Romance of the 3 Kingdoms Part II

XVII - Liu Piao and Chang Hsiu attack Tsao Tsao and try and sandwich him. Tsao Tsao sets an ambush in the pass overnight so they come try and chase him when they realize he has such a small army. They run into the trap and then are ambushed many men taken. They regroup, but Tsao Tsao is giong off to defend the capital Hsutu. They attack him together in the rear. They are unsuccessful. Tsao TSao mourns Tien Wei and his sons a year later. Tsao Tsao requests that Liu Pei help him destroy Lu Pu while Yuan Shao tries to destroy Kunsun Tsan. Lu Pu intercepts the message and then refortifies troops to prepare for battle. Some of Lu Pu's allies attack Liu Pei. Kau Shun and Chang Liao are the ones that fight Kuan Yu.

Liu Pei
- Mi Chu
- Fang
- Sun Chien
-
Lu Pu
- Kau Shun
- Chang Liao
- Tsao Hsing
- Chen Teng
- Chen Kun

Tsao Tsao
Hsiahou Tun -

When kau Shun and Chang Liao come to fight Kuan Yu says they are worth more than to deal with rebels. Chang doesn't attack as this is a compliment. So they go to attack Tsao Tsao instead who is approaching the area. Hsiahou Tun fights and wins against Kau Shun, but Tun is later hit with an arrow in the eye; he eats his own eye then kills Tsao Hsing who hit him in the eye. Kau Shun comes back and attacks them. They win then they head back to Liu Pei to attack him. Lu Pu arrives and Chang Liao too to attack them.

XIX - Lu Pu takes the city Hsaio-pei (Liu Pei's city) by attacking the rear. Lei Pei flees and leaves his family. Mi Chu pleads for Liu Pei's family to be spared. Lu Pu listens and transports that family to Hsuchou with Mi Chu taking care of them. Liu Pei flees and has nothing. he has no idea what happened to his brothers (they fled too). He goes to a town where Lu An wants to join them (a hunter). he can't find any game meat so he slays his wife and serves him and says its wolf. Liu pei is grateful. the next day he sees the slain wife and is grateful that Lu An did that for him. He eventually makes it to Tsao TSao' camp and he rewards Lu An for doing that. He also weeps with Yuante that he lost his brothers and family.
Teng advises Lu Pu to send grain and troops from Huschou to Hsiaopei. He leads the caravan to Hsiaopei but goes ahead himself and secretly talks to Chen Kung. He tricks Chen Kung to attack at night. (but also sends messages to Tsao Tsao). Teng goes back to Lu Pu and says to attack at night. Chen kung will fortify another area. Then at night they kill each other because they can't see each other. Then Tsao Tsao attacks in the morning. Lu Pu / Chen Kung set off to Hsuchou. Mi Chu has taken the city. They then went to Hsioupei and they met up with Kao Shun and Chang who were also tricked by Teng. Teng comes out from the walls and taunts him.

An army comes up from behind - Chang Fei
Another army appears - Tsao Tsao
Lu Pu flees
Another army appears - Kuan Yu
Lu Pu flees to Hsiopei and he still has it
Chen Keui, Teng 3 brothers and Tsao Tsao united. They fear Lu Pu will go to Yuan Shu and ally with him if they take the city. So commands Yuante to go south, Tsao Tsao goes to Hsioupei and Mi Chu stays in Hsuchou.

Armies camp outside Hsioupei while Lu Pu is in it. Lu Pu is advised by his camptain Chen Kung to go out and kill the provisioners that will be coming in to feed Tsao Tsao's camp. He does not listen for his wife weeps. He is advised to send for help from Yuan Shu and does not listen because his wife weeps. He starts drinking wine. Gets out of shape then sees himself in the mirror and orders a decree that no one can drink wine. He finally gets someone to ride to Yuan Shu and send for help. Yuan shu does not listen unless the bride is brought to his son personally. Lu Pu tries to flee the palace but fails and goes back in. TSao Tsao's troops become demoralized over time because there is no progress. They decide to drown the city out. The people betray Lu Pu. His Hare is captured his halberd captured while he is sleeping and then he is bound. Tsao Tsao's army comes in and executes Lu Pu (dies a coward); Chen Kung dies brave; Kao Shun executed; Chang Liao spared.

XX - Liu Pei saves Chang Liao from being executed and Chang Liao made an officer. Liu Pei will be rewarded with Hsuchou but needs the emperor's blessing first. Che Chou, a general of the Cavalry is given temporary command of Hsuchou. Liu Pei visits the emperor with TSao TSao and is recognized from the geneology archives as being a descendent of the emperor. He is made uncle to the emperor officially; and given the title of General and Marquis of Icheng. TSao Tsao is not threatened by him since Liu Pei reports to him. Hsun Yu is the advisor of Tsao Tsao that raised this point. He is more afraid of Yang Piao (relative of the 2 Yuan brothers). So he charges him with conspiring and he was arrested and imprisoned. He is banished instead after disagreement. Chao Yen tries to impeach Tsao Tsao for doing that. He is killed.
TSao Tsao recommends a royal hunt. The hunt takes place in Hsutien; Liu Pei kills a hare with one arrow shot; Emperor misses 3 shots on a deer; TSao TSao kills deer with 1 shot. Since he used the golden arrows and the emperor's bow he took credit and everyone shouts out long live the king. Kuan Yu is angry at him for being dishonorable. Yuante calms him down. Emperor grieves later to the Empress and Fu Wans says General Tung Cheng can help. The emperor hides a letter sealed in blood into the lining of his robe and summons Tung Cheng to help him. He says to look at the robe carefully when he gets home as a hint there is a secret. Tung Cheng runs into TSao Tsao on his way home, who pretends to want to take away the robe. He ends up giving it back after toying with him for a bit. Tung Cheng finds the letter when he gets home (but it is hidden well). He can't sleep as he thinks about how he can destroy TSao Tsao. Then eventually falls asleep with the letter on the table. Wang Tsu-fu finds it and reads it. Chung Chi and Wu Shi are brought in. Wu Tzu-lan is invited. Ma Teng invited.

XXI - Ma Teng recommends Liu Pei as well to join the rebellion. Tung Cheng visits him at night and shows him the decree. Liu Pei signs it. He takes to gardening to not be suspected. TSao Tsao summons him and talks about dragons. He compares dragons to heroes and asks Liu who are the current heroes of today? He answers
Yuan Shu because of resources (Tsao replies - Rotting bone in a graveyard_
Yuan Shao bc he has the highest offices of State for 4 generations (Tsao replies - a bully and a coward; devoid of decision; no forethought).
Liu Ching Sheng - mere semblance; a man of vain reputation.
Sun Tse - profited from his father's reputation; he is no hero.
Liu Chang - reigning family but merely a watchdog.
Chang Hsiu, Chang Lu, Han Sui - paltry people and not worth mentioning.
"Now heroes are mn who cherish lofty designs in their bosoms and have plans to achieve them, they have all-embracing schemes and the whold world is at their mercy." He says that they 2 are the only ones. He drops chopsticks but thunder roars; he blames dropping chopsticks on the thunder.
Man chung, sends a message that Kungsun Tsan was defeated by Yuan Shao. Tsan built a tower and a large wall around it for defense. He didn't help his soldiers and they defected to Yuan's side. He sent for help to Chang Yen; Yuan intercepted letter and ambushed him. Tsan killed his own family and committed suicide. Tsan's army joined Yuan's. Yuan Shu's people had risen up against him and he yielded the emperor seal to his brother.
After hearing this Liu Pei requests Tsao to give him an army to stop Yuan Shu. Tsao agrees. Gives him 5 legions and Chu Ling and Lu Chao help him. Upon leaving his brothers asked why he was so rushed. Liu Pei felt trapped under Tsao and now he felt free.
Cheng Yu and Kuo Chia (Tsao's advisors) tell him he shouldn't have let Yuante go because he will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. Tsao realizes this and orders Hsu Chu to get him back. Liu Pei refuses and Tsao agrees not to pursue since he gave the original orders.
Yuan Shu arrives at HsuChou. Chi Ling (Yuan's man) attacks and is defeated by Chang Fei. Yuan Shu with his own army attacks Yuante and loses. Bandits take his provisions and he flees. His army starves to death and so does he.
Hsu Chiu slew all the survivors of Yuan Shu's army at Luchiang and finds the imperial seal which he takes to Tsao Tsao. Yuante sends word he defeated Yuan Shu and then fortifies Hsuchou. Tsao orders to kill Liu Pei. Che Chou sent with Chen Teng's advice the set an ambush while Liu pei makes his way back. Teng with the advice of his father Chen Kuei rides to tell Liu Pei that he is goign to be attacked.
They trick Che Chou by dressing up as Tsao's men at night coming from a different city to help. Che Chou doesn't initially believe them so he says wait til daylight so that he could see them. He finally comes out to meet them. Kuan Yu kills him and decapitates him. Also takes the army. Chang Fei slaughters Che Chou's family. Chen Teng comes up with a plan to refreain Tsao from attacking.


XXII - Cheng Kang-cheng is whom Chen Teng recommends using to bait Yuan Shao to coming. Cheng was once president of the board under Emperor Huan but was exiled after the 10 Eunichs took control. He retired to Hsuchou. Cheng agrees to write the letter to Shao and Sun Chien is ordered to be the messenger.
Shao's advisor Tien Feng says because troops are tired of war to send information about the Kungsun victory to the emperor; if he is not told then Tsao Tsao can be blamed; within 3 years you can take him.
Shen Pei another advisor disagrees and says attack now.
Chu Shou says do not attack
Kuo Tu says attack
Hsu Yu and Hsun Shen say definitely attack. Shao listens and agrees.
30 legions put together to march on Liyang

A huge letter is written by Chen Lin with literary prowess. It is posted everywhere. Tsao Tsao initially reads it and is shaken by it. Then laughs it off and talks it over with his advisors. He decides to go to war after much debate. Liu Tai and Wang Chung lead 5 legions who is to attack Liu Pei. Tsao Tsao took 20 legions to attack Yuan Shao at Liyang.
Xuzhou = Pengcheng = Hsuchou
Tsao Tsao waits at the gates of Liyang and both don't make the first move for 2 to 3 months. Tsao TSao goes back to Hsutu and orders Liu Tai and Wang Chung to attack Liu Pei. They don't want to make the first move so they gamble. Both are eventually captured (one by Kuan Yu the other by Chang Fei) and their lives spared. They go back to Tsao Tsao and he orders their instant execution.

XXIII - The 2 were not executed but demoted as Kung Jung pleads for them. He has to wait til spring to attack. Chang Hsiu decides whether to ally with Tsao Tsao or Yuan Shao. Chi Hsu (who works for Chang Hsiu) rips up Yuan Shao's letter in favor of Tsao Tsao.
1) emperor is there and can restore peace
2) incremental help is not value added when compared to helping Tsao Tsao so will be more appreciated
3) Tsao will be chief of Feudal lords and will allocated according to merit not status.
Chang Hsiu becomes Prowess in war General ; Chi Hsu becomes Controller of Ways
Tsao then tries to invite Liu Paio to join him. He needs enticing from a good speaker. They invite. Mi Heng, who is a 24 year old philosopher. When Mi is summoned he does not win favor of Tsao because he makes fun of all of his high ranking men and says he knows everything under the heavens. He is made into a drummer but then plays for everyone and they are mesmorizing but then he strips naked. They drag him with horses. He sends him to Liu Piao to kill him so he doesn't have to displease the people as they might disagree. Huang Tsu kills him because he is insulted.
Tung Cheng and the physician meet in secret and the physician agrees to poison Tsao Tsao. When one of Tung Cheng's slaves is disciplined then he rats on Tung Cheng after escaping and Tsao Tsao hears of the plot by all that who swore to him and also of the physician. He encourages the physician to drink the poisoned cup instead of himself and when he doesn't he flogs him and tortures him even though he denies that he was tied to anyone. They go into Tung Cheng's place and find the silk with all the names. 4 of the names are imprisoned. He cuts off all of the physician's fingers to get him to tell the truth. the physican is beated to death.

XXIV - Tsao wants to assassinate the emperor and place a different one on the throne. His advisors strongly protest as many people would disagree with this. Tsao goes to the emperor and slays his Kuei-fei (Tung Cheng's sister). She was pregnant at the time. She was strangled to death. Ma Teng and Liu Pei are left in terms of names on the silk. He finally decides with his advisors to attack Liu Pei. He sends 20 legions. Sun Chien overhears from his scouts and warns Liu Pei and Kuan Yu. They decide to try and get help from Yuan Shao. Yuan is sad because his son is sick and is the only capabale heir to his throne. So he says he will not go as his legacy is as good as dead if his son doesn't survive. So news that Yuan Shao will not help at the current moment is brought to Liu Pei and Chang Fei sets up an ambush on Tsao TSao. Tsao Tsao realizes its a trap because the weather omens tell him that a night raid is coming. Yuante is to help from a different direction. Tsao is completely prepared and the brothers are driven off in all different directions with their armies crushed. They are separated and don't know each other's fate.
Tsao wants to trick Kuan Yu into joining him. Liu Pei flees to Yuan Shao and is accepted.

XXV - Kuan Yu makes three conditions to join TSao TSao (since he doesn't know whether Liu Pei is alive yet). Three faults if Kaun Yu dies in vain:
1) Swore a peach garden oath. If you die in vain and brother still alive he will have to die later too
2) In charge of brother's family
3) If he dies in vain the reputation of the 3 brothers dies in vain.
Kuan Yu then makes three conditions after much thought:
1) He submits to the Emperor and not to Tsao Tsao
2) suitable provision for the 2 ladies
3) If Liu Pei alive then he can go to him right away without delay.
Tsao agrees to first 2 easily. But says if he treats Kuan Yu well then he may stay. So he agrees to all 3 eventually.
Kuan Yu brought in and Tsao deeply admires his loyalty and honor. Tsao gives him many gifts and gold and promotes him and provides provisions for the 2 ladies. Kuan Yu gives as much as he can to the 2 ladies. Gives him a new robe. Gives him the red hare. Tsao realizes Kuan will never completely join his side. Yuan Shao sends some men and some of Tsao's men are no match. Kuan Yu slays Yuan Shao's men easily. Yen Liang a high general is killed by Kuan Yu.
Shao hears of this and suspects Kuan Yu is on the other side and Liu Pei is betraying him.

XXVI - Liu Pei is condemend to die but then is spared after he realizes that what if the man is not Kuan Yu. He sends Wen Chao to attack with 10 legions. Tsao puts food in the front and spare horses to bait Wen Chou. Tsao attacks them (Hsun Yu is the only one that recognizes it could be a trap). Wen Chou flees then is backed up by more men. Kuan Yu slays him by chasing him down with Red Hare. Yuan Shao hears and tries to execute Liu Pei again. Liu explains this is exactly what Tsao wants him to do and then Shao sees the plot and spares his life again. Liu pleads to see if he can get Kuan Yu back. He writes a letter and then Kuan Yu receives it. He tries to tell Tsao that he is leaving several times but Tsao makes himself unavailable on purpose. Kuan posts a letter on the door and leaves.

XXVII -Kuan Yu rides to Liu Pei and kills anyone in his way (he doesn' do it on purpose but they continue to not let him pass so he slays them).

XXVIII - Kuan Yu goes from city to city as he keeps barely missing Lui Pei and gets frustratred. He finally meets up with Sun Chien who goes into the city where Yuante is and tells him that Kuan Yu is still alive. Liu Pei agrees to leave the city and is reunited with his brother. Chau Yun also joins him and they find Chang Fei as well.

XXIX - Sun Tse is attacked while roaming around in the forest. He becomes very ill and needs to recover. Yuan Shao sends for him to ally with him to attack Tsao Tsao and he becomes very excited but he is still too sick. There is a wizard named Yu Chi whom he doesn't listen to and is very wise; Tse tests him by telling him to call the weather. He does so succesfully. Tse puts him to death and sees Yu Chi's ghost everywhere after that until he eventually dies as a result of this as bad omens and his mother tell him that he should not have done that. Sun Chu'an became ruler.

xxx - Yuan Shao does not listen to Tien Feng and attacks and goes to war with Tsao. He loses greatly

XXXI - Tsao attacks yuan Shao further and Liu Pei flees to Liu Paio and convince him to let him stay with him

XXXII - Yuan Shao becomes very sick and then his youngest son Yuan Shang takes his place while the elder brother is fighting elsewhere. The elder is furious at the younger. Tsao attacks the younger by flooding his city (small number of diggers by day and huge numbers by night).

XXXIII - inside the city, Tsao Pei (Tsao's son), takes a wife. Yuan Tan now isolated from his brother flees to Liu Paio. Lui Pei advises him not to help him as he wants to double cross his brother which is not ethical. Kuo Chia falls very sick and Tsao weeps when he passes. He awaits Kuo Chia's last piece of advice even though all of Tsao's soldiers don't believe him. He says wait and someone will send the heads of the 2 brothers Yuan Hsi and Shang since they had fled to a nearby city. Chia ends up being right as the head of that city is afriad that Tsao will attack him so he tricks the 2 brothers into coming into that city and beheads them and sends them to Tsao.

XXXIV - Liu Paio has 2 sons and the elder is weak. Liu Pei says don't pass his elder for the younger as this will cause strife afterwards. Liu Paio is very sad because he does not know who to give the throne to after he passes. The mother of the younger over hears this and tries to kill Liu Pei. and then later is invited to a ceremony where he is nearly killed but escapes on a tainted unfavorable cursed horse who jumps a river with heavy currents when some men (led by Tsai Mao) go after him outside the castle. Chau Yun who was distracted with other ceremonies is suspicious when his master is absent and then with 300 men scout around to look for him. He follows tracks to the river.

XXXV / VI - Pei meets a boy at a farm and then is led to his master who is an old wise man he says that if you can have FuLung (hidden dragon) or Feng-chu (Pheonix Fledgling), you could restore the empire. Chau Yun tracks Pei to the farm and then says that Tsao Jen is going to attack. Tan Fu, a wise man who is hired by Pei because he sang a song that attracted him to him becomes chief strategist. He is extremely wise and wins easily against Tsao Jen's attacks. Tsao tsao heres of this and gets Tan Fu's mother (who's real name is Hsu Shu) and asks her to write to her son. She says no way that Liu pei is a noble man and Tsao TSao is not. One of Tsao's men becomes friends with her and then learns to forge her writing to send Hsu Shu a letter. Hsu Shu receives the letter and weeps and then heads off to TSao Tsao. He and pei weep as they do not want to part.

XXXVII - Hsu Shu before he leaves rides back to Yuante and tells him to seek out Chuko Liang who is 10 x more wiser than he is in strategy. When HSu Shu arrives, his mother is extremely shamed and embarrassed that she raised such an idiotic son so she commits suicide. He falls in a swoon and doesn't take gifts from Tsao when he recovers. Pei goes to try and find Chuko Liang (Kung Ming). Pei meets all of Chuko's friends and family when trying to find him twice but has no luck as Chuko Liang keeps leaving and going when Pei is not there. Pei waits til spring to come back with his reluctant brothers.

XXXVIII -