Strategies of the Warring States is a historical work compiled by Liu Xiang of the Western Han Dynasty. It was not produced at a single time, nor was it written by a single author. During the Warring States period, there were specialists in diplomatic strategy who studied how to discern the psychology of rulers…
After the death of his most capable general, Sun Jian, during the campaign against Liu Biao in Jingzhou, Yuan Shu found himself in a dire strategic position. Sun Jian had been the shield of Yuan Shu’s northern frontier, holding Yuzhou and defending against threats from Cao Cao and Yuan Shao. With Sun Jian gone,…