Yang Bai 楊柏

In Chapter 64 of the Romance, Ma Chao, having fled from the great army of Xiahou Yuan, consults Pang De and Ma Dai and goes to take refuge with Zhang Lu in Hanzhong. Zhang Lu, thinking that with Ma Chao he could swallow Yi Province to the west and hold off Cao Cao to the east, means to give him his daughter and make him his son-in-law. The senior general Yang Bai remonstrates: 'The terrible fate that befell Ma Chao's wife and children was all harm brought on by Ma Chao himself. How can my lord give his daughter to him?' Zhang Lu heeds his words and drops the plan to make Ma Chao his son-in-law. When someone reports Yang Bai's words to Ma Chao, Ma Chao flies into a rage and resolves to kill Yang Bai. Romance, Ch. 64 §46–48

Learning of this, Yang Bai consults his elder brother Yang Song and in turn resolves to do away with Ma Chao. Around this time Huang Quan, sent by Liu Zhang, offers through Yang Song to repay Zhang Lu with twenty provinces if he will come to Liu Zhang's rescue, and Zhang Lu decides to agree. Yan Pu tries to dissuade him, saying he must not agree, and in Chapter 65 Ma Chao steps forward and offers to attack and take Jiameng Pass and capture Liu Bei alive. Zhang Lu gives Ma Chao 20,000 troops and has Yang Bai supervise the army, and Ma Chao, with his younger brother Ma Dai, chooses a day and sets out. Romance, Ch. 64 §49–50Romance, Ch. 65 §1

An express rider reaches Liu Bei with word that Ma Chao, together with Yang Bai and Ma Dai, is pressing a fierce attack on Jiameng Pass, held by Meng Da and Huo Jun. Zhuge Liang sends Wei Yan ahead with 500 scouting cavalry, with Zhang Fei second and Liu Bei as the rear guard, to advance on Jiameng Pass. Wei Yan, arriving first below the pass, runs into Yang Bai and fights him, and in fewer than ten bouts Yang Bai is defeated and flees. Wei Yan, wanting to snatch the first merit from Zhang Fei, presses on in pursuit, meets Ma Dai and is struck in the left arm by an arrow. Romance, Ch. 65 §7 · 11–12

Afterward, when Zhang Lu, heeding Yang Song, sets Ma Chao three tasks to be completed within a month and blocks the passes behind him, Ma Chao finds he can neither advance nor retreat. Li Hui, sent by Zhuge Liang, tells Ma Chao that ahead he cannot rescue Liu Zhang and drive back the troops of Jing Province, and behind he cannot subdue Yang Song and face Zhang Lu, and urges him to avenge his father and win merit and fame. Ma Chao, overjoyed, at once summons Yang Bai, cuts him down with a single stroke, then takes his head and goes up to the pass with Li Hui to surrender to Liu Bei. Romance, Ch. 65 §27–28 · 31 · 34–35