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Among the many figures of the Three Kingdoms era, few are as enigmatic – or as influential – as Sima Hui, styled Decao, the reclusive scholar known as Master Water Mirror. Though he never held office, raised an army, or penned a single decree, his quiet words altered the course of history.
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In Chapter 35 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei’s journey from desperation to hope unfolds through two pivotal encounters – first with the reclusive sage Sima Hui (Water-mirror Master), and then with the disguised strategist who would briefly illuminate his path to legitimacy: Xu Shu, alias Shan Fu.