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To the West Vol. 14 Wei Dong Chen • Xiao Long Liang To the West Vol. 14 Vol. 14 “...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, China was made up of several provinces that frequently waged war with one another for regional supremacy. In 221 BC, the Qin 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 Qin Dynasty, the Han Dynasty was established in 206 BC, and unity was restored. The Han Dynasty 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: Bei Liu, Cao Cao, and Quan Sun. The three men each established separate kingdoms, Shu, Wei, and Wu, and for a century they contended for supremacy. This was known as the Age of the Three Kingdoms. 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. 14 TO THE WEST 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 Chinese culture have won him the acclaim of cartoon lovers throughout China. Original Story “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms” by Luo, GuanZhong Editing & Designing Design Hongs, Jonathan Evans, KH Lee, YK Kim, HJ Lee, JS Kim, Lampin, Qing Shao, Xiao Nan Li, 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 14 CHAO MA Chao Ma is a military leader in XiLiang who commands an army of 200,000 men. He forms an alliance with Sui Han and goes to war against Cao Cao, who killed his father and brothers. But Cao Cao cleverly dissolves the alliance between Chao Ma and Sui Han, then drives Chao Ma from the battlefield. He retreats and flees to the protection of Lu Zhang, who orders him to attack Bei Liu. CAO CAO Cao Cao, the prime minister of China, is more powerful than the weak and ineffectual emperor and is therefore the most powerful person in the land – but he is eager to expand his influence and sets his sights on the southern territories. First he does this by force, defeating Chao Ma in a series of battles. But force alone cannot guarantee him victory, so he focuses on devising strategies that emphasize wit and not superior arms. CHU XU Chu Xu is one of Cao Cao’s greatest warriors. During Cao Cao’s campaign against Chao Ma, Chu Xu proves his worth by saving his master’s life and halting Chao Ma’s momentum. BEI LIU While Cao Cao is busy fighting Chao Ma, Bei Liu is devising a way to gain a foothold in YiZhou, namely by warming up to Song Zhang, a top advisor to YiZhou governor Zhang Liu. The plan works when Zhang Liu asks Bei Liu for help in his fight against Lu Zhang. While assisting Zhang Liu, Bei Liu becomes concerned about the safety of JingZhou and asks Zhang Liu for help in defending his territory. When Zhang Liu insults Bei Liu by providing him with practically nothing, Bei Liu must decide how to deal with the betrayal. TONG PANG Tong Pang is a senior advisor to Bei Liu, and one of the most revered strategists in the land. Of equal brilliance to Liang Zhuge, Tong Pang is a more impulsive and impatient advisor. This serves Bei Liu well when Tong Pang insists that he not trust Zhang Liu, but his impulsiveness might have tragic consequences. LIANG ZHUGE Liang Zhuge is Bei Liu’s chief advisor, a man who has a plan for every scenario. But when tragedy strikes, Liang Zhuge must think and act more quickly than he ever has before. Characters Volume 14 ZHANG LIU Zhang Liu is the governor of YiZhou and a relative of Bei Liu and is engulfed in a protracted conflict against Lu Zhang. When Zhang Liu asks Bei Liu to help him in the struggle, his cousin’s assistance proves to be a difference-maker. But when Zhang Liu refuses to return the favor, the bonds of family will unravel, and enemies will be made. SONG ZHANG Song Zhang is Zhang Liu’s trusted emissary, who first seeks Cao Cao’s help for his master in his struggle against Lu Zhang. But when Cao Cao treats Song Zhang poorly, the stage is set for Bei Liu to gain the upper hand for control of YiZhou by treating Song Zhang with great respect. QUAN SUN With Cao Cao and Bei Liu both preoccupied by separate conflicts, Quan Sun seeks to take JingZhou while their backs are turned. He devises a plan that calls for his sister – Bei Liu’s wife. SU LU After the death of Yu Zhou, Su Lu became Quan Sun’s most trusted advisor. While many in Quan Sun’s camp call for outright attack against Bei Liu to reclaim YiZhou, Su Lu calls for a more patient and cautious approach. This does not make him very popular among Quan Sun’s other advisors. Chapter 1 Chao Ma’s Revenge 210 AD Summary When Cao Cao realized that Bei Liu was that fails, Cao Cao commits to relying on only growing in influence, he took steps clever strategies rather than sheer power. to expand his own power by setting out to The first of these strategies is to break up conquer the southern territories. But Teng the alliance between Sui Han and Chao Ma, a regional leader, was expecting such Ma. Once that succeeds, Cao Cao is able to aggression and mounted a spirited defense drive away Chao Ma. of his land. The defense was broken when Chao Ma flees to HanZhong, where Cao Cao set a trap for Teng Ma and killed he lives under the protection of Lu Zhang. him, along with two of his sons. However, Lu Zhang lusts for YiZhou and Teng Ma’s lone surviving son, Chao, will even attack Zhang Liu to claim it as his pledges to avenge the deaths of his kin, own. Thus, he orders Chao Ma to attack one and relies on his father’s alliance with of Zhang Liu’s allies who happens to be Sui Han to do so. At first, Cao Cao fights enroute to YiZhou – Bei Liu. against them with brute force. But when Zhuo XiLiang ChangShan BeiHai B ChangAn LuoYang Tong Pass XuZhou A XuChang NanYang ShouChun HanZhong River Huai HeFei XiangYang Wu ChengDu NanJun KuaiJi ChaiSang A Teng Ma forms an alliance with Sui Han and leads soldiers into battle against Cao Cao’s army in Tong Pass. B Cao Cao convinces Sui Han to dissolve his alliance with Chao Ma and drives Chao Ma into retreat. “...Invaluable...beautiful artwork...commendable e orts to bring the characters to life.” – Publishers Weekly Bei Liu continues to grow stronger, yet he refuses to listen to his advisors when they urge him to set atside morality and do what needs to be done to save the nation. But the path to power does not follow a high road, and soon Bei Liu will confront betrayal that will tear more than one life apart. In collaboration with Tianjin Shenjie Comics, China www.jrcomics.com All-Ages . Adventures . Action.
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