Romance of the 3 Kingdoms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynasties_in_Chinese_history
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Kingdoms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_of_the_Three_Kingdoms


Wu - North
Shu - southwest
Wei - East

Liu Pei, legitimate heir to the Han throne (like Symba or Aragorn)
Kuan Yu - (Yun-chang) invincible knight - curved blade long - Black Dragon or Cold beauty
Chang Fei - impulsive giant - long eighteen foot spear

Chuko Liang - wizard and counselor

Ts'ao Ts'ao (also Meng-te) - blood thirsty and treacherous

Empires
Chou weakened
Ts'in next
Ch'u and Han fought for power
1st century - Han under Kaung Wu's rule
2nd century - Han under Emperor Hsien who divided the throne into 3 parts
- separated rule into 2 emperors Huan and Ling, Huan was not loyal to Eunichs and left throne to Ling. 2 generals under ling did not like eunichs meddling in state affairs so they plotted to rid of them. failed and eunichs were more powerful, led by Ts'ao Chieh. several bad omens cursed the land and the emperor wanted an interpretation; one of the eunichs Ts'ao Yung said the large amount of insects and changes of behavior in fowls were the result of feminine influence.

The ten - lead by Chang Jang

In Chulu,
- Chang family, Chio - eldest unclassed graduate in medicine - old man gave him 3 volumes of the Book of Heaven - the way of peace. The old man was Hsien of the Southern Land of Glory. gained powers to control wind and rain - the Mystic of the Way of peace.Could make potions and soon had disciples.
, Pao, Liang

Tung Cho (Chung-ying) was a general they saved in chapter 1, Chang Fei wanted to kill him because the general was ungrateful for the help that was bestowed upon him, but was held back by Yuan-te and Kuan Yu
- born in the west in modern Shensi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaanxi)

Chu Chien - received 3 heroes and they helped him in battle (Chang Pao used magic to scare them).

Huangfu (Tsao Tsau worked under him) defeated Chang pao and Chang Chio and took Tung Cho's place.

More battles with rebels and yellow turbans. Chu Chien defeated many of the rebels and was promoted to general of Cavalry and remembered the brothers. Except for the 3 brothers who got shafted. They were supposed to be demoted but Chang Fei lost his temper and beat the official. Order was sent and they were on the run. They regain their honor after a few short battles.

The Ten kept gaining power and overthrew Chu Chien and Huangfu

Ho Chin, was brother in law to the Emperor and became powerful because his sister was the Empress. When the emperor died , he wanted to rid the power of the eunichs, but they knew that and tricked him into coming into the palace after the emperor was already dead. He tried to overthrow the eunichs.

Tung Cho by this time had fallen from power bc of failure in wars against the yellow turbans. he bribed heavily to the eunichs and then eventually summoned by Ho Chin in his lowly state. Tung Cho expressed his objective to destroy Chang Jang and the eunichs from power. The eunichs hear of the plot and then lure Ho Chin to the castle by convincing the Empress to order them there. While not listening to several advisors he enters alone and is assissinated by the eunichs. Yuan Shao who is Ho Chin's right hand man burns the entrance when Ho Chin's head is thrown over the palace walls. They storm and kill mostly all the eunichs and drive Chang Jang out of the city who flees with the Emperor and prince Chen Liu. The boys become lost and then found near a farm and Tung Cho joins them. The prince Chen Liu speaks because the Emperor is distraught and Cho thinks the Emperor a coward and is not fit to reign; he supports the prince Chen Liuand tells others to do so or die. One opposes him named Ting Yuan, whos right hand man is Lu Pu. Tung Cho is afraid of Lu Pu as he is a great warrior. Li Ju, who is Cho's advisor knows Lu Pu and convinces him to smite his own master and join Tung Cho with a mighty horse, The Hare and gold and precious jewels. He beheads Ting Yuan and joins Tung Cho. Yuan Shao who was on Ting's side challenges Cho that he does not have the right to kill the Emperor.

IV
Tung Cho denounces the Emperor and says he is not fit to rule; he places Prince Chen Liu in his place and demotes Emperor to prince Hung Nung and retires Empress Dowager. Prince Chen Liu was known as Emperor Hsien. Tung sends Li Ju to kill the late Emperor and the late Empress and their Lady. Empress thrown out the window, Emperor forced to drink poison and Lady killed. Tung Cho becomes more of a tyrant and defiles virgins. He kills a village and takes the women and treasures saying that the village rebelled against him. Someone tries to kill Tung Cho and then fails and is slain. Yuan Shao hears of the abuse of power and talks to Wang Yu. Wang Yu fakes a birthday party to gather his people without Tung Cho suspecting. Tsao Tsao is there and is the only one not weeping and volunteers to kill Tung Cho. Tsao Tsao tries to kill him but becomes afraid at the last minute when Tung Cho sees him in the mirror; he gives the knife as a gift when Lu Pu walks in the tent. He leaves quickly. He flees home with a follower he meets along the way and then kills his own uncle and other family when he is paranoid that they are plotting against him when they actually weren't.

V
Tsao Tsao recruits an army by convincing his father's friend who is wealthy to fund an army. It becomes very large and one of the commanders eventually recruits the 3 heroes; under Kungsun Tsan. Yuan Shao is elected leader. Tung Cho hears of the rebellion and summons an army that Lu Pu was going to lead. Another warrior named Hua Hsiung volunteered instead. He kept killiing any warrior that would challenge him in battle. Kuan Yu finally defeated him. Lu Pu comes days later after hearing of this and then again defeats any man that challenges him. The 3 heroes take him on (initially lead by Chang Fei after their leader Kungsun Tsan is being pursued by Lu Pu). Lu Pu becomes fatigued even though he can fight all 3 and then flees.

VI
Tung Cho burns the capital, takes all the gold and jewels of the city and flees south Changan based on an old saying that when east and west meet go south. Tsao Tsao follows in pursuit while the rest of the lords stay at the capital and decide to do nothing. He gets ambushed and barely escapes with his life. When he comes back there the lords disagree on many things and disperse. Sun Chien hides the emperor's seal and denies he has it and heads in a different direction.

VII
Kungsun Tsan is tricked by Yuan Shao to attack a city that supplies food. When Yuan Shao takes the city for himself and double crosses Kungsun Tsan they end up going to war. Kungsun Tsan is chased out and then rescued by a warrior named Chao Yun. When Kungsun and Yuan go to war later it is Chao Yun that turns the tide to Kungsun's favor. However, when they go to attack the second time they are not strong enough and begin to lose; the 3 brothers come to help after hearing the news from afar (Liu Pei was reigning over another city at this time). And then Chau Yun and Liu Pei become great friends.
Sun Chien goes to war with Liu Paio (who tried to kill him for taking the seal earlier). He practically beats him but his flagstaff is broken by the wind and a bad omen starts. Liu Paio sends for help to Yuan Shao and has a crafty plan to send 500 men to do so, Sun Chien follows in pursuit of the messenger and is ambushed by archers and killed. Sun Tse (Sun Chien's son) pleads for peace and his father's body after it is captured in exchange for a valuable prisoner.

VIII
Peace is brought forth amongst Sun Tse and Liu Paio (later is said that Sun Tse becomes a great leader). Story goes to Tung Cho and his tyrannical rule in the South. He kills and tortures anyone who opposes him and also does the same to anyone trying to defect to his side. Wang Yun, uses one of his servants who is very pretty to marry Lu Pu and turn him against his master and also turn Tung Cho and his son against each other; he gets her to swear it that she will do this for him and she swears it. Her name is Sable Cicada. She does exactly that and Wang Yun invites both (on separate occassions) to meet her and they are seduced by her beauty. Tung Cho brings her into his household and becomes mesmorized by her and Lu Pu becomes jealous. She states her love for Lu in a garden and Cho sees it after coming home one night. He becomes furious at him and chases him out of his home.

IX



XIII - Li Ts'iu - becomes minister of War (self proclaimed) along with Kuo Ssu. These 2 remember were the original soldiers of Tung Cho before he was killed.
- Yang Piao plots with the Emperor to rid of Li Tsiu in favor of Tsao Tsao.
- Chia Tsu was part of Li's party but also wanted to rescue the emperor.
- Yang Feng and Sang Kuo betray Li Ts'ui by convincing Kuo Ssu's wife that Li is not to be trusted. She convincies her husband about Li by poisoning his drinks and then he begins to hate Li. They end up fighting each other back and forth until they agree to peace. They are both in a weakened state so Chiang Chi threatens to destroy both of them unless there is peace. Chiang Chi defends Emperor and brings him back to Loyang with Li Yueh (who is a briggand and betrays later), Hu Tsai Tung Cheng and Yang Feng.

XIV - They rebuild Loyang. Li Yueh fights with Hsu Huang; Chang yang helps.
Tsao Tsao is invited from the Emperor from Yang Piao to take court.
- Li and Kuo allied and wanted to kill the emperor and rule; Emperor's army is very small at this point.
- Tsao Tsao comes to defend the emperor at the advice of his advisors as they say this is an opportune time.
- Chia Hsu recommends the 2 rebels make peace with Tsao Tsao and not fight but surrender. They don't listen and attack anyway - Li Tsiu nephews both die in war; both of their armies are defeated and they retreat to the forests
- Yang Feng / Han Hsien flee because they are afraid of Tsao Tsao ; they go to Yuan Shu (whom we see these 2 again later)
- Tung Chao - tells Tsao to move the capital to Tsutu in Honai
- Wang Li an astrologer agrees and the stars say that earth shall defeat fire or Wei will defeat Han. Tsutu is full of good earth so Tsao Tsao thinks its a sign.
- Tsu Huang comes to fight him and is a great warrior; Tsao Tsao likes him
- Man Chung persuades Tsu to join Tsao
Mau Chieh - becomes chief of military stores
Tung Chao - becomes magistrate of Loyang
Man Chung - becomes magistrate of Tsutu
Tsao tries to set Lu Pu and Liu Pei against each other (1st attempt) - sent letter to Liu Pei to not help Lu Pu if he attacks. Liu Pei can't betray Lu Pu so refuses.
2nd attempt - by imperial decree he sends Liu Pei to attack Yuan Shu; which he listens as he feels he must. Chang Fei is left to guard the city and swears not to become drunk and is left on guard with another to make sure. He throws a huge party and then becomes drunk and smites Lu Pu's father in law. Lu Pu hears of this then takes the city for himself and protects Liu Pei's family. Chang Fei tries to kill himself.

XV - Lu Pu tempted by Yuan Shu with gifts and then is happy about this; he agrees to betray Liu Pei but decides not to carry it out because Yuan Shu will not send gold in advance. Liu Pei and Lu Pu become friends again Liu Pei is demoted; his brothers angry with the situation.
- SUN TSE under Yuan Shu's rule becomes very successful. He becomes best friends with Chau Yu as they are the same age.
- Lu Fan - advises Sun Tse to make his own destiny like his father before him and request an army from Yuan Shu in exchange for the imperial seal that his father acquired. Yuan Shu agrees.
- Sun Tse creates a large army over time
- Chang Chao joins / Chang Hung joins
- attacks Chang Ying later joined by some others
T'aishuh Tzu tries to attack Sun Tze after seeing him on a ridge; he is a great warrior that goes 2 on 12. He works for Liu Yu.
- Sun Tse defeats Liu Yu.
- Sun Tse defeats White Tiger / Chao Hsin / Wang Leng
T'aishuh Tzu joins them.
Sun Tse demands his father's imperial seal back from Yuan Shu

XVI
Yuan Shu sends Chi Ling to attack Liu Pei with 10 legions. Sends gifts to Lu Pu not to aid Liu Pei.
- Liu Pei finds out Yuan Shu is going to attack him and asks help from Lu Pu.
- Lu Pu arranges all 3 of them to meet in his tent and then says if he can hit his halbard with an arrow at a very far distance then both sides must make peace. Both sides agree; he hits the mark and there is peace.
- Yuan Shu annoyed by this is advised to make an alliance with Lu Pu by marrying his only son to Lu Pu's only daughter. They agree.
- Lu Pu is later advised by an old man that he is being used
- Chang Fei steals 150 horses from Lu Pu; Lu Pu means to attack Liu Pei
- Liu Pei flees to the help of Tsao Tsao who helps him and makes him head of a different area
- Tsao Tsao steals Chiang Hsiu's wife; Then later Hsiu's men steal Hien Wei's double edged sword so he is not invincible; they then pillage the land and then Hien Wei dies and Tsao Tsao's son dies.
- a certain Yu Chin stays loyal to Tsao Tsao and defends the city without talking to Tsao Tsao; later he says defence is more important than reporting; he is rewarded.

XVII - Yuan Shu wants to become emperor now that he has the imperial seal; he self proclaims the stars are saying so too.
- Goes around in an emperor's carriage, etc.
- Chang Hsun - 20 legions under him
- Chi Ling - given several legions
- they are going to attack Lu Pu because of the failed marriage. Lu Pu is advised by Chen Teng to try and get Han Hsien and Yang Feng back to the loyalty of the Han Dynasty. They convince them to betray Chang Hsiu and they are driven back along with Chi Ling and Yuan Shu.
- Yuan Shu asks for Sun Tse's help but he refuses. Tsao Tsao asks Sun Tse to attack Yuan Shu but says he will only as a back up if Tsao Tsao attacks Yuan Shu first.
- Liu Pei takes the heads of Yang Feng and Han Hsien as they were causing chaos among the new cities they were in charge of.
- Liu Ts'iu and Kuo Ssu are finally slain by Tien Wei and Wu Hsi.
- Yuan Shu starves them out by moving the army and leaving them with no food. The aggressors have no choice but wait til spring to attack.
They hear of Chang Hsiu (whom Chia Hsu works for) and Liu Piao are ravaging the country so they had to deal with them.