Xiahou Cun 夏侯存

In Chapter 73 of the Romance, Guan Yu makes Liao Hua his vanguard and Guan Ping his deputy general, personally commands the central army, and advances with Ma Liang and Yi Ji as his staff advisers. 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, Guan Yu raises his army and hastens along the main road toward Xiangyang. Romance, Ch. 73 §36 · 38–39

Cao Ren, who is in the city, receives the report that Guan Yu is coming at the head of his army in person, is greatly alarmed, and wants to hold fast and not go out. His deputy general Zhai Yuan says 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, so there is no reason to avoid him; the staff adviser Man Chong remonstrates that Guan Yu is brave as well as resourceful and must not be taken lightly, and that holding fast is the best plan. Romance, Ch. 73 §40

At this the valiant general Xiahou Cun says that this is mere scholar's talk, and asks whether they have not heard the saying, 'When water comes, block it with earth; when a general comes, meet him with soldiers.' He says that their army, resting and waiting for a weary enemy, can win, and Cao Ren follows his words, has Man Chong hold Fancheng, and leads out his troops in person to meet Guan Yu. Romance, Ch. 73 §40–41

Guan Yu gives Guan Ping and Liao Hua a plan and sends them off. On the first day Liao Hua fights Zhai Yuan only briefly before feigning defeat and fleeing, and the Jing Province troops fall back 20 li; the next day, when Xiahou Cun and Zhai Yuan come out together to meet them, the Jing Province troops are defeated again and are chased another 20-odd 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 first pulls out one detachment and hurries toward Xiangyang, but on seeing Guan Yu blocking the road he dares not fight him and flees by a side road. Romance, Ch. 73 §42–43

Guan Yu does not give chase, and shortly afterward Xiahou Cun's troops arrive. On seeing Guan Yu, Xiahou Cun flies into a rage and engages him at once, but is cut down and killed by Guan Yu's blade in a single bout, and Zhai Yuan, who flees, is also overtaken by Guan Ping and cut down with a single stroke. In the pursuit that presses the advantage, more than half of Cao Cao's troops die in the Xiangjiang River, and Cao Ren withdraws to hold Fancheng. Xiahou Cun's name does not appear again in the Romance after this. Romance, Ch. 73 §44