Zhou Shan 周善

In Chapter 61 of the Romance, when news reaches Eastern Wu that Xuande has gone to Jiameng Pass to hold off Zhang Lu, Gu Yong says it is the moment to cut off the river route into Shu, block his road home and attack Jing and Xiang, but Dowager Wu rebukes Sun Quan, asking what is to become of the life of her only daughter. Zhang Zhao says that if they secretly send a single trusted commander into Jing Province with only 500 troops to bring back the princess with a secret letter saying that the Dowager is gravely ill, and to bring Xuande's only son as well, Xuande will want to give up Jing Province in exchange for A Dou. Sun Quan says he has a man surnamed Zhou and named Shan, of very great daring, who from his youth went freely in and out of the household and often followed his elder brother, and decides to send him. Romance, Ch. 61 §6 · 8–11

Zhou Shan disguises the 500 men as merchants and divides them among five boats, forges a letter of state in case of inspection, hides weapons in the boats, and comes to Jing Province. Entering the city of Jingzhou alone and presenting the secret letter, Zhou Shan says that the Dowager longs for no one but the lady morning and night and that if she delays she may never see her mother again, and urges her to take A Dou along as well. When Lady Sun says she will inform the Military Adviser before she leaves, he asks what she will do if the Military Adviser tells her to wait for the Imperial Uncle's reply, and urges her to get into her carriage at once, saying that boats are ready on the great river. Lady Sun leaves the city with the seven-year-old A Dou and some thirty attendants wearing swords, and by the time the people of the residence try to report it she has already boarded a boat at Shatou Town. Romance, Ch. 61 §12–14

As Zhou Shan is about to cast off, Zhao Yun, returning from patrol, gives chase with only four or five horsemen and shouts to be allowed to bid the lady farewell. Zhou Shan, taking up a long spear, roars, 'Who are you, that you dare block our mistress's way?' and has his soldiers cast off, bring out their weapons and line them up on deck. Even when Zhao Yun shouts that he has only one word to say to her, Zhou Shan pays no heed and urges the boats on, and when Zhao Yun gives chase in a fishing boat, Zhou Shan has his men shoot arrows. Zhao Yun knocks the arrows aside with his spear, draws the Qinggang Sword and leaps onto the large boat. Romance, Ch. 61 §15–17

Zhao Yun, after quarrelling with Lady Sun in the cabin, takes A Dou from her arms and comes out to the bow, but there is no one to help him bring the boat to the bank. Meanwhile Zhou Shan, at the stern, keeps hold of the tiller and does nothing but let the boat run downstream, and with a fair wind and a swift current the boat heads out into midstream. Romance, Ch. 61 §18–20

Just then more than ten boats come out of an inlet downstream: Zhang Fei, who heard the news while on patrol and rushed to Youjiang Jiakou, has blocked the Wu boats. When Zhang Fei, sword in hand, leaps aboard the Wu boat, Zhou Shan meets him with his blade, but is cut down with a single stroke of Zhang Fei's sword, and Zhang Fei picks up his head and throws it before Lady Sun. Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun go back taking only A Dou and let Lady Sun's five boats go. When Lady Sun, back in Wu, tells how Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun killed Zhou Shan and carried off A Dou, Sun Quan is enraged and, asking how he can fail to avenge the killing of Zhou Shan, discusses attacking Jing Province, but on a report that Cao Cao has raised an army of 400,000 he sets the Jing Province matter aside for the time being. Romance, Ch. 61 §21–23 · 26–27