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Hoary headed is he, but he goes up to battle;

Gray haired, yet recklessly mighty;

With his strong arms he bends the bow,

The arrows fly.

With the swiftness of the wind he rides,

The white sword gleams.

The sound of his voice is as the roar of a tiger,

His steed is fleet as a dragon in flight.

Victory is his and its rich rewards,

For he extends the domain of his lord.

At the death of their general, the soldiers of Wei fled for their lives, and Huang Zhong attacked Dingjun Mountain. Zhang He came out to oppose the army of Shu, but, attacked at two points by Huang Zhong and Chen Shi, he could not stand. He lost the day and fled. However, before he had gone far, another cohort flashed out from the hills and barred his way. And the leader cried out, “Zhao Yun of Changshan is here!”

Confused and uncertain what to do, Zhang He led his troops toward Dingjun Mountain. But a body of soldiers came out to stop him. The leader was Du Xi, who said, “The mountain is in the hands of Liu Feng and Meng Da.”

So Zhang He and Du Xi joined their forces and went to River Han, where they camped.

Thence they sent to tell Cao Cao of their defeat. At the news of the death of Xiahou Yuan, Cao Cao uttered a great cry and then he understood the prediction of the soothsayer, Guan Lu, that the cast showed opposition: It was the twenty-fourth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (three and eight cross); the yellow boar (the month Xiahou Yuan died) had met the tiger; the expedition had suffered a loss indeed by the death of a general, and the death had taken place at the mount known as “Army Halt” (Dingjun). The affection between Cao Cao and his general had been very close, for he considered Xiahou Yuan as his limb.

Cao Cao sent to inquire the whereabouts of Guan Lu, but no one knew.

Cao Cao nourished feelings of resentment against the slayer of his friend, and he led his army out against Dingjun Mountain to avenge Xiahou Yuan's death. Xu Huang led the van. When the army reached River Han, Zhang He and Du Xi joined them.

They said to Cao Cao, “Dingjun Mountain is lost. Before marching farther, the stores in Micang Mountain should be moved to the Northern Mountain.”

And Cao Cao agreed.

Huang Zhong cut off the head of Xiahou Yuan and took it to Liu Bei when he reported his victory. For these services, Liu Bei conferred upon him the title General Who Conquers the West, and great banquets were given in his honor.

While these were going on, General Zhang Zhu brought the news: “Cao Cao's army of two hundred thousand troops is on the way to avenge Xiahou Yuan's loss; and the supplies on Micang Mountain are being moved to the Northern Mountain.”

Then said Zhuge Liang, “Cao Cao is certainly short of supplies. If we can burn what he has and destroy his baggage train, he will have but little spirit left to fight.”

“I am willing to undertake the task,” said Huang Zhong.

“Remember Cao Cao is a different sort of man from Xiahou Yuan.”

Liu Bei said, “Though Xiahou Yuan was the Mountain Commander, after all he was but a bold warrior. It would have been ten times better to have killed Zhang He.”

“I will go and kill him,” said the aged general, firing up.

“Then go with Zhao Yun;” said Zhuge Liang, “act in concert and see who can do best.”

Huang Zhong agreed to this condition, and Zhang Zhu was sent with him as Marching General.

Soon after the army had marched out, Zhao Yun asked of his colleague, “What plan have you prepared against Cao Cao's army of two hundred thousand in their ten camps, and how are the stores of grain and forage to be destroyed?”

“I am going to lead,” said Huang Zhong.

“No wait; I am going first,” said Zhao Yun.

“But I am the senior leader; you are only my second,” said Huang Zhong.

“No; you and I are equal in responsibility and both anxious to render good service. We are no rivals. Let us cast lots for who is to lead the way.”

They did so, and the Veteran General gained precedence.

“Since you have won the right to make the first attempt, you must let me help you,” said Zhao Yun. “Now let us decide upon a fixed time, and if you have returned by that time, I shall not need to stir. But if at that time you have not come back, then I shall come to reinforce you.”

“That suits me admirably,” said Huang Zhong.

So they decided upon noon as the time; and Zhao Yun went back to his own camp, where he called in his Deputy General, Zhang Yi, and said, “My friend Huang Zhong is going to try to burn the stores tomorrow. If he has not returned at noon, I am to go to aid him. You are to guard our camp, which is in a dangerous place by the river, but you are not to move out unless compelled.”