Episode 79
Three Kingdoms
Who would have imagined
that Liu Bei is no less arrogant than Guan Yu was?
That is something I...
did not expect.
Speak your mind, Ziyu.
Given how things are,
you may speak freely no matter what.
In my humble opinion,
since we are in such dire straits now...
my lord may send Cao Pi a memorial offering submission.
acknowledging him to be the true sovereign of the realm,
and pledging the allegiance of all Southland subjects.
You are telling me...
to surrender to Cao Pi?
And abandon what my family strove for?
My lord,
this is simply to salvage the situation!
This way,
we can hope for Cao Pi to send troops to reinforce us.
Rather than letting Liu Bei claim hegemony,
we might as well bow down to Cao Pi,
in order to safeguard the Southland!
I am the lord of the Southland.
Once this memorial is submitted...
where would you have me put my pride?
Where would you have me put my dignity?
My lord!
This proposal of yours...
Let me think about it.
My lord.
Zhuge Jin told me to send a memorial of submission,
declaring fealty to Cao Pi.
Would all that my father and my brother strove for...
be forfeit just like that?
If the memorial is not sent,
then the Southland would truly be forfeit.
But if the memorial is sent,
the Southland will prevail.
Why do you say that?
After Liu Bei declared himself emperor,
the balance of power is held among the three houses.
If any one of them fails, the balance must collapse.
Cao Pi, just like Liu Bei, aspires to unite the realm.
So how could he sit back and allow Liu Bei to annex the Southland?
Once the state,of Wu falls,
Wei will not last much longer either.
Cao Pi wants nothing more than for
Shu and Wu to be embroiled in war and both to suffer great losses.
However he does not wish to see the utter destruction of Wu.
I understand that point too.
However, bowing down to Cao Pi...
is tremendously humiliating.
The vision of a lord
must be broadened through bearing innumerable worldly humiliations.
Zibu.
Who do you think we can send as an envoy?
The scholar Zhao Zi is extraordinarily quick-witted.
If we send him as an envoy.
he would be able to both convey the sincerity of our submission
and maintain Your Lordships dignity.
Very well.
You will compose a memorial of submission on my behalf,
and have Zhao Zi deliver it to Xuchang.
Rise.
Zhao Zi,
tell me.
How is Sun Quan as a lord?
He is intelligent and insightful, kind and shrewd, gallant and wise.
Surely you are flattering him, friend.
I dare not overpraise my lord.
Your Majesty, do you remember the exclamation
pronounced by your late father, the Martial Emperor?
What exclamation?
Once,
the then Prince of Wei did battle with the Marquis of Wu at Ruxu.
As soon as my lord rode out of his lines.
his noble countenance astonished the Prince,
who exclaimed, Should one have a son, let him be like Sun Zhongmou!
This incident is known to the entire world.
Your Majesty is his son.
If I may ask, does your father's exclamation not mean that
my lord, Sun Quan, is apt to be a model for all of his sons?
Right, yes, it is as you said.
Your Majesty is wise.
Please allow me to give a few more examples.
My lord promoted Lu Su from a lowly rank,
thus showing his intelligence.
He raised up Lu Meng in the military, thus showing his insight.
He captured Yu Jin but spared him, thus showing his kindness.
He took Jingzhou without^spilling blood, thus showing his shrewdness.
He rules the Southland, but commands respect from the world, thus showing his gallantry.
And, today, by bowing to Your Majesty,
he shows his wisdom.
Does that not show that he is
intelligent and insightful, kind and shrewd, courageous and wise?
Is Sun Quan...
well-learned?
My lord commands a navy of ten thousand battleships and an army of a million.
He employs capable men, and has strategies ever in his mind,
and he does not ruminate pedantically over texts,
Although his office is busy
whenever he has free time he reads over the histories and annals,
to glean the general lessons therein.
His learning is no less than dedicated scholars.
Although Sun Quan has submitted to us,
currently Shu is strong and Wu is weak.
What if we refuse his allegiance.
but rather ally with Shu to invade Wu?
What would Wu do in the face of that?
A large state may have the power for an invasion, but a small one has strategies for defense as well.
Regardless of your decision. Sire, my lord is confident and prepared.
Well, it sounds like Wu...
does not fear us.
Although Wu's land forces are fewer in number. the prowess of our navy Is peerless in the world.
Moreover, with the Yangtze River as a natural moat, we are able to defend ourselves.
Wherefore should my lord be afraid?
Friend, you do have a talent for speaking.
So,
how many men are there in Wu who are of your caliber?
Men of exceptional intelligence and courage, around a hundred.
Of my sort...
there are simply too many to count.
As an envoy of Sun Quan's, you have maintained the dignity of your mission.
Very well.
We accept his submission.
Tell him, I grant him the title of Prince of Wu
and the use of the Nine Dignities.
Thank you, Sire!
Zhongda?
do you think Wu or Shu will win in this war?
Liu Bei is sure to win.
How do you know?
After Liu Bei-declared himself emperor, his ambition has become uncontainable.
He dreams of reuniting the realm within his lifetime.
In this campaign, he has mobilized all his men and resources.
His soldiers are dedicated to his cause, and their morale is high.
Sun Quan of Wu, on the other hand,
has an elite navy
but insufficient infantry and cavalry strength.
Even a city as strong as Zigui was lost in half a days time.
The door to Wu is now wide open.
From this, we can see that
Shu will prevail and Wu will be defeated.
Is Sun Quan going to lose his state in this?
Wu will lose, but not perish.
If Liu Bei wants to destroy Wu,
he needs to proceed in two steps.
First, he should still conquer Jing Province.
It is the heartland of the realm,
and a hub for transportation.
Whoever holds Jing has an advantage over all.
After that.
he needs to replenish supplies and troops
before proceeding east along the Yangtze
to conquer Jianye, the capital city of Wu.
To avoid imminent annihilation,
Sun Quan surrendered to us as a last resort.
He invited me to mobilize westward and attack Hanzhong.
I wont fall for that.
My plan is...
to neither attack Shu nor aid Wu.
We'll wait and see what comes out of this, and act only at a favorable time.
Your Majesty is wise.
Wise indeed.
Sire, I think...
If Wu is victorious. you may take the opportunity to recover Hanzhong.
If Liu Bei is victorious, you may take the opportunity to annex Jing Province.
Regardless who wins in this war,
the ultimate victor shall be you.
General Sun Huan,
the path here runs eastward to Jiankang,
and northward to Yiling.
Which way should we go?
We lost Zigui.
How can we go back to face our lord?
The Suns of the Southland have all been heroes.
As a kinsman of our lord,
I cannot die but on the battlefield,
and have my body carried home in horsehide!
I say
well all turn and go to Yiling, and resist Liu Bei from there!
The walls of Yiling are nowhere as strong as Zigui's.
How long can we hold it?
I shall hold it for as long as our lord commanded us.
The city of Yiling...
will either be Liu Bei's grave
or my final resting place!
General, with such courage as yours
I, Zhu Ran, shall say no more.
I will pledge my life to you.
We pledge our lives to you!
Good! Listen, everyone.
We will march northwards and enter Yiling instead!
Sun Huan is Sun Quan's own nephew, and Zhu Ran has some renown as a warrior.
And yet they were crushed in just one blow!
At this rate, in another 20 days we'll be marching into Jiankang!
Are you done boasting?
Do you truly understand Sun Quan?
At the age of nine, he went to the enemy's camp alone
and retrieved his father's remains from Liu Biao.
At 18, he became ruler over the Southland,
and Red Cliff was his very first war.
He is 30 years my junior,
but is shrewd and resourceful, and of extraordinary courage.
Moreover, the Southland is known for producing talented men.
Their navy hasn't even joined the battle yet.
What cause do you have to be so happy?
Your Majesty is absolutely correct.
From spending an entire life on the field. I came to one realization.
Battles that are too easy are most likely not what they seem to be.
Even though the Wu army lost a few engagements recently.
their best commanders, such as Cheng Pu, Can Ning, Han Dang, and Zhou Tai, have yet to* appear.
Sun Quan lost a few battles in a row
only to give us a sense of false confidence.
It is also a ploy to stir up feelings of a common cause among his subjects.
If we become puffed up with pride after just some minor victories,
disaster will be nigh.
Report!
Sire! Sun Quan sent an envoy to offer allegiance to Cao Pi.
Cao Pi made a public proclamation in Xuchang, making Sun Quan the Prince of Wu,
and granting him the Nine Dignities.
Hear that?
Sun Quan allied himself with Cao Pi.
If we cannot conclude this war quickly.
Cao Pi will take military action.
Report!
Your Majesty, Sun Huan led 40,000 remnant troops into Yiling.
As soon as they entered the city, they strengthened the walls,
and vowed to defend the city or die trying.
This little nephew is no coward, after all.
He gave up his chance to go back to Nanxu,
and chose to defend an isolated city instead.
Sire! I volunteer to go attack Yiling!
Very well.
Take 30,000 men.
Your Majesty, Sun Huan still has 40,000 soldiers.
To lay siege, one needs thrice his opponent's troops.
If you could give me 50,000 troops,
I guarantee I will overcome Yiling in three days!
Zhang Bao.
I'm only having you feign an attack.
I don't want you to fight in earnest.
Why?
Between here and Nanxu |^
are a dozen Wu cities.
I suspect that, from here onward.
the cities will be defended by Wu's finest commanders.
Even though our army is large, we have traveled a long distance.
Our food and equipment cannot be easily resupplied.
If we keep besieging cities one by one like this.
long before we get to Nanxu
wed have lost over half our men.
And that would give Cao Pi a chance to act against us.
Sire, you plan to besiege the city but attack the reinforcements?
Exactly.
As Sun Huan is Sun Quan's own nephew.
he will surely send aid.
And that's exactly what I want him to do
when the reinforcements arrive
and meet us in open battle,
I will be able to annihilate them in one go.
gave me two insubstantial honors.
One is the Prince of Wu,
and the other is the Nine Dignities.
He said, in order to send me military aid,
he would need to reorganize his troops.
Just near Hanzhong is Cao Ren with a host of 200,000!
He only has to give the word
for the 200,000 troops to storm Hanzhong,
and Liu Bei will certainly withdraw to defend his land.
Cao Pi is waiting for Shu and Wu to destroy each other.
before he swoops in to take advantage of us both.
Its all right.
At least this way we can keep Cao Pi at bay,
and ensure that he won't take advantage of us and invade Jing Province.
However, we can't lose anymore.
If we keep losing battle after battle,
we cant guarantee that Cao Pi and Liu Bei wont take Jing from us.
My lord. Sun Huan submitted a memorial written in his own blood.
First, he awaits punishment for the loss of Zigui.
Second, he has already led a force of 40,000 back to defend Yiling,
and vowed to defend the city with his own life.
My lord, just as I was coming in,
I received news that Liu Bei's vanguard leader, Zhang Bao,
had laid siege to Yiling.
They had been attacking the city ferociously for days.
Give it to me.
My nephew...
knows to derive valor from failure.
A true son of the Sun family!
My lord.
we cannot lose Yiling as well.
Please hurry and send them aid!
Dispatch my orders! Han Dang will be the chief commander, and Zhou Tai his second.
Pan Zhang will lead the van. while Can Ning and Ling Tong take the rear.
Mobilize 100,000 troops to reinforce Yiling!
My lord, you must not!
Why not?
The walls of Zigui were extremely solid,
and yet Liu Bei overcame them in just half a days time.
The city of Yiling is much more difficult to defend than Zigui.
So why is it that the Shu army could not take it even after attacking for three days?
I fear that this is a trap.
Are you saying that
Liu Bei is besieging Yiling in order to lure my main forces out for a decisive battle?
cannot say for sure.
However, having spent my life on the battlefield,
can detect danger in this unusual situation.
Veteran General, you are overthinking it.
Shu is doing battle on our land.
and not the other way around.
Given our current situation, we cannot lose Yiling as well,
otherwise, Nanjun would be endangered.
And then, Cao Pi will think that it's all over for Wu,
at which point he will invade Jing.
Furthermore, even if it is a decisive battle.
I do not fear Liu Bei.
He has come a long distance and fought continuously for over two months.
The keen of his men's spirits is gone.
I will decide.victory with him before the walls of Yiling.
My lord, please reconsider!
I have decided. Dispatch my orders.
All camps, look lively!
We're departing at dawn!
Yes, sir!
Report!
Sir, Lu Xun, the former Grand Commander,
is sitting and wailing by the river with disheveled hair.
It looks like he's gone mad!
Lets go and have a look.
O Sons of the Southland!
How ill-fated you are!
This is like herding sheep into a tiger's den.
or fighting a fire while carrying firewood!
Today I see you off,
but never will I see you return!
O woe!
Boyan,
what do you think you're doing?
Oh, it's you, General Yigong.
I am saying farewell to he sons of the Southland!
Today I see you off,
but never Will I see you return!
O woe!
Silence!
LuXun!
Lu Xun!
You are demoralizing my men with your lunatic nonsense!
Shut up or you'll regret it!
Han Dang.
You are just a hopeless man waiting for death!
The butcher's knife is already above your neck, and you still do not realize it!
What an ignorant man you are!
was once the Grand Commander of Wu.
I have much greater foresight than you
Men!
Here!
This man keeps speaking insolent nonsense.
Arrest him at once
Aye!
Hand him to Lord Sun for judgment!
My lord!
Leave some sons for the Southland elders!
Leave some husbands for the Southland women!
My lord!
Lu Xun pays his respects to his lord.
Sir Zhang?
Where is His Lordship?
You pretended to have gone mad and raved nonsense,
affecting the morale of our camps!
An unpardonable crime!
Sir Zhang!
This is urgent. Sir Zhang!
Please, allow me to see Lord Sun at once!
Lord Sun cannot be bothered to see a madman like you.
Men!
Here!
Place Lu Xun in confinement.
Aye!
A blind man riding a blind horse,
along a cliff in the dead of the night.
Our glorious state of Wu...
is beyond hope.
Your Majesty!
I just received news that
Sun Quan appointed Han Dang as chief commander, Zhou Tai as his second,
Pan Zhang as the vanguard leader,
and Ling Tong and Can Ning as the rearguard leaders. They've mustered a force of 100,000 to reinforce Yiling.
A hundred thousand?
Sun Quan is really going all out this time!
Sire, Sun Quan took the bait!
Lets hurry and meet them in battle!
Sire.
When I was in Jingzhou I dealt with Sun Quan for many years.
I know very well of his wily nature.
He couldn't have taken the bait so easily.
I considered that too.
There are probably two reasons.
First,
Cao Pi promised to send him aid, and that emboldened Sun Quan.
Second,
Sun Quan has lost time and again, and his prospects are dim.
So he'd rather gamble all in one battle.
in hopes that he could prove himself to Xuchang,
and have them send reinforcements sooner.
In that case, we have even more reason to decide victory quickly!
Right now, we should be thinking about
how to deal with these 100,000 Wu troops.
This battle
will be the key offensive in this eastern campaign.
If we win.
there will be no more hope for Sun Quan, and Jing Province will be ours soon.
Your Majesty,
Han Dang, Zhou Tai, Pan Zhang, and Ling Tong are not of Zhou Yu's caliber, to be sure.
But they are all veterans of many wars.
If they manage to set a proper camp and formation
and confront us head-on.
we will not be able to defeat them
without suffering heavy losses ourselves.
Hansheng, you mean...
Sire, please take a look.
This valley here is called Fuchikou.
If we can lure the Wu force there,
It is ideal for an ambush.
not a single one of their 100,000 troops will be able to go home alive!
An excellent plan.
However, how are we going to lure the Wu army there?
To catch a big fish, you need^a good bait.
I am willing to be this bait and lure the Wu troops to the trap.
You?
Am I not capable enough?
Hansheng...
you are already 75.
You are one of the Five Tiger Generals, and of world-wide renown.
You are the soul of our army.
How can we allow you to risk your life like that?
To be honest,.
I was reluctant to bring you along on this expedition in the first place.
It was just that you kept insisting. However, I will never consent to you using yourself as bait.
Your Majesty!
Among the Five Tigers, Yunchang and Yide have left us.
Ma Chao is guarding Hanzhong against Cao Pi, and Zhao Yun is defending the Riverlands.
I alone am serving in this campaign.
Is there any officer in Wu
who wouldn't want to boast that he's taken the head of a Tiger General?
Is there anyone who can be a better bait than me?
Only if I appear in person on the frontlines
will Han Dang and his men forget everything and give chase!
Sire,
please...
allow me to go.
Enough.
Hansheng,
I am very moved by your loyalty and valor.
However, look at yourself.
so hoary with age.
How could I ever have the heart to
let you risk your life in.
such a dangerous mission?
Your Majesty!
I spent my entire life on the battlefield,
but even at 60, I had not met my true lord.
I had once thought,
that was it for me.
Unexpectedly, I met you, Sire, in my old age,
and was even granted the title of Tiger General.
Your Majesty,
I am only a decrepit old man now.
I don't want to drag out a feeble existence.
I only want to end my life in a glorious battle,
so that I can go without any regrets.
beg of you. Sire!
Did you all hear that?
Those words of valor, from an old man of seventy-five...
how to live without regrets.
and how to be a commander who will live forever in the annals of history!
Hansheng,
I will adopt your plan,
and you are permitted to lead the mission as well.
I will have Fuchikou become the graveyard for those 100,000 Southland men!
However,
even more than that,
I want you to come back safe and sound.
I've already lost my brothers, Yunchang and Yide.
I don't want to lose you, dear brother, as well.
Yes, my lord!
Hurry! Pick up the pace!
We must cross that hill before nightfall!
Faster!
Who's carriage is that? Halt!
General Cheng?
Veteran General, why are you here on the frontlines?
To fight the enemy, of course.
You've been seriously ill. How can you fight in this condition?
I, Cheng Pu,
have enjoyed the favor of the Sun family.
I can only ever repay them with my life.
Rest assured.
When I get to the frontlines, I'll be able to fight oh my own.
I won't cause you any trouble.
To be able to fight by your side, Veteran General,
is the greatest honor I can dream of. Allow me to drive your carriage for you.
Hey, hey.
Why did they lock me up here?
Where is our lord?
Are you deaf?
Come back!
I'm not eating this stuff!
Hear my orders!
Focus our strength and overcome the southern fort! Men! Charge!
Charge!
General.
Don't fret just yet.
Allow the enemy to come close.
At fifty paces, fire arrows.
At thirty paces, drop the rocks.
At ten paces, attack with pikes.
Have the rearguard ready to reinforce us.
General Han, look at that banner there!
What is it?
That's Huang Zhong's banner!
Huang Zhong is one of the Five Tiger Generals.
If he is here. that means the core strength of the Shu army is here too.
They must be going to attack General Cheng's fort.
What's the big deal about the Tiger Generals? I've always wanted to fight them!
And here's my chance today!
Fight with all you have!
Sir, it's 50 paces now.
Smash them! Crush them!
General Han, look.
old man Huang Zhong is defeated!
Let's seize this opportunity and sally forth!
Don't hesistate anymore! We have the advantage of high terrain.
We'll be unstoppable when we charge down!
If we can capture Huang Zhong, the Shu army will crumble.
Very well!
Order the entire army totally forth and go capture Huang Zhong!
Aye!
Report!
General Huang, the enemy is too strong!
We really cannot hold on anymore! What should we do?
Retreat! Hurry!
Your Majesty, General Huang, has already lured the Wu troops out of their fort.
They are heading towards Fuchikou.
How many?
They're like a black cloud reaching the horizon
It's impossible to tell how many they are.
Good!
Go find out more!
Aye! Go find out more!
Brothers-in-arms!
The 100:000 troops of the Wu army.
are marching towards the gates of Hell.
In an hours time,
the great battle will begin.
To soldiers such as us,
being able to take part in such a grand battle
is a glorious honor that Heaven has bestowed on.us.
It is also an opportunity Heaven has granted us
Brothers-in-arms!
This is your hour to achieve greatness!
Let the blood of the enemy soak through our robes of war!
Long live!
What are those whelps up there doing?
Hurry and tell them not to run so fast. Else the Wu troops behind us will lose our track!
Yes, sir!
Catch up with them! The old wretch is just ahead!
Zhou Tai!
Here!
Something doesn't look right.
What is it?
Look,
it looks like a valley up ahead.
It.gives me an eerie feeling.
You're worrying about an ambush?
Whether or not there's one,
his terrain is perfect for ambushes.
We must be careful.
Report!
Lord General!
Sir! The Wu troops seemed to have halted their pursuit,
but are only firing arrows at our rearguard.
Han Dang, truly a seasoned commander! More cunning than a wolf!
Listen!
Wave high my banner and follow me back. We'll continue to attack!
Sir, tens of thousands of Wu troops are firing arrows. It's too dangerous!
Send forth my orders!
Follow me and go back! Execute those who don't!
Yes, sir!
Lets go!
The Shu troops are fleeing. It'll be a shame if we don't press on the attack!
Our lord entrusted the two of us with 100,000 picked men.
We have to act prudently.
Moreover,
according to the military manuals, do* not pursue those fleeing in desperation "
Then well do as you say.
Send forth my orders!
Stop the pursuit.
Simply shoot at the enemy!
Stop the pursuit!
Archers!
General!
Bring the shields! Bring the shields!
Lord General! Are you hurt badly?
I've practiced archery since I was six,rand have never missed a shot.
I've always been the one doing the shooting! How dare they shoot me?
Hurry, help me get on a horse. Ill keep fighting!
Lord General! You should go back! Ill direct the troops in your stead!
I have fought my entire life. I cannot die.anywhere but on horseback! Help me up!
Sir!
Hurry, bring,a horse!
A horse! Hurry, bring a horse!
Sir, get on!
Sir, look! Old man Huang Zhong is charging towards us!
Kill them all!
Zhou Tai,
look.
He seems to be injured.
His back and shoulders are struck by arrows.
Here is our chance!
HI go and cut him down.
and hang his head above the gates of Yiling!
When the Shu troops see it,
they will surely be scared out of their minds!
Zhou Tai!
Be very careful.
General Han, stay here. I'll go attack with my men.
Follow me!
An ambush!
I Everyone, pull back!
Retreat!