Chapter Summaries

Shi Dan led a growing rebel army toward Jianye with Sun Qian as their hostage, but Ding Gu chose to defend the city and routed them. Sun Hao ordered Sun Qian and Shi Dan’s relatives killed, then marched on Jianye, convinced Wang Weng’s prediction had come true.

• Shi Dan seized Sun Qian and claimed he intended to make him emperor, then set out for Jianye with him as a hostage.
• More bandits joined Shi Dan along the route until his force grew to well over ten thousand men, and they reached Jianye without resistance.
• Ding Gu rejected the rebels’ demand to open the gates, executed their envoys, and led Jianye’s armored troops in an attack that scattered Shi Dan’s men.
• Sun Qian was captured, and Sun Hao ordered him poisoned, demanded the execution of his mother, and ordered Shi Dan’s relatives in Jianye killed.
• Sun Hao marched toward Jianye and praised Wang Weng, saying he would use Jingzhou’s royal qi to crush the bandits of Yangzhou.

Shi Bao sought Wang Ji’s support before taking up the post of inspector in Jiaozhou, while Sun Hao blamed Sun Xiu’s sons for the failed plot and punished Wei Yao for objecting. The ministers were left despairing and considering surrender to Cao Wei.

• Shi Bao visited Wang Ji in Jiangling and asked for help governing Jiaozhou, but Wang Ji said Huo Yi could defend the region and explained why he would not attack Wu yet.
• Shi Bao worried that Wang Ji’s caution would prevent him from establishing authority in Jiaozhou, so he sent a trusted aide ahead to tell Huo Yi to remain there.
• Sun Hao entered Jianye with a noisy procession and told the ministers that Sun Meng and Sun Sheng had cursed him.
• Wei Yao urged Sun Hao not to execute Sun Xiu’s sons, and Sun Hao ordered guards to force him to drink wine as punishment.
• Sun Hao left before Wan Yu could remonstrate, and the ministers despaired and considered surrendering to Cao Wei.

Cao Mao considered Sun Hao’s rule and the obstacles to conquering Wu, while Yang Zong reported on his duties and defended the emperor against Xin Chang’s attempt to recruit him for a remonstrance. Yang Zong continued investigating abuses by powerful clans, with the Yang Family of Yellow Gate Gentleman Yang Xiu now in his sights.

• Cao Mao reflected on Sun Hao’s instability and the difficulty of breaking Wu’s defensive strategy as he pursued unification.
• Yang Zong told Cao Mao that General Ma would watch Guo closely, and Cao Mao joked about the officials’ fear of the new Protector-General of the Qiang.
• Yang Zong told Cao Mao that he seemed more approachable since the birth of his eldest son, and Cao Mao joked that Sun Hao’s accession had made him look that way.
• Xin Chang urged Yang Zong to join him in remonstrating with Cao Mao over the emperor’s affection for his eldest son, but Yang Zong condemned his proposal and had Cheng Ji remove him from the palace.
• Yang Zong continued his investigation of great clans and public fields, then examined accusations against Yang Xiu and the Yang Family.

Wen Yang escorted Gao Chiran to Goguryeo, where Paeja Su negotiated a peaceful handover and proposed closer relations with Great Wei. Back in Liaodong, Yang Hu learned that his cousin Yang Xiu had been arrested and his own noble rank reduced, and ordered the news publicized as a warning to the great clans.

• Wen Yang traveled toward Goguryeo with Duan Qizhen and Gao Chiran, while Duan warned him to distrust the Goguryeo court and obey Yang Hu’s order not to attack first.
• Paeja Su met Wen Yang and Duan Qizhen, presented the king’s compensation, and received Gao Chiran as both sides agreed to peaceful relations and discussed trade and study exchanges.
• Wen Yang and Duan Qizhen departed for Liaodong after Goguryeo’s delegation avoided conflict and hurried away, wary of Wen Yang’s reputation.
• Yang Hu received notice that Yang Xiu had been arrested for corruption, excess, and leaking confidential information, and that Yang Hu’s noble rank had been reduced because of the scandal.
• Yang Hu refused Zu Wu’s suggestion to appeal to the emperor and ordered the news publicized as a warning, telling Zu Wu to investigate his own relatives.

After Wen Qin received Cao Mao’s promotion and a private order to capture Qichun Commandery, he planned a joint campaign against Ding Feng’s forces. Guanqiu Jian recognized Wen Qin’s concern about coordinating with higher-ranking generals and forwarded a polished version of his appeal to Hu Zun.

• Xiahou Zhuang delivered Cao Mao’s edict promoting Wen Qin and Wang Ji, then privately gave Wen Qin the emperor’s letter.
• Wen Qin read Cao Mao’s order to capture Qichun Commandery and accepted the long-term mission.
• Wen Qin convened his trusted generals, and they proposed drawing Ding Feng’s forces away with simultaneous attacks from other fronts.
• Wen Qin agreed to seek help from Guanqiu Jian and Hu Zun, whose ranks were higher than his.
• Guanqiu Jian understood Wen Qin’s concern, polished his letter, and sent it to Hu Zun.

Hu Zun executed Chen Tan for embezzling army provisions, then accepted Guanqiu Jian’s proposal to lead an attack on Qichun Commandery. As Wei forces mobilized, Ding Feng and Lu Kang prepared Wu’s defenses, while Sun Hao ordered his generals to ready for war after receiving an auspicious divination.

• Hu Zun had Chen Tan executed despite appeals from the Ministry of Justice and warned his officers against breaking military rules.
• Hu Zun read Guanqiu Jian’s proposal to capture Qichun and persuaded his generals to support the campaign.
• Hu Zun ordered Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin to follow his commands in an attack on Ding Feng.
• Ding Feng detected the mobilization across four provinces and alerted nearby generals and Jianye, while Lu Kang moved troops near Wuchang to reinforce him.
• Sun Hao consulted the fangshi about the war, heard that victory was certain, and ordered his generals to prepare for battle.

Sun Hao launched a massive recruitment drive to prepare for war with Wei, alarming Lu Kang with demands for an enormous local levy. At Shouchun, Hu Zun, Guanqiu Jian, and Wen Qin debated the campaign, and Hu Zun proposed bringing in the Central Army to destroy Wu in a single invasion.

• Sun Hao condemned Cao Mao, announced a campaign against Wei, and promised lavish rewards to soldiers who killed Wei troops and officers.
• Sun Hao befriended Cen Hun at a banquet, then executed the attendant who had poured his wine the night before.
• Sun Hao ordered a sweeping recruitment drive and told Ding Feng to prepare for war, while Lu Kang protested that the demand for eighty thousand local soldiers was excessive.
• Hu Zun, Guanqiu Jian, and Wen Qin met at Shouchun to plan their deployment as Hu Zun proposed requesting Central Army reinforcements to destroy Wu.
• Guanqiu Jian warned that invading Wu required careful preparation and warships, while Wen Qin reacted in shock to Hu Zun's ambition.

Cao Mao punished Yang Jin over Yang Xiu’s crimes and debated whether to send reinforcements to Huainan as fighting erupted between Wei and Wu. The campaign to seize a commandery expanded into a major struggle for Jiangdong, with both kingdoms gathering large armies.

• Cao Mao stripped Yang Jin of his title and office but gave him the chance to earn merit in Jingnan, and Yang Jin agreed to go.
• Cao Mao reassured Zheng Xian about the Empress Dowager and then received news that the Central Army might join the Huainan campaign.
• Chen Qian warned Cao Mao against an immediate advance on Wu, and Cao Mao proposed sending some Central Army troops near Yanzhou as reserves.
• Hu Zun attacked eastern Lujiang while Wen Qin’s forces struck Ding Feng at Qichun, and Hu Zun asked Guanqiu Jian to support both fronts.
• Lu Kang reinforced Qichun as Wang Ji, Shi Bao, and Huo Yi attacked Wu forces from multiple directions.
• Sun Hao arrived at the Wuchang front and ordered Shi Ji, Ding Gu, and Wei Miao to lead an army against Wei, as both sides massed troops in Lujiang and Qichun.

Sun Hao sent Shi Ji and Ding Feng to face the Wei invasion while boasting of capturing Cao Mao alive, and Shi Ji set out after securing the emperor’s approval to fight cautiously. At Qichun, Ding Feng realized Guanqiu Jian and Hu Zun might be advancing on Jianye, but he believed their divided aims would lead to defeat.

• Sun Hao assigned Shi Ji and Ding Feng to oppose the Wei armies, Lu Kang to defend against Wang Ji and others, and his father-in-law to guard Wuchang.
• Shi Ji warned Sun Hao against a direct confrontation, and Sun Hao reassured him that he could choose a defensive strategy before Shi Ji departed.
• Sun Hao drank with Cen Hun, who had encouraged him to undertake massive construction projects.
• Ding Feng learned that Shi Ji was bringing an army to reinforce him while Wei forces captured Guangling and Hailing.
• Ding Feng concluded that Hu Zun and Guanqiu Jian might be joining forces to attack Jianye while Wen Qin pinned down the Wu defenders at Qichun.
• Ding Feng told his generals that the Wei commanders’ selfish aims and the difficulty of crossing the river gave Wu a chance to defeat them.

Wen Qin resented being used as bait by Hu Zun and Guanqiu Jian, while Ding Feng sent Zhang Ti to persuade him to ease his attacks. Wen Qin eventually withdrew from Qichun, allowing Ding Feng to begin a plan to trap Hu Zun’s army at the Wu River, while Hu Zun celebrated in Guangling.

• Wen Qin agreed with Jiao Yi to seek cooperation with Wang Ji after complaining that Hu Zun had left him to hold off Wu forces.
• Zhang Ti told Wen Qin that Hu Zun and Guanqiu Jian were using him as bait and urged him to slow his attacks, but Wen Qin had him expelled.
• Zhang Ti reported to Ding Feng that Wen Qin had rejected the proposal but spared his life, suggesting he might be willing to ease the pressure indirectly.
• Wen Qin continued attacking Qichun for several days, then abruptly abandoned the siege and moved his army back.
• Ding Feng interpreted Wen Qin’s withdrawal as an opening and planned to gather Wu forces at the Wu River to ambush Hu Zun’s crossing.
• Hu Zun remained in Guangling, where he had prominent local men arrested and made to attend his wine banquets.

Hu Zun staged a boastful banquet to mislead Wu while Shi Ji moved troops toward Wujiang, but Lu Kang realized Wei’s real attack threatened Qichun and Wuchang. The chapter left Zhu County under sudden assault, with Sun Shu choosing to surrender.

• Hu Zun pretended to be drunk at his banquet, then told Cao Zhen to spread reports of his ambitions and stage troop movements around Lujiang.
• Shi Ji advanced toward Wujiang with Ding Feng, planning to strike Hu Zun’s army, while Lu Kang was asked to prevent Cao Army forces in Jingzhou from intervening.
• After reading Shi Ji’s letter, Lu Kang concluded that Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin would attack Qichun and might advance toward Wuchang, so he urgently sent warnings and ordered troops to muster.
• Wei forces launched a surprise attack on Zhu County, where Sun Shu found his four thousand defenders outnumbered and the walls under assault.
• Sun Shu ordered the gates opened and surrendered Zhu County.

Guanqiu Jian marched on Wuchang after Sun Shu surrendered, while Sun Hao fled as the Wei general swept through Wu territory. The chapter left Guanqiu Jian pursuing Sun Hao toward Yongxiu as Lu Kang arrived in Ai County and Shi Ji and Ding Feng turned back to confront the crisis.

• Guanqiu Jian accepted Sun Shu's surrender, praised him for sparing the local people, and ordered Zhang Te to secure the retreat while he advanced on Wuchang.
• After reading Lu Kang's letter, Sun Hao killed his brother Sun Jun and ordered an abrupt withdrawal from Wuchang toward Jianye.
• Guanqiu Jian defeated Teng Mu outside Wuchang, captured the city in less than a day, and continued his rapid advance toward Yangxing.
• Sun Hao fled as Guanqiu Jian routed three Wu forces in succession, and he changed course toward Yongxiu after being warned that Chaisang was vulnerable.
• Lu Kang arrived in Ai County as Guanqiu Jian took Yangxing and kept pursuing Sun Hao, while Zhang Te struggled to keep up.
• After learning that Zhu County and Wuchang had fallen, Shi Ji and Ding Feng turned back, and Hu Zun pursued them to tie down Wu's main army.

Wang Ji refused to join the campaign against Wu, choosing to prepare warships while Guanqiu Jian pursued Sun Hao. As Sun Hao fled to Yongxiu and executed its commander, Lu Kang split his forces, sending Sun Zhen to retake Wuchang and leading his best troops to rescue the emperor.

• Cheng Cui urged Wang Ji to send troops against Wu, but Wang Ji said they should focus on building warships and training their men.
• Wang Ji assessed Guanqiu Jian's advance and the danger posed by Wu's remaining generals while he waited for the situation to develop.
• Lu Kang freed Sun Zhen and gave him twenty thousand troops to attack Wuchang, promising to plead for his life if he succeeded.
• Lu Kang led his best troops to reinforce Sun Hao as the emperor fled toward Yongxiu.
• Sun Hao ordered the Yongxiu Commander beheaded for welcoming him with music, leaving the Wu officers and even his trusted aides fearful of him.

Sun Hao fled toward Poyang while Guanqiu Jian pursued him through Wu territory, defeating defenders and taking cities. At Poyang, Li Fei urged Sun Hao to return to Jianye with elite cavalry while he held off Guanqiu Jian.

• Sun Hao learned that Guanqiu Jian had defeated Yu Zhong and was advancing toward Yongxiu, then chose Wan Yu’s proposal to flee toward Poyang rather than go to Pengze.
• Guanqiu Jian captured Yongxiu and continued pursuing Sun Hao, while Shi Ji and Ding Feng remained tied down by enemy forces and Lu Kang cautiously followed behind him.
• After learning Haihun had fallen, Sun Hao killed an attendant in a rage and resumed his flight, eventually reaching Poyang with more than twenty thousand men.
• Wan Yu proposed ambushing Guanqiu Jian at Shiyin Mountain, but the generals were too frightened and exhausted to support the plan.
• Li Fei warned Sun Hao that Poyang might not withstand Guanqiu Jian and condemned Wan Yu’s suggestion to flee in disguise while leaving the imperial carriage behind.
• Li Fei urged Sun Hao to ride to Jianye with elite cavalry while he led troops to intercept Guanqiu Jian and hoped Lu Kang could attack from behind.

Li Fei tried to hold off Guanqiu Jian so Sun Hao could escape, but his army broke and Li Fei died in battle. Sun Hao fled toward Jianye until Fan Shen arrived with reinforcements, while the Wu Kingdom's wider war effort fell into chaos.

• Li Fei gathered thirty thousand men and ordered them to stand against Guanqiu Jian, executing soldiers who fled as the enemy approached.
• Li Fei charged toward Guanqiu Jian's banner, but Guanqiu Jian struck him down and his cavalry routed the Wu army without stopping to pursue.
• Sun Hao learned that Li Fei had died and Poyang's commander had surrendered, then ordered his party to keep moving toward Jianye.
• Sun Hao's fear drove him to flee without resting and kill attendants who witnessed him waking in terror and shouting Guanqiu Jian's name.
• Fan Shen arrived with troops to protect Sun Hao, who pleaded with him not to fight Guanqiu Jian and urged him to return to Jianye.
• Hu Zun spread a rumor that Sun Hao had surrendered, while Wen Qin turned the tables on Shi Ji and Cao Thief's central army reached the battlefield.

Wen Qin’s forces and the Central Army intensified their assault on Wu, while Hu Zun kept Ding Feng trapped and Guanqiu Jian advanced deep into Wu territory. The chapter ended with Hu Zun learning that Wen Qin was preparing to destroy Shi Ji’s army and push into Wu.

• Jiang Ban’s outnumbered force fought at Songzi until Cao Wei reinforcements arrived, allowing him to defeat the Wu defenders and drive them behind the city walls.
• Shi Ji turned to reinforce Songzi, so Wen Qin attacked and routed his army, forcing Shi Ji to retreat toward Songzi and request help from Ding Feng.
• Hu Zun kept Ding Feng’s smaller army encircled, preventing him from crossing the river or reaching Sun Hao, and Ding Feng wept over his inability to help the emperor.
• Hu Zun celebrated Guanqiu Jian’s deep advance into Wu and the emperor’s flight, while continuing to hold Ding Feng in place.
• A scout told Hu Zun that five Central Army commandants had joined Wen Qin, who was battling Shi Ji and preparing to annihilate him before advancing into Wu.

Lu Kang abandoned his pursuit of Guanqiu Jian and ordered Wu’s forces to defend key positions and harass the Wei armies, while Sun Hao’s flight was interrupted when Guanqiu Jian caught up with his exhausted troops. The chapter ended with Guanqiu Jian driving Wu’s fleeing rear guard into Fan Shen’s ranks and attacking the disordered army.

• Lu Kang gave up chasing Guanqiu Jian and ordered forces across the region to encircle him while preparing defenses against Wang Ji, Huo Yi, and Shi Bao.
• Lu Kang urged his officers to set aside internal rivalries and fight for Wu, then led his army to close the encirclement around Guanqiu Jian.
• Fan Shen reassured Sun Hao that Guanqiu Jian was surrounded, but a report revealed that Guanqiu Jian had attacked the rear guard and killed Commandant Zhu.
• Fan Shen left Sun Hao to confront Guanqiu Jian, believing the Wei force was too exhausted to pose a serious threat.
• Guanqiu Jian’s forced march caught Sun Hao’s army, and he routed its rear guard into the center before assaulting Fan Shen’s disordered troops.

Guanqiu Jian defeated Wu’s forces, captured Sun Hao, and brought him to Jianye, where the city surrendered. Wu’s fall left Guanqiu Jian relieved that he had fulfilled the emperor’s expectations.

• Fan Shen ordered Wu’s archers to fire on their fleeing comrades, then led his chariot into Guanqiu Jian’s charge and was overwhelmed.
• Sun Hao fled the battlefield as his army collapsed, but Xiong Yi knocked him from his horse and attacked him over his father’s death.
• Guanqiu Jian stopped Xiong Yi from killing Sun Hao, took the emperor prisoner, and asked Xiong Yi to help persuade Jianye to surrender.
• Guanqiu Jian spread news that Sun Hao had been captured and Wu had fallen, causing the remaining reinforcements to disperse.
• Xiong Yi announced Sun Hao’s capture outside Jianye, and the city opened its gates as its ministers and generals surrendered.
• Guanqiu Jian watched Jianye surrender and reflected that he had destroyed Wu without failing the emperor’s expectations.

Guanqiu Jian captured Jianye and used Sun Hao’s surrender edict to secure submissions across Wu, though Lou Xuan’s resistance and Lu Kang’s march showed that fighting might continue. Lu Kang’s army split between those obeying the edict and those following him toward Jianye, while news of Sun Hao’s surrender brought the front lines to a halt.

• Guanqiu Jian accepted the ministers’ surrender in Jianye and ordered Sun Hao to issue an edict directing Wu’s generals to surrender.
• Guanqiu Jian ordered Lou Xuan’s clan executed after Lou Xuan denounced the surrender and resisted the Wei army.
• Lu Kang learned that Sun Hao had surrendered and divided his army between troops obeying the edict and those joining his attempt to rescue the emperor.
• Wu’s armies across the land surrendered or stopped fighting after Sun Hao’s edict spread, and Shi Ji, Ding Feng, Wen Qin, and Hu Zun learned the news.

After Wu fell to Wei, Hu Zun lost the chance to claim the merit, while Ding Feng and Shi Ji struggled to control their crumbling armies. Shi Ji chose to surrender and sent Shen Ying away, then died by suicide as the kingdom fell.

• Hu Zun learned that Guanqiu Jian had captured Sun Hao and conquered Wu, then ordered Ding Feng to be contacted about surrendering.
• Ding Feng called the surrender edict a forgery, arrested officers who wanted to surrender, and threatened to execute them for weakening morale.
• Ding Feng worried that his troops would eventually desert and wondered whether Shi Ji could keep control of his larger, collapsing force.
• As his soldiers deserted and refused to fight, Shi Ji told his officers to surrender to Wen Qin and ordered Shen Ying to lead the army out.
• Shi Ji sent Shen Ying away, then killed himself, choosing to die with Wu.