Wan Zheng

Historical Record

This man Wan Zheng has no clear record in the surviving biographical materials. Neither the *Records of the Three Kingdoms* and the various sources cited in its commentary, nor other official historical documents, mention a figure named "Wan Zheng," nor is there any record related to his life and deeds. The historical information about Wan Zheng is therefore at present impossible to verify.

In the Novel

In the literary shaping of Luo Guanzhong's *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Wan Zheng appears as a Cao Wei general, a subordinate officer of the Commander Guo Huai. ^c:32 He first appears in Chapter 95, when, during Zhuge Liang's first Northern Expedition, Cao Zhen and Guo Huai led troops to resist the attack of Shu Han. At the time, Zhao Yun was ordered to cover the rear and screen the retreat of the Shu army. Guo Huai sent the vanguard Su Yong to pursue Zhao Yun, but Su Yong was stabbed to death by Zhao Yun with a single thrust of his spear. Then Wan Zheng, on Guo Huai's orders, led troops to continue the pursuit. ^c:32

In the course of the pursuit, Wan Zheng had two encounters with Zhao Yun. In the first, when he caught up with the Shu army, he recognized Zhao Yun and, fearful of Zhao Yun's renown, dared not rashly press forward. He chose to wait until dusk, and only after Zhao Yun had slowly withdrawn did he dare to act. ^c:32 When reporting to Guo Huai, Wan Zheng frankly admitted that Zhao Yun was as valiant as ever, which was why he had not dared to approach. Hearing this, Guo Huai still ordered Wan Zheng to lead several hundred stout horsemen in swift pursuit. The second encounter took place in a great forest, where Zhao Yun suddenly appeared and let out a great shout, startling more than a hundred Wei soldiers off their horses, the rest scattering in rout. Wan Zheng forced himself forward to give battle, but was shot by Zhao Yun's arrow in the plume of his helmet and fell in alarm into a ravine. Zhao Yun did not take his life, but instead pointed his spear at him, spared him, and told him to go back and tell Guo Huai to keep up the pursuit. ^c:32 Wan Zheng thus escaped with his life and returned. In the novel, Wan Zheng is portrayed as a general of middling martial skill, timid and shy of battle, yet compelled to carry out orders; through his perspective, Zhao Yun's matchless valor is further set off.

Key Relationships

* Zhao Yun: The relationship between Wan Zheng and Zhao Yun is one of hostility, and Wan Zheng shows clear fear in Zhao Yun's presence. He twice received orders to pursue Zhao Yun, but on neither occasion was he able to pose any real threat to him; instead he was cowed or defeated by Zhao Yun in their encounters. ^c:32 This relationship serves chiefly to set off Zhao Yun's valor.
* Guo Huai: Wan Zheng was a subordinate officer of Guo Huai, obeying Guo Huai's orders to pursue the Shu army. Guo Huai was his superior, and Wan Zheng dared not disobey his commands; even in the face of Zhao Yun's formidable intimidation, he could only steel himself and press forward. ^c:32 (unique to the novel)

Signature Scenes

* Shot in the helmet plume by one of Zhao Yun's arrows on the road through Jigu: This is Wan Zheng's most representative scene in *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*. On the road through Jigu, Wan Zheng, on Guo Huai's orders, pursued the rear-guard Zhao Yun. When he forced himself forward to cross blades with Zhao Yun, Zhao Yun shot the plume of his helmet with a single arrow, sending him tumbling in alarm into a ravine. Zhao Yun did not kill him, but instead spared his life and told him to go back and inform Guo Huai to keep up the pursuit. ^c:32 This scene not only displays Zhao Yun's superb archery and his benevolence, but also highlights Wan Zheng's hapless cowardice, becoming the key episode by which readers remember him in the novel. (unique to the novel)