During the late Eastern Han Dynasty, the strategist Zhuge Liang advised Liu Bei, 'We must seize Jingzhou (modern Hunan and Hubei) and Yizhou (modern Sichuan), win over the southwestern tribal leaders, ally with Sun Quan against Cao Cao, and then unify the realm.' Liu Bei adopted this plan, setting the stage for the Three Kingdoms era.
In 213 AD, Liu Bei left Zhuge Liang to guard Jingzhou while he led his army to attack Yizhou. The following year, Zhuge Liang also marched to support Liu Bei by assaulting Luo City. Recognizing Zhang Ren as a renowned Yizhou general with exceptional courage and strategy, Zhuge Liang warned his officers, "Zhang Ren is no ordinary foe—we must not underestimate him." He devised a plan to capture Zhang Ren first, then take the city. Zhuge Liang ordered Huang Zhong and Wei Yan to ambush near the Golden Wild Goose Bridge east of Luo City, instructing them, "Lure him here, and we will take him alive."
With his plan set, Zhuge Liang personally went to lure Zhang Ren into a trap. Riding a four-wheeled carriage and waving a feather fan, he led a disorderly troop of soldiers across the Jinyan Bridge to face Zhang Ren. Pointing at his opponent, Zhuge Liang declared, "Even Cao Cao with his million-strong army fled at the sound of my name. Who do you think you are, daring to refuse surrender?" Seeing Zhuge Liang's ragged formation, Zhang Ren sneered from his horse, "Everyone says Zhuge Liang deploys troops like a god, but it's all a false reputation!" With that, he raised his spear and charged with his entire force. Zhuge Liang abandoned his carriage, mounted a horse, and retreated across the bridge. Zhang Ren, unaware of the trap, pursued him. Once across the Jinyan Bridge, Zhang Ren found ambushes on both sides and realized his mistake. Turning back, he saw the bridge had been destroyed, and he was eventually captured alive by Zhang Fei. Liu Bei urged Zhang Ren to surrender, but Zhang Ren glared and roared, "A loyal minister would never serve two masters!" Refusing to yield and cursing loudly, he was executed on Zhuge Liang's orders.
Liu Bei sighed deeply and ordered his men to retrieve the body, burying it beside the Golden Wild Goose Bridge as a tribute to the fallen warrior's unwavering loyalty and righteousness.
Later, the idiom "Using Troops Like a God" came to describe military command with divine foresight.
Source: *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "用兵如神" came to describe military command with divine foresight.