Assessing Three Kingdoms Characters

Author: Gui Hua, Liang Shi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: Here should be Zhao Yun's most unforgettable period. Not long after following Liu Bei, he arrived at the pinnacle of his life—Dangyang Changban. Due to the relentless night pursuit by Cao Cao's elite cavalry, Liu Bei suffered a crushing defeat at Changban, abandoning his wife and child, and fled in chaos with only a few subordinates. Historical records state that Zhao Yun, at this time, held the young Emperor Liu Shan in his arms while also protecting Empress Gan, successfully bringing them safely out of the battlefield amidst the chaos, and was thus enfeoffed as a Ya Men General for his meritorious service. The Battle of Dangyang Changban is almost a household name. And the problem lies here. The more people know about it, the more doubts arise. Although Zhao Yun's three entrances and exits at Changban killed many generals, they seemed to be of little significance. It is necessary to provide an explanation for this. It should be noted that neither Romance of the Three Kingdoms nor Records of the Three Kingdoms provides detailed accounts of the Battle of Changban, hence the need to refer to some unofficial historical records. In fact, Zhao Yun also encountered many renowned generals at that time. Here are some examples:
Cao Cheng and Cao Shun, Cao Cao's two best crossbowmen, were both killed by Zhao Yun with a single spear.
Wang Xiong and Wang Fei, famous infantry commanders in Cao's camp, fought Zhao Yun together and were both killed in ten encounters.
Han Qiong, known as the "single beam" of Hebei, fought Zhao Yun with his double spears for twenty encounters before being struck in the throat by Zhao Yun's "Plum Blossom Spear Technique" and falling off his horse.
Xu Huang, only fought for two encounters before Zhao Yun used the steel whip he had taken to strike Xu Huang's chest, causing him to clutch his saddle and spit blood, fleeing in defeat.
Zhang Xie, faced Zhao Yun head-on and fought for fifteen to sixteen encounters before Zhao Yun, not daring to prolong the battle, left without a decisive outcome.
Cao Hong, fought Zhao Yun for ten encounters before being struck in the thigh by Zhao Yun's "Hundred Birds Gathering at the Phoenix's Tail Spear Technique" and fleeing.
At that time, Zhao Yun relied solely on his own strength. His encounters with Xu Huang, Zhang Xie, and Cao Hong were all when they were at the end of their strength, including the later one-on-four confrontation, all of which fully demonstrated that Zhao Yun's martial arts were indeed superior to these individuals.
Of course, it cannot be denied that without Cao Cao prohibiting his soldiers from firing arrows, Zhao Yun might have found it difficult to escape from Dangyang unharmed. Dangyang might have also witnessed the last drop of blood shed by Zhao Yun.
This experience is actually a very important part of studying Zhao Yun, with many aspects worth exploring.
First, when Liu Bei fled, key figures such as Xu Shu, Zhuge Liang, and Zhang Fei were all by his side, yet Zhao Yun was the only one accompanying Liu Shan and his mother. This raises questions about Zhao Yun's status within Liu Bei's group.
Second, historical records only begin to mention Zhao Yun's official appointment at this point, and it was a low-ranking Ya Men General. This further confirms the inference that, prior to this, although Zhao Yun had followed Liu Bei for many years, he had achieved no meritorious deeds.
If it is assumed that Zhao Yun's primary role in Liu Bei's group was that of a security chief, then the above two points can be explained more satisfactorily.
Because of Zhao Yun's special status as a security chief, he would have been stationed at the rear during the Battle of Changban to protect the family, thus enabling him to safeguard Liu Shan and his mother. Meanwhile, Xu Shu, Zhuge Liang, and Zhang Fei, among others, were likely part of the main camp, fighting alongside Liu Bei and fleeing together.
As a security chief, it would naturally be more difficult for him to achieve merits and receive rewards compared to commanders who fought on the battlefield. Thus, it is understandable why Zhao Yun had no official position for many years.
Did Zhao Yun really save Liu Shan at Dangyang in history? Indeed, there is. Cao Cao led his troops to pursue...