Wei Yan
Wei Yan (?–234AD), also known as Wenchang, born in Yiyang (present day Wubo of Henan), was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He followed Liu Bei to the Sichuang and won Liu’s trust for his brilliant performance in the war. After Liu declared himself Big King Hanzhong, he was appointed General Duhanzhong Zhenyaun, also the prefecture chief of Hanzhong. After the foundation of Shu Han, he was promoted to General Zhenbei. He followed Zhuge Liang in the Northern Campaign, and defeated General Guo Huo of Wei. For this he was promoted to Great General Zhengxi. Many times, he offered the famous Ziwu Valley Plan to assail Chang’an, but was refused by the prudent Zhuge. He was resentful and believed that his talents were not being used to their full potential. After the death of Zhuge, he was dissatisfied with Yang Yi, the leader after Zhuge, and to cut off the Shu retreat, he burned the gallery roads and attacked Yang Yi. His troops, however, refused to obey him, and he was slain by Ma Dai.
Ma Su
Ma Su (190 – 228AD), also known as Youchang, was born in Yicheng of Xiangyang (present day Yicheng of Hubei). He was the younger brother of the Shu advisor, Ma Liang. He followed Liu Bei to Sichuan, and was appointed as Ling of Mianzhu and Chengdu, prefecture chief of Yuegui. Ma Su was made a personal military consultant by Zhuge Liang, the Prime Minister of Shu. Ma Su had extraordinary talents for military strategy, and was admired by Zhuge. The two would often hold discussions from dawn to dusk. Jiang Wan, the Prime Minister of Zhuge also praised Ma Su as “a person of intelligence.” In the Northern Expeditions launched by Zhuge, Ma Su made a serious tactical blunder that led to the loss of Jieting. He was executed by Zhuge Liang.
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