JCC: Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義 Cao Cao Dossier 曹操 Crisis Director: Matthew Owens, Charles Miller Email: [email protected], [email protected] ​ ​ ​ Chair: Harjot Singh Email: [email protected] ​ Table of Contents: 1. Front Page (Page 1) 2. Table of Contents (Page 2) 3. Introduction to the Cao Cao Dossier (Pages 3-4) 4. Cao Pi (Pages 5-6) ​ 5. Cao Zhang (Pages 7-8) ​ 6. Cao Zhi (Pages 9-10) ​ 7. Lady Bian (Page 11) ​ 8. Emperor Xian of Han (Pages 12-13) ​ 9. Empress Fu Shou (Pages 14-15) ​ 10. Cao Ren (Pages 16-17) ​ 11. Cao Hong (Pages 18-19) ​ 12. Xun Yu (Pages 20-21) ​ 13. Sima Yi (Pages 22-23) ​ 14. Zhang Liao (Pages 24-25) ​ 15. Xiahou Yuan (Pages 26-27) ​ 16. Xiahou Dun (Pages 28-29) ​ 17. Yue Jin (Pages 30-31) ​ 18. Dong Zhao (Pages 32-33) ​ 19. Xu Huang (Pages 34-35) ​ 20. Cheng Yu (Pages 36-37) ​ 21. Cai Yan (Page 38) ​ 22. Han Ji (Pages 39-40) ​ 23. Su Ze (Pages 41-42) ​ 24. Works Cited (Pages 43-) Introduction to the Cao Cao Dossier: ​ Most characters within the Court of Cao Cao are either generals, strategists, administrators, or family members. ● Generals lead troops on the battlefield by both developing successful battlefield tactics and using their martial prowess with skills including swordsmanship and archery to duel opposing generals and officers in single combat. They also manage their armies- comprising of troops infantrymen who fight on foot, cavalrymen who fight on horseback, charioteers who fight using horse-drawn chariots, artillerymen who use long-ranged artillery, and sailors and marines who fight using wooden ships- through actions such as recruitment, collection of food and supplies, and training exercises to ensure that their soldiers are well-trained, well-fed, well-armed, and well-supplied. ● Strategists develop strategies that not only give generals a military advantage but gives the realm a political advantage. This includes actions such as developing new formations, battle tactics, or even technologies. They could also serve as politicians, court officials, and diplomats in order to best serve the realm or to serve their own personal agenda. ● Administrators, Governors, and Inspectors are responsible for the administration and ​ governance of various counties, commanderies, and provinces across the realm through the recruitment of soldiers, tax collection, and collection of food for the military as well as the construction of roads, bridges, and other vital infrastructure as to ensure that the people are well-content. ● Family Members are delegates who are directly linked via family ties to Cao Cao, and they can use their connection to receive new positions, lands, and titles while additionally having an impact on crises that affect their ruling family. Unless specifically stated otherwise, money would more or less become a minimal factor in public or private directions. Just be reasonable in how you spend said money. Actions such as recruiting troops, investing in new technology, taxing the region under your control, bribing corrupt court officials, or paying assassins to do your dirty work could be done via private directive while large projects such as strengthening your border defenses or constructing an island of meat surrounding a lake of wine would require a public directive. As many of these individuals would have the same generalized responsibilities- depending on their position as either a general, administrator, or strategist-, the chairs and crisis directors would be looking for delegates who can write detailed, well-thought, and unique directives in order to solve the crisis updates and carry out their own narratives. As a result, feel free to be creative with your portfolio powers: whether they be used to benefit only yourself or the committee as a whole! Additionally, feel free to ask Crisis whether or not you can do anything or use any asset not explained in the dossier. Cao Pi 曹丕 (Zihuan 子桓) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Biography: Cao Pi- also known with the courtesy name Zihuan- was born in 187 CE in ​ Qiao County as Cao Cao’s first-born son to his current concubine: Lady Bian (Theobald). As of 197 CE with the death of Cao Ang- Cao Cao’s son to another concubine-, Cao Pi has become the eldest son in the family. Cao Pi has shown expert swordsmanship that allows him to fend off enemies, intellect that allows him to excel in court politics, and connections with figures such as his wife- Lady Zhen- that allow Cao Pi to influence various court officials (Luo Guanzhong). Despite these advantages, Cao Pi has not received any significant responsibilities until very recently. He has been assigned to help govern Cao Cao’s capital city: Xuchang. With such a valuable position and connections with prominent courtiers and officials such as Cheng Yu, an opportunity remains to receive his father’s favor and even become his heir to rule all of China. ● Portfolio Powers: Skilled Swordsman and Orator, Many Political Connections, ​ ​ Leads 20,000-strong Xuchang Garrison ○ Cao Pi has proven himself to be a talented son who is skilled with both the sword to protect himself from enemies on and off the battlefield and his words to influence other members in court. Despite not being as physically strong as Cao Zhang, his abilities with the sword allow Cao Pi to defend himself against armed assailants. Despite not being as crafty with words as Cao Zhi, his abilities with the brush are perhaps mightier and more persuasive than his abilities with the sword. Additionally, his connections with members of his father’s court and his own intellect could still be used to good use as influencing the court would allow Cao Pi to gain power amongst the internal affairs of the Imperial court such as being granted land, revenue, and official titles by either the Emperor or the Prime Minister. Outside of his own natural talents, Cao Pi can rely on Lady Zhen, his wife who had already bored him a son, for council or as a reminder of the importance of filial piety and other important Confucian morals. ○ Cao Pi currently remains within the city of Xuchang- Cao Cao’s capital- to defend the city from treasonous rebels. To help defend the city, Cao Pi has the assistance of Cheng Yu- a trusted advisor- to help assist in the training and recruitment of the 20,000-strong garrison. Yet, these troops lack battlefield experience and serve as more of a police force than a professional army. Nevertheless, Cao Pi’s proximity to both Cao Cao’s state court and the Han Imperial court allows him to influence city or even state affairs for the benefit of himself and the Cao clan. Cao Zhang 曹彰 (Ziwen 子文) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Biography: Born between 187 and 192 CE, Cao Zhang- also known with the courtesy ​ name of Ziwen- was the second-born son of Cao Cao to Lady Bian (Theobald). While his brothers have political or poetic talents, Cao Zhang’s achievements and aspirations are purely in serving in the military. Cao Zhang excels in archery, horseback riding, sword fighting, and martial arts: even having the ability to fight wild beasts when he was young (Luo Guanzhong). However, his martial skill resulted in a lack of academic prowess: lamenting his studies at an imperial university. After all, real men command armies and fight on the battlefield rather than get some academic degree and some comfortable bureaucratic position. With such military prowess, Cao Zhang would surely do all he could to benefit his father, his clan, and himself. ● Portfolio Powers: Talented Swordsman, Archer, Horseback Rider, and Martial ​ Artist, Leads 1,000 Cavalrymen in Xuchang ○ Cao Zhang has always aspired to become a prominent general in the military, and his ambitions show. He is an expert in swordsmanship, archery, horseback riding, and martial arts. As such, Cao Zhang has multiple ways to effectively combat his enemies on the battlefield. However, Cao Zhang has also shown himself as a capable leader of soldiers. Cao Zhang’s lack of academic prowess means that Cao Zhang has been less capable in creating innovative strategies and tactics than other compatriots in the military. However, he has nonetheless proven himself as capable of leading the soldiers under his command on the battlefield and leading by example of his many martial talents. ○ Due to being a low-ranking officer, Cao Zhang has relatively few responsibilities. However, the responsibility that he does have is still an important one: leading a 1,000-strong cavalry force to defend Xuchang. Unlike the rabble under Cao Pi’s command, these troops mounted on horses is a comparatively elite fighting force with military experience: already well-trained and experienced in fighting against the enemy. However, with such power, Cao Zhang has also been granted the responsibility of managing this force through recruitment, training, and ensuring that the men are well-fed and well-supplied. Cao Zhang has the responsibility of defending his father’s capital of Xuchang from outside threats, which could also be extended to recruiting more soldiers into this force, training the soldiers under his command, and eliminating any internal or external threat to Cao Cao’s capital. Despite this seemingly menial task, Cao Zhang may yet find himself the opportunity to rise through the military ranks. Cao Zhi 曹植 (Zijian 子建) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Biography: Cao Zhi- also known with the courtesy name of Zijian- was born in 192 CE ​ in an unknown birthplace in China as the third-oldest son of Cao Cao and Lady Bian (Theobald). At a young age, Cao Zhi’s outstanding skill has been in the literary arts. He is able to recite over 10,000 verses of poetry including the Shi Jing- the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry- and the Analects- a collection of phrases and sayings from Confucius himself-: acts which have made initially Cao Zhi his father’s favorite due to his incredible intellect and ability to recite ancient works of poetry (Luo Guanzhong).