The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 59

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 59:

Xu Chu Strips For A Fight With Ma Chao;

Cao Cao Writes A Letter To Han Sui.

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WARNING: READING AND UNDERSTANDING CLASSICAL LITERATURE CAN CAUSE INTENSE INTELLECTUAL GROWTH, CRITICAL THINKING, SOCIAL DISCONTENT, VOTE-BOYCOTTING, MARIJUANA USAGE, REVOLUTIONARY TENDENCIES, SPOILERS, AND IN SOME CASES, DEATH.

Chapter 59 of the Sanguo Yanyi is a chapter which has much to do with human psychology, and how it can affect the actions of men and armies alike. For in this Chapter, Cao Cao uses his mind, and the minds of his top advisers, far more than he uses swords and axes. 

A maxim to remember in the execution of any war, is the maxim that says "Where main force may fail, guile may succeed." If I were the leader of an army, I would probably value my soldiers. To not do so would be a huge blow to morale.  But probably even above the soldiers, I would prize a talented, charismatic, and convincing group of spies and diplomats even more, because with a mere word, a good talker might neutralize an entire enemy army, and not even a nuke can do that.

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The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 57

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 57:

Sleeping Dragon Mourns In Chaisang;

Young Phoenix Intervenes At Leiyang.

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WARNING: D.J. RASPE IS PRONE TO BOUTS OF BLEAK DEPRESSION AND HE DISAPPEARS SOMETIMES, AND WHEN HE DOES, HIS CONTENT SLOWS TO A STANDSTILL. BUT HE USUALLY COMES BACK EVENTUALLY...LET THE SHOW GO ON. OH YEAH, AND SOMETHING ABOUT SPOILERS TOO...

So, it's been about a year since the last episode, and you're probably good and ready for a new episode, huh? Well, all right then. Let's get down to it. It is to be recalled that, at a previous point in the story, I mentioned how those who read this story tend to take sides. Some people are Cao Cao fans. Some are Liu Bei fans. Some are Zhuge Liang Fans, and some like Zhou Yu...this chapter, Chapter 57, is for the Cao Cao fans, it would seem.

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The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 56

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 56:

Cao Cao Feasts in the Bronze Bird Tower;

Zhuge Liang Provokes Zhou Yu a Third Time.

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WARNING: THE SANGUO YANYI ITSELF CONTAINS SPOILERS...ABOUT OUR OWN FUTURE. LEARN IT. BE PREPARED. UGLINESS IS COMING...

Chapter 56 of the Sanguo Yanyi sees a continuance of the almost tragically comical striving of Zhou Yu against Zhuge Liang, two of the great minds of the late Han. Seriously, these two are almost like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.  Zhou Yu, obviously, is Daffy, since, as you might have noticed in previous chapters, things just don't seem to go well for him when he tries to scheme against Zhuge Liang. This is like "Duck season! Rabbit season! Duck season! Rabbit season! Rabbit season! Duck season! Fire!" 

BANG!!!! 

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The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 55

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 55:

Liu Bei Rouses The Spirit Of Lady Sun;

Zhuge Liang A Second Time Angers Zhou Yu.

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WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YA. :p

Chapter 55 is the second chapter in a two part subplot involving Liu Bei and his sojourn in the Southland.  You may recall that in the previous chapter, the Southland, in the person of Lu Fan, went to Liu Bei to propose that Liu Bei marry Lady Sun Shang Xiang, or Sun Ren, as she's called in the novel.  Shang Xiang, you might also remember, is daughter to Sun Jian, and sister to both Sun Ce and the current ruler of the Southland, Sun Quan.  On the surface, this was put forth by the Southland as a method of cementing a strong alliance between the Houses of Sun and Liu, but the real plot, and one that Zhuge Liang saw through completely, was to attempt to lure Liu Bei to the Southland and alienate Liu Bei from his ministers.  Because Zhuge Liang saw through all of this, his tactics led to the bogus marriage becoming a real one, and Liu Bei did indeed get his wife, and whether they had wanted it or not, the Southland was indeed stuck with a bit of an unpleasant situation on their hands...an further strengthened alliance with an ally they didn't really want.  What Zhou Yu and Sun Quan wanted was the Jing Province, and now they were allied by marriage with the man who had "stolen" it from them...

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The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 54

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 54:

The Dowager Marchioness Sees Her Son-In-Law;

The Imperial Uncle Takes A Worthy Consort.

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WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. THAT'S ALL RIGHT...RIGHT?

Chapter 54 is the beginning of a bit of a side-story, as Zhou Yu, obsessed with gaining possession of Jingzhou for Sun Quan, attempts yet once again to develop a scheme for accomplishing his goal. You might recall the stalling tactics employed by Zhuge Liang in previous chapters to delay over and over the transfer of Jingzhou to Sun Quan. I think it's pretty reasonable to assume that the average reader/listener has probably figured out by now that Zhuge Liang has no real intention of relinquishing Jingzhou. I think Zhou Yu knew this also, and I also believe that it's indeed a possibility that Lu Su, deep down, also knew it. But Lu Su, as portrayed in the novel, was an honest man, and maybe a little bit on the credible side, by reason of extreme politeness. Lu Su was a brilliant man, and it's very hard to believe that he had no clue what Zhuge Liang was doing. But, ever attentive to the observation of etiquette, Lu Su found himself time and time again in the uncomfortable position of middleman between Liu Bei and the Southland. Thus, it's difficult not to feel more than a little sorry for Lu Su at this part of the story, where he is caught between Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu...probably the last place I would want to be is in between two intellectual juggernauts. I've been there before, time and time again, and it's really not fun.

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The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 53

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 53:

Guan Yu Releases Huang Zhong;

Sun Quan Fights With Zhang Liao.

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WARNING: THE HUMAN SPECIES IS WILLFULLY, EVEN GLEEFULLY, JUMPING OFF A VERY HIGH CLIFF. WITH THAT GOING ON, WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT SPOILERS?

And so we come to Chapter 53, which is actually quite an eventful chapter.  But before I get into it, I just want to take a minute to thank each and every one of you for your patience.  It's been a while since I've posted a chapter, due to attacks which destroyed my last PC and put everything on hold for quite a while, and I'm grateful if you're still here to read this.  Thank you.  Your continued support means a lot to me. 

That said, Chapter 53 is, as I said, an eventful Chapter.  It ties up several of the post-Chi Bi loose ends, and many of the great heroes of the period seem to play a significant role in this chapter, from all three Kingdoms.  The chapter begins with the conclusion of Liu Bei's conquest of Jing Nan (southern Jing).  You might remember in the last chapter, Gui Yang and Ling Ling fell to Liu Bei's forces, under Zhuge Liang and Zhao Yun (Zilong).  This time, it's Zhang Fei's turn, and Guan Yu, also, helps in the subjugation of the region.  These battles in the Jing Province, following so close on the tail of the great victory of the southern coalition forces at Chi Bi, are very important, and here's why.  Prior to Chi Bi, as you have read, Liu Bei was pretty much on the verge of being totally crushed once and for all by his onetime friend, and perennial enemy, Cao Cao.  Taking advantage of the power-vacuum following Chi Bi, though, Liu Bei's conquest of the Jing Province at last gives him a wealthy, and relatively secure, province to serve as a base of operations.  For the first time in the story (and mind you, we're at just under the halfway point here), Liu Bei finally seems to be able to establish somewhat of a secure footing for himself, his army, and his people.  It is this which allows the Three-Kingdoms model envisioned by Zhuge Liang to come to pass.

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