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Chapter 61 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms – Cao Cao marches south again; Sun Quan plots to seize Jingzhou – weaves together two parallel narratives that reveal the fragile balance of power in the post–Red Cliffs era.
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In the pivotal year of 208 CE, the balance of power in China shifted dramatically as Cao Cao’s lightning conquest of Jing Province triggered a chain reaction of flight, sacrifice, and strategic realignment.
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The prolonged struggle between Sun Quan and Huang Zu – spanning nearly a decade – culminates in 208 CE with the decisive Third Jiangxia Campaign, a pivotal episode that blends historical record, strategic innovation, and personal drama.