Episode 80
Three Kingdoms
This is the end! This is the end!
Zhou Tai,
We've been brothers-in-arms for half our lifetimes.
Now we'll embark on our last journey together
to go see Lord Sun Jian!
Brother Yigong, it was all my fault!
No!
Huang Zhong intentionally took a few shots in order to lure us into the trap.
To be defeated by that veteran warrior is no shame at all!
Lets do it!
Zhou Tai, Han Dang! Hurry and fight your way-out!
Zhou Tai, Han Dang!'Hurry and fight your way out!
Reinforcements!
General Cheng is here to save us!
Sally!
Zhou Tai, Han Dang! Hurry y and retreat!
Lord General!
Sir!
Lord General!
Lord General! Lord General!
Lord General! Lord General'
Lord General!'
Hurry and go!
Lord General! Lord General!
Let's go!
Your Majesty.
Some seventy to eighty thousand Wu troops charged into Fuchikou.
Han Dang and Zhou Tai led about ten thousand out of the valley,
but the rest were annihilated.
The rebels Fu Shiren and Mi Fang, being cornered,
switched sides again, captured the Wu commander Ma Zhong, and offered submission.
Fu Shiren and Mi Fang want to surrender now?
Shameless wretches.
Take their heads as an offering to Yunchang.
Aye.
Also, the Wu commander Cheng Pu came to reinforce Han Dang and Zhou Tai,
but was shot down by Shamoke and perished on the spot.
Good!
Cheng Pu is the top general in Wu He has won great fame while serving under three successive rulers.
His death in this battle will certainly cause all of Wu to tremble in fear.
Shamoke came to assist.us with his 50,000 tribal soldiers. and performed this great deed as well.
Your Majesty/must reward him handsomely.
Shamoke should certainly be rewarded,
but it's Huang Zhong who deserves the top honors'
Where's Huang Zhong?
He...
Your Majesty!
Sire, the veteran general is bleeding to death.
Your Majesty.
How did the battle go?
Hansheng,
we scored a complete victory.
Wu lost sixty to seventy thousands.
And you deserve all the credit!
It's all due to Your Majesty's wisdom.
All I did was take a few shots.
Hansheng,
rest well.
Once you've recuperated.
I'll have someone bring you back to Chengdu.
No.
I want to witness Your Majesty's conquest of Jing.
I will make sure you get to Jing, even if it means carrying you there myself.
In my entire life,
I have only lost two battles.
The last time was the Battle of Changsha.
I lost to Yunchang.
I really shouldn't have lost that one.
To be honest,
to this day I still refuse to admit that Yunchang bested me!
Hansheng,
if you were Yunchang's age,
he wouldn't have bested you.
I like hearing that!
And then there's this time.
Although I was defeated.
Your Majesty was triumphant.
I am happy to be defeated!
When I see Yunchang in the afterlife.
HI have something to boast about!
I'm going to have to ask him.
His Majesty appointed me as one of the Five Tigers.
Was I deserving of it? Was I rightly appointed?
I...
had five Tiger Generals,
but I have lost three of them already.
Each of them died because of Sun Quan.
I swear I will fight my way into Jianye,
and desecrate the Suns' ancestral tombs.
Heed my orders!
The best of the Wu army have all perished at Fuchikou.
Have everyone get ready
and attack Yiling!
Yes, sir!
Lord Sun summons Lu Xun to go see him.
You have locked me up here
for 13 days already, right?
My lord, Lu Xun is here.
Lu Xun,
our army suffered a tremendous,defeat at Fuchikou.
Of our 100,000 elite troops, over half was lost.
Generals Cheng Pu, Gan Ning,
Pan Zhang, and Wu Zhong
were killed in action.
And now, Liu Bei's host is bearing down on Yiling,
which is our last gate of defense.
If Yiling is lost,
the Shu troops will be able to charge straight in and take Jing Province.
And if Jing is lost again.
it'll be the end for Wu.
The Grand Commander's military tally?
Lu Xun,
I appoint you as the Grand Commander of Wu.
Command our forces and meet Liu Bei in battle.
My lord, I have a question for you.
I implore you to answer me honestly.
Ask it.
My lord, the reason why you incarcerated me for 13 days,
was to wait for news from the front, was it not?
If Fuchikou was a victory.
you would not employ me.
But now that Fuchikou was lost,
you have no choice but to employ me.
If Fuchikou was a victory.
besides not employing you.
and demoralizing the troops.
I would also punish,you for feigning madness
However, that the battle was lost
proves that you 'had true foresight.
Lu Xun.
I will ask you one thing too.
The reason why you were raving and ranting outside the camp
was to provoke me.
and to prod me into appointing you, was it not?
Please forgive me, my lord.
A pity that your mad ravings came to be true.
You said that my sending out the army
was like delivering sheep to a tiger. like carrying firewood to put out a fire.
How accurately said.
In this battle,
over half of our riders and infantrymen were lost.
The senior officer Kan Ze said that you would be a pillar of the state.
He vouched for you, by the lives of his entire clan.
I imagine that those in the Southland opposing this move
are not in the minority.
They are ten times louder than Kan Ze.
So, it seems that I do not have the respect of the Southland officials.
I am just a scholar.
My talents are few and my virtue meager.
I am not meet to take this task.
When my late brother. Sun Ce, took over the Southland, he was only 21.
When I inherited my father and brother's position, I was no more than 18.
When Zhou Yu achieved victory at Red Cliff, he was just 30 as well!
Lu Xun! The Southland has always turned out young heroes!
Our survival now hangs by a thread.
Having appointed you to the task,
I will stand by you, whether glory or dishonor befalls.
Thank you, my lord.
The ceremonial platform is set up by the river.
Tomorrow at noon, all officials will gather before it.
where I shall officiate your appointment
and do you honor.
As you wish, my lord.
Han Dang, Zhou Tai.
Here.
I entrusted you with 100,000 picked men.
But you acted rashly.
and lost 70,000 of our troops just in the first battle.
This defeat...
brought shame upon all of Wu,
and now disaster is nigh.
What punishment do you think you deserve?
Our crime is unpardonable. We subject ourselves to the military law.
Guards.
Here!
Drag these two useless leaders out
and execute them at the camp entrance.
Aye!
My lord.
My lord,
while Han Dang and Zhou Tai deserve to be executed.
they have both rendered meritorious service to our state before.
I implore you, my lord, to suspend their punishment,
and allow them to redeem themselves by serving on the frontlines.
If the law is not upheld, orders will not be obeyed. In such times we cannot but be strict.
Drag them out!
Aye!
My lord...
I have made up my mind. Speak no more.
Wait!
My lord.
You have appointed me Grand Commander.
By the prerogatives of the position.
the lives of all military men
should be in the power of the Grand Commander himself.
What is on your mind?
In the battle of Fuchikou,
Han Dang and Zhou Tai were at fault, but they've also gained merit.
Their crime was in attacking rashly and falling into an ambush.
one of Shu's Five Tiger Generals, Huang Zhong.
Their merit was in shooting to death
This bought us 20 days' time to reinforce and strengthen the defenses at Yiling.
These 20 days may seem a trifle right now,
but it may later prove to be the key to victory in our war against Shu.
If I may so suggest.
dismiss Han Dang and Zhou Tai from their command positions.
and have them serve on the frontlines.
You're the Grand Commander. It will be as you said.
Thank you, my lord, for your mercy.
What are you thanking me for?
I have nothing to do with it.
Thank you. Grand Commander.
Listen.
You lost 70,000 of Lord Sun's best men.
In the next battle, you must kill 70,000 Shu soldiers,
or I will punish you for both transgressions.
Yes,sir!
Yes sir! Yes sir!
Lu Xun.
You'll be in charge of all military matters now.
I just received a letter
saying that the State Mother had fallen ill again.
I have to go back to Jianye.
We respectfully see you off.
Your Majesty,
all those forts were newly built by the Wu army.
When I reconnoitered here ten days ago,
there was nothing over there.
But now they've built forts along the hill,
where they would block our path.
In other words, in ten days' time, Wu troops managed to erect scores of forts without us knowing.
That's quite.impressive.
What have you found out? Who is their commander in charge?
According to the captives we caught,
half a month ago.
Sun Quan appointed Lu Xun as the Grand Commander of Wu.
Lu Xun?
Never heard of him.
Sire, Lu Xun's style name is Boyan. He hails from Wu Commandery.
He is the grandson of Colonel Lu Yu of Hancheng,
and the son of Commandant Lu Jun of Jiujiang.
He is also the son-in-law of Sun Ce, the late ruler of Wu.
Its said that he was appointed Lu Meng's Vice-Commander three years ago,
and was in charge of supplies and equipment.
However, less than two months later, Sun Quan dismissed him.
After that, he had not served In any military position,
but stayed at-home to study.
How old is he?
Twenty-seven.
A little whelp. A generation or two beneath me.
Looks like Wu is running out o people to employ!
They even-dug up some scholar to be Grand Commander!
Forget about him being inexperienced at warfare.
I doubt that the officers who report to him would willingly obey him either.
Sire.
I feel that,
if Sun Quan dares to employ this man at this juncture.
it shows that he is one to be reckoned with.
Let's see what he's made of.
Guan Xing, heed my orders.
Sir!
All the forts that Lu Xun built in the last 10 days,
I command you to destroy within five.
Yes, sir!
Ma Liang, send forth my orders.
Once the Wu forts are overcome.
all units are to advance at once and encamp at Xiaoting.
Aye.
General!
Sir! The enemy is attacking for the fifth time..
We have repelled each attack, but they are climbing up over the bodies of their slain!
Keep fighting!
Aye!
Report!
Sir! Shu's Guan Xing and his men breached the south wall. and General Song fell in combat.
Keep fighting!
Aye!
Report!
Sir, Shu troops are shooting fire arrows into the fort. The rear camp is ablaze!
Keep fighting! Fight to the death!
Yes, sir!
Han Dang, it's been four hours of intense fighting.
If we send a crack regiment to sally out,
the Shu army will be taken unawares and take heavy losses!
Oh, Youping.
The Grand Commander ordered us to defend and not to attack.
Have you forgotten that?
With the defeat at Fuchikou, we brought shame upon ourselves.
Is there any better time than now to redeem our honor?
It is too risky to disregard the fort and attack.
What if we lose the fort?
I'd rather die fighting them than to sit around while they beat us!
I'll sally out with 3,000 men. You stay here and defend!
Stay there! No!
General!
abandon all forts and pull back 30 miles.
Generals! On the Grand Commander's orders.
Nonsense!
The Grand Commander gave us strict orders to hold the fort for 20 days.
Why are we pulling back before 10 days are up?
That's right! He can't issue and rescind orders like it's some game!
those who do not obey and retreat will be duly executed.
The Grand Commander said.
We owe our lives to Lu Xun in the first place.
He can execute us if he wants to. I'm not retreating.
No! tHe can execute us if he wants to. I'm not retreating.
Report to the Grand Commander
that Han Dang and Zhou Tai
will retreat immediately as ordered.
Yes, sir!
Send forth my orders! All archers fire at will from the walls.
After the arrows are depleted, abandon camp-and pull back!
Sire.
We have taken 25 Wu forts in less than 10 days' time,
and killed over 2,000 enemy soldiers.
Han Dang and Zhou Tai abandoned their fort and fled west.
Guan Xing, are you all right?
Are you hurt?
Sire, this is blood from Wu soldiers.
You've done well in this battle.
Let your men rest for a few days,
and well advance together afterwards.
After we cross the Yiling Mountains,
it'll be a flat and open road all the way to Jing Province.
Go wipe that blood off your face.
Yes, sir.
Sire,
the scouts reported that Wu forts have appeared on the hillside 30 miles away.
There are about 20 of them.
More?
Your Majesty. Give me 20,000 men,
and III conquer them in.10 days.
Though, even if you conquer these forts,
what are you going/to do if new ones appear another 30 miles away?
Then I shall take those as well!
can cover every single hill with forts.
I refuse to believe that the Wu army
That they can't.
Let me tell you what to do.
Take 30,000 picked men and circle around those forts.
Go straight for the forts 30 miles away from here.
Once you 've taken the forts there,
the enemy troops here will be trapped,
and will be destroyed with little effort on our part.
Yes, sir! 1 and will be destroyed with little effort on our part.
The key point is that
we must cross the Yiling Range
before reaching the plains of Jing Province.
However, to cross the Yiling Range,
we must get rid of all these obstacles.
The Shu general Zhang Bao laid a heavy siege at Yiling Castle,
but the Grand Commander kept refusing to send aid.
saying something like, "Sun Huan will be able to hold out."
In 10 days' time, Liu Bei overcame two lines of our defenses.
They've advanced 100 miles.
doesn't have a way to repel the enemy!
And still the Grand Commander
Why doesn't he let us attack?
The Grand Commander arrives!
Our respects, Grand Commander.
Is everyone here?
The General of the Rear, Fu Jun, is absent.
Stay right there.
A military meeting was called. Even I have arrived.
Why are you late?
My camp is too far from here. That's why I'm late.
Since you're late,
why did you not apologize?
With all due respect,
I do not apologize to commanders who retreat without putting up a fight.
Men.
Here!
Drag him out. Forty strokes on the back.
Aye.
Lu Xun! If you have the guts to, go beat Liu Bei!
Why just flaunt your power here?
The extent of my power is all-encompassing.
Ill have you beaten first, then I will go beat Liu Bei.
What's the big deal with 40 strokes?
Well said!
Fu Jun first delayed a military meeting,
and then he followed it up with insolent words.
Give him 80 strokes.
Yes, sir!
You... Lu Xun!
Lu Xun!
Grand Commander!
That's right! That's right!
Keep beating me, low-lifes! I wont beg for mercy even if you beat me to a pulp!
I know what you are going to say.
You're going to say that Fu Jun is Lord Suns brother-in-law.
If I hurt him, it would make Lord Sun look bad.
However, the military law knows no mercy.
If he violates another order, I will bring out the sword of authority
and execute him.
Yes, sir!
Grand Commander.
The Shu troops breached two lines of forts. We've lost our line of defense.
How are we going to keep fighting?
Thirty miles from here.
I have another layer of forts built for you. There are 20 in all.
You and Han Dang will lead your units to defend them.
This time, you only have to hold out for five days.
You are still not permitted to attack in these five days.
After five days, if the Shu troops' attack is too fierce.
you may pull back again.
Fifty miles away from there
I will have prepared for you the fourth line of forts.
we've been retreating and retreating. but when are we ever going to stop?
That?
You'll find out in due time.
I beg you, sir, have mercy.
Tell us now so that morale can be stablized.
Grand Commander!
Fine then.
Our last line of defense is Xiaoting Hill.
By the time the Shu army reaches there. it will be two months from now.
What we have to do now
is to make good use of this time,
and wear them down
while waiting for the right opportunity.
Two months from now,
I will have 300,000 reinforcement troops descend from the skies.
Three hundred thousand?
That's pure lunacy!
Three hundred thousand descending from the skies?
I worry that the Grand Commander doesn't really have a plan.
He's putting on a brave face but is terrified inside!
By appointing him Grand Commander, our lord is courting disaster!
Whatever, well just give our lives to our state.
What's the big deal about dying? I only fear-dying in vain!
Your Excellency!
Your Excellency, His Majesty's army reports another victory!
What is the stage of their operation?
His Majesty set an ambush at Fuchikou,
and annihilated 70,000 of Wu's best soldiers in one blow!
After that, he pressed eastward
and overcame three layers of Wu fortifications,
to a total of some 90 camps.
His Majesty has already advanced 200 miles into Wu territory.
The Wu ranks are thrown into confusion.
I wouldn't have guessed.
Everything is going so smoothly.
Sun Quan appointed Lu Xun as Grand Commander.
He's still wet behind his ears, and cannot command the respect of his officers.
It's inevitable that he'd lose over and over again.
Sun Quan doesn't know how to fight. He loses all his battles.
However, he has one virtue: he is a good judge of character.
He knows who is a good commander.
and who he should employ to fight on his behalf.
Zhou Yu, Lu Su, and Lu Meng, he had employed correctly.
And now, he appointed Lu Xun.
It is evident that Lu Xun must have exceptional ability as well.
Did His Majesty send any other word?
He said that the Shu army will be able to subjugate Wu by the end of the year.
He asked you to consider where to relocate the capital.
Sir, what is it?
It's nothing. I'm just a bit worried.
But I cant say what I'm worried about either.
It's still so soon, but they're already thinking of moving the capital.
From 2,000 miles away,
can almost hear the laughter of the soldiers.
Bring me a brush. I will write a reply to His Majesty.
Deliver it to him in person.
Another report of defeat.
Our army has lost 50 miles of ground!
Even the third layer of camps was lost.
Right. What should we do then?
Lu Xun misleads his lord and endangers the state. If he's not replaced, this will be the end for Wu!
Right!
Ever since Lu Xun took command,
we've lost every battle we were engaged in.
At this rate, before half a year is up.
Liu Bei's banners will be flying above the city of Jianye!
When Lord Sun arrives,
we should petition together and have him appoint another commander.
That's right.
Even if it means breaking my head kowtowing, I will convince him to dismiss Lu Xun!
Right, right! Dismiss Lu Xun!
Right, Zibu, what's your opinion?
I've disagreed with His Lordship since the very beginning over the appointment of Lu Xun.
I've said all I can. I only wait to give my life to my state.
Zibu's loyalty touches me greatly.
However, I cannot endorse that talk about dying for the state.
Your Lordship!
What is it? Are you going to coerce me by force?
Listen. I will never replace Lu Xun.
There are many uncommon and surprising ways to fight a war.
I don't care about the process. I only care about the end result.
So what if Lu Xun lost three battles in a row?
Even if he loses ten, I will still not replace him!
My lord.
and you were ready to execute them.
Han Dang and Zhou Tai only lost one battle at Fuchikou,
So why is it that, though Lu Xun has lost over and over again,
you act as if nothing happened?
Remember. There are different kinds of losing.
When Han Dang and Zhou Tai lost,
they lost tens of thousands of Southland soldiers.
But when Lu Xun lost,
he just left a few empty camps for Liu Bei.
The damage was minimal.
Therefore, the two situations cannot be compared.
Even though Lu Xun did not lose many men,
he is guilty of losing several cities.
My lord, if you do not take action against him.
soldiers defending cities in the future will feel desertion is justifiable!
Your Lordship!
The Shu army is large. The Wu army is small.
Moreover, Shu's cavalry is superior to ours.
Therefore, losing a few cities is inevitable.
What we need in Wu is not a few cities, or a few forts,
but military strength!
Remember this.
As long as we have military strength and morale,
no matter how many cities we lose,
we can always take them back!
My lord.
I did not plan to speak originally,
but now I feel compelled to say something.
Speak.
My lord, please go to the main camp at Jiangkou in person, to supervise the battle.
In my opinion,
at such a key moment,
your presence will 'make a world of difference.
Grand Commander!
Are all the commanders here?
Sir, they are all here.
Who among you can tell me this.
Ever since I assumed command,
how many battles have we lost?
Why isn't anyone speaking?
Sir, you have already lost four battles in a row.
Ever since you assumed command,
I've lost more battles than I did before in my whole life!
You are a bit disgruntled, aren't you?
That's right! I am burning with resentment!
Fu Jun! Insolence!
General Fu is right.
It doesn't count as insolence.
Keep speaking.
So I shall.
Why did I, Fu Jun, join the army?
First is to protect my lord and my people.
Second is to earn fame 6ntthe field.
If we keep losing battles, it'd be the utmost shame and dishonor.
I'd rather be dead than alive then!
Who else thinks the*same way-as General Fu does?
Sir!
We would rather fight to our deaths than to retreat!
Very well.
We are at a point where we can retreat no further.
Gentlemen, please look.
That is the last ridge of the Yiling Mountain Range.
Beyond it is a-flat road to Jing Province.
There are.no more defensive positions after that.
I have already built 50 strongholds over there.
That is also our last line of defense.
From today on.
every single man, including myself,
will have to defend the forts with his very life!
We will fight to our deaths!
Bring the wine!
Aye!
We hereby swear
to fight to the death
until we vanquish Liu Bei!
Fight to the death!
Vanquish Liu Bei!
Sire, I was just about to overcome the fort.
However, the Wu troops seemed to be infused with a new spirit, and would not yield.
The left flank fought in a bloodbath for a whole day but.still could not take Fort Paohu.
The right flank, attacking Luoyan Flats, was also met with stiff resistence by the Wu army.
Losses were heavy.
The Wu army is putting up a desperate last fight.
This shows that they know that their doom is at hand.
Heed my orders.
Each unit will put together a dare-to-die team
to be led by the unit captain.
Resume the attacks tomorrow.
In three days' time, all forts must be taken.
Yes, sir!
Sire.
Our army has been at war for two months already.
All our soldiers are exhausted.
May we have one days rest,
and resume the attack the day after tomorrow?
Are you tired already?
The Wu army is more tired than you are!
When two tired armies do combat,
the question is who manages to thrust his spear one more time.
At this juncture.
if anyone dares to stop and take a breath.
the enemy's spear will be thrust into his heart.
Heed my orders!
Move all the rear camps to the frontline at Xiaoting.
From tomorrow onward, attack in rotation.
Even if the Wu forts are Mount Tai,
I will have it leveled inch by inch.
Aye!