Jinhuan Sanjie 金環三結

In Chapter 87 of the Romance, in the 3rd year of Jianxing (225), Meng Huo, King of the Man, raises a great army of 100,000 Man soldiers and invades the border, and Zhuge Liang sets out in person at the head of a great army to subdue him. Hearing that Zhuge Liang has defeated Yong Kai and the others by his wits, Meng Huo gathers the marshals of the three caves: the first cave is Marshal Jinhuan Sanjie, the second Marshal Dongtuna and the third Marshal Ahuinan. Saying that Chancellor Zhuge is invading their border at the head of a great army and they have no choice but to join forces against him, Meng Huo has them advance along three routes and promises to make whoever wins a cave lord. Jinhuan Sanjie takes the central route and advances at the head of 50,000 Man soldiers. Romance, Ch. 87 §2–3 · 31–32

Told that the marshals of the three caves are coming by three routes, Zhuge Liang does not use Zhao Yun and Wei Yan, saying they do not know the terrain; he assigns the left-hand route to Wang Ping and the right-hand route to Ma Zhong, and has Zhang Ni and Zhang Yi lead one force together along the central route to meet the enemy. Displeased, Zhao Yun and Wei Yan go out along the central route to reconnoiter in person, capture a few Man soldiers, and learn that the great camp of Marshal Jinhuan Sanjie lies just ahead at the mouth of a valley, and that the two roads to the east and west beside the camp lead to the Wuxi Cave and to the rear of the camps of Dongtuna and Ahuinan. Romance, Ch. 87 §33–37

The two men pick 5,000 elite troops, have the captured Man soldiers guide them, set out by moonlight at the second watch and reach Jinhuan Sanjie's great camp around the fourth watch. Just as the Man soldiers have risen and are cooking their meal to prepare for battle at daybreak, Zhao Yun and Wei Yan charge in by two routes and the Man soldiers fall into great confusion. Zhao Yun charges straight into the central army and runs into Marshal Jinhuan Sanjie himself; after crossing horses for only a single bout he spears him from his horse and at once cuts off his head. The rest of his troops break and scatter. Romance, Ch. 87 §38–39

Wei Yan and Zhao Yun each take half the troops and attack the rear of the camps of Dongtuna and Ahuinan, and when the generals gather their troops and return, Zhuge Liang asks where the head of Marshal Jinhuan Sanjie is. When Zhao Yun presents the head and reports his merit, Zhuge Liang explains that he had already learned from Lü Kai's maps where each of them had pitched camp, and so had stirred up the two men's fighting spirit with his words so that they would push deep into the vital ground and break Jinhuan Sanjie first. Meanwhile, scouts report to Meng Huo that the marshals of the three caves have all been captured by Zhuge Liang and their troops have scattered. Romance, Ch. 87 §39–42 · 45