Late Han: The Han Dynasty Shall Not Fall

In this timeline, Liu Bei's time travel wasn't in vain. Starting immediately after the Battle of Red Cliffs, his tactics were brilliant: First, he secured the four southern commanderies of Jingzhou, opening up strategic points in Jiaozhou. He allowed Zhou Yu and Cao Ren to wear each other down in the Battle of Jiangling.

The writing is truly excellent, not in the way of piling on fancy words, but in the kind that evokes vivid imagery. Liu Bei isn't just a figurehead of benevolence and righteousness; he's a genuine strategist, a calculating man who devises plans and schemes, and every step he takes has a price to pay—he doesn't skip anything.

The true elite force numbered only twenty to thirty thousand; the majority were newly recruited, along with ten thousand new soldiers trained by Guan Yu. This explains the difficulty Huo Jun faced in defending Hengpu Pass. His forces were primarily county soldiers, each with twenty mu of farmland.

The elite force numbers approximately 30,000 to 40,000. These are veterans who have followed Liu Bei for many years, honed through battles at Chibi, Jingnan, and Nanjun, possessing strong fighting spirit. This includes Guan Yu's 10,000-strong field army on the northern front, Huang Zhong's core force in Gong'an, and Zhang Fei's 13,000 veterans in Jiangling.

This problem can be viewed from two directions: from Guanzhong in the north and from Shu in the south.

I was drawn in by the first chapter. The opening is a poignant tale of a nation broken, yet its mountains and rivers remain. The indomitable spirit of those who remain, their chivalrous bones fragrant even in death, is depicted with masterful strokes (the chivalry refers to the overlap of Emperor Gaozu's role as a wandering knight-errant).

Total strength slightly over 100,000. Elite troops number approximately 50,000. This force was trained by Zhou Yu, having fought in battles like Red Cliff and Hefei; they were truly elite troops, unmatched in naval warfare and not weak in land battles either. Zhou Yu is dead, but this army remains; Lu Su inherited a battle-hardened force. Defensive recruits number approximately 50,000 to 60,000.

The writing is decent, with some well-placed details, but it's tiring to read because there's too much detail and no rhythm. The biggest flaw is the lack of character differentiation; it's all narration, no character development.

Civil Officials Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Xu Shu, Liu Ba, Jian Yong, Yi Ji, Sun Qian, Ma Liang, Ma Su, Jiang Wan, Liao Li, Pan Jun, Xiang Lang, Yin Guan, Mi Zhu, Shi Xin, Fei Yi, Yang Yi, Zong Yu, Xi Wen, Xu Jing, Cheng Bing, Xu Ci, Lai Gong, Kuai Qi, Cai Dian Military Officials

Flaws: Firstly, the pacing is slow; Secondly, the author's sentimental, literary style is used to vent frustrations.