The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 41

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 41:

Liu Bei Leads His People Over The River;

Zhao Zilong Rescues The Child Lord At Dangyang.

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WARNING! THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY, LIKE EVERY OTHER IN THIS ENTIRE AUDIOBOOK OF 120 CHAPTERS, CONTAINS SPOILERS. HOPE YOU DON'T MIND...

So when we last left off, the Cai Family had decided to surrender to Cao Cao. This, of course, has left Liu Bei pretty much surrounded by enemies, with only a vastly inferior force left to him. Liu Qi is at Jiangxia, but Cao Cao would long ago have swallowed up Liu Bei's army by the time help from Jiangxia would arrive. And so, Liu Bei flees south at the behest of Zhuge Liang, and the people decide to go with him. I'm seeing some echoes of the biblical Exodus here...

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The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 39

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 39:

At Jingzhou, The Son Of Liu Biao Thrice Begs Advice;

At Bowang Slope, The Directing Instructor Plans His First Battle.

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WARNING! TYPING IN ALL CAPS IS REALLY ANNOYING. I should stop it. Maybe............NAH!!!!

Chapter 39 opens, as most chapters tend to, where the last one left off. The navy of the Southland, led by Gan Ning, has taken the battle to Huang Zu, who naturally is no fitting match for Gan Ning. So it is that Huang Zu, who slew Mi Heng in a drunken rage, himself meets his demise, at the hands of a disgruntled ex-subordinate. I don't know, maybe Gan Ning was the first postal employee...

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The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 37

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 37:

Sima Hui Recommends A Scholar To Liu Bei;

Liu Bei Pays Three Visits To The Sleeping Dragon Ridge.

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WARNING! HOLY CRAP! THERE'S A VERITABLE BUTTLOAD OF POETRY IN THIS CHAPTER!

Yes, indeed, Chapter 37 is an important chapter in the story, in terms of plot development. I get that. Yes, Liu Bei's running out of options, and needs someone truly qualified to advise him in domestics and especially in war. I get that. But did they absolutely have to cram a shit-ton of poetry into this chapter? I mean, have mercy on the poor bastard that has to produce the audiobook. Of course, audiobooks, and indeed, recorded audio itself, was unknown to the people of the Han, and to their descendants who no doubt wrote this story, so I guess I can't really bitch too much. After all, I DID get through it.........eventually.

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The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 35

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 35:

Liu Bei Meets A Recluse At Nanzhang;

Shan Fu Sees A Noble Lord At Xinye.

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WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY MAY, AND PROBABLY WILL, INVOLVE SOME SPOILERS.

At the end of the last chapter, Cai Mao, that disgusting excuse for a human being, laid a trap to kill Liu Bei. Liu Bei, due to an almost miraculous leap over the River Tan, managed to escape the fate Cai Mao had planned for him, and now finds himself face to face with Zhao Yun, he called Zilong, who, if he knew what Cai Mao had tried to do, would quite literally rip the man apart piece by piece.

And how, oh, HOW the course of history would have changed had he done so...

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The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 34

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 34:

Behind The Screen, Lady Cai Overhears A Secret;

Across The Tan Torrent, The Dilu Horse Carries Its Master.

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WARNING! THE POPCORN YOU ARE EATING HAS BEEN PISSED IN. FILM AT ELEVEN. :p

Just checking to make sure you're paying attention.

Okay, now that I got the joking around out of the way, it's time for the commentary for Chapter 34. Cao Cao's subdued the north, and now he sets his eyes towards the south, the lands below the Great River, where dwell Liu Biao and Sun Quan. And, did I mention, Liu Bei? Yes, indeed, Liu Bei fled a few chapters ago to Liu Biao during the debacle at Guan Du. Now Liu Bei and his underlings might possibly be the finest officers Liu Biao's got, excepting, of course, Wei Yan and Huang Zhong, who have yet to be introduced into the story.

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The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 31

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 31:

Cao Cao Overcomes Yuan Shao In Cangting;

Liu Bei Seeks Shelter With Liu Biao In Jingzhou.

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WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. BUT YOU WANT TO READ IT ANYWAY, BECAUSE MY WORDS JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE, HYPNOTIZE PEOPLE AND SHIT...

And here it is. Come one, come all, and listen to Chapter 31 of the Sanguo Yanyi, I know it's a bit late (I blame Daylight Standard Time. :p), but nonetheless, better late than never.

So the first quarter of the story was pretty much building up to the great Battle of Guan Du. Now that Guan Du is over (almost), the focus of the story begins to shift, rather, to the south, where two strong powers stand poised in control of the lands below the Yangtze River. Sun Quan, newly ascended to the office held by his Brother Sun Ce, and his father Sun Jian before that, controls the southeast with a strong and well-trained army. In Jingzhou, Liu Biao, a member of the Imperial Family, holds the office of Imperial Protector (Governor, pretty much). He also has an army of decent size, and capable officers such as Cai Mao, Kuai Liang, Kuai Yue, Wen Ping, Wei Yan, Gan Ning, Huang Zhong, and Yi Ji, to name but a few.

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