Sima Yi the Tactician (Chinese Edition)

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Adaptational Badass: Cao Cao, who was depicted lording over the imperial court and the emperor even before his victory at Guandu.

Sima Yi advising Cao Pi to cry while sending Cao Cao off to war was a nod to the historical Wu Zhi, who gave the same advice.Animal Motifs: Sima Yi is often compared to a wolf due to his extreme patience before making a move. note Historically, Sima Yi was compared to a wolf because he seemingly shared the wolf's ability to turn their heads 180 degrees. According to Yi's biography in the Book of Jin, Cao Cao decided to test this himself, by allowing Yi to move ahead of him and then calling out to him. Lo and behold, only Yi's head turned to face Cao, while his body still faced the front. Cao Rui's comment to Sima Yi on having travelled more than 4000 li during the Xincheng-Jieting campaign is a lampshade on the historical implausibility of the situation. note Historically, during and after the Xincheng rebellion, Sima was either at Xincheng or Wan city; Zhang He was the sole commander in charge of reclaiming the three lost commandaries. However, the Empty Fort Strategy was an iconic moment in Romance. Wagner, Donald B. (2008), Science and Civilization in China Volume 5-11: Ferrous Metallurgy, Cambridge University Press

In 220, Meng Da surrendered to Wei and Cao Pi entrusted him as Administrator of Xincheng. Sima Yi did not trust him, and argued his case to Cao Pi, but his advice was not taken. [4] In 227, Meng Da began making overtures to Wu and Shu, promising to turn against Wei when an opportunity presented itself. He was very slow to move in response to Zhuge Liang's urgings, however, and Zhuge Liang attempted to spur Meng Da into action by leaking his rebellious intentions to Shen Yi, the administrator of Weixing (魏興). When Meng Da learned that his plans had been discovered, he began raising troops in preparation for action. Historically, Sima Lang was not linked to the Sima Gate Incident. Also, at the time of the incident, Cao Zhi was no longer the Marquess of Pingyuan; his fiefdom had been shifted to Linzi (临淄) in 214 CE. Liang, Jieming (2006), Chinese Siege Warfare: Mechanical Artillery & Siege Weapons of Antiquity, Singapore, Republic of Singapore: Leong Kit Meng, ISBN 981-05-5380-3 Under Cao Cao, Sima Yi rose through the ranks of Dongcaoyuan (東曹掾; in charge of bringing officials into service), Registrar (主簿; an administrative position), and Major (司馬; position in charge of aids and advisors). In 215, when Cao Cao defeated Zhang Lu and forced him to surrender, Sima Yi advised that Cao Cao continue to advance south into Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing), since Liu Bei had still not stabilised his control of that area. However, Cao Cao did not listen to his advice. Sima Yi was among other advisors who urged for the implementation of the tuntian system and for Cao Cao to take the title of a vassal king - "King of Wei". [2] Service under Cao Pi [ ] After Sima Ai's death, Sima Ying appointed himself Prime Minister and promoted Sima Yue to President of State Secretariat. Despite his new position, Ying kept Emperor Hui at Luoyang, leaving behind an army of 50,000 under Shi Chao while he returned to his base in Ye. On April 304, he imprisoned the empress, Yang Xianrong, and depose his nephew, Sima Tan from the position of Crown Prince. On 1 May, Ying was installed as Crown Prince and his power was described as being equal to that of Cao Cao during the end of the Han dynasty. Sima Yong was also appointed the Grand Governor and Grand Commander. As Crown Prince, Ying was said to have become more brazen and extravagant in his actions and was inclined towards favoritism, which lost him some of the goodwill from his supporters. [18] Battle of Dangyin [ edit ]As a test of loyalty and ways to keep tabs on him, Cao Pi gives Sima Yi Lady Bai. Zhang Chunhua is not amused. Guo Zhao's character was based on Guo Nüwang, who became the first empress of Wei after heavily undermining Zhen Ji's position as Cao Pi's favorite wife. Lady Guo in the series shares a cooperative, sisterly bond with Lady Zhen. In late 289, Emperor Wu developed a deadly illness and considered appointing his father-in-law, Yang Jun, and his uncle, the Prince of Ru'nan, Sima Liang, as Sima Zhong's regent. As the emperor's health declined, Yang Jun sought to monopolize his control over Zhong as consort kin, first by sending away Sima Liang to Xuchang and then by forcing his court rival, Wei Guan, into retirement. Yang Jun also hid the emperor's final decree appointing him and Sima Liang as co-regents while his daughter, the empress Yang Zhi, issued another edict making her father the sole regent. Emperor Wu was aware of Yang Jun's manipulations, but was too ill to stop him.

Xiao Yuan, while Lady Bai's personal maid, is also trained in martial arts from the Investigation Bureau and is not afraid to jump into action at the slightest provocation. Historically, Sima Yi was not involved in the saga surrounding Cao Pi's marital issues, or Cao Rui's journey to become crown prince.Bi Xie's role as Cao Rui's male companion is actually based on Cao Xiu's son Cao Zhao, who indeed had a close relationship with Cao Rui, but was not recorded in official history to have any major misdeeds. note The history/ historical fiction collection Shishuo Xinyu recorded that Rui and Zhao once had a bet with clothes as stakes. When Rui lost, he did not honor the bet; Zhao then waltzed into the imperial palace, and left while wearing some of Rui's clothes. This story later became a Chinese idiom, "赌衣弄帏", 'du yi nong wei'. Sima Ai seized control of the capital but deferred authority to his brother, Sima Ying. [13] The outcome of the conflict put a halt to Sima Yong and Ying's plans, which frustrated the two princes. Ying in particular was unhappy with his restricted control over the state as he shared power with Ai, and the relationship between the brothers deteriorated over time. Just when it seemed like Cao Shuang's plot to kill Sima Yi was about to work, Sima Yi offers Cao Fang a kite he had taken from his campaigns against Zhuge Liang. Cao Fang, being a child, is giddy with excitement of the prospect and personally takes Sima Yi by the hand to go get the kite. Cao Shuang's men follow, but since this is the emperor they're dealing with they can only follow while maintaining a distance and must obey whatever he says since he thinks they're following as part of a game.

Sima Lun assumed regency over Emperor Hui, but delegated most of his power over to Sun Xiu. Lun and Sun Xiu plotted to take the throne by following the precedent of the Jin dynasty's foundation. They awarded their family members and allies with high-ranking positions and noble titles, while also posthumously honoring Sima Yu and recruiting famed individuals into their administration to win the people's support. Yang Xianrong, a distant relative of Sun Xiu, was installed as the new empress of Emperor Hui. On 16 May 290, Emperor Wu died, and Sima Zhong, posthumously known as Emperor Hui of Jin, ascended the throne. Yang Jun was instated as his regent while Yang Zhi was promoted to Empress Dowager. However, Yang Jun was not well-received by his ministers due to his apparent attempts at consolidating power and refusal to take advice. He also tried to assassinate Sima Liang without success and was adamant against cooperating with him. Meanwhile, the new empress, Jia Nanfeng, was unhappy with the little control she has over state affairs due to Yang Jun and the Empress Dowager. Lady Bai warned Sima Yi that the Nine Rank System would entrench powerful scholar-bureaucrat clans in Wei's bureaucracy at the expense of learnt but poor men. Historically, that was exactly what happened. By empowering the princes, Emperor Wu intended for them to act as a safeguard for his successors against the gentry clans should they overstep their boundaries, even more so considering Sima Zhong's disability. Wu had likely hoped that his family members, by virtue of their familial ties, would cooperate with each other to protect the interests of their dynasty. However, after Zhong took the throne and became a mere figurehead, the princes later proved themselves self-serving and willing to undermine one another for real control over the empire.The person known as Sima Yi is, fundamentally, not a tactician who brandishes cunning gambits and surprising strategies. Hao Zhao warming the wine in anticipation of Wang Shuang's victory is both a nod to the similar scene in Romance involving Guan Yu before his bout with Hua Xiong, and a lampshade on Wang's eventual defeat and death.