(header graphic is from the game Sango Fighter, which is not Destiny of an Emperor II but is based on the same historical story)
This game is not actually a sequel, since Destiny of an Emperor I tells the same story. It tells the story of the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. Legend says that Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei swore an oath in a peach orchard to become brothers and restore the Han.
The first game featured many great innovations for RPGs of its time. Here are a few of them:
Unfortunately people unfamiliar with Chinese history (or China, for that matter) found the game difficult to play because all the names are transliterated from Chinese. For instance the best water tactic is called Shui Long, which means “water dragon.” An English speaker wouldn't know this and would be like “WTF is a Shui Long?” As such the game fell into obscurity and the sequel never saw light in the United States.
The second installment starts with the battle against Yuan Shu, who is claiming the Han throne because he happened to find the Imperial Seal. It goes from there until Liu Bei takes the Han throne at the end (which didn't happen in history). DoaE II featured some more innovations, such as formations – you were able to set your army up in a formation that granted you special abilities, such as increased offense/decreased defense or increased speed. I like the second game much better and, thanks to the folks at Magic Destiny, the game is fan-translated in English for us to play.
So here's my shrine on Destiny of an Emperor II: The Legend of Zhu Ge Liang.
In an alternate reality, this is an excerpt from a textbook on ancient China…
Prologue: The Three Brothers Begin their Quest
In the late Han Dynasty, turmoil spread across the land. The imperial family was slowly losing power and the Yellow Scarves began a rebellion. In the midst of this, three men rose to restore the Han Dynasty and quell the unrest.
These were Liu Bei, a scion of the imperial family; Guan Yu, a master of both martial arts and scholarship; and Zhang Fei, whose strength rivaled that of a small army. Each also wielded a distinct weapon – Liu Bei with double swords, Guan Yu with the Qing Long saber, and Zhang Fei with his Snake Spear. Together they vowed that although they were not related by blood, they would henceforth be known as brothers. They hoped to die at the same time, though they were born on different times. And finally, they vowed to restore the Han Dynasty and bring the Middle Kingdom back to peacetime.
Pictures of this legendary oath were collected:
This game is not actually a sequel, since Destiny of an Emperor I tells the same story. It tells the story of the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. Legend says that Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei swore an oath in a peach orchard to become brothers and restore the Han.
The first game featured many great innovations for RPGs of its time. Here are a few of them:
- Gullwings – these allow you to teleport to any city you've been to, meaning you don't need to walk all over the map repeatedly just to go back to somewhere.
- Recruitment – before Pokémon, this allowed you to convert enemy generals to your side. Usually this feature was useless, since any general really worth having joined you through the story, but it was an innovation nevertheless.
- All-out – this command allowed you to put a battle on autopilot, meaning as you got stronger you could auto-fight through weak enemies rather than having to sit there and input commands.
- Health and power – as a unit's HP got low, its ability to fight went down. This makes sense in-game because your HP was actually the number of soldiers under your command, but it would've made sense in the traditional sense too.
Unfortunately people unfamiliar with Chinese history (or China, for that matter) found the game difficult to play because all the names are transliterated from Chinese. For instance the best water tactic is called Shui Long, which means “water dragon.” An English speaker wouldn't know this and would be like “WTF is a Shui Long?” As such the game fell into obscurity and the sequel never saw light in the United States.
The second installment starts with the battle against Yuan Shu, who is claiming the Han throne because he happened to find the Imperial Seal. It goes from there until Liu Bei takes the Han throne at the end (which didn't happen in history). DoaE II featured some more innovations, such as formations – you were able to set your army up in a formation that granted you special abilities, such as increased offense/decreased defense or increased speed. I like the second game much better and, thanks to the folks at Magic Destiny, the game is fan-translated in English for us to play.
So here's my shrine on Destiny of an Emperor II: The Legend of Zhu Ge Liang.
In an alternate reality, this is an excerpt from a textbook on ancient China…
Prologue: The Three Brothers Begin their Quest
In the late Han Dynasty, turmoil spread across the land. The imperial family was slowly losing power and the Yellow Scarves began a rebellion. In the midst of this, three men rose to restore the Han Dynasty and quell the unrest.
These were Liu Bei, a scion of the imperial family; Guan Yu, a master of both martial arts and scholarship; and Zhang Fei, whose strength rivaled that of a small army. Each also wielded a distinct weapon – Liu Bei with double swords, Guan Yu with the Qing Long saber, and Zhang Fei with his Snake Spear. Together they vowed that although they were not related by blood, they would henceforth be known as brothers. They hoped to die at the same time, though they were born on different times. And finally, they vowed to restore the Han Dynasty and bring the Middle Kingdom back to peacetime.
Pictures of this legendary oath were collected:
Joining up with like-minded people who had more resources, such as the ambitious Cao Cao, the three brothers fought against Zhang Jue's Yellow Scarves and defeated the rebels. They then joined a coalition of warlords who were fighting to defeat Dong Zhuo, who was trying to usurp the throne. Dong Zhuo was eventually defeated when they pit his adopted son, the freakishly strong Lu Bu, against him.
But the crisis was not over, not by a long shot. Cao Cao, an ambitious warlord himself, had taken over the capital and controlled the Emperor behind the throne. And Yuan Shu, another warlord, somehow got possession of the Imperial Seal, allowing him to claim the throne as well.
In response to Cao Cao, the Emperor and his advisor, Dong Cheng, drew up a secret decree hidden in a girdle to ally against Cao Cao. Liu Bei was one of the people who signed the decree, as he had no wish to see another usurper to the throne. But, Cao Cao's power at court was such that he had authority over all, including Liu Bei, which put him in immense danger.
Chapter 1: Pursuing Yuan Shu and Fleeing Cao Cao
Cao Cao decided to move against Yuan Shu. To this end he sent Liu Bei and his 2 brothers, along with 2 of his loyal generals Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao. A photograph from the era commemorates the three brothers leaving Xu Zhou to pursue Yuan Shu.
But the crisis was not over, not by a long shot. Cao Cao, an ambitious warlord himself, had taken over the capital and controlled the Emperor behind the throne. And Yuan Shu, another warlord, somehow got possession of the Imperial Seal, allowing him to claim the throne as well.
In response to Cao Cao, the Emperor and his advisor, Dong Cheng, drew up a secret decree hidden in a girdle to ally against Cao Cao. Liu Bei was one of the people who signed the decree, as he had no wish to see another usurper to the throne. But, Cao Cao's power at court was such that he had authority over all, including Liu Bei, which put him in immense danger.
Chapter 1: Pursuing Yuan Shu and Fleeing Cao Cao
Cao Cao decided to move against Yuan Shu. To this end he sent Liu Bei and his 2 brothers, along with 2 of his loyal generals Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao. A photograph from the era commemorates the three brothers leaving Xu Zhou to pursue Yuan Shu.
Liu Bei led this force against Yuan Shu, who was fleeing north to his brother, Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao was one of the most powerful warlords of the time, commanding an army that gave even Cao Cao pause.
Liu Bei quickly overtook Yuan Shu's generals Ji Ling, Liang Ji, and Liang Gan. Ji Ling's forces were routed and the forces led by Yuan Yin, Chen Lan, and Li Feng were not far behind. And soon Liu Bei had caught up to Yuan Shu and the decisive battle was set:
Liu Bei quickly overtook Yuan Shu's generals Ji Ling, Liang Ji, and Liang Gan. Ji Ling's forces were routed and the forces led by Yuan Yin, Chen Lan, and Li Feng were not far behind. And soon Liu Bei had caught up to Yuan Shu and the decisive battle was set:
Though Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao's forces were defeated in the battle, Liu Bei's army was victorious in the end. He recovered the Imperial Seal and returned to Xu Zhou. But in the meantime, Cao Cao had discovered the Girdle Decree and ordered Liu Bei executed. Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao left Liu Bei's forces and Che Zhou, another of Cao Cao's generals, engaged the three brothers. He was quickly defeated and Liu Bei was forced to flee the castle. In the ensuing chaos, the three brothers were separated. Guan Yu was forced to continue serving Cao Cao and Zhang Fei went off to lead his own army.
Liu Bei was joined by an advisor, Chen Deng, who suggested they go to Zheng Xuan, a renowned hermit to the north, to ask him for an introduction letter to Yuan Shao. Then they would go join Yuan Shao and thereby have protection against Cao Cao. The letter was necessary because, well, Liu Bei had just killed his brother.
Chapter 2: The Brothers Reunite
Fleeing north, Liu Bei successfully met up with Yuan Shao. Reading Zheng Xuan's letter, Yuan Shao decided to accept Liu Bei and send him to attack Cao Cao. To this end he put one of his best generals, Yan Liang, under Liu Bei's command. Liu Bei then returned south toward Xu Zhou.
Yan Liang proceeded to destroy Cao Cao's first two forces guarding the pass to Xu Zhou:
Liu Bei was joined by an advisor, Chen Deng, who suggested they go to Zheng Xuan, a renowned hermit to the north, to ask him for an introduction letter to Yuan Shao. Then they would go join Yuan Shao and thereby have protection against Cao Cao. The letter was necessary because, well, Liu Bei had just killed his brother.
Chapter 2: The Brothers Reunite
Fleeing north, Liu Bei successfully met up with Yuan Shao. Reading Zheng Xuan's letter, Yuan Shao decided to accept Liu Bei and send him to attack Cao Cao. To this end he put one of his best generals, Yan Liang, under Liu Bei's command. Liu Bei then returned south toward Xu Zhou.
Yan Liang proceeded to destroy Cao Cao's first two forces guarding the pass to Xu Zhou:
At the third gate, however, a mysterious warrior showed up with 3000 troops and killed Yan Liang in one hit. Liu Bei quickly retreated. Back at Ji Zhou, Yuan Shao sent Wen Chou to avenge Yan Liang. Wen Chou returned to the third pass and was killed just as quickly as Yan Liang was.
As Liu Bei was retreating, he overheard the enemy being referred to as "Lord Guan." Realizing that this mysterious warrior was, in fact, Guan Yu, he returned to Ji Zhou and convinced Yuan Shao to send a messenger to Guan Yu telling him where Liu Bei was.
Receiving the message, Guan Yu quickly left Cao Cao's forces to rejoin his brother. Unfortunately his generals weren't too keen on letting him leave, so Guan Yu killed them. He killed 6 generals in total going from Cao Cao's domain to Yuan Shao's. In the end, he met up with Zhang Fei and proved that he was not loyal to Cao Cao by killing the sixth general, Cai Yang.
Reunited, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei recruited two more generals into their army – Zhao Yun, a powerful warrior and friend of Liu Bei, and Zhou Cang, a former bandit who converted to righteousness. With their forces thus bolstered, they rode north and met Guan Ding, who sent his son Guan Ping to notify Liu Bei. Liu Bei then rejoined his brothers, killing two of Yuan Shao's generals along the way (these two, Tian Feng and Guo Tu, were mistrustful of Liu Bei) and Guan Ping became Guan Yu's adopted son.
Liu Bei decided to go visit his relative, Liu Biao (who ruled over Jing Zhou) to convince him to ally with Yuan Shao against Cao Cao. Soon after he left Yuan Shao's domain, however, Cao Cao sent his forces in and defeated the warlord despite being outnumbered.
Chapter 3: Jing Zhou
Arriving at Liu Biao's estate, Liu Bei saw that the lord was gravely ill and political intrigue was beginning to surface as to who would succeed him. Liu Biao asked Liu Bei to destroy some bandits in the southeastern region of Jing Zhou. Upon Liu Bei doing so, Liu Biao rewarded him by giving him the city of Xin Ye to rule.
Liu Biao's condition was worsening, however. He wanted his eldest son to rule; unfortunately, his eldest son Liu Qi was also deathly sick. His second son, Liu Zong, was untrustworthy (according to Liu Biao). Liu Zong, however, had the support of Cai Mao, who was a powerful general within Liu Biao's army.
The advisor Yi Ji told Liu Bei to escape the castle and visit Si Ma Hui, the "Water Mirror." Si Ma Hui told Liu Bei to seek the legendary tacticians Zhu Ge Liang the Sleeping Dragon and Pang Tong the Young Phoenix. Liu Bei tried to visit Zhu Ge Liang, but he was not home.
Returning to Xin Ye brought news that Cao Cao was attacking Jing Zhou. Liu Bei went to meet his force consisting of Lu Kuang, Lu Xiang, and 4360 troops:
As Liu Bei was retreating, he overheard the enemy being referred to as "Lord Guan." Realizing that this mysterious warrior was, in fact, Guan Yu, he returned to Ji Zhou and convinced Yuan Shao to send a messenger to Guan Yu telling him where Liu Bei was.
Receiving the message, Guan Yu quickly left Cao Cao's forces to rejoin his brother. Unfortunately his generals weren't too keen on letting him leave, so Guan Yu killed them. He killed 6 generals in total going from Cao Cao's domain to Yuan Shao's. In the end, he met up with Zhang Fei and proved that he was not loyal to Cao Cao by killing the sixth general, Cai Yang.
Reunited, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei recruited two more generals into their army – Zhao Yun, a powerful warrior and friend of Liu Bei, and Zhou Cang, a former bandit who converted to righteousness. With their forces thus bolstered, they rode north and met Guan Ding, who sent his son Guan Ping to notify Liu Bei. Liu Bei then rejoined his brothers, killing two of Yuan Shao's generals along the way (these two, Tian Feng and Guo Tu, were mistrustful of Liu Bei) and Guan Ping became Guan Yu's adopted son.
Liu Bei decided to go visit his relative, Liu Biao (who ruled over Jing Zhou) to convince him to ally with Yuan Shao against Cao Cao. Soon after he left Yuan Shao's domain, however, Cao Cao sent his forces in and defeated the warlord despite being outnumbered.
Chapter 3: Jing Zhou
Arriving at Liu Biao's estate, Liu Bei saw that the lord was gravely ill and political intrigue was beginning to surface as to who would succeed him. Liu Biao asked Liu Bei to destroy some bandits in the southeastern region of Jing Zhou. Upon Liu Bei doing so, Liu Biao rewarded him by giving him the city of Xin Ye to rule.
Liu Biao's condition was worsening, however. He wanted his eldest son to rule; unfortunately, his eldest son Liu Qi was also deathly sick. His second son, Liu Zong, was untrustworthy (according to Liu Biao). Liu Zong, however, had the support of Cai Mao, who was a powerful general within Liu Biao's army.
The advisor Yi Ji told Liu Bei to escape the castle and visit Si Ma Hui, the "Water Mirror." Si Ma Hui told Liu Bei to seek the legendary tacticians Zhu Ge Liang the Sleeping Dragon and Pang Tong the Young Phoenix. Liu Bei tried to visit Zhu Ge Liang, but he was not home.
Returning to Xin Ye brought news that Cao Cao was attacking Jing Zhou. Liu Bei went to meet his force consisting of Lu Kuang, Lu Xiang, and 4360 troops:
Lu Kuang's force was routed with ease. Liu Bei returned to Xin Ye to be told that the Sleeping Dragon had returned, so he went on a second visit. He found that Zhu Ge Liang was away once more, so he returned to Xin Ye again. But soon, Zhu Ge Liang was back, and Liu Bei went to visit a third time.
Zhu Ge Liang was indeed home this time, but was sleeping. In an act that would go down in history, Liu Bei did not wake him up out of politeness; however, Zhu Ge Liang woke up himself shortly after and agreed to help Liu Bei.
His skill would immediately be tested, as Cao Cao sent an even bigger force to attack Jing Zhou. This time Zhu Ge Liang ordered his forces be split up and used the forest southwest of Xin Ye as an ambush site. Zhao Yun and Zhu Ge Liang himself went to meet the enemy head-on.
Zhu Ge Liang was indeed home this time, but was sleeping. In an act that would go down in history, Liu Bei did not wake him up out of politeness; however, Zhu Ge Liang woke up himself shortly after and agreed to help Liu Bei.
His skill would immediately be tested, as Cao Cao sent an even bigger force to attack Jing Zhou. This time Zhu Ge Liang ordered his forces be split up and used the forest southwest of Xin Ye as an ambush site. Zhao Yun and Zhu Ge Liang himself went to meet the enemy head-on.
They soon met the enemy, which consisted this time of Cao Ren, Yu Jin, and Li Dian, accompanied by 4420 troops. Historians have no idea why Cao Cao did not choose to send a much larger force the second time to take Xin Ye when the first expedition had fallen to a frontal defense.
Cao Ren was surprised that Xin Ye had sent such a small force to face him. But one round later Guan Yu appeared and set the forest ablaze…and another round after Zhang Fei did the same. Cao Ren's forces stood no chance.
The forces of Han returned home victorious, but Liu Biao's sickness was worsening. He implored Liu Bei to take his throne, but Liu Bei refused, believing it to be wrong. Liu Biao died soon afterward. His eldest son, Liu Qi, made the same request of Liu Bei, and this time Liu Bei assumed command due to there being no other person to rule.
In the midst of this confusion, Cai Zhong took Jing Zhou and Cai Xun took Xin Ye. Liu Bei ordered his troops to go forth and retake the castles. Cai Zhong and his forces, along with Cai He, Huang Zhu, and Han Sui, were routed first. They attempted to escape across the river, but Zhu Ge Liang had foreseen this and had burned the ships. With nowhere to escape to, the traitors were slain.
Cai Xun, Jiao Rong, Zhang Nan, and Kuai Yue held Xin Ye. This battle was must more difficult and employed the heavy use of fire tactics. Clearly, at this point in history, the use of tactics such as fire, water, and rolling rock traps would become more common and would be the turning point of most battles. Guan Yu's forces retook Xin Ye after a long and bloody fight.
No sooner had this happened than a messenger arrived saying that Cao Cao was marching on Xin Ye once more with the largest military force yet – this time, he was attacking via navy and was also targeting the southern kingdom of Sun Quan (Wu). Sun Quan sent an emissary, Lu Su, to ally with Liu Bei.
Chapter 4: The Alliance with Wu
Lu Su invited Liu Bei's generals to Chai Sang to meet with Sun Quan and his generals. There, they discussed the situation: Cao Cao has a gigantic army and navy and would be invading both Wu and Jing Zhou. They asked Zhu Ge Liang to prove his genius by defeating him against all odds.
Zhu Ge Liang concocted a plan. First, he would need the wind to blow from the southeast. To this end he sent the generals to Japan to consult with Empress Himiko, who knew how to control the wind.
Cai Xun, Jiao Rong, Zhang Nan, and Kuai Yue held Xin Ye. This battle was must more difficult and employed the heavy use of fire tactics. Clearly, at this point in history, the use of tactics such as fire, water, and rolling rock traps would become more common and would be the turning point of most battles. Guan Yu's forces retook Xin Ye after a long and bloody fight.
No sooner had this happened than a messenger arrived saying that Cao Cao was marching on Xin Ye once more with the largest military force yet – this time, he was attacking via navy and was also targeting the southern kingdom of Sun Quan (Wu). Sun Quan sent an emissary, Lu Su, to ally with Liu Bei.
Chapter 4: The Alliance with Wu
Lu Su invited Liu Bei's generals to Chai Sang to meet with Sun Quan and his generals. There, they discussed the situation: Cao Cao has a gigantic army and navy and would be invading both Wu and Jing Zhou. They asked Zhu Ge Liang to prove his genius by defeating him against all odds.
Zhu Ge Liang concocted a plan. First, he would need the wind to blow from the southeast. To this end he sent the generals to Japan to consult with Empress Himiko, who knew how to control the wind.
Upon arriving in Japan, they went on a pilgrimage to Mt. Fuji to find Empress Himiko. They did indeed find her, but she was fighting a demonic serpent named Orochi. Guan Yu led the attack and helped her defeat Orochi; in return, she gave Zhu Ge Liang a scroll which could control the wind.
Next, they would need to retake Xiang Yang and destroy Cai Mao, who was training Cao Cao's troops. Taking Xiang Yang involved blasting through a pass with gunpowder and then charging the city. Cai Mao defended the city well…
…but after a long and bloody battle, Xiang Yang fell to the Han forces. They then took all of Cao Cao's military supplies, including his many, many arrows. Zhu Ge Liang famously remarked that he was merely borrowing them and would soon give them back to Cao Cao.
Finally, Zhu Ge Liang consulted another genius, Pang Tong the Young Phoenix, as to how to immobilize Cao Cao's ships. With the ships immobilized and the wind blowing in the right direction, flaming arrows could be launched to devastating effect against Cao Cao's navy. Pang Tong quickly devised a plan and the trap was soon set.
Chapter 5: The Battle of Red Cliffs
In a battle that would go down in history, the combined forces of Liu Bei and Sun Quan began preparations to fight Cao Cao's gigantic force.
Pang Tong soon reported that his plan was successful. Cao Cao had ordered his entire fleet chained together because he believed it would help his soldiers – they were inexperienced at fighting on water, but chaining his ships together simulated fighting on land.
With that, the battle was set…
Finally, Zhu Ge Liang consulted another genius, Pang Tong the Young Phoenix, as to how to immobilize Cao Cao's ships. With the ships immobilized and the wind blowing in the right direction, flaming arrows could be launched to devastating effect against Cao Cao's navy. Pang Tong quickly devised a plan and the trap was soon set.
Chapter 5: The Battle of Red Cliffs
In a battle that would go down in history, the combined forces of Liu Bei and Sun Quan began preparations to fight Cao Cao's gigantic force.
Pang Tong soon reported that his plan was successful. Cao Cao had ordered his entire fleet chained together because he believed it would help his soldiers – they were inexperienced at fighting on water, but chaining his ships together simulated fighting on land.
With that, the battle was set…
Cao Cao laughed at his puny opposition. But soon Zhu Ge Liang made the southeast wind blow…
…and Zhou Yu launched the fireboats. Returning Cao Cao's arrows, Zhu Ge Liang set his navy ablaze.
Faced with complete annihilation, Cao Cao ordered a complete retreat. But Sun Quan's forces were not about to let him escape so easily.
Giving hot pursuit were Sun Quan's most able generals: Tai Shi Ci, Zhou Tai, Gan Ning, Huang Gai, and Zhang Hong. They caught up to Cao Cao and did some more damage to his battered army, but Cao Cao still managed to escape.
Giving hot pursuit were Sun Quan's most able generals: Tai Shi Ci, Zhou Tai, Gan Ning, Huang Gai, and Zhang Hong. They caught up to Cao Cao and did some more damage to his battered army, but Cao Cao still managed to escape.
Escaping back to land, Cao Cao laughed and said that Zhu Ge Liang, if he were truly a great tactician, would've planted an ambush in his path. He, however, had spoken too soon.
Zhao Yun attacked Cao Cao's army and forced him to run again. No sooner did Cao Cao attempt to regroup than he was ambushed once again by Zhang Fei.
Forcing him to flee once more, Cao Cao ran right into the final ambush, led by Guan Yu.
But remembering the courtesy Cao Cao showed him after the brothers were separated at the battle of Xu Zhou way back when, Guan Yu, always a man of honor, let him go.
And thus ended the Battle of Red Cliffs.
Chapter 6: Securing Jing Zhou
Cao Cao repaid Guan Yu by sending troops in to occupy most of northern Jing Zhou. Liu Bei's armies began marching forth to defeat this new threat. First was Chen Jiao holding Jing Zhou's capital; he was easily dispatched by Guan Yu's forces. Continuing on, Guan Yu faced one of Cao Cao's top generals, Xia Hou Dun, at Xiang Yang. But even he did not stand long against the armies of Han.
Chapter 6: Securing Jing Zhou
Cao Cao repaid Guan Yu by sending troops in to occupy most of northern Jing Zhou. Liu Bei's armies began marching forth to defeat this new threat. First was Chen Jiao holding Jing Zhou's capital; he was easily dispatched by Guan Yu's forces. Continuing on, Guan Yu faced one of Cao Cao's top generals, Xia Hou Dun, at Xiang Yang. But even he did not stand long against the armies of Han.
With this battle, northern Jing Zhou was secured. But there was still the question of southern Jing Zhou. Historians are unclear on the situation in Jing Zhou at the time, whether Cao Cao had occupied southern Jing Zhou or whether the governors of southern Jing Zhou had simply decided to side with Cao Cao. It is currently thought that Cao Cao had occupied the cities of Yi Ling and Nan Jun, whereas the other cities of southern Jing Zhou were leaning toward Cao Cao's side without military intervention. Regardless of the exact cause of conflict, the region soon found itself in a civil war.
Southern Jing Zhou was populated mostly within seven cities. Liu Bei's army marched south and took the city of Yi Ling from Cao Hong and Niu Jin. They then marched to Nan Jun, where they fought with Cao Hong and Cao Ang. But even this force proved no match for Liu Bei's forces:
Southern Jing Zhou was populated mostly within seven cities. Liu Bei's army marched south and took the city of Yi Ling from Cao Hong and Niu Jin. They then marched to Nan Jun, where they fought with Cao Hong and Cao Ang. But even this force proved no match for Liu Bei's forces:
Cao Hong and Cao Ang retreated to Han Castle, which had meanwhile been taken by Lu Bu. Working without allegiance to any of the three main warlords (Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Sun Quan), Lu Bu also aspired to rule all of the Middle Kingdom. He was also one of the strongest warriors to appear in history, so his ambitions were not trivial.
He first proved this years ago by being Dong Zhou's right-hand man and was one of the reasons Dong Zhou was so difficult to defeat. He continued to prove his mettle by easily destroying Cao Hong's forces as they attempted to retreat into Han Castle.
Realizing they could not hope to defeat Lu Bu, Zhu Ge Liang met up with Pang Tong and they devised a plan. They charged at Han Castle and Lu Bu eagerly took up the challenge, thinking he would win handily.
He first proved this years ago by being Dong Zhou's right-hand man and was one of the reasons Dong Zhou was so difficult to defeat. He continued to prove his mettle by easily destroying Cao Hong's forces as they attempted to retreat into Han Castle.
Realizing they could not hope to defeat Lu Bu, Zhu Ge Liang met up with Pang Tong and they devised a plan. They charged at Han Castle and Lu Bu eagerly took up the challenge, thinking he would win handily.
Liu Bei's forces then feigned retreat. Lu Bu ordered a pursuit, but then Liu Bei's forces took the castle while Lu Bu had left the gates unguarded. Taken thus by surprise, Lu Bu was defeated and the castle was retaken by Liu Bei's forces.
This left the four main cities of southern Jing Zhou: Ling Ling, Gui Yang, Wu Ling, and Chang Sha. Ling Ling was held by Liu Du, Liu Yan, and Xing Dao Rong. Liu Du was hoping to turn the city over to Cao Cao, but his ambitions were shattered when Liu Bei's army retook the city. They then marched to Gui Yang, whose governor Zhao Fan sprung a trap for Zhu Ge Liang. The trap failed when Lu Bu rode in and destroyed Zhao Fan's generals (and Zhao Fan himself). Lu Bu offered to serve Liu Bei by helping defend Gui Yang. Against some of their better judgments, the generals agreed.
Next was Wu Ling. Wu Ling itself was split between Gong Zhi, who supported Liu Bei, and Jin Xuan, who supported Cao Cao. Jin Xuan led his forces out to battle Liu Bei's army and was defeated. Turning back, he saw that the city bridge was closed to him, as Gong Zhi had taken over the city and was surrendering it to Liu Bei.
Finally, the army converged on Chang Sha. Within Chang Sha lived a legendary general named Huang Zhong, an elderly expert archer. Upon seeing Liu Bei's army approach, he challenged Guan Yu to a duel:
This left the four main cities of southern Jing Zhou: Ling Ling, Gui Yang, Wu Ling, and Chang Sha. Ling Ling was held by Liu Du, Liu Yan, and Xing Dao Rong. Liu Du was hoping to turn the city over to Cao Cao, but his ambitions were shattered when Liu Bei's army retook the city. They then marched to Gui Yang, whose governor Zhao Fan sprung a trap for Zhu Ge Liang. The trap failed when Lu Bu rode in and destroyed Zhao Fan's generals (and Zhao Fan himself). Lu Bu offered to serve Liu Bei by helping defend Gui Yang. Against some of their better judgments, the generals agreed.
Next was Wu Ling. Wu Ling itself was split between Gong Zhi, who supported Liu Bei, and Jin Xuan, who supported Cao Cao. Jin Xuan led his forces out to battle Liu Bei's army and was defeated. Turning back, he saw that the city bridge was closed to him, as Gong Zhi had taken over the city and was surrendering it to Liu Bei.
Finally, the army converged on Chang Sha. Within Chang Sha lived a legendary general named Huang Zhong, an elderly expert archer. Upon seeing Liu Bei's army approach, he challenged Guan Yu to a duel:
They found themselves evenly matched. Huang Zhong retreated into Chang Sha, but his governor Han Xuan was unimpressed. He accused Huang Zhong of allowing Guan Yu to live and thus betraying him. Before this could play out, Guan Yu's forces attacked the city and successfully took it, killing Han Xuan in battle.
Huang Zhong's companion Wei Yan immediately decided to defect to Liu Bei's army, but Huang Zhong, being a man of honor, chose to wait until after Han Xuan's funeral to defect. He requested the army find him a rare Youyuu Bow. Upon them doing so, Huang Zhong performed the funeral and joined.
Chapter 7: Defeating Two Bandits
The army of Han believed they had finally settled Jing Zhou with the acquisition of Chang Sha. But, back in Gui Yang, Lu Bu decided he wanted to rule everything after all and betrayed Liu Bei. Guan Yu led the armies to retake Gui Yang, which they did with ease by using tactics that Lu Bu could not comprehend. He retreated to Ling Ling, where he re-recruited Xing Dao Rong to help him. But, Guan Yu easily destroyed Xing Dao Rong's army and Lu Bu was forced to retreat further, where he called upon his main subordinates for a final showdown at the city.
Chapter 7: Defeating Two Bandits
The army of Han believed they had finally settled Jing Zhou with the acquisition of Chang Sha. But, back in Gui Yang, Lu Bu decided he wanted to rule everything after all and betrayed Liu Bei. Guan Yu led the armies to retake Gui Yang, which they did with ease by using tactics that Lu Bu could not comprehend. He retreated to Ling Ling, where he re-recruited Xing Dao Rong to help him. But, Guan Yu easily destroyed Xing Dao Rong's army and Lu Bu was forced to retreat further, where he called upon his main subordinates for a final showdown at the city.
But even this force proved no match for the Han forces, as Zhu Ge Liang used tactic after ruse after stratagem to confound the enemy. Lu Bu, the "leaf on the wind," finally fell to the ground.
And with this decisive victory, all of Jing Zhou was finally secured under the rule of Liu Bei. Returning to Xin Ye, Guan Yu and company discovered that Ma Liang and Ma Su were also there, visiting Liu Bei and discussing how Guan Yu and his generals had settled Jing Zhou. Zhu Ge Liang left the army temporarily to work on personal matters, but he recommended (as Si Ma Hui also recommended) that they find Pang Tong in Xiang Yang and recruit him to the cause.
Journeying to Xiang Yang, the generals found the city under siege by a bandit named Liao Hua, who had taken the city's women. He was easily hunted down and defeated, at which point he asked to join Liu Bei's army. Being more genuine than Lu Bu was, he was accepted and would serve faithfully. Witnessing the heroes' deeds of valor, Pang Tong decided to join the cause.
They returned to Xin Ye where they found a warrior named Zhang Song being nursed back to health. He implored Liu Bei to save Shu from both its incompetent ruler, Liu Zhang, and the covetous Cao Cao. He suggested that they send an army into Shu under the pretense of defending Shu against Han Zhong's forces. Liu Bei was hesitant, but eventually agreed. He sent his generals to go retrieve a map of Shu and undertake this mission.
Chapter 8: Defeating Han Zhong
The generals retrieved the map of Shu from its caretaker, Meng Da. He also was recruited into Liu Bei's army, along with his legendary fat horse.
Journeying to Xiang Yang, the generals found the city under siege by a bandit named Liao Hua, who had taken the city's women. He was easily hunted down and defeated, at which point he asked to join Liu Bei's army. Being more genuine than Lu Bu was, he was accepted and would serve faithfully. Witnessing the heroes' deeds of valor, Pang Tong decided to join the cause.
They returned to Xin Ye where they found a warrior named Zhang Song being nursed back to health. He implored Liu Bei to save Shu from both its incompetent ruler, Liu Zhang, and the covetous Cao Cao. He suggested that they send an army into Shu under the pretense of defending Shu against Han Zhong's forces. Liu Bei was hesitant, but eventually agreed. He sent his generals to go retrieve a map of Shu and undertake this mission.
Chapter 8: Defeating Han Zhong
The generals retrieved the map of Shu from its caretaker, Meng Da. He also was recruited into Liu Bei's army, along with his legendary fat horse.
Before leaving for Shu, Zhu Ge Liang proposed that Guan Yu and Zhao Yun remain behind to finish settling Jing Zhou. In the meantime, Pang Tong would act as tactician and Zhang Fei would lead the expedition into Shu. Zhang Fei brought along Guan Ping, Wei Yan, and Huang Zhong.
This force met with the emissary from Shu, Fa Zheng. He escorted them to Fu Shui Castle, which was under siege from a powerful general from the Han Zhong army named Ma Chao. Ma Chao's father, Ma Teng, was murdered by Cao Cao for signing the blood oath against him. Ma Chao vowed revenge and was currently building up his forces by serving Zhang Lu of Han Zhong.
Pang Tong counseled seeking out Yi Qi, a friend of Ma Teng. Upon doing so, he sent the armies of Han to the tomb of the Emperor where the Blood Seal was kept. By showing Ma Chao the Blood Seal, Yi Qi hoped to recruit Ma Chao to Liu Bei's army. With another strong general, Liu Bei would stand more of a chance against Cao Cao.
The five generals descended into the tomb in what would make for a confusing history. Even though the tomb's location was hidden from public knowledge, the tomb was rife with enemies and, at times, even enemy generals. Scholars debate whether enemy generals followed Zhang Fei's party into the tomb, or whether the enchantments protecting the tomb created these enemies as illusions.
They also had to contend with the gate enchantment, in which they needed to go to the third pathway to the east, go up 3 gates, return to the first path in the west, go up 4 gates, and go all the way east to reach the third floor. The diaries of the generals who kept diaries unanimously described traversing the tomb as "annoying."
Upon obtaining the Blood Seal, they returned it to Yi Qi and he convinced Ma Chao to test their mettle. They defeated Ma Chao and his cousin, Ma Dai, and they both joined the army.
This force met with the emissary from Shu, Fa Zheng. He escorted them to Fu Shui Castle, which was under siege from a powerful general from the Han Zhong army named Ma Chao. Ma Chao's father, Ma Teng, was murdered by Cao Cao for signing the blood oath against him. Ma Chao vowed revenge and was currently building up his forces by serving Zhang Lu of Han Zhong.
Pang Tong counseled seeking out Yi Qi, a friend of Ma Teng. Upon doing so, he sent the armies of Han to the tomb of the Emperor where the Blood Seal was kept. By showing Ma Chao the Blood Seal, Yi Qi hoped to recruit Ma Chao to Liu Bei's army. With another strong general, Liu Bei would stand more of a chance against Cao Cao.
The five generals descended into the tomb in what would make for a confusing history. Even though the tomb's location was hidden from public knowledge, the tomb was rife with enemies and, at times, even enemy generals. Scholars debate whether enemy generals followed Zhang Fei's party into the tomb, or whether the enchantments protecting the tomb created these enemies as illusions.
They also had to contend with the gate enchantment, in which they needed to go to the third pathway to the east, go up 3 gates, return to the first path in the west, go up 4 gates, and go all the way east to reach the third floor. The diaries of the generals who kept diaries unanimously described traversing the tomb as "annoying."
Upon obtaining the Blood Seal, they returned it to Yi Qi and he convinced Ma Chao to test their mettle. They defeated Ma Chao and his cousin, Ma Dai, and they both joined the army.
Around this time, Zhang Lu decided to hand Han Zhong over to Cao Cao, given it was the closest region of Shu to Cao Cao's empire, Wei. The Han forces fought their way to Han Zhong, where they bribed Yang Song, one of Zhang Lu's generals, into letting them into the city. Taken by surprise, Zhang Lu's forces were unable to defend the city and Han Zhong fell to the armies of Han.
Chapter 9: Securing the Kingdom of Shu
With this, the army prepared for their next move. Liu Bei was still unsure about whether to attack Liu Zhang; however, the answer soon came as, upon returning to Fu Shui, Yang Huai's forces attacked Liu Bei's army himself. Now in enemy lands, the army fought back, took Fu Shui, and began marching to Cheng Du, the capital of Shu. Unfortunately for Liu Bei's army, Liu Zhang's top general Zhang Ren had plotted an ambush along the way. While the army was dealing with the ambush, Zhang Ren would send troops behind them to retake Fu Shui.
Liu Bei's forces made a bit of headway before the ambush, defeating generals Leng Bao, Deng Xian, and Zhang Su. Continuing onwards, they took control of the dam (given to them by Pang Yi) and marched into the fateful forest.
Chapter 9: Securing the Kingdom of Shu
With this, the army prepared for their next move. Liu Bei was still unsure about whether to attack Liu Zhang; however, the answer soon came as, upon returning to Fu Shui, Yang Huai's forces attacked Liu Bei's army himself. Now in enemy lands, the army fought back, took Fu Shui, and began marching to Cheng Du, the capital of Shu. Unfortunately for Liu Bei's army, Liu Zhang's top general Zhang Ren had plotted an ambush along the way. While the army was dealing with the ambush, Zhang Ren would send troops behind them to retake Fu Shui.
Liu Bei's forces made a bit of headway before the ambush, defeating generals Leng Bao, Deng Xian, and Zhang Su. Continuing onwards, they took control of the dam (given to them by Pang Yi) and marched into the fateful forest.
Zhang Ren's troops attacked Liu Bei's forces. The surprise attack was successful and Liu Bei's troops began to retreat; however, in the chaos, Pang Tong was killed in battle.
He was quoted as saying, for his last words:
He was quoted as saying, for his last words:
Retreating to Fu Shui, Liu Bei's forces found themselves ambushed yet again by Zhang Ren, who had successfully retaken the city. As the battle went on, however, Zhu Ge Liang arrived, reinforced by Zhao Yun and Guan Yu, and Zhang Ren was repelled.
With the Han forces in disarray, Zhu Ge Liang proposed a naval strike against Ba Castle rather than marching toward Cheng Du again. Ba Castle was defended by Huo Jun, Yan Yan, and Dong He. Yan Yan was another powerful general of Shu, but when the castle fell, he was recruited into Liu Bei's army as he saw that Liu Bei's rule would bring prosperity to Shu.
Meanwhile, in Cheng Du Liu Zhang was preparing to hand the kingdom to Cao Cao. Zhang Ren proposed to keep Liu Bei's army at bay by sending a master tactician, Liu Ba, to guard Ba Citadel. Lei Tong would fortify Jian Ning with a supply line from the northern mountains. Zhang Ren himself would guard Mian Zhu Citadel, which led to Long You Castle, the last city before Cheng Du.
Liu Ba attempted a tactic in which he engaged Liu Bei's army for a short time and then retreated. He expected the army to follow his forces into the citadel, at which point he would set the entire battlefield on fire. Zhu Ge Liang easily saw through the ploy, however, and his tactic failed. Liu Ba was defeated and pushed back. Liu Ba retreated to Long You.
Zhu Ge Liang then saw that Jian Ning was well fortified, so he made a show of fortifying the troops in front of the city for a prolonged siege while sending a strike force to the northern mountains to cut off their supply lines. This also succeeded and the city fell easily.
For Mian Zhu, Zhu Ge Liang knew that strategy would be key to defeating Zhang Ren. Instead of attacking head-on, he detoured the troops around and flanked the citadel. He also set the entire citadel ablaze, trapping Zhang Ren's troops in flames.
Meanwhile, in Cheng Du Liu Zhang was preparing to hand the kingdom to Cao Cao. Zhang Ren proposed to keep Liu Bei's army at bay by sending a master tactician, Liu Ba, to guard Ba Citadel. Lei Tong would fortify Jian Ning with a supply line from the northern mountains. Zhang Ren himself would guard Mian Zhu Citadel, which led to Long You Castle, the last city before Cheng Du.
Liu Ba attempted a tactic in which he engaged Liu Bei's army for a short time and then retreated. He expected the army to follow his forces into the citadel, at which point he would set the entire battlefield on fire. Zhu Ge Liang easily saw through the ploy, however, and his tactic failed. Liu Ba was defeated and pushed back. Liu Ba retreated to Long You.
Zhu Ge Liang then saw that Jian Ning was well fortified, so he made a show of fortifying the troops in front of the city for a prolonged siege while sending a strike force to the northern mountains to cut off their supply lines. This also succeeded and the city fell easily.
For Mian Zhu, Zhu Ge Liang knew that strategy would be key to defeating Zhang Ren. Instead of attacking head-on, he detoured the troops around and flanked the citadel. He also set the entire citadel ablaze, trapping Zhang Ren's troops in flames.
Zhang Ren fell back to Long You, where he fortified himself with Liu Kui, Liu Xun, Liu Ba, and Lu Kai. The battle for Long You was long and bloody, but eventually the city fell under Zhu Ge Liang's guidance. Zhang Ren himself fell back to the final bridge leading to Cheng Du, where he challenged Guan Yu to a duel. The most loyal general to Liu Zhang fell in single combat against the lead general of Han.
Zhang Ren was buried with full honors for his loyalty to Liu Zhang. But with his defeat, there was nothing more standing between Liu Bei's army and the capital of Shu.
Liu Zhang met the Han forces with Liu Xun, Huang Quan, Liu Ba, and Wang Lei. Liu Ba and his tactical mind made one final stand againt Liu Bei's forces, but he was no match for Zhu Ge Liang. After a long campaign, Cheng Du finally fell.
Liu Zhang met the Han forces with Liu Xun, Huang Quan, Liu Ba, and Wang Lei. Liu Ba and his tactical mind made one final stand againt Liu Bei's forces, but he was no match for Zhu Ge Liang. After a long campaign, Cheng Du finally fell.
And so it came to pass that Liu Bei became lord of both Shu and Jing Zhou. For their deeds of valor, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, and Huang Zhong were named the Five Tiger Generals of Shu.
Chapter 10: The Fall of Cao Cao
At this point in history, the Middle Kingdom had split into three kingdoms:
This map shows approximate boundaries of the three kingdoms (Han Zhong and Xiang Yang are visible in both maps for reference):
Chapter 10: The Fall of Cao Cao
At this point in history, the Middle Kingdom had split into three kingdoms:
- Shu and Jing Zhou, ruled by Liu Bei
- Wei, ruled by Cao Cao
- Wu, ruled by Sun Quan
This map shows approximate boundaries of the three kingdoms (Han Zhong and Xiang Yang are visible in both maps for reference):
The situation began to escalate toward war when Cao Cao sent an invasion force to take Han Zhong, led by one of his many capable generals Xia Hou Yuan. In response, Liu Bei sent the Five Tiger Generals with Zhu Ge Liang in tactical command to retake the city.
Before the forces of Shu were able to reach Han Zhong, Xia Hou Yuan had sent his subordinates Xia Hou Shang, Han Hao, Jin Hui, and Qui Ji to take Yang Ping citadel and then Zhang Yi, Wang Bi, Wei Huang, and Mu Shun to take Nan Zheng. Against the Five Tiger Generals, the two citadels were retaken easily. Xia Hou Yuan's force consisting of himself, Du Xi, Li Tang, Ma Yan, and Yang Xiu was a different story.
Before the forces of Shu were able to reach Han Zhong, Xia Hou Yuan had sent his subordinates Xia Hou Shang, Han Hao, Jin Hui, and Qui Ji to take Yang Ping citadel and then Zhang Yi, Wang Bi, Wei Huang, and Mu Shun to take Nan Zheng. Against the Five Tiger Generals, the two citadels were retaken easily. Xia Hou Yuan's force consisting of himself, Du Xi, Li Tang, Ma Yan, and Yang Xiu was a different story.
The first true clash between Shu and Wei was a truly bloody one indeed. In the end, Xia Hou Yuan's force was narrowly defeated and Han Zhong was returned under Liu Bei's rule.
In spite of this, Cao Cao was undeterred. In a fateful turn of events, he declared himself Emperor and his intention to end the Han Dynasty, replacing it with his own. Liu Bei, still loyal to the Han, prepared to send a force into Wei to stop him once and for all.
Zhu Ge Liang them prompted Liu Bei to declare himself Emperor as well, as his bloodline was the closest to the Han monarchs and it would take a legitimate government to take power once the chaos had settled. And so it came to pass that Liu Bei became the Emperor of Shu-Han.
In spite of this, Cao Cao was undeterred. In a fateful turn of events, he declared himself Emperor and his intention to end the Han Dynasty, replacing it with his own. Liu Bei, still loyal to the Han, prepared to send a force into Wei to stop him once and for all.
Zhu Ge Liang them prompted Liu Bei to declare himself Emperor as well, as his bloodline was the closest to the Han monarchs and it would take a legitimate government to take power once the chaos had settled. And so it came to pass that Liu Bei became the Emperor of Shu-Han.
Afterward, all-out war raged between Shu and Wei. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei remained behind to protect Cheng Du and Xin Ye, while their sons Guan Xing and Zhang Bao led the invasion into Wei. Also remaining behind were Ma Chao to protect Han Zhong and Huang Zhong to protect Chang Sha. As such Shu's army marched forth into Wei, led by Guan Xing and Zhang Bao and guided by the veteran Zhao Yun and the tactician Zhu Ge Liang.
The first battle on the border was against Xia Hou Yuan's son, Xia Hou Mao, who led the generals Mao Jie, Liu Ye, and Zhu Guang. They were unable to hold the line against Shu's forces and soon the battle for Nan'an raged between the Han forces and Cao Xiu, Lu Zheng, Wang Kuang, and Fu Gan. The battle was bloody as expected between the two most powerful kingdoms then in the land. Eventually Nan'an fell.
Shu then proceeded to take An Ding from Cao Chun, Heng Huan, Jiang Yi Qui, and Lu Qiang. When they marched to Tian Shui, however, the resident tactician Jiang Wei trapped the army and forced them to retreat. His mastery of tactics impressed Zhu Ge Liang and Zhu Ge Liang decided to make Jiang Wei his disciple.
Ambushing Jiang Wei, Zhu Ge Liang spoke with him and convinced him to serve the Han Dynasty. With a new protégé, Zhu Ge Liang was easily able to take Tian Shui from Xia Hou Mao, Xia Hou De, Chen Xi, and Gao Shun. Not losing momentum, the army then went forth to take Chen Cang from Hao Zhao, Hua Xin, Yang Xiu, Ma Wan, and Liang Xing. They then marched to Bei Di, where the commander of Wei's armies, Cao Zhen, waited with his head tactician Wang Lang and his subordinates Zhang He and Chen Yi.
The battle was short and the forces of Shu were victorious. Upon their victory, however, the master tactician of Wei, Si Ma Yi, ambushed them and forced a narrow retreat back to Tian Shui.
Si Ma Yi had ambitions of his own. He was loyal to Cao Cao, as their skills were comparable. Otherwise, he was easily more talented than anyone else in Wei. It was said that Zhu Ge Liang himself only feared one enemy, and that was Si Ma Yi. Given the momentum of Shu's invasion into Wei, Si Ma Yi saw that the time of his ascension was nigh and he pulled back his forces. As such, when the army returned to Bei Di, they easily retook the citadel and marched through Bei Yuan pass.
At the eastern end of the pass was Bei Yuan citadel, guarded by Cao Cao's sons Cao Zhang and Cao Zhi along with strong fighter Hou Cheng and tactician Xun You. The army of Shu narrowly took Bei Yuan, but the true challenge still lay ahead. Cao Cao himself, with some of his best generals, was fortified in Luo. Xun Yu was Xun You's uncle and a master tactician. With him, reinforcing Cao Cao, were some of the strongest fighters in Wei, including the legendary Xu Chu and Dian Wei. Pang De was also not to be scoffed at. The battle was long and protracted. Only after much blood was shed did Luo finally fall.
The first battle on the border was against Xia Hou Yuan's son, Xia Hou Mao, who led the generals Mao Jie, Liu Ye, and Zhu Guang. They were unable to hold the line against Shu's forces and soon the battle for Nan'an raged between the Han forces and Cao Xiu, Lu Zheng, Wang Kuang, and Fu Gan. The battle was bloody as expected between the two most powerful kingdoms then in the land. Eventually Nan'an fell.
Shu then proceeded to take An Ding from Cao Chun, Heng Huan, Jiang Yi Qui, and Lu Qiang. When they marched to Tian Shui, however, the resident tactician Jiang Wei trapped the army and forced them to retreat. His mastery of tactics impressed Zhu Ge Liang and Zhu Ge Liang decided to make Jiang Wei his disciple.
Ambushing Jiang Wei, Zhu Ge Liang spoke with him and convinced him to serve the Han Dynasty. With a new protégé, Zhu Ge Liang was easily able to take Tian Shui from Xia Hou Mao, Xia Hou De, Chen Xi, and Gao Shun. Not losing momentum, the army then went forth to take Chen Cang from Hao Zhao, Hua Xin, Yang Xiu, Ma Wan, and Liang Xing. They then marched to Bei Di, where the commander of Wei's armies, Cao Zhen, waited with his head tactician Wang Lang and his subordinates Zhang He and Chen Yi.
The battle was short and the forces of Shu were victorious. Upon their victory, however, the master tactician of Wei, Si Ma Yi, ambushed them and forced a narrow retreat back to Tian Shui.
Si Ma Yi had ambitions of his own. He was loyal to Cao Cao, as their skills were comparable. Otherwise, he was easily more talented than anyone else in Wei. It was said that Zhu Ge Liang himself only feared one enemy, and that was Si Ma Yi. Given the momentum of Shu's invasion into Wei, Si Ma Yi saw that the time of his ascension was nigh and he pulled back his forces. As such, when the army returned to Bei Di, they easily retook the citadel and marched through Bei Yuan pass.
At the eastern end of the pass was Bei Yuan citadel, guarded by Cao Cao's sons Cao Zhang and Cao Zhi along with strong fighter Hou Cheng and tactician Xun You. The army of Shu narrowly took Bei Yuan, but the true challenge still lay ahead. Cao Cao himself, with some of his best generals, was fortified in Luo. Xun Yu was Xun You's uncle and a master tactician. With him, reinforcing Cao Cao, were some of the strongest fighters in Wei, including the legendary Xu Chu and Dian Wei. Pang De was also not to be scoffed at. The battle was long and protracted. Only after much blood was shed did Luo finally fall.
Cao Cao retreated to Shang Fang Valley and met up with his tacticians Liu Ye and Guo Jia. He had previously stockpiled gunpowder in the valley and he patiently waited for Liu Bei's army to arrive to turn the valley into a sea of fire.
Zhu Ge Liang foresaw this tactic, since it was fairly transparent – the geography of the valley made it ideal for these type of ambushes – and he prepared in advance by obtaining the Cloud Burst Scroll, which allowed him to call down a torrent of rain. Similar to the Battle of Red Cliffs, he would once again use the weather to foil Cao Cao.
Zhu Ge Liang foresaw this tactic, since it was fairly transparent – the geography of the valley made it ideal for these type of ambushes – and he prepared in advance by obtaining the Cloud Burst Scroll, which allowed him to call down a torrent of rain. Similar to the Battle of Red Cliffs, he would once again use the weather to foil Cao Cao.
Left with no more options, Cao Cao attacked with the remainder of his once gigantic army of Wei. Demoralized, hounded, and pushed against a wall, they fought valiantly. But Zhu Ge Liang had another trick up his sleeve – he used the Ba Gua formation, which confounded the enemy and neutralized or even reflected the enemy's attacks. These factors led to the final defeat of Cao Cao.
Chapter 10: The Three Kingdoms Become One
As soon as Cao Cao fell, his eldest son Cao Pi began massing troops to continue his father's work along with Dian Man, Xia Hou Wei, Xia Hou Ba, and strategist Chen Qun. Liu Bei sent a new force led by Guan Yu's third son, Guan Suo, to combat this new threat.
Cao Pi was ambitious and intelligent, like his father. But, he was not his father and did not pose nearly as much of a threat to Shu. He was quickly pushed back, where he called upon Si Ma Yi for backup.
As soon as Cao Cao fell, his eldest son Cao Pi began massing troops to continue his father's work along with Dian Man, Xia Hou Wei, Xia Hou Ba, and strategist Chen Qun. Liu Bei sent a new force led by Guan Yu's third son, Guan Suo, to combat this new threat.
Cao Pi was ambitious and intelligent, like his father. But, he was not his father and did not pose nearly as much of a threat to Shu. He was quickly pushed back, where he called upon Si Ma Yi for backup.
Si Ma Yi chose to begin his ascension at this point. Having retreated before, he had effectively allowed Cao Cao to be defeated. Now, there was no-one left in Wei to oppose him.
And with these words, Si Ma Yi took Cao Pi's head, ending Cao Cao's short dynasty. He then took over the governance of Wei and used his Thunder tactic to defeat the army of Shu.
Historians refer to this period as the second era of the Three Kingdoms. The first era was the clash between Sun Quan, Cao Cao, and Liu Bei. Cao Cao's defeat and the rise of Si Ma Yi abolished this status quo. Also, given Si Ma Yi's great intelligence and ambitions, he was an even bigger threat to the Han.
Zhu Ge Liang spent some time trying to learn a counteract to Si Ma Yi's Thunder tactic. During this time, Si Ma Yi forced the surrender of Wu and began turning his attention to Shu. He pulled all of Wei's strongest generals to northern China and prepared for war.
Once Zhu Ge Liang figured out how to counteract Si Ma Yi's tactic, he came up with a ruse of his own. He had Guan Suo pretend that he had been killed to make Si Ma Yi overconfident and lure him into the open. The ruse worked very well.
Historians refer to this period as the second era of the Three Kingdoms. The first era was the clash between Sun Quan, Cao Cao, and Liu Bei. Cao Cao's defeat and the rise of Si Ma Yi abolished this status quo. Also, given Si Ma Yi's great intelligence and ambitions, he was an even bigger threat to the Han.
Zhu Ge Liang spent some time trying to learn a counteract to Si Ma Yi's Thunder tactic. During this time, Si Ma Yi forced the surrender of Wu and began turning his attention to Shu. He pulled all of Wei's strongest generals to northern China and prepared for war.
Once Zhu Ge Liang figured out how to counteract Si Ma Yi's tactic, he came up with a ruse of his own. He had Guan Suo pretend that he had been killed to make Si Ma Yi overconfident and lure him into the open. The ruse worked very well.
Si Ma Yi sent his entire army in pursuit of the forces of Shu. Only too late did he realize his mistake.
Zhu Ge Liang released a volley of fire arrows that immolated the entire battlefield, using his signature fire technique. He then ordered his forces to prevent Si Ma Yi's army from retreating, thereby engulfing the enemy in flames.
The battle was short and Si Ma Yi's forces were scattered. In the chaos, Si Ma Yi and his generals managed to escape.
The battle was short and Si Ma Yi's forces were scattered. In the chaos, Si Ma Yi and his generals managed to escape.
Pushing on, Guan Suo led his forces into battle against the final army of Wei defending the Luo Yang region, led by Zhang Liao. Zhang Liao, though an extremely impressive general (one of Cao Cao's top generals), was leading a demoralized and decimated army. His last stand was quickly defeated.
Guan Suo's army fought into the capital region, where they faced Si Ma Yi's sons Si Ma Shi and Si Ma Zhao. They fell back to Luo Yang and fortified themselves in with their father's army. At this point, all of the Middle Kingdom was unified under Liu Bei's rule except for the capital, which was held by a gigantic army under the command of Si Ma Yi.
He sent his sons to attack Guan Suo's army. But the Ba Gua formation proved indecipherable for them and they were defeated.
He sent his sons to attack Guan Suo's army. But the Ba Gua formation proved indecipherable for them and they were defeated.
Then Si Ma Yi himself made his final stand as the Emperor of Wei:
The battle for Luo Yang was long, but the army of Shu had fought more difficult battles. The fact of the matter was that Zhu Ge Liang's Ba Gua formation was almost impregnable and Si Ma Yi's army had little chance against it.
And with Si Ma Yi's defeat, the Three Kingdoms era was over.
Epilogue: A New Era of the Han Dynasty
The generals of Shu were honored for their deeds, especially the now-legendary tactician Zhu Ge Liang. Liu Bei traveled to Luo Yang and was hailed as a hero, a savior of the Han Dynasty.
Epilogue: A New Era of the Han Dynasty
The generals of Shu were honored for their deeds, especially the now-legendary tactician Zhu Ge Liang. Liu Bei traveled to Luo Yang and was hailed as a hero, a savior of the Han Dynasty.
Liu Bei then conversed with his generals in words that were recorded in history.
Liu Bei, Emperor of the Han: Everyone has done well, Guan Suo! The usurpers of the Han Dynasty have been crushed. I am especially indebted to you, Zhu Ge Liang. Your valor and tactical abilities are peerless. You are the true victor here!
Zhu Ge Liang: How can you say that, my lord, when it is the Han that matters? Now that you hold the fates of our people, all I want is to see their suffering end – a return to peace and justice at last! If you can fulfill this dream, the annals of history will praise you forevermore.
Liu Bei, Emperor of the Han: Then, let it be so! Let us begin a new golden era of the Han Dynasty. Together, building a great nation, such as you envision!
Zhu Ge Liang: How can you say that, my lord, when it is the Han that matters? Now that you hold the fates of our people, all I want is to see their suffering end – a return to peace and justice at last! If you can fulfill this dream, the annals of history will praise you forevermore.
Liu Bei, Emperor of the Han: Then, let it be so! Let us begin a new golden era of the Han Dynasty. Together, building a great nation, such as you envision!