Observing the history of the Three Kingdoms, there is no shortage of peerless warriors such as Wolong and Phoenix Chicks, Guo Jia, Cheng Yu, and Jia Xu, as well as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Dian Wei, Xu Chu, Xiahou, Cao Ren and other generals of the bear and tiger. However, it is indisputable that the supreme principle of tactics is self-preservation and the elimination of the enemy. Those who seek to start a business in troubled times, if they lack the awareness to protect themselves, are likely to die prematurely and fail. Therefore, close guards are particularly important. In the history of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei's personal bodyguard was quite mysterious, and his official position even surpassed Zhuge Liang, and he assisted Liu Bei for 35 years. This character is Chen Dao, but his name is not well known to the world, mainly because of the mystery of his identity.
Chen Zhi, whose name is Shuzhi, was born in Runan County, Yuzhou. When Liu Bei was in Yuzhou, he became Liu Bei's subordinate, and then participated in Liu Bei's various campaigns. In Liu Bei's army, his status was often compared to that of Zhao Yun, who was known for his loyalty and bravery. Chen arrived earlier than Zhao Yun followed Liu Bei. In the first year of Xingping, Xuzhou Mu Taoqian recommended Liu Bei as the assassin of Yuzhou and asked him to garrison Xiaopei. Two years later, Liu Bei defected to Cao Cao and was appointed as the pastor of Yuzhou, and it was at this time that Chen Zhi defected to Liu Bei.
Since then, Chen Zhi has always followed Liu Bei and never left his side. Although Chen is low-key, his strength cannot be ignored. The State of Shu has a special army, although the number is not large, only about 700 people, but it is the elite of the elite, and the strength is very strong. This personal guard established by Chen Zhi was called "Bai Yu" and became the last line of defense for Liu Bei's life. Before the establishment of the Shu Han regime, Liu Bei had been in a state of wandering, facing danger to his life at any time. And during this long period of exile, Bai Yu has spared no effort to protect Liu Bei's safety.
Chen Zhi and Bai Yu soldiers guarded Liu Bei until Liu Bei died of illness. After Liu Bei's death, Chen Zhi quickly emerged, and his identity changed from the original secret to a semi-public local official, and his status surpassed Zhao Yun and became an important military figure in the Shu Han regime. Although Chen Zhi is not mentioned in the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", his traces can still be found in the official history, and he is recorded in at least two places in the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", and his existence is also mentioned in the "Zhuge Liang Collection" compiled by Chen Shou during the Wei and Jin dynasties.
At that time, Shu Han and Eastern Wu formed a bond due to the dispute over Jingzhou and the burning of the company camp, and the relationship was very tense. Liu Bei suffered a major defeat, not only did he die in the White Emperor City, but also almost exhausted the strength of Shu Han. Facing an existential crisis, Chen Zhi, as an important surviving general in the Shu Han army, was appointed as the Taishou of Yong'an and led the troops to conquer Eastern Wu with his rich combat experience and deep understanding of Eastern Wu.
Yong'an is located at the junction of Wu and Shu, and is an important gateway to Wu State, and its geographical location is very critical. The army led by Chen Zhi was still the Bai Yu soldiers of Liu Bei's period, and this move had a deterrent effect on Eastern Wu, so that the Wu-Shu border remained relatively peaceful for many years. This shows Chen Zhi's ability and prestige. Later, Chen Zhi was promoted to the governor of Yong'an and the general of Zhengxi. Zhuge Liang mentioned in a letter to his brother Zhuge Jin: "The troops led by Chen Zhi are the white soldiers of the first emperor's period, and they are Western soldiers. This is undoubtedly a warning from Zhuge Liang to Eastern Wu.
Since Chen Zhi followed Liu Bei in Yuzhou, he has been fighting on the battlefield all his life, and participated in major battles that determined Liu Bei's fate, such as the Battle of Longboard, the Battle of Chibi, the Battle of Yizhou, and the Battle of Hanzhong. It can be said that he was a veritable founding father and veteran, but due to the special nature of his work, his exploits were destined to go unnoticed. Chen Zhi is a forgotten general, a general who faithfully performs his duties, and a figure who has attracted much attention.
According to modern research, there is a view that Luo Guanzhong's description of Zhao Yun in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is partly based on Chen Zhi's deeds. Therefore, the image of Zhao Yun that is widely circulated among the people is actually a combination of the historical images of Chen Zhi and Zhao Yun. With the continuous in-depth excavation of history, Chen Zhi's image of this "mysterious" Bai Yuxiao will gradually become clearer.
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