Guan Xing and Zhang Bao travel through the night to report to Zhuge Liang, who leads 30,000 troops in person to Ma Dai's camp. When heavy snow falls at the end of the 12th month, Zhuge Liang lures the Qiang troops into pursuing him along snow-covered mountain paths and plunges them into pits; Guan Xing cuts down Marshal Yueji and Ma Dai captures Chancellor Yadan alive. Zhuge Liang releases Yadan, returns all the captured Qiang troops together with their carts and weapons, and sends them back to their country. The Romance does not describe anything Han Zhen does in this battle, and his name does not appear again. Romance, Ch. 94 §6–7 · 12 · 15 · 17–20