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Home , Quan (state), Three Kingdoms

Wei Dong • Xiao Long

Defending the Keep Vol. 16

Vol. 16 “...An ambitious series...useful for educators looking for ways to make Asian history and culture come alive.” – School Library Journal

“...An accessible introduction to Chinese historical fi ction.” – Booklist

“...Invaluable...beautiful artwork... commendable efforts to bring the characters to life.” – Publishers Weekly

Three Kingdoms Many centuries ago, was made up of several provinces that frequently waged war with one another for regional supremacy. In 221 BC, the Dynasty succeeded in uniting the warring provinces under a single banner, but the unity was short-lived, only lasting fi fteen years. After the collapse of the , the Dynasty was established in 206 BC, and unity was restored. The would last for hundreds of years, until the Post- Han Era, when the unifi ed nation once again began to unravel. As rebellion and chaos gripped the land, three men came forward to take control of the nation: Liu, Cao, and . The three men each established separate kingdoms, , , and , and for a century they contended for supremacy. This was known as the Age of the .

Written more than six hundred years ago, Three Kingdoms is one of the oldest and most seminal works in all of Eastern literature. An epic story spanning decades and featuring hundreds of characters, it remains a defi nitive tale of desperate heroism, political treachery, and the bonds of brotherhood. Vol. 16 Defending the Keep

Created by WEI DONG CHEN Wei Dong Chen is a highly acclaimed artist and an influential leader in the “New Chinese Cartoon” trend. He is the founder of Creator World, the largest comics studio in China. His spirited and energetic work has attracted many students to his tutelage. He has published more than 300 cartoons in several countries and gained both recognition and admirers across Asia, Europe, and the USA. Mr. Chen’s work is serialized in several publications, and he continues to explore new dimensions of the graphic medium.

illustrated by XIAO LONG LIANG Xiao Long Liang is considered one of Wei Dong Chen’s greatest students. One of the most highly regarded cartoonists in China today, Xiao Long’s fantastic technique and expression of have won him the acclaim of cartoon lovers throughout China.

Original Story “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms” by , Editing & Designing Design Hongs, Jonathan Evans, KH Lee, YK Kim, HJ Lee, JS Kim, Lampin, Qing Shao, Xiao Nan , Ke Hu © Chen, Wei Dong 2014. All rights reserved. Scanning, uploading, and electronic distribution of this book is prohibited.

Wei Dong Chen and Xiao Long Liang have chosen to draw this adaptation of Three Kingdoms in a manner reminiscent of the ancient Chinese printing technique. It is our hope that the historical look of Three Kingdoms will amplify the timelessness of its themes, which are just as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. Characters Volume 16

BEI Liu is the ruler of Western Shu, who has managed to consolidate his power after many years of struggle, making him one of the three most powerful men in China. Now, in order to press his advantage and realize his goal of restoring the Han Dynasty, Bei Liu must attack ’s forces in .

LIANG Once Bei Liu makes attacking Cao Cao his primary objective, it is up to Liang Zhuge to craft the strategy. When a renowned but elderly warrior, Zhong , steps forward and offers to lead the attack, Liang Zhuge rebuffs him. This only serves to enrage Zhong Huang and make him more determined to achieve victory – which may be what Liang Zhuge had in mind all along.

FEI Fei Zhang is Bei Liu’s fiery and unpredictable blood brother. In the past, Fei Zhang’s love of food and booze led to reckless decisions that ultimately cost Bei Liu control of . Taking advantage of his reputation as a drunk, Fei Zhang spreads a false rumor to incite an attack from He Zhang. When the plan works, Fei Zhang redeems himself by winning the battle. ZHONG Huang is a renowned soldier who has spent decades on the front lines. His reputation is so great that even Yu Guan expresses admiration for him. When Zhong Huang joins forces with Bei Liu, he immediately offers to lead the attack on JiaMeng. Liang Zhuge questions Zhong Huang’s fitness for the job, and the provocation results in Zhong Huang leading Bei Liu’s forces to victory in a series of battles.

YU Guan is currently acting as the governor of , one of Bei Liu’s most important strongholds. JingZhou is highly coveted by Quan Sun and Eastern Wu – who claim ownership of the land from a prior agreement with Bei Liu – but Yu Guan has refused their repeated negotiation requests. His scornful rejections have made him despised by Quan Sun, who declares him a sworn enemy of Eastern Wu. Characters Volume 16

CAO CAO Cao Cao has recently acquired HanZhong by overthrowing Zhang. But he makes the strategic error of not pressing his advantage, instead choosing to let his forces rest after a vigorous battle, while at the same time declaring himself king and claiming the throne of the Wei Kingdom. The delay gives Bei Liu enough time to muster his army and plot an attack. Led By Zhong Huang, Bei Liu’s forces drive Cao Cao’s army from HanZhong, putting the prime minister decisively on the back foot.

PI CAO Cao is the eldest son of Cao Cao, who inherits the title of heir to the throne when his father pronounces himself King of Wei. He has a rocky relationship with his younger brother, Zhi Cao, which causes both them and their father a tremendous amount of stress.

YI Yi Sima began as a low-ranking member of Cao Cao’s counsel, but over time has become a trusted voice, guiding Pi Cao’s ascension to heir to the throne and giving Cao Cao honest assessments of his strengths and weaknesses. It is Yi Sima who advises that Cao Cao strategically withdraw his troops when it becomes clear that they’ve lost HanZhong. XIU Xiu Yang is one of Cao Cao’s civil servants, who vehemently argues against withdrawing troops from HanZhong. Disagreeing with Cao Cao when he’s in a good mood can be dangerous. However, as Xiu Yang learns, disagreeing with Cao Cao when he’s in a bad mood can be fatal.

QUAN SUN As the ruler of Eastern Wu, Quan Sun could be a deciding factor in the struggle between Cao Cao and Bei Liu. However, when he tries to help Bei Liu by attacking Cao Cao’s forces in , he is caught flatfooted and driven back to Eastern Wu by Cao Cao. His senior strategist, Su Lu, dies shortly after, forcing Quan Sun to appoint a successor.

MENG LU After Su Lu’s death, Meng Lu is appointed Quan Sun’s chief military strategist. Meng Lu’s first piece of advice is to focus on stabilizing Eastern Wu, and not to focus solely on influencing the outcome of Cao Cao and Bei Liu’s struggle. Meng Lu is also aware that he has a large number of enemies within Eastern Wu, and so starts counseling the young Xun Lu on how to one day assume his role. Chapter 1

Bei Liu’s Moment 216–218 AD

Summary

Bei Liu has secured a large chunk of he wishes to claim. Fei Zhang is victorious western China, which he calls Western Shu. in one battle, while Liang Zhuge seeks In doing so, he has attained enough power another general to lead Bei Liu’s armies to and land to compete as an equal with victory. Up steps Zhong Huang, an older Cao Cao and Quan Sun. After defeating but legendary soldier, who defies Liang Quan Sun in battle, Bei Liu sets his sights Zhuge’s skepticism and demands to be put on conquering Cao Cao’s stronghold of in charge of Bei Liu’s forces. HanZhong, including a series of mountains Zhuo

XiaoPei ChangAn Tong Pass

TianDang NanYang JiaMeng Pass ShouChun C HanZhong HeFei River Huai WaKou RuXu Wu

ChengDu B A NanJun KuaiJi ChaiSang Red Cliffs BoYang WuLing YuZhang

A Quan Sun returns to Eastern Wu after his defeat in HeFei.

B Fei Zhang defeats He Zhang, one of Cao Cao’s generals, in WaKou.

C Zhong Huang takes command of Bei Liu’s forces and launches an attack against Cao Cao’s military in JiaMeng and TianDang. “...Invaluable...beautiful artwork...commendable orts to bring the characters to life.” – Publishers Weekly

Bei Liu has become one of the three most powerful men in China, which means he must learn how to defend himself on multiple fronts. Now, Bei Liu must dispatch his two sworn brothers to keep the territories he has fought long and hard to gain. If they succeed, their dream will be one step closer to being realized. If they fail, it will all come crashing down.

In collaboration with Tianjin Shenjie Comics, China www.jrcomics.com All-Ages . Adventures . Action