Guo Lun was born of tribal race,
A horseman fierce in western frontier's space.
Cast adrift, at first he bore no blame,
By drifting years, he's bent with age and lame.
In Jiazhou now a year has passed,
He sees me, tears unceasing, vast.
He says himself, a general's son,
In youth learned how the bow was spun.
Grown up, he met the western strife,
Rode forth to save the border's life.
With eighteen-foot spear in hand he'd fight,
Where'er he went, like piercing light.
His life was spent in bitter war,
Met mighty foes, time and once more.
Once at Dingchuan Fort, it's said,
Bandits like swarms of bees were spread.
Ten thousand riders round their chief,
Who called himself Lord Bai, in brief.
He swung his troops, took off the head,
The blood was blurred and foully red.
Victory raised the soldiers' cheer,
Charging the foe like whirlwind sheer.
Those simple felt-clad generals there,
Believed not in his courage rare.
From far they lured with tempting word,
One arrow struck, his chest was stirred.
Close combat in a deadly place,
Sun set, the dust veiled sky's grim face.
He galloped back, no rest he took,
The horse's mouth held broken hook.
Who'd think this eight-foot frame of might,
Escaped from myriad deaths' dark night?
Then southern rebels rose in strife,
Urgent dispatches sped through life.
He led his troops to peril dire,
No miasmal fog could quell his fire.
Passing through Hezhou's town, he found
A lonely place, no soul around.
Climbed battlements, saw wilderness,
Entered and held, built walls to press.
Suddenly rebel troops came down,
With countless schemes to burn the town.
Three days they could not breach the wall,
Relief arrived, and saved them all.
Through rugged paths, he gained some fame,
But marshals differed in his name.
No reward for his deeds was shown,
Haggard he fell to Ba-Cong's zone.
All's done, who'd trust his words anew?
Speaking of this, his anger grew.
I never knew Guo Lun before,
Hearing this, my face turned sore.
One man alone, what can he say?
I fear for heroes' mournful way.
This is not Jie Zitui, who'd spurn
All thought of merit in return.
Guo Lun has never known defeat,
Use him as vanguard, strong and fleet.