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As Duke Huan of Qi aged, Duke Mu of Qin (whose state was then located in parts of present-day Gansu and Shaanxi) saw an opportunity to expand his influence and aspire to leadership among the central states.
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In Chapter 42 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, following Liu Cong’s swift and bloodless surrender of Jing Province to Cao Cao, an unexpected act of clemency unfolds: Cao Cao orders the immediate release of a prisoner in Xiangyang city and promptly promotes him to office. That man is Han Song.
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In the chaotic final years of the Eastern Han dynasty, the struggle for supremacy hinged not merely on military might, but on governance, leadership, and strategic vision.