In the long scroll of the history of Shu Han, there is a past baptism by wind and rain, which is endlessly memorable. The story begins with Huang Zhong, a veteran who is over half a hundred years old, and after killing Xiahou Yuan, he began to slowly unravel a mystery that has plagued him for a long time: why did Guan Yu, the fierce general of Shu Han, always have an unspeakable indifference to him?
1. The Cold War between Huang Zhong and Guan Yu
On the battlefield in ancient times, the battle flags of the wind and dust were hunting, Guan Yu, the famous general of the Shu Han Dynasty, with a red robe and a green dragon glaive sword, stopped in the military camp heroically. Between his eyebrows, there is a kind of majesty and decisiveness of a general. However, in the heart of this brave general, for Huang Zhong, an old but experienced veteran, he has always held an indescribable indifference.
Huang Zhong, more than half a hundred years old, has slightly gray hair, but his posture is still as tall as a pine. His bravery on the battlefield, whether it was charging into battle or outwitting victory, was a source of fear for the enemy. His martial arts are not inferior to any young general, and even surpass them in some aspects. However, in the face of Guan Yu, the fierce general in Shu Han, Huang Zhong always felt an insurmountable barrier.
In the barracks, Guan Yu discussed the war with his soldiers, and his voice was loud and penetrating. Whenever Huang Zhong appeared, Guan Yu's words would unnaturally decrease, and his gaze would deliberately avoid Huang Zhong. Although Huang Zhong put forward his views many times in the war discussion, Guan Yu was often noncommittal, and sometimes even directly changed the topic.
Huang Zhong was not discouraged by this, but worked harder to show his strength on the battlefield. Every time he goes out, he always rushes to the front line, using his record to prove his worth. Despite this, Guan Yu's attitude towards him does not seem to have changed in any way.
In an encounter with the enemy, Huang Zhong showed great military talent, and he skillfully used the terrain to defeat the enemy army with less victory. This battle won the praise of the whole army. After the war, the soldiers surrounded Huang Zhong and listened to him tell the story of the battle. Guan Yu stood far away, there seemed to be complicated emotions in the depths of his eyes, but he didn't come closer.
With the passage of time, Huang Zhong's position in the Shu army gradually stabilized, and his military talent and rich experience contributed greatly to the many battles of Shu Han. However, no matter how brilliant Huang Zhong's record is, Guan Yu's attitude seems to be the same, and he still maintains the alienation from Huang Zhong.
At dusk after a rain, Huang Zhong stood alone outside the barracks, looking at the clouds that gradually dispersed in the sky, and he couldn't help but feel a trace of emotion in his heart. He knew that he was getting old, and he also knew that in this world where force was respected, young power was more highly valued. But he still adheres to his beliefs and proves his worth with practical actions.
Even so, this unspeakable cold war between Guan Yu and Huang Zhong still lasted in the Shu army. Although there is no obvious conflict, this hidden tension has always hung over the two veterans.
Second, the epiphany under the Dingjun Mountain
In the long river of history, the battle of Dingjun Mountain is a key showdown. The sun shone on the rugged mountain terrain, and the two armies faced each other, and the atmosphere was tense and dignified. Huang Zhong, as a veteran of Shu Han, faced Xiahou Yuan, a brave general in the Wei army. Xiahou Yuan, known for his bravery, immediately held a spear, and his eyes revealed an unyielding fighting spirit.
At the beginning of the battle, Huang Zhong drove the war horse, held a longbow, and observed the movements of the enemy army with sharp eyes. Xiahou Yuan led the cavalry to charge, and in the dust, the two armies were intertwined, and the battle became more and more intense. Huang Zhong noticed that although Xiahou Yuan was brave, his decision-making on the battlefield seemed to rely too much on Cao Cao's orders and lacked the ability to be flexible and adaptable.
Taking advantage of this, Huang Zhong began to adjust his tactics. He ordered the archers to hide in the complex terrain and take advantage of the terrain to make targeted shots. Although Xiahou Yuan's cavalry was strong, it gradually fell into trouble in the complex terrain.
The battle entered the white-hot stage, and Huang Zhong personally rushed into the enemy formation and engaged in close combat with Xiahou Yuan. The duel between the two generals on the battlefield is like a contest between two fierce beasts, which is both fierce and full of tactical contests. At this moment, Huang Zhong's experience and wisdom began to gain the upper hand. He skillfully used Xiahou Yuan's shortcomings and gradually suppressed the opponent's combat effectiveness.
As the battle progressed, the Shu army began to gradually gain the upper hand. Huang Zhong commanded the army with determination, and his every dispatch appeared precise and effective. Eventually, after a fierce clash, Huang Zhong managed to break through Xiahou Yuan's defenses and win this crucial victory for the Shu army.
After the war, when Huang Zhong stood on the battlefield and looked around, there were corpses all over the field, and he took a deep breath. He began to reflect on the battle, realizing that although he had won tactically, his actions throughout the campaign were mostly dependent on the instructions of his superiors and lacked the ability to think independently. This understanding made Huang Zhong think new about his tactics and fighting methods.
After the battle, Huang Zhong returned to the barracks, although his face still carried the joy of victory, but there was a deeper thought in his heart. He began to realize that as a veteran, in addition to being brave, he should also develop the ability to judge independently and deal with complex situations.
3. The contest between courage and strategy
This realization prompted Huang Zhong to begin to adjust his fighting style. He no longer relied solely on individual strength and courage, but paid more attention to the use of tactics and the coordination of the team. During the training, Huang Zhong began to emphasize the soldiers' formation changes and immediate reactions on the battlefield, as well as how to make the best decisions in different combat situations.
In the following campaign, Huang Zhong's transformation began to bear fruit. He is able to flexibly adjust his tactics according to the enemy's movements, and is no longer simply charging into battle. Under his leadership, his troops have become more agile and efficient, capable of unexpectedly combating at critical moments.
At the same time, Huang Zhong also began to pay attention to the overall quality improvement of the army. He encouraged soldiers to learn and think about tactics and develop their ability to fight independently. Huang Zhong himself has also continued to study and research, draw lessons and lessons from historical battles, and constantly improve his military command ability.
This profound change not only improved Huang Zhong's personal combat skills, but more importantly, enhanced the combat effectiveness of the entire unit. They became better and better on the battlefield and began to gain the upper hand in many encounters with the Wei army.
Over time, Huang Zhong's military prowess was widely recognized by his colleagues and superiors. He is no longer just a fierce veteran, but a brilliant commander with both resourcefulness and bravery. His troops also became an important force in the Shu Han army.
Fourth, Guan Yu's inner prejudice
And Guan Yu's prejudice against Huang Zhong is not only the fact that Huang Zhong is dull in battle, but also goes back to when Guan Yu attacked Changsha, which was the first time he heard of Huang Zhong's name. Huang Zhong, a veteran who is more than half a hundred years old, although he is well-known in the Shu army, in Guan Yu's eyes, he is just an ordinary soldier who is old and weak. Guan Yu's view is not an isolated case in the Shu army, after all, in that era of emphasizing force and young strength, older generals are often not favored.
However, Huang Zhong is no ordinary veteran. In the actual confrontation, Huang Zhong showed strength and skill on par with that of his youth. In the Battle of Changsha, Guan Yu was truly aware of Huang Zhong's combat effectiveness for the first time. Huang Zhong galloped across the battlefield, his archery was extremely accurate, and every arrow was directed at the enemy's vital point. He is agile and not inferior even in the face of young generals, and even surpasses them in some aspects.
Guan Yu witnessed Huang Zhong's bravery on the battlefield and began to realize that his contempt might be wrong. Huang Zhong's performance was in stark contrast to Guan Yu's previous expectations. In the course of the confrontation, Guan Yu tried a variety of tactics, but Huang Zhong was always able to deal with them skillfully, and even made Guan Yu feel pressure at certain moments.
This situation gradually spread among the Shu army, and the soldiers' evaluation of Huang Zhong gradually improved, and their perception of Guan Yu began to change. Guan Yu's image in the Shu army has always been a brave and invincible god of war, but in the confrontation with Huang Zhong, he was unable to win easily, which affected Guan Yu's prestige in the army to a certain extent.
After the Battle of Changsha, Guan Yu's attitude towards Huang Zhong changed subtly. Although he still kept a certain distance, he no longer completely ignored Huang Zhong's existence as before. Although Guan Yu is still prejudiced in his heart, he also has to admit that Huang Zhong's strength should not be underestimated.
5. The glory and challenge of the five tiger generals
With the victory of one battle after another, Huang Zhong's military talent was recognized by Liu Bei. His experience, bravery, and skill in battle, especially in many battles against Cao Wei's army, made him gradually rise to prominence in the Shu Han army.
In the process, Huang Zhong's status rose steadily. He was not only an elderly general, but also a wise and courageous leader who was trusted by the soldiers. His record and performance made him one of the core figures in the Shu Han army. In the end, Huang Zhong was officially appointed by Liu Bei as one of the five tiger generals of Shu Han, and became the top military general of Shu Han along with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, and Zhao Yun.
This change caused quite a stir in the Shu Han army. Especially for Guan Yu, this is a reality that is difficult to accept. In Guan Yu's mind, he has always been an invincible military general under Liu Bei, and now, he has to share such glory with an older general, and Guan Yu is actually very dissatisfied with this period of time.
However, the soldiers around Guan Yu, including his brothers Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun and others, all saw Huang Zhong's extraordinary. They conveyed to Guan Yu their respect for Huang Zhong, showing that even in his old age, Huang Zhong was still an indispensable force in the Shu Han army. These words, although simple, gradually influenced Guan Yu's thinking.
In such an environment, Guan Yu's mentality began to slowly change. He began to realize that it was no accident that Huang Zhong was able to receive such a high evaluation and status. Huang Zhong's performance on the battlefield, his wisdom and courage, are all obvious. Guan Yu gradually realized that Huang Zhong's success was not a challenge to his position, but a manifestation of the strength of the Shu Han army.
At this time, Huang Zhong, his name has been sung in the Shu Han army. From soldiers to generals, there is a lot of respect for this elderly general. Every time Huang Zhong goes out, there will be countless soldiers willing to follow. They are not only because of Huang Zhong's record, but also because of Huang Zhong's care and guidance for them.
In this process, the relationship between Guan Yu and Huang Zhong has gradually changed. Guan Yu no longer kept his distance from Huang Zhong as before, but began to respect and accept the older general. In battle after battle, the two even began to collaborate, merging their forces together to fight together for the victory of Shu Han.
Huang Zhong's persistence and hard work not only won the respect of the Shu army, but also made Guan Yu re-examine this elderly comrade-in-arms. In the long history of Shu Han, Huang Zhong's name was remembered along with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, and Zhao Yun, and they became the legend of Shu Han together.
《三国演义》