Zhang Jue: Lord of Heaven, leader of Yellow Scarves Rebellion
Zhang Jue: Lord of Heaven, leader of Yellow Scarves Rebellion
This is the guy who started the whole mess. Zhang Jue was a simple surgeon until he came across a book of spells. With this book he traveled around healing people, and then he decided to overthrow the corrupt government and set himself in power. He had help from some of the court eunuchs, and his brothers Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang became his generals. Zhang Jue managed to gather a half million-man army. He trapped Dong Zhuo's force, but Liu Bei's army rescued him and drove off Zhang Jue. Zhang Jue was eventually killed in battle and his brothers were either killed or assassinated.
Dong Zhuo (142-192 C.E.): Prime Minister, tyrant
Dong Zhuo answered the call to arms to fight the Yellow Scarves Rebellion, and he was defeated by Zhang Jue. After the conflict he bribed the eunuchs so he wouldn't be punished for his failure. After He Jin's assassination he declared himself Prime Minister and immediately various lords opposed him. Ding Yuan was the first to fight him, and he achieved early success with his great warrior Lu Bu. Dong Zhuo bribed Lu Bu away with the magnificent horse Chi Tu Ma, and the two began their rule as tyrants. Dong Zhou deposed the Emperor and set his brother Prince Xian in his place. Yuan Shao and Cao Cao were the next to oppose him, and they created a confederacy to fight him. Dong Zhuo had to abandon the capital Loyang, and in anger he burned it down. He continued to put many scholars and dissidents to death. Minister Wang Yun conspired against Dong Zhuo by setting his handmaiden Diaochan between him and Lu Bu. Dong Zhuo tried to kill Lu Bu, but he was killed instead.
Lu Bu (154-199 C.E.): greatest warrior of the Three Kingdoms
Lu Bu was orphaned as a kid, and he was adopted by Ding Yuan, the Imperial Protector of Jing Zhou. He grew to be a powerful warrior, but he was dishonest and greedy. After Dong Zhuo gave him Chi Tu Ma, Lu Bu killed his foster father and joined Dong Zhuo. In battle he was undefeated until he ran into Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, who defeated him at Tiger Trap Pass. He fell in love with the maiden Diaochan and he killed Dong Zhuo for her. Afterwards, four of Dong Zhuo's generals drove Lu Bu out of Changan, and Lu Bu roamed around, gathering warriors. He took refuge with Liu Bei in Xu Zhou province, but he didn't get along with Zhang Fei. Lu Bu betrayed Liu Bei by seizing Xu Zhou. However, Lu Bu managed to temporarily secure peace between Liu Bei and Yuan Shu. Later Liu Bei and Cao Cao joined forces to destroy him, and instead of riding out to battle he stayed with his women, resulting in his defeat and execution.
Yuan Shu (153-199 C.E.): Governor of Nanyang, megalomaniac, pretender to the Throne
Yuan Shu, brother of Yuan Shao was a scion of the powerful Yuan family. He led Cao Cao and Yuan Shao's 500-man escort for He Jin's unfortunate meeting with the eunuchs. Later he became Governor of Nanyang and he joined Cao Cao and Yuan Shao's confederacy against Dong Zhuo as supply distributor. However, he distrusted his fellow members and he refused to supply Sun Jian with grain at a critical moment. This induced Sun Jian to leave the confederacy, which led to its breakup. Later, Sun Ce asked for a loan of troops and gave the Hereditary Seal as a pledge. Yuan Shu then refused to return the Seal and declared himself Emperor. Liu Bei received an edict to fight him and they had several conflicts. Yuan Shu tried to wipe out Liu Bei but he was repulsed by Cao Cao, Sun Ce, Lu Bu, and Liu Bei working together. Liu Bei finally defeated and destroyed Yuan Shu after Lu Bu was executed.
Yuan Shao (144-203 C.E.): Regent Marshal of the Empire, conqueror of the North Land, leader of the alliance to oust Dong Zhuo
Yuan Shao started as an Imperial Commander, and at the time of the Yellow Scarves Rebellion he was Governor of Bohai. He had two powerful warriors, Wen Chou and Yan Liang to champion him. Yuan Shao and Cao Cao became Imperial Guardian He Jin's closest allies. They urged He Jin to destroy the eunuchs, but he wanted to negotiate instead. Yuan Shao and Cao Cao became his bodyguards for a meeting with the eunuchs, while Yuan Shu led an escort force. At the meeting they were separated from the Imperial Guardian. The eunuchs killed and decapitated him, and then threw his head at his allies. In revenge Yuan Shao and Cao Cao stormed the eunuchs' camp and slaughtered them all. When Dong Zhuo declared himself Prime Minister and defeated Ding Yuan, Yuan Shao became his next adversary and was elected Commander-in-Chief of the confederacy to fight him. He failed to keep the alliance together, and later he went to war with Gongsun Zan. After he destroyed Gongsun Zan he became the absolute ruler of the North. When Cao Cao became Prime Minister he made Yuan Shao the new Regent Marshal, but Yuan Shao became very suspicious of Cao Cao's motives and increase in power. This ruined their relationship and set them to war with each other. Yuan Shao had the larger army but he could not decide how to use it and his advisors all disagreed with each other. Cao Cao eventually defeated him and Yuan Shao died from a broken heart. After his death his sons could not cooperate and Cao Cao thus won the North.
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