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 51

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 51:

Cao Ren Withstands The South Land;

Zhuge Liang Angers Zhou Yu.

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WARNING: DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU. ONLY DO IT FIRST, AND THEN RUN LIKE HELL.

Chapter 51 is a chapter which sees Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu, allies of late against the overwhelming military force Cao Cao has brought to bear in the South, turning their attentions instead to each other.

The reader will no doubt have noticed throughout the course of the story thus far a healthy distrust between Zhou Yu, the Southland's premier strategist, and Zhuge Liang, the rock upon which Liu Bei intends to build his fledgling kingdom. Now that Cao Cao has more or less been taken out of the equation, for the time being, Zhou Yu understands full well that time is of the essence.

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The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 47

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 47:

Kan Ze Presents A Treacherous Letter;

Pang Tong Suggests Chaining the Ships.

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WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY LIKELY CONTAINS SPOILERS. BUT I'M SURE YOU KNEW THAT BY NOW. IF NOT, PAY MORE ATTENTION! :p

With Chapter 47, the ploys of Zhou Yu, acted upon by various Wu officers, are presented to Cao Cao. Ever wonder why a Shu-Han loyalist like myself holds someone like Zhou Yu, who has tried time and time again (according to the novel) to slay Liu Bei and especially Zhuge Liang, in such high honor and respect? The man was brilliant, both in history and in literature. If he were alive today, and living in America, serving some upstart revolutionary army instead of serving the Sun Family of the Sanguo Period, I have little doubt that the Federal Republic and all its armies would be crushed. I think Zhou Yu really was that damn good at his job. He was the Erwin Rommel of his day, a loyal and brilliant officer whose subordinates loved him because he not only was one of the greatest talents of the day, but also because he was chivalrous, conducting himself with honor and integrity.

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The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 36

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 36:

Shan Fu's Strategy: Fankou Is Captured;

Xu Shu's Affection: Zhuge Liang Is Recommended.

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WARNING! ZHUGE LIANG IS A BAAAAAD MUTHA.... (SHUT YO MOUTH!) but I'm just talking about Zhuge Liang...(we can dig it!)

Yes, and so is Xu Shu. At the end of the last chapter, Xu Shu was handing Liu Bei a victory against Lu Xiang and Lu Kuang, the recently surrendered former generals of Yuan Shao who had been sent south with Cao Ren and Li Dian. Because Xu Shu is also a badass.

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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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