Chapter Summaries

After Nan Ke learned that his son Nan Yu had usurped the throne and would not rescue him, he surrendered to Zhang Liao and Zhang Fei. Great Liang’s five armies then swept toward Flying Hero Pass to crush Zhennan’s starving, demoralized troops.

• Nan Ke learned that Nan Yu had seized his base and, with no reinforcements coming, decided to surrender.
• Zhang Fei captured Nan Ke while Zhang Liao ordered troops to escort the prisoners and continue searching for Zhennan’s routed soldiers.
• Zhang Liao, Lü Bu, Guan Yu, Qi Jiguang, and Sima Yi led Great Liang’s five armies in a sweeping attack toward Flying Hero Pass.
• Zhennan’s exhausted soldiers panicked, fled, or surrendered as Great Liang’s forces charged into them.
• Qi Jiguang ordered his troops to kill the survivors, while Lü Bu and the Bingzhou Legion cut through the routed forces at Flying Hero Pass.

Great Liang captured Flying Hero Pass after flooding Zhennan’s forces, leaving Zhennan with fewer than a hundred thousand troops. With Zhou Yu already attacking from the west and south, the commanders prepared to invade Zhennan’s remaining passes and finish the conquest.

• Great Liang’s army took Flying Hero Pass with few casualties, and the generals celebrated their victory.
• Zhang Liao learned that Zhennan had suffered 1.3 million casualties, including nearly 800,000 swept away by the flood.
• Guan Yu condemned Nan Yu and Zan Rihong for usurping the throne, while Zhang Liao ordered Nan Yiming to accompany the advance on Zhennan’s remaining passes.
• Li Ru reported that Zhou Yu had landed and begun attacking Zhennan’s western and southern territories.
• Zhang Liao ordered the army to rest and depart before dawn to conquer Zhennan, and Li Ru sent word of the victory to His Majesty.

After Great Liang annihilated Zhennan’s million-strong army at Flying Hero Pass, the southwest’s smaller rulers feared they would be conquered next. Siwang warned them that Great Liang’s foreign-relations policy allowed it to eliminate anyone it considered a threat, and the rulers began leaning toward pledging allegiance.

• News that Great Liang had wiped out Zhennan’s million-strong army without losing a soldier spread across the southwest.
• The kings of the smaller powers gathered and worried that Great Liang would attack them after defeating Zhennan.
• Siwang warned the rulers that waiting would bring destruction and explained Great Liang’s supplementary provision for eliminating threats to its peace.
• The rulers questioned how Great Liang could call itself peaceful while deciding what counted as a threat.
• Several rulers proposed pledging allegiance to Great Liang rather than risk being labeled a threat.

Li Ru flooded Flying Hero Pass and annihilated Zhennan's army, prompting Great Liang's court to celebrate the victory and the capture of King Nan Ke. Lin Yi received powerful military and strategic rewards, including Huo Qubing, and Great Liang prepared to advance on Zhennan's capital.

• Wang Yue reported that Li Ru had flooded Flying Hero Pass, destroyed Zhennan's army of one million three hundred thousand, and captured Nan Ke.
• Guo Jia, Jia Xu, Xun Yu, and the other officials praised Li Ru's audacious strategy as Lin Yi anticipated Great Liang's victory over Zhennan.
• Lin Yi learned that Zhang Liao had moved out to join Zhou Yu in a pincer attack on Zhennan's capital.
• The system rewarded Lin Yi with Marquis Champion Huo Qubing, two hundred thousand Feathered Forest Army troops, and the Qing Province Tripod Cauldron.
• Lin Yi also received Zhuge Liang's Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram, an intermediate gunpowder formula, and the Black Dragon Banner, which boosted army cohesion, killing intent, pressure, and loyalty.

Lin Yi chose Huo Qubing’s Feathered Forest Army to bind to the indestructible Black Dragon Banner, then learned that the Great Ming Palace was nearly complete. He set the move for the tenth day of the next month after Zhang Jiao declared it an auspicious date.

• Lin Yi considered the Black Dragon Banner’s powers and chose Huo Qubing’s Feathered Forest Army as the best army to bind to it.
• Lin Yi resumed court and asked his ministers for further reports.
• Xun Yu informed Lin Yi that the Great Ming Palace was nearly complete and asked when he would move there.
• Lin Yi ordered Zhang Jiao to choose an auspicious moving date, and Zhang Jiao selected the tenth day of the next month.
• Xu You questioned Zhang Jiao’s prediction, while Guo Jia told him that pleasing Lin Yi mattered more than whether the auspicious configuration was real.

Lin Yi set the date for the Great Ming Palace ceremony and gave his ministers Zhuge Liang’s Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram to study. After they identified the need to reorganize specialized corps to use the formation fully, Guo Jia warned that restructuring every corps would cost too much, leaving Lin Yi to consider how to proceed.

• Yang Xiu praised the tenth of next month as an auspicious date, and Lin Yi accepted it while Xu You held back his objections after Jia Xu warned him to watch his words.
• Lin Yi dismissed court, kept Guo Jia and several senior ministers behind, and gave them the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram to examine.
• Lin Yi handed Ma Jun an intermediate gunpowder formula, and Ma Jun realized it was a formula focused on explosives.
• Xun Yu and the other ministers concluded that the formation coordinated multiple troop types but would require changes to Great Liang’s specialized corps.
• Guo Jia advised Lin Yi that restructuring every corps would consume too much time and money for the gains to justify the cost.

Lin Yi approved Guo Jia’s plan to create a dedicated Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram corps without disrupting Great Liang’s existing armies, and considered placing the retired emperor in command of the coming western campaign. Zhao Gao summoned Xu Zhong and other Northern Liang officers, leaving Xu Zhong and his companions eager to reclaim their place in the army.

• Guo Jia advised Lin Yi to preserve the existing corps and form a new army trained specifically in the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram.
• Lin Yi tasked Guo Jia with studying the formation and sharing its principles with the major corps.
• Lin Yi considered appointing the retired emperor, Lin Rusong, to oversee the western campaign and strengthen the Northern Liang military system.
• Lin Yi ordered Zhao Gao to summon the retired emperor, Old Master Bai, the Grand Tutor, Xu Zhong, and others.
• Zhao Gao told Xu Zhong that Lin Yi’s summons was likely an opportunity, and Xu Zhong celebrated with his fellow Northern Liang officers before going to see the emperor.

Lin Yi revived the Northern Liang Army with the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram and prepared it for Great Liang’s western campaign. He appointed Lin Rusong as commander-in-chief, Xu Zhong as commanding general, and Li Ling to assist them.

• Lin Yi gave Lin Rusong the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram and asked him to restore the Northern Liang Army structure around it.
• Lin Yi announced plans to wage war in the west and said he needed a respected commander to lead the campaign.
• Lin Rusong insisted that he was healthy enough to take the assignment, and veteran Northern Liang generals including Wang Ziwen and Xu Zhong volunteered to fight.
• Lin Yi appointed Lin Rusong commander-in-chief of a new Northern Liang Army of five hundred thousand troops, with Bai Zizai and Wang Ziwen assisting him.
• Lin Yi named Xu Zhong commanding general after warning him to abandon his brothel visits, then introduced Li Ling as a capable general who would assist him.

Lin Yi appointed Li Ling as Xu Zhong’s deputy to help secure control of the Northern Liang Army and entrusted Lin Rusong with leading Great Liang’s two-million-strong western campaign. He also ordered Jia Xu to assist the Emperor Emeritus in preparing the war, which still needed a pretext to begin.

• Lin Yi chose Li Ling, whose loyalty and military abilities impressed him, to join the Northern Liang Army as Xu Zhong’s deputy.
• Xu Zhong accepted Li Ling’s appointment, and Lin Rusong praised the new general.
• Lin Yi assigned Lin Rusong command of Great Liang’s western campaign, prompting the Emperor Emeritus to vow to conquer the west.
• Lin Yi told Jia Xu to assist Lin Rusong in setting the western war in motion, while noting that Great Liang still needed a pretext to attack the Frostwest Empire.

Lin Yi sent Jia Xu to the Frostwest Empire to advance Great Liang’s interests, while Lin Rusong prepared troops for a western campaign. News that Great Liang had conquered Flying Hero Pass without losing a soldier and destroyed over a million Zhennan troops sent the Western nations into panic and left Bill III furious.

• Lin Yi told Jia Xu to go west and carry Great Liang’s ideals of peace, and Jia Xu accepted to avoid taking over Guo Jia’s work.
• Cao Cao urged Jia Xu to leave Bill III in disarray so he could seek permission to go west, while Lin Yi instructed Lin Rusong to prepare troops and generals.
• The western nations feared threats from the Black Skull Army, the Land of the Far West, and Great Liang, and began expanding their armies.
• News arrived that Great Liang had taken Flying Hero Pass without losing a soldier and wiped out over a million Zhennan troops, alarming the Western Alliance.
• Bill III heard the news, kicked a door off its hinges, and cursed Nan Ke for losing Zhennan without costing Great Liang a single soldier.

After Zhennan’s million-strong army was destroyed at Flying Hero Pass and Nan Ke was captured, Bill III feared Great Liang would use Frostwest’s ties to Zhennan as a pretext to invade. Ashina Tiandu urged Frostwest to unite the western nations and attack Great Liang, and Bill III embraced the plan.

• Bill III angrily learned that Great Liang had defeated Zhennan without losing soldiers, while Aksu explained that Li Ru had flooded Flying Hero Pass and wiped out Zhennan’s army.
• Aksu revealed that Nan Ke had been captured, prompting Bill III to fear that Great Liang would use Frostwest’s connection to Zhennan as justification for an attack.
• Nishu reported that Great Liang had stationed more than five hundred thousand troops on its western border, and Bill III considered seeking support from the Great West Empire.
• Ashina Tiandu rejected relying on peace and proposed uniting nations threatened by Great Liang to launch a combined attack.
• Bill III praised Ashina Tiandu’s plan and expected a western coalition to force Great Liang onto the defensive.

Ashina Tiandu persuaded Bill III to let him pursue a profitable scheme against Great Liang while the Great West Empire faced the Land of the Far West. Abaddon drove the colonial army from his territory but remained frustrated as it continued to threaten his empire.

• Bill III approved Ashina Tiandu’s plan to turn the Western Alliance against Great Liang and gave him authority to carry it out.
• Ashley warned Bill III and Ashina Tiandu about the Land of the Far West and the Great West Empire’s importance.
• Aksu reported that the Land of the Far West’s soldiers had held their own against twice their number from the Great West Empire.
• Ashina Tiandu urged Bill III to let Abaddon confront the colonizers while Frostwest made trouble for Great Liang, and Bill III praised his son’s ambition.
• Abaddon personally drove the Land of the Far West’s forces out of Great West territory, but the enemy remained nearby.
• Morandi reminded Abaddon that the colonizers had defeated the Black Skull Army, while Abaddon lamented that their arrival had delayed his unification plans.

Great West learned that Great Liang had destroyed Zhennan’s army at Flying Hero Pass with virtually no losses, using Li Ru’s plan to flood the pass. Fearing that Lin Yi would turn west next, Abaddon moved to form the Grand Western Alliance, then looked toward the Land of the Far West.

• A guard reported that Great Liang had taken Flying Hero Pass, wiped out Zhennan’s million-strong army, captured its king, and was conducting its final offensive.
• Adolf questioned the report, and the guard explained that Li Ru had blocked Dalang Valley and flooded Flying Hero Pass.
• Morandi rejected the claim that Great Liang’s scholars were gentle, recalling the ruthless deeds of Zhang Juzheng, Jia Xu, and Guo Jia.
• Adolf argued that Li Ru’s actions showed Lin Yi’s hostility toward outsiders, and ministers warned that Great Liang would threaten the West once Zhennan fell.
• Abaddon ordered Alusi to form the Grand Western Alliance by contacting small countries and offering promises if needed.
• Abaddon nodded and turned his gaze toward the Land of the Far West.

Abaddon learned that the Land of the Far West had mistaken the Great West Empire for the force that robbed its fleet, but he chose to pursue an alliance before confronting them. Meanwhile, Great Liang’s advance left Zhennan’s new king Nan Yu facing defeat and the prospect of fleeing overseas.

• Abaddon asked Adolf whether he should meet the Land of the Far West, and Adolf explained that they had come seeking revenge after their wealth and ships were stolen at sea.
• Abaddon and his ministers realized the Great West Empire had taken the blame for the robbery, and they accused the Land of the Far West of exploiting them to recover its losses.
• Abaddon decided to continue forming the Western Alliance and planned to act against Bill III before he could side with Great Liang.
• Great Liang’s army overwhelmed Zhennan’s remaining forces, and Nan Yu lamented that his father had squandered more than a million troops.
• Zan Rihong advised Nan Yu to flee overseas, but Nan Yu hesitated to abandon the throne so soon after becoming king.

Nan Yu resisted fleeing after taking the throne, but Zan Rihong persuaded him that Great Liang would eventually collapse under its internal conflicts. Nan Yu agreed to hide on a distant island and wait for his chance to rule again.

• Nan Yu asked Zan Rihong for another way to keep him on the throne, but Zan Rihong warned that Zhennan could not defeat Great Liang's million-strong army.
• Zan Rihong argued that Great Liang's growing power would intensify conflicts over status and wealth until its own legions became a weakness.
• Nan Yu realized that neither he nor Zhennan's powerful clans would surrender their interests to resolve internal conflicts, and accepted Zan Rihong's prediction that Great Liang would fall.
• Zan Rihong showed Nan Yu a distant island where they could settle and multiply while waiting for Great Liang to collapse.
• Nan Yu agreed to lie low on the island, believing he could eventually outlive Zan Rihong and Lin Yi and become master of the East.

Zan Rihong and Nan Yu learned that Zhou Yu of Great Liang had invaded Zhennan’s royal capital from the sea, leaving them trapped between enemy forces. Faced with defeat, Zan Rihong decided to seek surrender while demanding guarantees for his and the king’s safety.

• A sudden explosion and shaking reminded Zan Rihong of Great Liang’s devastating flood attack, and he sent a guard to investigate.
• The guard reported that Zhou Yu of Great Liang had attacked from behind and fought his way into the royal capital.
• The guard said the invading force numbered at least a hundred thousand and had arrived by sea, while a million-strong army threatened from the front.
• Zan Rihong considered surrender, alarming Nan Yu, who feared his father-in-law might offer him up as a surrender gift.
• Zan Rihong ordered his trusted aide to contact Zhang Liao and Li Ru and offer surrender in exchange for guarantees of his and Nan Yu’s safety.

Zhang Liao’s army reached Zhennan’s capital, and Nan Ke and Nan Yiming argued over their role in the kingdom’s defeat. Li Ru then pressed the father and son to call for the gates to be opened, leaving Nan Ke asking whether there was room to negotiate.

• Zhang Liao celebrated with his commanders as Great Liang’s army reached Zhennan’s final stronghold.
• Nan Ke blamed Nan Yiming for guiding the enemy to the capital, but Nan Yiming argued that Zhennan’s defeat had been inevitable and that their actions had saved lives.
• Nan Ke learned that Great Liang had more than three million troops and accepted that he and his son could do little to change what happened.
• Li Ru asked Nan Ke and Nan Yiming to call for the capital’s gates to open, claiming Great Liang wanted to spare the people from slaughter.
• Nan Ke questioned Li Ru’s claim and asked whether he would consider a negotiation.

Nan Ke agreed to call for Zhennan’s gates to be opened, but Chancellor Zan Rihong offered Great Liang a deal to hand over King Nan Yu and purge Zhennan’s upper ranks in exchange for his own life. Zhang Liao rejected the traitor’s offer and ordered Nan Ke to join the assault on the capital.

• Li Ru pressured Nan Ke to help open the gates rather than let Great Liang storm Zhennan, and Nan Ke agreed to go with his son.
• A messenger lowered from the city wall in a wicker basket and delivered Zan Rihong’s letter to Zhang Fei for Zhang Liao.
• An interpreter explained that Zan Rihong offered to help Great Liang conquer Zhennan and hand over Nan Yu in exchange for his life.
• Nan Ke erupted in anger at Zan Rihong and condemned Nan Yu for accepting the chancellor’s terms.
• Zhang Liao refused to cooperate with Zan Rihong, saying Great Liang would take the capital itself, and ordered Nan Ke to join the assault.

Nan Ke accepted Zhennan’s defeat and decided to take responsibility by ending the kingdom himself rather than let his eldest son bear the blame. He returned to the capital gate, where Zanrixiaosong denied his identity and ordered the archers to shoot, but Lu Dongyu stopped them and affirmed that Nan Ke was the king.

• Nan Ke reassured Nan Yiming, then decided to face Great Liang and spare his eldest son from taking the blame for Zhennan’s end.
• Nan Ke left for the capital and declared that he could not let Zhennan’s people follow Zan Rihong to their deaths.
• Zanrixiaosong called Nan Ke an impostor and ordered the archers to kill him.
• Nan Ke reminded Zanrixiaosong of the time he had knelt and begged for forgiveness, but Zanrixiaosong still insisted he was a spy.
• Lu Dongyu intervened, confirmed Nan Ke’s identity, and warned that no one could bear the blame for killing the king’s father.
• The archers lowered their bows, while Zanrixiaosong confronted Lu Dongyu for opposing the prime minister.

Nan Ke confronted Zanrixiaosong outside Zhennan’s royal capital and warned that Great Liang might massacre the city if its leaders refused to respond. Zan Rihong and Nan Yu came to the gate, where Nan Ke exposed Zan Rihong’s plan to use Nan Yu as a shield, leaving them to face the choice of surrender or risk a massacre.

• Zanrixiaosong demanded that the current king identify Nan Ke, while Lu Dongyu resisted and Zhang Fei urged Nan Ke to storm the city.
• Nan Ke warned Zanrixiaosong that Great Liang might massacre Zhennan if the city did not respond, frightening the defenders into summoning Zan Rihong and Nan Yu.
• Zan Rihong learned that Great Liang had cut off Zhennan’s retreat and went to the gate tower with Nan Yu.
• Nan Ke confronted Zan Rihong and Nan Yu, and Nan Yu greeted his father while Zan Rihong claimed he had acted for Zhennan.
• Nan Ke told Nan Yu that Zan Rihong had put him on the throne to serve as a scapegoat, and Nan Yu demanded an explanation.
• Nan Ke urged them to recognize Great Liang’s victory and decide what to do before the city was massacred.