Chapter 4

**The Most Elegant Martial Evaluation**

Author: Yi Wei

Mr. Luo Ben of Taiyuan compiled the essence of previous miscellaneous dramas and historical novels, and combined it with his decade-long experience in the military council of the Zhang family, to create a monumental work, *The Popular Romance of the Three Kingdoms*. Once this book was published, no subsequent popular romance novels could surpass it. This is because *The Three Kingdoms* not only avoids distorting important historical facts but also vividly describes the tumultuous era spanning over a hundred years. Whether it's the strategic battles of Guandu, Chibi, and Yiling, or the smaller-scale battles of Wancheng and Puyang, there is no sense of repetition. It achieves a perfect balance between reason and entertainment. However, what makes *The Romance of the Three Kingdoms* stand out from its peers and remain a topic of discussion for people of all ages in China, from the elderly to the young, is its successful portrayal of a large number of heroes with distinct personalities. Children jokingly say, "Some laugh at Zhang Fei's beard, others at Deng Ai's stutter," but wherever there are Chinese people, *The Three Kingdoms* is always a topic of conversation.

When I was learning to speak, I was already fond of listening to historical novels. Mr. Shantianfang's *The Heroes of the Ming Dynasty* was my first introduction. Even today, I only remember Chang Mao with his tilted helmet and skewed armor, the humorous Hu Da Hai, and the Northern Martial Saint, Tuo Tuo Laoshi. The other characters are all blurry in my mind. Later, I heard Mr. Yuan Kuocheng's *The Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, which I treasured like a precious gem. Every day during lunch, I was so engrossed that I couldn't taste my food, and my mother scolded me for eating with *The Three Kingdoms*. As I grew older, I saw people drinking wine with *The Book of Han* and couldn't help but laugh, "Great minds think alike, and this has been true throughout history." Also, in kindergarten, *The Romance of the Three Kingdoms* was a better introduction than the *Three-Character Classic*...

Centuries after *The Romance of the Three Kingdoms* was written, civilization flourished, and a magical tool called the internet appeared. Many enthusiasts of writing and literature used this tool to create a large number of alternate history novels. These novels aim to fulfill the shortcomings in people's hearts, redefining the world and creating new realms. Among these, the world of *The Three Kingdoms* is particularly abundant. Unfortunately, the quality varies greatly, and there are few that are truly worth reading. Fortunately, a talented person from the Central Plains, Mr. Zhao Ziyue, wrote a unique work, *The Most Elegant of the Three Kingdoms*, which resonates with my vision of *The Three Kingdoms*. Since I first read it, I have been unable to put it down. Even though only the first few volumes are available, a glimpse reveals the heroic spirit. Thus, I have decided to write this martial evaluation of the characters.

There is a saying, "In literature, there is no first; in martial arts, there is no second." To discuss the most elegant martial prowess, we must first understand the basis of Mr. Zhao Ziyue's work, otherwise, this evaluation would be like seeking fish in a tree. After reading his work several times, I seem to have gained some insight.

*The Romance of the Three Kingdoms* is often evaluated as being 70% factual and 30% fictional. In *The Most Elegant*, it could be said to be 90% factual and 10% fictional. Some may ask, what is the 10% fiction? It is the martial prowess. The novel supplements the historical records and is further enriched by the popularity of later evaluations, operas, and dramas. If Mr. Zhao were to call Lu Bu a "wall hero" or Xia Hou Dun a "meat ticket general," there would be a lot of controversy. I say: respecting tradition is a virtue.

**Dian Wei (98)**

Why start with Dian Wei? Because Mr. Zhao's book is still in its early stages, and although Dian Wei is only a background character, he is a representative brave general of the Three Kingdoms era and can serve as a benchmark.

**Historical Performance:**

- To avenge the Liu family, he killed the former Fuchun magistrate Li Yong and his wife in their home. He carried their heads out the door, and hundreds of people dared not look directly.

- He held the flag of the main gate with one hand.

- In the attack on the western camp of Puyang, Lu Bu personally engaged in hand-to-hand combat, and Cao Cao was surrounded. Dian Wei was the first to break through the enemy lines, killing with his halberd, and successfully broke out.

- During Zhang Xiu's rebellion, Dian Wei held his halberd and defended the camp gate, breaking several spears and sustaining dozens of wounds. He killed several enemies and, even after his death, his head was cut off and shown to the enemy, who were still shocked.

**Novel Performance:**

- Chased a tiger across a ravine.

- Held the flagpole with one hand, known as the ancient warrior E Lai.

- Fought Lu Bu, and four generals—Hao, Cao, Cheng, and Song—could not withstand him.

- Defeated Hou Cheng in one move and broke through the city gates of Puyang three times to save Cao Cao.

- Fought Xu Chu from morning to noon and from afternoon to dusk, with no clear winner.

- Tricked by Zhang Xiu, he was without armor or weapons, but killed countless enemies with two soldiers. After his death, no one dared to enter the camp for a long time.

As the saying goes, "Under the tent, there is a brave man named Dian, who wields a pair of 80-jin halberds." The spirit of a brave general, remembered for generations.

**Xun Zhen (71)**

The protagonist of the novel, who, knowing the trends of the world, has trained his strength and learned martial arts, archery, and horsemanship since childhood. Wearing armor and wielding weapons is inevitable in the early stages of the story, but not necessary in the later stages, as personally breaking through enemy lines is the job of a subordinate general. He often boasts of being "an ordinary brave man," which is a sign of self-awareness.

**Novel Performance:**

- Skilled in swordsmanship, he once hit Xun Qu's sword hilt with a throw.

- Fought hand-to-hand with a guest of the Gao family.

- Skilled in archery.

- Killed Shen Xun and Shen Dan in the battle with the Shen family.

- Strong enough to wear heavy armor and lead the charge, not like an ordinary scholar.

- In the first battle against the Yellow Turbans, he broke through the enemy lines but was nearly killed.

**Chen Bao (61)**

A former guard of Fanyang Pavilion, with the talent of a general, able to inspire loyalty and bravery. His personality is bold but not reckless. His ancestors once fought against the Qiang tribes, but he has no outstanding martial prowess, being at a lower level among the light knights.

**Cheng Yan (65)**

Rough and unrefined, with basic martial skills, he is a strong man among ordinary people, excelling in loyalty.

**Novel Performance:**

- Pressed Wu Gui, causing him to cry out in pain.

- Lifted a large, jagged rock but was stabbed down by Huo Ze.

- Fell off his horse during a battle with the Yellow Turban cavalry and died while saving Xun Zhen.

**Shi Juxian (63)**

A local resident, agile and flexible, one of the first twenty people to join Xun Zhen from Xixiang.

**Xu Zhong (81)**

Xun Zhen's earliest and most important supporter, standing at seven feet tall, a local hero. He is deep and strategic, but also extremely brave. Jiang Qin and others, who are light knights and fond of bravery and violence, follow him. Without extraordinary martial prowess, he could not command their respect.

**Novel Performance:**

- Killed the third Lan when others were shocked.

- In the battle with the Shen family, killed five and injured three, breaking through the enemy lines to kill Shen Jun and sustaining one injury.

- In the first battle against the Yellow Turbans, single-handedly broke through the enemy lines and killed a small leader, as easily as killing a chicken.

**Du Mai (60)**

A former thief of Fanyang Pavilion, praised for his bravery for traveling a hundred miles in one night to report a message, but lacking in courage.

**Zuo Ju (64)**

Standing at eight feet tall, the third in his family, later joined the army with Yuan Pan.

**Zuo Bohou (80)**

Zuo Ju's cousin, the fourth in his family.

**Novel Description:**

- Long beard, skilled with a strong bow and a long spear, and can throw short halberds with perfect accuracy. His ancestors were military officers, and he inherited their skills.

- As a military family descendant, he is not like a local knight. He played a significant role in Yuan Pan's killing of Chen Niu, but Mr. Zhao seems to have forgotten him. However, he has recently appeared, and his future performance is worth watching.

**Su Ze (73)**

A local knight from Beiping, a member of Xu Zhong's party, skilled in wrestling and archery, known for his bravery and strategy.

**Su Zheng (70)**

The younger brother of Su Ze, also skilled in wrestling.

**Jiang Qin (75)**

A friend and leader of Xu Zhong, known as "Jun Nan Bo Qin."

**Novel Performance:**

- Known as the best hand-to-hand fighter among the locals, scored two goals in a soccer match but lost to the third Lan.

- Fellow villager of Gao Jia, skilled with a large halberd, but his archery skills are inferior to the third Lan.

**Gao Jia (74)**

A fellow villager of Jiang Qin, skilled with a large halberd, but his archery skills are inferior to the third Lan.

**Gao Bing (73)**

A fellow villager of Gao Jia, skilled with a strong crossbow.

**Feng Gong (57)**

The son of Feng Wen, nicknamed "Hu Gou," with considerable insight, later joined the army.

**Gao Su (62)**

Around thirty years old, he fought bravely in the battle of Yangdi, and Xun You called him "Gao Zixiu, quick to anger." At this stage, he can only fight in favorable conditions, but like Chen Bao, he has potential.

**Wen Pin (70) (Version from the first year of Zhongping)**

At this time, Wen Zhongye is still young and lacks strength, but his martial prowess is already quite outstanding. He is a talented general, and Cao Wei entrusted him with important responsibilities, similar to Zang Ba.

**Novel Performance:**

- Defeated by the third Lan.

- Fought bravely against the Yellow Turbans, fell off his horse, and was saved by Xin Ai.

**Xin Ai (68)**

Brave but lacking in strength, a rare technical fighter at this time.

**Novel Performance:**

- Practiced swordsmanship as a teenager and learned archery at fifteen.

- Could not wear heavy armor.

- Pierced a Yellow Turban soldier in the first charge.

- Saved Wen Pin with fluid horseback archery.

**Le Jin (87)**

One of the famous "Five Excellent Generals," and among them, he is known as a fighting general, on par with Zhang Liao. In the historical records, he initially served as a clerk in Cao Cao's camp, participating in battles against Lu Bu in Puyang, Zhang Chao in Yongqiu, and Qiao Lu in Ku. He was the first to break through the enemy lines and achieved great success. In the decisive battle of Guandu, he killed Chun Yu Qiong and captured Wuzhao, earning the title of the most valiant. Unfortunately, Mr. Zhao seems to have downplayed his role, and although he showed leadership in the battle against the Yellow Turbans, he did not display his bravery on the battlefield. If he had achieved great success, he would not have been content with the position of a military clerk.

**Novel Performance:**

- Walked alone in the snow and killed five bandits.

- Fought hand-to-hand and defeated a butcher and his men.

- Killed several people and captured Fan Sheng alive.

**Novel Performance:**

- Fought Zang Ba for over thirty rounds, with no clear winner. Xia Hou Dun joined the battle, and Le Jin was at a disadvantage.

- Fought with Xu Chu, Dian Wei, Xia Hou Dun, Xia Hou Yuan, Li Dian, and Le Jin against Lu Bu, and Lu Bu could not withstand them.

- Shot and killed Cheng Lian.

- Shot and killed Guo Tu.

- Fought Liao Jin (one of the thirteen riders of Shenting) and Jia Hua, and with a single move, he cut through their halberds and returned.

- Fought Gan Ning, who pretended to retreat after a few moves.

- Fought Ling Tong for fifty rounds, with no clear winner. Wei Jun Xiu shot an arrow that hit Ling Tong's horse, causing it to rear up and throw Ling Tong to the ground.

**The Third Lan (77)**

The best test, as the saying goes, "One man's desperate fight is hard for many to handle."

**Novel Performance:**

- Defeated Jiang Qin, Gao Jia, and Su Ze, and after being shot by Su Ze, broke through four people to try to kill Xun Zhen. At this point, he knew he was doomed and fought like a cornered beast, with enhanced martial prowess. In a normal fight, he would be on par with Jiang Qin.

**Xun Cheng (66)**

A member of Xun Zhen's clan, skilled in horsemanship and archery.

**Liu Deng (84)**

One of the first twenty people to join Xun Zhen from Xixiang, the first to break through enemy lines. Early on, he followed Xu Zhong and later joined Jiang Qin.

**Novel Performance:**

- In the battle with the Shen family, killed four people and sustained one injury, and in a group of hundreds, he killed Bo Liansheng and broke through the enemy lines for over twenty steps in heavy armor. He also killed four or five of Huang Niujiao's men with his bare hands.

**Ren Du (66)**

Born on the fifth day of the fifth month, a close associate of Xun Zhen.

**Huo Ze (78)**

An assassin of Bo Cai, capable of fighting over ten light knights, and stabbed Cheng Yan and a light knight.

**He Man (78)**

**Novel Performance:**

- Known as "Jie Tian Yecha," standing at nine feet five inches tall, wielding an iron staff, and fought Cao Hong on foot for two hours with no clear winner, but was killed by a trick.

**Cheng Pu (85)**

Styled De Mou, the oldest among the Eastern Wu generals, known as "Cheng Gong."

**Historical Performance:**

- Handsome and strategic, skilled in communication. Participated in the campaigns of Sun Jian, fighting the Yellow Turbans in Wan and Deng, and defeating Dong Zhuo in Yangren. He fought in city and field battles, sustaining many injuries.

- When Sun Ce attacked Zu Lang and was surrounded, Cheng Pu and a single rider protected Sun Ce, driving their horses and shouting, using spears to break through the enemy lines, allowing Sun Ce to escape.

**Novel Performance:**

- In the novel, it is explicitly stated that when Sun Jian raised his army, Cheng Pu was the first general, wielding an iron-spined snake spear, and killed Hu Zhen in the first few moves.

- After Sun Jian's death at Xian Mountain, Cheng Pu avenged him, killing Lu Gong in a few moves.

- Fought Tai Shi Ci for thirty moves, with no clear winner.

- Defeated Yan Baihu.

**Han Dang (84)**

Styled Yi Gong.

**Historical Performance:**

- Skilled in archery and horsemanship, with great strength. Participated in campaigns and battles, often facing dangerous situations and capturing enemies.

**Novel Performance:**

- Killed Jiao Chu in a naval battle.

- Fought Cao Hong for thirty moves, and Cao Hong pretended to retreat.

- Fought Xu Chu with Zhou Tai for thirty moves.

**Novel Performance:**

- In the ambush of Sun Jian, Han Dang followed Sun Jian into battle, shooting arrows in all directions, and finally shot down three riders with three arrows.

**Sun Jian (92)**

The Martial Emperor of Wu, one of the few great generals among the warlords at the end of the Han Dynasty. He achieved the greatest success in the campaign against Dong Zhuo, defeating Hu Zhen and Lu Bu, and killing Hua Xiong. However, these are fictional elements in the novel. He was defeated twice by Xu Rong and often took unnecessary risks, once riding deep into enemy lines and being defeated at Xihua, falling off his horse and lying in the grass. He returned to camp after a few days, slightly recovered, and fought again. His habit of taking risks ultimately led to his death in an ambush at Xian Mountain, serving as a warning to Xun Zhen.

**Novel Performance:**

- Jumped from the city wall to grab Hong, snatched Hong's spear, and killed him.

- Fought for a few moves, and the enemy reinforcements led by Li Su arrived... Sun Jian turned his horse and fled... Hua Xiong pursued Sun Jian, and Sun Jian turned his horse and fought for ten more moves before retreating.

**Novel Performance:**

- In the ambush by Bo Cai, Sun Jian and Han Dang broke through the enemy lines, like Qin Wang and Wei Chigong, one with a spear and one with a bow, but Sun Jian was like Wei Chigong.

- Xun Zhen, with Liu Deng, could not break through the enemy lines, but Sun Jian, single-handedly, broke through and escaped, truly the first brave general to appear in the story!

As mentioned earlier, you can see that I believe Mr. Zhao Ziyue writes historical characters better than fictional ones; cavalry generals better than infantry generals; and close combat better than hand-to-hand combat. If the novel and historical records differ, he chooses the higher version. This is my personal opinion, and I hope it can serve as a starting point for further discussion.

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