Summary: Huang Zhong performs more heroic deeds, then Zhao Yun says to Cao Cao, “Hey, remember me?”<br> <br> * <a href="http://www.3kingdomspodcast.com/2016/09/26/episode-091-mighty-man-power/#transcript">Transcript</a><br> * <a href="http://www.3kingdomspodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/ep_091.png">Map of Key Locations</a><br> * <a href="https://www.google.com/fusiontables/DataSource?docid=1h9OZCFmBeJcG1pZlqIanwMJT02Shpf1EABJzriXm">Graph of Key Characters and Relationships</a><br> <br> <br> <a id="transcript"></a>Transcript<br> <a href="http://www.3kingdomspodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/3kingdoms091.pdf">PDF version</a><br> Welcome to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms Podcast. This is episode 91.<br> Last time, Cao Cao and Liu Bei were gearing up for a clash over control of the region of Hanzhong. Liu Bei’s general Huang Zhong was camped out in front of Mount Dingjun (4,1), a key location for Cao Cao’s defenses in the region. The commander of Cao Cao’s forces on Mount Dingjun was Xiahou Yuan, and he was being assisted by a couple officers who had already suffered defeats at the hands of Huang Zhong — the general Zhang He and Xiahou Yuan’s nephew, Xiahou Shang (4).<br> Once Cao Cao brought his army into the region, he gave Xiahou Yuan the go-ahead to engage Huang Zhong, so Xiahou Yuan drew up a scheme. The first part of the scheme involved his nephew Xiahou Shang going out to take on Huang Zhong and feigning defeat to lure the enemy in.<br> <br> As for Huang Zhong, he and his adviser Fa Zheng were camped out at the entrance of the mountain. He had gone to challenge for battle numerous times, but Xiahou Yuan refused to come out. Huang Zhong thought about advancing his army up the mountain to press the issue, but the roads were treacherous, and he was also worried about enemy ambushes, so he stayed put.<br> Then, one day, word came that the enemy had come down from its mountain base to pick a fight. Huang Zhong was ready to go meet them, but one of his officers, a man named Chen (2) Shi (4), volunteered to go instead. So Huang Zhong gave Chen Shi (4) 1,000 men to go answer the challenge. When the two sides met, Xiahou Shang and Chen Shi traded blows for a few bouts, at which point Xiahou Shang turned and ran, just like the plan called for.<br> Chen Shi gave chase, but before long, he ran into a little surprise. Suddenly, logs and boulders rolled down the mountainside and blocked his path forward. Just as he was about to turn around, Xiahou Yuan appeared from behind him with an army and attacked. Chen Shi was no match for one of Cao Cao’s top generals, and Xiahou Yuan easily captured him alive. Most of the men under Chen Shi’s command surrendered, though some did manage to escape and reported back to Huang Zhong.<br> <br> When Huang Zhong heard what happened, he immediately huddled with his adviser Fa Zheng. <br> “Xiahou Yuan is a volatile man,” Fa Zheng said. “He relies on his courage and rarely plans things out. We must inspire our troops and lead them forward, entrenching as we go. That will spur Xiahou Yuan to come fight us, giving us the chance to defeat him. This is called ‘reversing the roles of host and guest.’ ”<br> Huang Zhong adopted this plan. He handed out handsome rewards to his troops, and the sounds of their happy cheers filled the canyon. With the troops properly motivated, Huang Zhong broke camp and moved them out that very day. At each stop along the way, they would build a new camp and stay a few days before pushing farther forward.<br> When Xiahou Yuan got wind of this, he wanted to go attack Huang Zhong, but the general Zhang He told him, “They’re trying to reverse the roles of host and guest. We must not go fight them, or we would lose.”<br> Xiahou Yuan refused to listen, though, and sent his nephew Xiahou Shang out with a few thousand men. Xiahou Shang marched to Huang Zhong’s camp, where Huang Zhong came out to meet him.
