Zhao Yue 趙月

In Chapter 64 of the Romance, Ma Chao, who had entered Qiang territory after his defeat some two years before, attacked and took the provinces and commanderies of Longxi, and when Wei Kang, Inspector at the city of Ji, surrendered, he beheaded all forty-odd members of his household, saying the surrender was not sincere. Yang Fu, who had again become Ma Chao's Army Adviser, obtained leave on the pretext of burying his wife and went to see Jiang Xu at Licheng, and Jiang Xu's mother told her son to act early and not to worry about her. Romance, Ch. 64 §33–38

Jiang Xu then conferred with Yin Feng and Zhao Ang, Colonels Commanding Troops; Zhao Ang's son Zhao Yue was at that time serving under Ma Chao as a subordinate general. Zhao Ang agreed that day, went home and asked his wife, Lady Wang, what he should do, since if they now raised troops Ma Chao would surely kill their son first. Lady Wang said in a stern voice that where it was a matter of washing away the great shame of their lord and father one should not begrudge even one's own life, let alone a single son, and that if he held back out of concern for their son she would die first; and Zhao Ang made up his mind. Romance, Ch. 64 §39–40

The next day Jiang Xu and Yang Fu were stationed at Licheng and Yin Feng and Zhao Ang at Qishan, and Lady Wang took all her hair ornaments, valuables and silks to the camp at Qishan in person and rewarded and encouraged the soldiers. Hearing that Jiang Xu and Yang Fu had joined forces with Yin Feng and Zhao Ang to rise against him, Ma Chao, in a great rage, at once beheaded Zhao Yue, and had Pang De and Ma Dai raise all their troops and horses and charge toward Licheng. Romance, Ch. 64 §40–41

Pursuing the fleeing Jiang Xu and Yang Fu, Ma Chao was caught between Yin Feng and Zhao Ang on one side and Xiahou Yuan's troops on the other and was badly defeated, and when he reached the city of Ji, his wife Lady Yang, his three young sons and more than ten close kinsmen were cut down on the walls and thrown down. Entering Licheng, Ma Chao killed Jiang Xu's mother with his own hand and also killed all the old and young of Yin Feng's and Zhao Ang's households, but Zhao Ang's wife, Lady Wang, escaped harm because she was in the camp. In the Romance Zhao Yue's name appears in only two passages of this chapter. Romance, Ch. 64 §42–45 · 39 · 41