Fu Qian

Wins the chapter's only clean field action and gives Jiang Wei the campaign's plan. Proposes Changcheng as the objective — 'The great storehouse of Wei is at Changcheng, and we ought to burn their grain and forage. Let us go out by the Luo Valley and cross the Shen Ridge' — and kills both of Sima Wang's generals in a single sequence: feigns weakness against Wang Zhen, evades the thrust, 'snatched Wang Zhen out of the saddle, and bore him off', then rides slowly to lure Li Peng into pursuit, dashes the prisoner to the ground and smites Li Peng 'full in the face. The blow knocked out an eye, and Li Peng fell dead.' Also the first to smell the five-day stall: 'There is some knavery afoot, and we must be on our guard.'

Joint commander with Jiang Shu of the right army of the expedition - the wing Jiang Wei orders to stand fast during the night attack, and which holds without moving.

Springs the trap that nearly takes Deng Ai. Comes out of a grove of trees across the moonlit road into the Wei column - 'Deng Ai, you are stupid! You have just fallen into the trap set for you by our general. Dismount and prepare for death!' - and the wagons go up behind him as the signal for the rest of the army.

Left to guard the camp at Houxia when Jiang Wei takes three thousand men to relieve Zhang Yi at Qishan, and afterwards one of the two sent to hold the passes in the defensive cordon Jiang Wei builds before withdrawing to Tazhong.

Dies here. Refuses to sit behind the walls — 'They are now fatigued with marching, and we need not fear them. Unless we go out and attack, Yuecheng and Hancheng will fall' — takes three thousand men down against a hundred thousand, drives Zhong Hui back and pursues, and is counter-attacked and driven home to find his own pass in enemy hands and his second-in-command shouting the surrender from the wall. Fights on until nine men in ten are dead: 'Alive I have been a servant of Shu; dead I will be one of their spirits!' His horse falls, he is grievously wounded, and he takes his own life. 'The loyalty Fu Qian showed in stressful days / Won him a thousand autumns' noble praise.'