Buzz
The Xich Tho horse is considered a crucial weapon for Quan Vu on the battlefield. Without it, can anyone overcome this renowned commander?
'Times of turmoil breed heroes' is a famous phrase that resonates with the Three Kingdoms period. It was an era filled with chaos yet also produced numerous heroes and exceptional talents rarely found elsewhere. Alongside cunning strategists and skilled advisors, this era boasted many adept warriors such as La Bo, Quan Vu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, ...
In 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms', following the demise of the 'god of war' La Bo, Quan Vu rose as one of the foremost generals with a string of remarkable achievements like defeating Nhan Luong, Van Xu, and slaying six generals across five passes,... The Xich Tho horse played a significant role in these exploits. Assuming Quan Vu lacked Xich Tho, undoubtedly, his combat prowess would greatly diminish. So, who could possibly defeat Quan Vu?
The answer lies with these 4 formidable generals.
Firstly, La Bo.
Lã Bố, also known as Phụng Tiên, emerged as a renowned military general in the late Eastern Han era. During his time, Lã Bố was celebrated throughout the realm for his mighty martial arts skills and expertise in horseback riding and archery. A saying of the period went, 'Where there's Lã Bố, there's Xích Thố' indicating the exceptional prowess of both Lã Bố and his trusted warhorse, Xích Thố.
According to Romance of the Three Kingdoms, in the year 190, amidst the coalition of eighteen lords assembled under the leadership of Yuan Shao to punish Dong Zhuo, Lã Bố had already become a feared figure.
At Tiger Cage Pass, within just five bouts, Lã Bố (then serving under Dong Zhuo) had slain Phương Duyệt. Subsequently, troops from Wu'an State launched an assault, but could only withstand a few bouts before being severely injured by Lã Bố. Công Tôn Toản attempted to counter, but was quickly forced to retreat. Lã Bố emerged victorious in successive battles, virtually invincible.
Later, as Lã Bố pursued Công Tôn Toản, Trương Phi unexpectedly charged into the fray. The two engaged in a fierce battle for fifty bouts without a clear victor. Witnessing this, Quan Vũ rushed to assist. Both Trương Phi and Quan Vũ were formidable adversaries individually, yet even after thirty bouts against Lã Bố, they couldn't gain the upper hand.
Eventually, Lưu Bị joined the fray. The three joined forces to combat Lã Bố, a battle later dubbed the 'Three Brothers' Battle Against Lã Bố'. Under the coordinated attack of the trio, Lã Bố found an opportunity to strike Lưu Bị successfully and then seized the chance to retreat.
From the battle at Tiger Cage Pass, it's evident that in a one-on-one duel, Quan Vũ wouldn't match Lã Bố. Even without his horse Xích Thố, Lã Bố would still prove too formidable for Quan Vũ to overcome.
Secondly, Triệu Vân
Triệu Vân, also known as Tử Long, was a prominent general in the late Eastern Han and Three Kingdoms period. He was known for his mighty martial skills, strategic prowess, and unwavering loyalty to the Shu Han faction.
Among the 24 generals of the Three Kingdoms era, Triệu Vân ranked second, just behind Lã Bố. One of his greatest strengths was his resilience and proficiency in prolonged battles.
Specifically, in the year 208, after clashing with Cao Cao's forces at Duong Duong, Truong Ban, where Liu Bei suffered defeat and had to retreat southward, Triệu Vân ordered the remaining troops to follow Liu Bei, while he alone charged into Cao Cao's fortified positions to locate Liu Bei's family. Triệu Vân, with unparalleled bravery, ventured alone into the midst of Cao Cao's forces to rescue Liu Bei's son, A Đẩu.
After this battle, Triệu Vân's remarkable combat abilities became evident. In reality, Triệu Vân never engaged in combat with Quan Vũ. However, with his flexibility and rich battlefield experience, Triệu Vân could single-handedly duel with Quan Vũ for an extended period. This battle could last hundreds of bouts, with victory potentially leaning towards Triệu Vân.
Thirdly, Nhan Lương
Nhan Lương served as a skilled general under the command of Viên Thiệu during the Eastern Han and Three Kingdoms periods. In the year 200, at the Battle of Bạch Mã, Nhan Lương swiftly defeated the generals Ngụy Tục, Tống Hiến, and vanquished Từ Hoảng in just 20 bouts. This sent shivers down the spines of the commanders under Tào Tháo's command.
Subsequently, under the orders of Tào Tháo, Quan Vũ, riding his horse Xích Thố, unexpectedly charged and swiftly struck down Nhan Lương while the latter was still unprepared to defend. The method Quan Vũ used to kill Nhan Lương was quite unexpected. Therefore, if the two were to engage in a fair one-on-one duel, even though Quan Vũ rode Xích Thố, he would only manage to hold his own against Nhan Lương. Conversely, if Quan Vũ did not ride Xích Thố and fought fairly, he might be defeated by Nhan Lương.
Fourthly, Văn Xú
Văn Xú was a general under the command of Viên Thiệu, with combat abilities second only to Nhan Lương. According to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, at the Battle of Bạch Mã, after Nhan Lương's demise, Văn Xú was also unexpectedly slain by Quan Vũ. At that time, Văn Xú was engaged in battle, pushing back the generals of Tào Tháo, Trương Liêu, and Từ Hoảng with his archery skills. Although he managed to defeat Trương Liêu and Từ Hoảng, his strength had already waned by then.
At that moment, Quan Vũ led more than 10 cavalrymen in a surprise charge. The result was that within less than 3 bouts, Văn Xú found himself in a precarious situation and had to turn his horse and flee. Unfortunately, Văn Xú's warhorse was too slow compared to Quan Vũ's Xích Thố. As a result, Quan Vũ swiftly caught up on his horse and struck down Văn Xú.
From this, it can be seen that besides being exhausted from battling Trương Liêu and Từ Hoảng, the reason Văn Xú was easily slain by Quan Vũ was also due to the inferiority of his horse. Thus, if there were no Xích Thố and a fair one-on-one duel with Văn Xú, victory might not necessarily have leaned towards Quan Vũ.
Source reference: Baidu, 163
