Zhao Lei

Historical Record

The historical records of Zhao Lei are extremely scant. The standard history Records of the Three Kingdoms and its related commentaries do not directly mention Zhao Lei, nor do they contain any clear record of his life, deeds, offices, or words and actions. Therefore, from the standpoint of historical verification, Zhao Lei is almost a blank figure in the standard histories, and whether he existed and his specific identity cannot be verified. This indicates that Zhao Lei was not an important historical figure of the Three Kingdoms period, or that his deeds went unrecorded by the historians, or that his role exists only within literary creation.

In the Novel

In Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhao Lei, a subordinate of Guan Yu serving as Commandant of Provisions, repeatedly offers counsel at critical moments around Guan Yu's defeat at Maicheng, displaying his side as a strategist. Zhao Lei first appears in chapter seventy-six. When Guan Yu, on learning that Jing Province had been seized by Lü Meng, was choked with rage, Zhao Lei advised: "The matter is now urgent. We may, on the one hand, send a man to Chengdu for relief, and on the other, take the overland route to retake Jing Province"^[1]. Guan Yu adopted his advice, dispatching Ma Liang and Yi Ji to Chengdu for aid, and personally leading troops to retake Jing Province. This shows Zhao Lei's composure and judgment at a moment of crisis, as well as a certain standing within Guan Yu's circle.

Later, when Guan Yu was caught in a dilemma on the road in Jing Province, Zhao Lei again offered counsel, advising Guan Yu to send a man with a letter to Lü Meng rebuking him for breaking the alliance, in order to gain time or sound out the true situation. Guan Yu followed his advice, composing a letter and dispatching an envoy to Jing Province^[2]. Although this move could not alter the course of the war, it reflects Zhao Lei's thinking of trying to resolve the difficulty by diplomatic means. When Guan Yu was defeated at Maicheng and the morale of his army had scattered, Zhao Lei further proposed seeking relief from nearby Shangyong, pointing out that the troops of Liu Feng and Meng Da might relieve the urgent peril^[3]. Although in the end Liu Feng and Meng Da held their troops back, Zhao Lei's advice was reasonable at the time. In the desperate straits of Maicheng under siege, with provisions running out and no relief arriving, Zhao Lei once more advised Guan Yu, urging him to abandon the isolated city and flee into Xichuan to rebuild for a comeback^[4]. This advice was based on realistic considerations, aimed at preserving Guan Yu's life and the strength of Liu Bei's faction. However, Guan Yu in the end did not fully adopt it, choosing instead to break out by a side road, which ultimately led to his defeat and death. Although Zhao Lei has little screen time in the novel, each of his appearances comes with loyal counsel to Guan Yu, making him an indispensable adviser at Guan Yu's side; his characterization, in sharp contrast to his absence from history, is entirely a product of literary creation.

Key Relationships

* Guan Yu (advises_in): In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhao Lei is an important strategist and subordinate of Guan Yu, serving as Commandant of Provisions. At the critical juncture of Guan Yu's defeat in Jing Province and retreat to hold Maicheng, Zhao Lei repeatedly offered advice to Guan Yu, including seeking relief from Chengdu, taking the overland route to retake Jing Province, sending a letter to rebuke Lü Meng for breaking the alliance, seeking relief from Shangyong, and finally abandoning Maicheng to flee into Xichuan^[1][2][3][4]. Though his advice could not ultimately save Guan Yu from defeat, it reflects his loyalty to Guan Yu and his efforts to find a way out amid adversity. This relationship is unrecorded in the histories and is a literary creation unique to the novel.

Iconic Scenes

* Offering counsel after the loss of Jing Province: When Guan Yu learned that Jing Province had been seized by Lü Meng and was enraged, Zhao Lei calmly proposed the strategy of "on the one hand sending a man to Chengdu for relief, and on the other taking the overland route to retake Jing Province"^[1]. This is Zhao Lei's first display of strategy in the novel, directly influencing Guan Yu's subsequent deployment of action. This scene is unique to the novel.

* Remonstrating amid the plight at Maicheng: Guan Yu was besieged at Maicheng, with provisions running out, no relief arriving, and his army's morale scattered. In this moment of despair, Zhao Lei urged Guan Yu to abandon Maicheng and flee into Xichuan to rebuild for a comeback^[4]. This scene profoundly depicts the tragic and desperate nature of the siege of Maicheng, and also displays Zhao Lei's effort, as a loyal subordinate, to seek a way out for Guan Yu even at the final moment. This scene is likewise unique to the novel.