Tok Kingdom
This year saw great Wei Dynastic gains in Tok, and the beginings of a Shu counter offensive.
Emperor Cao Cao, and Warlord Sun Quan led a pincer invasion of Hei-Bei province.
Emperor Cao Cao and Emperor Zhuge Liao faced off in battle in the west of Hei-Bei, near the Jing city of Xin Ye. In what is now referred to one of the greatest battles in the civil war to date, the massive armies of the Wei, and the Tanile-Hinoa-Galali supplemented armies of Shu met in the fields of Ru Nan. During the Battle Cao Cao challenged young Zhuge Liao to a duel battle, and as Emperor of Tok Zhuge Liao felt he was obliged to accept. He of course lost against Cao Cao, and was badly injured. Lord Ma Chao and Lord Zhao Yun rescued Zhuge Liao from certain death at Cao Caos hands, and ordered a general retreat.
Warlord Sun Quan invaded Hei-Bei via eastern Xi and met Grand Commander Liu Bei on the fields of battle just north of Tian Shui. The battle was more of a race really, the race to Pai De Cheng, the capital of Hei-Bei, Sun Quan was force marching his troops at speed to try and make it to Pai De Cheng before Lord Liu Bei who had gathered his troops to prevent Sun Quans advance. Liu Bei upon realising what Sun Quan was doing marshalled his troops to Pai De Cheng.
After defeating Zhuge Liao at Ru Nan, Cao Cao laid seige to Pai De Cheng shortly after Liu Bei arrived, and shortly before Sun Quan followed him. Liue Bei met with the Shu Lord of Hei-bei, Lord Zheng Fei, and his sworn brother Lord Guan Yu.
Together Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zheng Fei held off a joint assault on Pai De Cheng by Cao Cao and Sun Quan.
Warlord Guo Jia continued his attacks on Xu, but was again held off by Lord Cai Mao.
Zhuge Liaos long time friend Lady Mei Sanniang, led a portion of the Shu army to rescue Lady Sun Li at Cheng Cang. Mei Sanniang was successful in breaking the siege of Cheng Cang, and retaking much of the southern half of Jiang Dong.
And in the first major naval battle of the war, Jiang Wei, Ma Chaos protoge, met Lord Gan Ning in the Panthalassa Ocean. Shu's small faced off against the huge navy of Wei. Jiang Wei in danger of loosing the battle, launches a fire attack against the closely pack Wei fleet. While the Shu lost many of its own ships, the Wei lost many more, and were forced into retreat giving the day to the Shu.
Hang Zhong, Capital of Tok
Emperor Zhuge Liao lay on his bed, unconcious, sleeping soundly after being injured during the fight with Cao Cao.
His upper torso was wrapped in thick bandages to cover the sword wounds he had endured, and his left leg was bound up in a splint, Cao Cao had fractured his bone when he kicked him ferociously.
In his slumber he dreamnt of the past, when Tok was a mighty nation, he dreamnt of his father.
In the days before the Jemiknoan invasion of Tok, Cao Bu and his old friend Zhuge Liang were discussing the movements of Chatopan troops on the borders. A very small Zhuge Liao watched on hidden in a dark corner. Watching his father and a young Cao Bu.
"We must muster our forces in the east Cao Bu..." Zhuge Liang said, "The Chatopan are obviously ready to attack"
"I agree it appears as so my Lord" Cao Bu replies
'My Lord?' thinks young Zhuge Liao, 'Hes just dad...'
"But something seems wrong about this..." Cao Bu continues, "Why would the Chatopan choose now to attack? They would have to know that they could not defeat Tok on its own terms...and they would have to know our Jemnikoan allies would assist us, Chatopan would be destroyed before the combined power of Tok and Jemikno"
"Yes I know it seems somehow wrong Cao Bu" Zhuge Liang replies, "But I must act to what I see, I must take the army east"
"YOU CANT!" Cao Bu bursts out, "Dont attack!"
"I must Cao Bu" Zhuge Liang replies irritated, "You are my cousin Cao Bu, you must know that as Emperor of Tok I must act with the Kingdoms best interests at heart..."
"I know but i think it would be unwise to sally forth now when we know so little!" Cao Bu protests
"Look the decision has been made" Zhuge Liang quickly ends the conversation
'Hes just dad...Emperor of Tok indeed...' Thinks the young Zhuge Liao, 'What is the Emperor of Tok? Hes just dad...'
Prince Cao Bu, and Emperor Zhuge Liang argue for many more hours after that, and the young Zhuge Liao falls asleep in his dark corner.
The Emperor overrules Cao Bu and sets forth with his army from Hang Zhong, and due to his misgivings Cao Bu remains behind in to lead a defense.
Weeks later, in the middle of a battle between Chatopan and Tok forces, a messenger arrives to Zhuge Liang, from Cao Bu.
"You must Return to Hang Zhong Emperor" The messenger relays Cao Bus words, "Jemikno has betrayed us, their armies crossed the border a few days ago, and even now prepare to lay seige to the capital. I will defend it as long as possible, please hurry!"
The Emperor orders an immediate withdrawal to Hang Zhong. Quickly they race back, and during a brief rest at Xin ye, they are accosted by a small Jemiknoan army.
During the short battle which followed the Emperor was shot through the throat by an arrow, and as he lay dying his last orders to his generals were to return to Hang Zhong, and give to Cao Bu the Imperial Seal.
"You must go to Xu Chang young one..." Cao Bus patient and loving voice is directed at his cousins young child, "Your mother will look after you there"
"NO!" the little Zhuge Liao shouts in refusal, "I Want to wait for father!"
Surpessing the feeling of sadness in his heart Cao Bu forces to keep the smile on his face, "Your father is battling a Jemnikoan army at Tian Shui..." He lied, "He can not hold them there for long and they will back to Hang Zhong, we will have to retreat to ChengDu, and I would prefer you to be in the relative safety of Xu..."
"NO!" The young Prince refuses again, "I Want dad!"
"Please..." Cao Bu sighs, "Zhuge Liao do as I ask and go with Mei Sanniang to see your mother in Xu"
"Mei Sanniang is going?" He asks tentatively, "If she is going then I guess I can go too"
"Thank you Prince..."
Cao Bu kneels down and gathers the young Prince into a hug kissing him on the forehead.
The Emperor of Tok, Zhuge Liao, son of Zhuge Liang, wakes with a start, leaping from the bed. He looks frantically about him.
Pain suddenly gripping him he collapses back onto the bed.
"You foolish boy!" A voice suddenly reprimands him, "You shouldnt be jumping around like that!"
Zhuge Liao turns to see his Mei Sanniang smiling at him.
"Mei Sanniang..." He returns a smile marred by pain
"I am only here on a flying visit, im glad you woke..." Her eyes almost bursting with unshed tears, "I have to go save Sun Li for Liu Bei still has not returned from Hei-Bei..."
Weeks later, Cheng Cang
"How dare you Wei dogs attempt to kill Lady Sun Li!" Mei Sanniangs voice resonates through the air as she leads her cavalry down upon the unsuspecting Wei forces laying seige of Cheng Cang, "Dont you know its impolite to hit a lady?? ATTACK!"
Within minutes, largely due to the quickness and unexpectedness of her assault, Mai Sanniangs cavalry forces drive off the Wei forces besieging Cheng Cang.
And so began the Battle of Cheng Cang, when Lady Sun Li, and Lady Mei Sanniang, the twin Shu Warladys, sallied forth against the Wei in a counter attack.
"Thank you for your help lady Mei Sanniang!" Sun Li calls to Mei Sanniang, who nods and smiles in response, as the gallop forth on their horses.
Pai De Cheng
"They are trapped!" Cao Cao snorts, "They may as well surrender, with Zhuge Liao so injured, who is going to save them? God?"
This illicits a laugh from the soldiers who stood near to their Emperor.
"Do not discount the resourcefulness of Grand Marshall Liu Bei, Cao Cao..." Sun Quan admonishes his Emperor, "It was through him that the Shu resisted the Wei for so long, and if you remember it was him who repelled both the Wei and Wu attacks on Tian Shui..."
This illicits a glare from Cao Cao, who says nothing in response.
Diplomacy=
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Edited in later