Huang Tianhua and Jiang Ziya

When Huang Tianhua first reached Western Qi at his master’s order, Huang Feihu had already taken office in the Zhou camp, and Jiang Ziya put the young adept on the jade qilin into the vanguard. Huang Tianhua met Shang officers below the walls with the Moye Sword, the Fire-Dragon Dart and the Heart-Piercing Nails, and reported back to the tent after every victory.

He was hot-tempered and went out alone several times before Jiang Ziya had finished his dispositions, so that Jiang Ziya set Nezha and Yang Jian to support him and keep him from being surrounded. On the eastern march he often took the first engagement and reported the strength inside a pass once he had crossed its wall. At Jinji Ridge, seeing Gao Jineng come out of Kong Xuan’s camp, Jiang Ziya named Huang Tianhua for the field.

Stung by the insects of the centipede-wasp bag, he lost his bearings on his mount and was run through by Gao Jineng’s spear. Jiang Ziya withdrew, had the body brought back, and held a funeral for him in the army, and only then did the vanguard get a new commander.