Post by Storyteller on Jun 1, 2011 22:01:26 GMT
The Story of New Era: Season Two
The Year Is 219...
In the year 217 Cao Cao's general, Zhang Liao, defeated the forces of Sun Quan at Xiaoyao Ford. Since then, Shou Chun has remained in Wei's hands, to the dismay of the Kingdom of Wu. A tense peace remained between Wu and Wei after this event.
The year is 219, Liu Bei's campaign for Han Zhong took a turn for the worse for the Wei Empire. Cao Cao's General Xiahou Yuan died at the hands of Huang Zhong during the battle of Mt. Dingjun. After this, the entire Wei army routed and Han Zhong was firmly under Liu Bei's command.
Whilst this was happening, the battle of Fancheng was under way in Jing. Guan Yu, the God of War, was fighting a prolonged siege against Cao Ren. Cao Cao, looking to end Guan Yu once and for all, sent Sima Yi to Wu, asking Sun Quan to attack Guan Yu's forces. In return, Cao Cao would allow Jing to be attacked by Wu without interruption.
Thinking he would spite Cao Cao for the loss at Xiaoyao, Sun Quan instead sent an emmisary to Guan Yu, relating his wish for a marriage to be arranged between his son and Guan Yu's daughter. Guan Yu refused, and this infuriated Sun Quan.
Sun Quan's forces stationed at the border were commanded by Lu Meng. Lu Meng claimed to be ill and was called back to the headquarters while Lu Xun was sent to replace Lu Meng as acting commander. Lu Meng was actually feigning illness and he returned to the headquarters to discuss his plans with Sun Quan. Lu Xun wrote a letter to Guan Yu, creating an impression that his forces were weaker than Guan Yu's, to put Guan Yu off guard. Guan Yu fell for the ruse and lowered his guard, thinking that the younger and inexperienced Lu Xun posed no threat to him.
Sun Quan's invasion force gradually increased in size after subsequent reinforcements arrived but since the army was behind the frontier, Guan Yu's intelligence service was unaware of that and provided no warning to him about a possible invasion by Sun Quan. At the same time, Guan Yu's troops were running low on supplies after Yu Jin's 30,000 surrendered troops joined his army. Guan Yu seized some food supplies from one of Sun Quan's storage bases near the Xiang River and his action further infuriated Sun Quan.
The surprise attack on Jing was set. Sun Quan went back to Sima Yi, at the request of Lu Meng, and told the Wei adviser that he would attack Guan Yu's rear. In a two pronged attack, Guan Yu was taken completely by surprise, and the defections of Shi Ren and Mi Fang almost killed the commander. But Guan Yu singlehandedly killed both defectors in his camp. Xu Huang, along with Lu Xun and Lu Meng, entered Guan Yu's camp. Guan Yu valiantly fought them all in a duel, the God of War almost failed until his son Guan Ping came to his rescue.
After the relieved siege of Fancheng, Guan Yu learned that Lu Meng's troops had overrun almost all of the Jing province. Guan Yu sprung back into action, he held out for four months until receiving reinforcements from the successful Han Zhong campaign. Guan Yu, now joined with Huang Zhong, Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei from the west, fought a brilliant rearguard action that caused Wu to sustain many casualties.
Lu Meng, seeing the tide of war change, went back to Sun Quan and pleaded with him to sign a cease-fire. Sun Quan agreed, and sent Lu Su to Guan Yu to ask for a white peace. Guan Yu wanted to completely repel the Wu advance, but Liu Bei disagreed. For either strategic reasons, or just a wish to see the bloodshed stop for a while, Liu Bei agreed to Lu Su's peace proposal. The lands taken under Lu Meng's military action would remain in control of Wu. Whilst Guan Yu's counterattack still maintained control of Xin Ye, Xiang Yang, and Wu Ling.
Wei also agreed to peace with Liu Bei a month afterward, after the disastrous Han Zhong campaign, Cao Cao decided to stay in his strong position and gather his troops. Who his next enemy would be was still yet to be decided.
For now though, a tentative peace spread across the land...