Lady Mi, sister of the wealthy merchants Mi Zhu and Mi Fang from Donghai (modern-day Lianyungang), entered Liu Bei’s life in 196 CE under extraordinary circumstances.
In the 41st chapter of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, when Cao Cao attacked Jingzhou to the south, Liu Bei led civilians across the river to the gates of Xiangyang but was denied entry by Cai Mao and Zhang Yun. Wei Yan, enraged by their surrender to Cao Cao, “led hundreds of men straight…
Kong Rong (153–208 CE), the twentieth-generation descendant of Confucius, was born into a family steeped in scholarly and political prestige. His seventh-generation ancestor, Kong Ba, had served as tutor to Emperor Yuan of Han, and his father, Kong Zhou, held the post of Commandant of Taishan. Orphaned at thirteen, Kong Rong displayed exceptional moral…
Liu Qi, as the eldest son of Liu Biao, was the legitimate heir to Jing Province. Why did not he join forces with Liu Bei to reclaim the governorship from Liu Cong amid the chaos?
In 208, when Cao Cao launched his southern campaign against Jingzhou, his army swept through Xinye with overwhelming momentum. Behind him marched hundreds of thousands of northern troops; at the vanguard were elite generals like Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun.
After being defeated by Cao Cao, Liu Bei fled south to Jingzhou (Jing Province) and sought refuge with the governor of Jingzhou, Liu Biao. Liu Biao not only sheltered Liu Bei and his remaining forces but also generously granted him a city to recuperate. Moreover, Liu Biao actively involved Liu Bei in the administration…
In July 208, Cao Cao personally led a massive army of 200,000 troops southward. At this critical moment, Liu Biao, the governor of Jing Province, died, and his younger son Liu Cong succeeded him. Fearing Cao Cao’s might, Liu Cong immediately dispatched envoys to surrender without informing Liu Bei, who was stationed in Fancheng.…
In the summer of 208 CE, as death approached, Liu Biao, Governor of Jing Province, made a startling offer to Liu Bei: “After I die, you shall assume control of Jingzhou.” To an ambitious warlord who had wandered homeless for two decades, this was the opportunity of a lifetime – yet Liu Bei declined.
Chapter 42 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms delivers a breathtaking sequence of heroism, tactical foresight, and strategic realignment. In the immediate aftermath of the disastrous retreat from Jingzhou, Liu Bei’s survival hinges on the loyalty of his sworn brothers and the quiet brilliance of Zhuge Liang. While Zhang Fei’s thunderous stand halts Cao…