After seeing his colleagues each conquer a county, Guan Yu wants in on the action, but an “old pawn” stands in his way.

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Welcome to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms Podcast. This is episode 65.

Before we pick up where we left off, I would like to encourage those of you who have not rated the podcast on iTunes to take a minute and do that, so as to help others discover the show. And as always, thank you for your support!

 

So, last time, Zhang Fei had just conquered the county of Wuling (3,2) and sent word to Liu Bei. Liu Bei personally traveled to the city to make nice with the locals. He then sent a letter to his brother Guan Yu, who had been staying behind to defend Jing Province while Liu Bei went out a-conquerin’. The letter told Guan Yu that, hey, your buddies Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun have each conquered a county. And you can guess Guan Yu’s reaction.

A letter from Guan Yu soon arrived in Liu Bei’s hands. It said, “I have heard that the county of Changsha (2,1) has yet to be taken. If you do not think me unworthy, please allow me to render this service to you.”

Liu Bei was delighted when he read the letter, so he sent Zhang Fei to take Guan Yu’s place in Jing Province and ordered Guan Yu to take Changsha. Before heading to Changsha, Guan Yu went to Wuling (3,2) to see Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang.

“When General Zhao took Guiyang and General Zhang took Wuling, they each had 3,000 troops,” Zhuge Liang said to Guan Yu. “Changsha’s governor, Han (2) Xuan (2), is of no concern, but he has a valiant general named Huang (2) Zhong (1). He served as a corps commander under Liu Biao and helped Liu Biao’s nephew oversee Changsha before serving Han (2) Xuan (2). Even though he is nearing 60, he is still extremely valiant and must not be underestimated. General Guan, you must take more troops with you.”

“Master Zhuge, why do you play up others’ mettle and dampen our own spirit?” Guan Yu asked. “What is there to worry about with a mere old pawn? I don’t even need 3,000 men. I will just take the 500 swordsmen under my command, and I guarantee that I will bring you the heads of Huang Zhong and Han (2) Xuan (2).”

Liu Bei tried time and again to convince Guan Yu to reconsider, but Guan Yu refused to budge and went off with his 500 swordsmen. After he left, Zhuge Liang said to Liu Bei, “General Guan underestimates Huang Zhong. Your lordship should go reinforce him, just in case.”

Liu Bei agreed and led some troops toward Changsha after Guan Yu.

 

Meanwhile in Changsha, the governor, Han Xuan, was not a popular man at all. He had an unstable temper and had a hairy trigger on the executioner’s axe, qualities that did not endear him to the people of the county. When he heard that Guan Yu was approaching, he met with Huang Zhong to discuss how to repel the enemy.

“My lord, have no worries,” Huang Zhong said. “On the strength of my saber and my bow, I will slay every enemy that comes this way!”

And apparently Huang Zhong was not making an idle boast. One popular trope in ancient Chinese stories is the old general who refuses to bow to his age, and Huang Zhong filled this role perfectly. He was strong enough to pull a 250-pound bow and was deadly accurate with his shot.

Someone else, though, did make an idle boast. It was an officer named Yang (2) Ling (2). He stepped up and said,