Wang Jing

Loses the chapter's biggest battle. Imperial Protector of Yongzhou, he brings seventy thousand against Jiang Wei's fifty thousand and opens with the reasonable question — 'Wu, Shu, and Wei are now actually established as a tripod. Why then have you invaded our borders these many times?' Reads the river at Jiang Wei's back as a trap for Shu rather than for himself, sends four generals out two and two, and follows with his main body into the rally. Escapes to Didao with a hundred horsemen and bars the gates.

The general beaten at River Yao in the previous chapter, now welcoming Chen Tai and Deng Ai into Didao and giving the banquet for the raising of the siege — the celebration that opens the chapter and at which Deng Ai lays out why Jiang Wei will be back.

Dies for refusing twice. Told the plot in the privy chamber, he counsels against it with the Lu precedent and a clear-eyed count of the odds — 'Your Majesty's guards are few and weak and incapable---not the ones for any desperate effort' — but when Wang Shen proposes warning Sima Zhao he rounds on him: 'The prince's sorrow is the minister's shame, and a shamed minister dies. Dare you contemplate treachery?' and will not go. Steps in front of the carriage to beg the Emperor not to go out ('Not that I want to live, but this can do nothing'), follows him anyway, and is arrested for shouting 'Rebel and traitor! How dare you kill the Emperor?' at Jia Chong over the body. His whole household is imprisoned and executed.