[Wen Mang – Voiceover]
The tug-of-war between Guan Yu and Cao Ren dragged on longer than either side liked.
But wars are never decided by patience alone.
Sometimes, heaven intervenes.
That year, the Mian River suddenly rose—over thirty feet in a single surge.
Autumn rains followed without pause. The Han River overflowed its banks, swallowing the plains. Water stood several tens of feet deep.
"In autumn, there was continuous heavy rain. The Han River overflowed; water on level ground reached several tens of feet. Yu Jin's seven armies were all drowned."
— Commentary on the Waterways Classic
Yu Jin and the generals scrambled to higher ground, staring helplessly at the sea that had replaced the battlefield.
There was nowhere to retreat.
Then Guan Yu arrived—by ship.
"Guan Yu approached in large vessels and attacked. Yu Jin surrendered."
— Biography of Yu Jin
From flood to surrender, it took less than a morning.
At dawn, mountain torrents engulfed Yu Jin's seven armies.
By daylight, Guan Yu's fleet drifted in.
Thirty thousand soldiers—soaked, shivering, half-dead from a night submerged in icy water—threw down their weapons.
Yu Jin, once proud General of the Left, followed.
Thus was born a name that would echo through the ages:
The Drowning of the Seven Armies.
Silence filled the hall.
Then Kong Ming slowly clasped his hands, his eyes sweeping across everyone present.
"Those who win before fighting have made many calculations," he said quietly.
"Those who lose before fighting have made few. Few calculations lead to defeat—how much more so with none at all?"
He turned toward Guan Yu.
"Yunchang guarded Jingxiang for barely two years—and already forced Cao-Wei's historians into Spring and Autumn brushwork."
"Turning a land army into a navy—calculation one."
"Enduring the dry season, advancing with the rains—calculation two."
"Facing four times his number, yet remaining untouched when the flood came—calculation three."
He paused.
"Tell me—was Yu Wenze truly mediocre?"
No one answered.
Every general bowed.
Zhang Fei could no longer contain himself.
"Second Brother—heroic and martial!" he roared.
Liu Bei stood as well. He clapped Guan Yu's arm, then laughed aloud.
"So this is the so-called Five Elite Generals of Wei?"
"They are not worth mentioning beside our Five Tiger Generals!"
He remembered clearly.
Zhang He and Xu Huang—two elites—once jointly attacked a nobody named Chen Shi and returned empty-handed.
Yue Jin had been forced back by Guan Yu.
Yu Jin—entire army destroyed.
Exhilarating.
Only Mi Fang whispered, uneasy, "Elder Brother… can this truly be called 'shaking the realm'?"
Mi Zhu sighed. "Just keep watching."
[Wen Mang – Voiceover]
Pang De's troops collapsed in spirit. Only Pang De himself fought to the bitter end.
After capture, he cursed Guan Yu loudly:
"You bandit! What talk is this of surrender? The King of Wei commands a million armored troops—his might shakes the realm! Liu Bei is a mediocre man—how could he contend with Wei? I would rather die a ghost of the state than serve bandits!"
His words were… full of problems.
First—Cao Cao "held the Son of Heaven to command the nobles."
Which state, exactly, was Pang De dying for?
Second—the last time Cao Cao's "might shook the realm," he wrote to Jiangdong:
"At Chibi, disease struck. I burned the ships and withdrew, unjustly allowing Zhou Yu to gain this fame."
Yes.
It truly shook the realm.
Pang De sought death—and got it.
His subordinates all surrendered.
"Short-sighted," Zhang Fei snorted.
Kong Ming, however, spoke softly.
"Not entirely. Entering Cao Cao's service meant relocating one's family to Ye. Yu Jin had merit; surrender might spare his kin."
"Pang De served Ma Chao, then Zhang Lu, then surrendered again. Too many turns. If he surrendered here, his family would not survive."
Zhang Fei slammed the table, speechless.
Liu Bei only laughed at Cao Cao's letter.
"Next time I see Grand Commander Zhou, I must tell him—Cao Cao truly looks down on Zhou Gongjin and Huang Gongfu alike."
Everyone smiled wryly.
Coming from Cao Cao, it sounded… perfectly believable.
[Wen Mang – Voiceover]
With thirty thousand prisoners, Guan Yu could only transport them by ship back to Jiangling.
So he sent for reinforcements.
"Nephew Liu Feng—the seven armies are destroyed, Fancheng besieged. Come, add strength, and we finish this."
Liu Feng did not come.
Neither did Meng Da.
Guan Yu had no choice but to divide his forces to escort prisoners.
His already thin army stretched thinner still.
"Perhaps Feng'er feared Shangyong might rebel again…" Zhang Fei said—then didn't believe it himself.
Second Brother had fought to this extent. Even if Shangyong rebelled, it would collapse at first contact.
Zhang Fei remembered his nephew once stealing a military band and calling it his "little orchestra."
He shook his head. Forget it.
Liu Bei remembered Liu Feng had been sent to Zhang Fei's camp—and hadn't appeared in three months.
His expression softened, just a little.
[Wen Mang – Voiceover]
The momentum from drowning the seven armies was overwhelming.
Cao-Wei's Jingzhou officials surrendered one after another.
Cao Ren's remnants clung desperately to Fancheng.
Xu Huang, stationed at Wan, dared not meet Guan Yu's edge.
Guan Yu sailed north with the current—as if entering empty land.
Victories echoed all the way to Xuchang.
South of the capital—Liang County, Jia County, Luhun, even near Luoyang—people accepted Guan Yu's seals from afar.
These were men already driven into banditry by Cao Cao.
Men crushed by corvée labor.
Men who had endured long enough.
Court and countryside alike were shaken.
Xuchang fell into panic.
History records:
"His might shook the realm. Cao Cao considered moving the capital."
The world believed Guan Yu could take Xiangyang and Fancheng at will—then reorganize surrendered troops and march straight on Xuchang.
Cao-Wei's end had arrived.
The Fiery Han shall rise a third time.
The Ji-Han shall be established.
[Live Comment Barrage]
[AzureDragonBlade]: This is Lord Guan shaking the realm!
[LongzhongPlanFan]: This was the Han's best chance!
[BigBroWhereYouAt]: BIG BROTHER WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
[HanHeroes]: Emperor Zhaolie, the Martial Marquis, the Martial Sage—Fiery Han with dignity!
[HeartHurts]: I know what comes next… and it hurts.
Clatter.
Liu Bei's teacup fell to the floor.
He didn't notice.
His eyes were red, wide open, refusing tears. His hands clenched his robes until they trembled.
Huang Yueying nudged Kong Ming.
Kong Ming knelt beside Liu Bei.
"My Lord—we will not let General Guan fight alone again."
"The people's hearts can be used," Liu Bei whispered. "They can be used."
"My Lord, I know."
"My second brother's death… the fault lies with me."
"My Lord, not entirely."
"Kong Ming—the Fiery Han shall rise a third time!"
"I am willing to give my life."
Zhang Fei had already wrapped Guan Yu in a bear hug, shouting triumphantly.
Guan Yu himself felt… calm.
So this was "shaking the realm."
With this screen, they could do even better.
And shaking the realm was far from enough.
"Recreate Hua-Xia," Guan Yu said slowly.
"Revive the Fiery Han."
"Shake the cosmos."
This path would not end here.
Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong felt the same yearning.
To be mentioned alongside Wei Qing and Huo Qubing—who wouldn't want that?
Mi Fang watched, intoxicated by the reverence future generations held for Guan Yu.
"Elder Brother," he whispered.
"Do you think I could also leave my name in history?"
Mi Zhu patted his shoulder.
"Standing by righteousness and dying for principle brings no shame. A thousand years from now—they will remember you too."
[Wen Mang – Voiceover]
But just at this moment—
The long-waiting Hundred-Thousand Brother made his move.
What Fiery Han? What third rise?
Don't stop me from picking the ripe peach.
"Quan secretly enticed Fang and Ren. Fang and Ren sent men to welcome Quan."
— Biography of Guan Yu