Li Jue

  • Zhang Xiu surrendered to Liu Biao [Three Kingdoms]

    In the turbulent final years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, as warlords carved up the empire, a lesser-known figure emerged in the strategic heartland between the Central Plains and the Yangtze River. Zhang Xiu, a nephew of the fallen warlord Zhang Ji, found himself thrust into leadership after a fateful raid in 196 AD.…

  • Yuan Shu’s Struggle for Yanzhou and Yangzhou [Three Kingdoms]

    The years between 192 and 195 AD marked a critical period in the disintegration of Eastern Han authority and the rise of regional warlords vying for control of the central and southern territories. Amidst shifting alliances, imperial appointments, and military campaigns, the struggle for control of Yan Province (Yanzhou) and Yang Province (Yangzhou) became…

  • Key historical events of 195 AD [Three Kingdoms]

    In February 195 AD, during a high-level meeting in Chang’an, Li Jue ordered the assassination of his fellow warlord Fan Chou, who had grown increasingly influential and independent. The killing, carried out by Li Jue’s nephew Li Li, shattered the fragile alliance among the warlords controlling the Han court. From this point on, mutual…

  • Key historical events of 194 AD [Three Kingdoms]

    In early 194 AD, Cao Cao launched his second punitive expedition against Xuzhou, targeting Tao Qian, whom he blamed for the murder of his father, Cao Song. His forces advanced deep into Xuzhou, capturing cities and inflicting heavy casualties.

  • Strategist Jia Xu [Three Kingdoms]

    When discussing the greatest strategists of the Three Kingdoms, names like Zhuge Liang, Xun Yu, Guo Jia, Sima Yi, and Jia Xu often rise to the top. While intellectual brilliance was common among them, Jia Xu stands out as the undisputed master of emotional intelligence (EQ)—a skill that allowed him not only to survive…

  • The fickle warlord Yang Feng [Three Kingdoms]

    At the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, the empire was thrown into chaos. Rebellions erupted across the land, warlords vied for power, and former bandits sometimes rose to positions of authority—only to be crushed just as quickly. Among these turbulent figures was Yang Feng, a man whose shifting allegiances and fleeting ambitions exemplify…

  • The seizure of the Han Throne by Cao Cao [Three Kingdoms]

    In 195 AD, the warlords Li Jue and Guo Si, former subordinates of Dong Zhuo, turned on each other in a brutal power struggle that plunged Chang’an into chaos. Amid the violence, Emperor Xian of Han, the young and powerless figurehead of the crumbling Han dynasty, became a pawn in their conflict.

  • Why Yuan Shao not to hold the Emperor hostage? [Three Kingdoms]

    In 195 AD, Emperor Xian of Han, having escaped the clutches of the warlords Li Jue and Guo Si in Chang’an, began a perilous journey eastward. After enduring months of hardship and displacement, he finally reached Luoyang in 196 AD. Though stripped of real power, the emperor remained the sole legitimate symbol of Han…

  • Key historical events of 192 AD [Three Kingdoms]

    In January 192 AD, Yuan Shao achieved a decisive victory over Gongsun Zan at the Battle of Jieqiao, a turning point that established Yuan Shao’s dominance in northern China. Despite Gongsun Zan’s elite cavalry, Yuan Shao’s general Qu Yi led a disciplined infantry force to break the charge, crippling Gongsun Zan’s ambitions and securing…