Huang Zhong Takes on the Challenge

This is a story from Three Kingdoms. Huang Zhong, a veteran in the army of Shu, was one of its top five generals. Zhang He under Cao Cao had suffered one defeat after another. Cao Hong gave him a 5,000-strong army to attack Jiameng Pass. When Liu Bei learned this, he consulted with Zhuge Liang, his military advisor. Zhuge Liang said: "Zhang He is a distinguished general of Cao Cao. Only Zhang Fei could defeat him." This irritated veteran Huang Zhong. Huang shouted: "Advisor has looked down upon me. I will get his head off and offer it to you." Zhuge Liang prodded Huang again by saying, "Though you are valiant, I am afraid you are not Zhang He's match because you are too old." When Huang Zhong heard this, his gray hair angrily stood on end. He said, "Old as I am, I am able to open two bows and am full of vitality." Huang went down and got a big sword off the rack and performed with it. He took two hard bows off the wall and pulled them broken. Then Zhuge Liang said: "If you go ,whom would you like to be your assistant?" Huang Zhong replied, "Veteran Yan Yan. If the two of us can not defeat Zhang He, my gray-haired bead is yours." Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang were very pleased. The veteran generals were ordered to fight Zhang He. When Huang Zhong and Yan Yan got to Jiameng Pass, they laid a trap to defeat Zhang He. Then they used skillful tactics to take over Tiandang Mountain, the granary of Cao Cao's army. Later, they captured Dingjun Mountain. They reported back to Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang declaring a complete victory.

黄忠请战

黄忠是蜀军中有名的老将。曹将张郃在连吃败仗的情况下，曹洪又给他五千人马叫他攻打葭萌关。刘备得知，与军师集众商议对策。诸葛亮说："张郃是曹操手下名将，要想取胜只有张飞才行。"诸葛亮一句话，激怒了老将黄忠，只见他大声喊道："军师太小看人了，我黄忠愿取张郃首级，献于军师帐下。"诸葛亮再激道："你虽然很勇敢，但年纪太大了，恐怕不是张郃的对手。"黄忠听了，气的白发倒竖说："我虽然老了，但两臂能开三石之弓，浑身还有千斤之力。"只见黄忠大步走下堂，取下架上大刀，舞动如飞，拿下墙上硬弓，一连拉断两张。诸葛亮说："将军要去，谁做你的副将。"黄忠说："老将严颜。如果我俩不能取胜，我愿献上这颗白头。"刘备、诸葛亮大喜。命二人带兵与张郃交战。黄忠、严颜到了葭萌关，先用计打败张郃，又用智夺取了曹操的屯粮重地天荡山。而后又攻下定军山，果然大获全胜而归。