At the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, the emperor ascended the throne as a child. The combined abuses of power by the imperial relatives and the eunuchs led to the collapse of ritual and order, plunging the realm into chaos. The people rose in revolt, and warlords carved up the land. Over the course of this long turmoil, three heroes gradually emerged: Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan. Yet fate grants a man eight feet, and no more, no matter how hard he reaches for ten. Heaven let these three stand out among the countless rivals, only to leave them able to defend their own territories, but not expand beyond them, once they had established their power. All three dreamed of ruling the realm, yet could only sigh helplessly before fate. The truth of history may never be known. Perhaps, from the scattered words and minute details left behind by those who came before us, we can piece together that enigmatic, turbulent age.
