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In the autumn of 208 CE, following his swift conquest of Jing Province after Liu Cong’s surrender, Cao Cao sent a letter to Sun Quan – a message that read less like diplomacy and more like a declaration of intent.
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Chapter 43 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms – titled “Zhuge Liang Debates the Scholars of Wu; Lu Su Urges Sun Quan to Resist Cao Cao” – marks a pivotal moment in the epic: not on the battlefield, but in the halls of diplomacy.
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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…
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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…
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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.…
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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.
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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…
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The Longzhong Plan was a strategic blueprint presented by Zhuge Liang in 207 AD after Liu Bei’s three visits to his thatched cottage.
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Chapter 40 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms depicts a moment of profound crisis and moral clarity. With Liu Biao’s death, the fate of Jing Province, one of the last great strongholds of the crumbling Han dynasty, hangs in the balance. What follows is a chain of betrayal, strategic brilliance, and unwavering compassion: Cai…