Before many days it was announced that the rebellion had actually broken out, and a Yellow Scarves chieftain, Cheng Yuanzhi, had invaded the region with a body of fifty thousand rebels.
不数日，人报黄巾贼将程远志统兵五万来犯涿郡。
Liu Yan bade Zhou Jing and the three brothers to go out to oppose them with the five hundred troops.
刘焉令邹靖引玄德等三人，统兵五百，前去破敌。
Liu Bei joyfully undertook to lead the van and marched to the foot of the Daxing Hills where they saw the rebels.
玄德等欣然领军前进，直至大兴山下，与贼相见。
The rebels wore their hair flying about their shoulders, and their foreheads were bound with yellow scarves.
贼众皆披发，以黄巾抹额。
When the two armies had been drawn up opposite each other, Liu Bei rode to the front, GuanYu to his left, Zhang Fei to his right.
当下两军相对，玄德出马，左有云长，右有翼德，
Flourishing his whip,Liu Bei began to hurl reproaches at the rebels, crying, “O malcontents! Why not dismount and be bound?”
扬鞭大骂：“反国逆贼，何不早降！”
Their leader Cheng Yuanzhi, full of rage, sent out one general, Deng Mao, to begin the battle.
程远志大怒，遣副将邓茂出战。
At once rode forward Zhang Fei, his serpent halberd poised to strike. One thrust and Deng Mao rolled off his horse, pierced through the heart.
张飞挺丈八蛇矛直出，手起处，刺中邓茂心窝，翻身落马。
Seeing this, Cheng Yuanzhi himself whipped up his steed and rode forth with sword raised ready to slay Zhang Fei.
程远志见折了邓茂，拍马舞刀，直取张飞。
But Guan Yu swung up his ponderous green-dragon saber and rode at Cheng Yuanzhi. At the sight,fear seized upon Cheng Yuanzhi, and before he could defend himself, the great saber fell, cutting him in halves.
云长舞动大刀，纵马飞迎。程远志见了，早吃一惊，措手不及，被云长刀起处，挥为两段。
Two heroes new to war’s alarms, Ride boldly forth to try their arms.Their doughty deeds three kingdoms tell,And poets sing how these befell.
后人有诗赞二人曰：英雄露颖在今朝，一试矛兮一试刀。初出便将威力展，三分好把姓名标。
Their leade rfallen, the rebels threw away their weapons and fled.
众贼见程远志被斩，皆倒戈而走。
The official soldiers dashed in among them. Many thousands surrendered and the victory was complete. Thus this part of the rebellion was broken up.
玄德挥军追赶，投降者不计其数，大胜而回。
On their return,Liu Yan personally met them and distributed rewards.
刘焉亲自迎接，赏劳军士。
But the next day,letters came from Imperial Protector Gong Jing of Qingzhou Region saying that the rebels were laying siege to the chief city and it was near falling. Help was needed quickly.
次日，接得青州太守龚景牒文，言黄巾贼围城将陷，乞赐救援。刘焉与玄德商议。
“I will go,” said Liu Bei as soon as he heard the news.
玄德曰：“备愿往救之。”
And he set out at once with his own soldiers, reinforced by a body of five thousand under Zhou Jing.
刘焉令邹靖将兵五千，同玄德、关、张，投青州来。
The rebels, seeing help coming, at once attacked most fiercely. The relieving force being comparatively small could not prevail and retired some ten miles, where they made a camp.
贼众见救军至，分兵混战。玄德兵寡不胜，退三十里下寨。
“They are many and we but few,” said Liu Bei to his brothers. “We can only beat them by superior strategy.”
玄德谓关、张曰：“贼众我寡；必出奇兵，方可取胜。”
So they prepared an ambush. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, each with a goodly party, went behind the hills, right and left, and there hid. When the gongs beat they were to move out to support the main army.
乃分关公引一千军伏山左，张飞引一千军伏山右，鸣金为号，齐出接应。