Let's Play Destiny of an Emperor II #19 (Chapter 3) - By Fire Be Purged

[@Pheehelm]

So, what can I say about today's episode in relation to the novel? 2:23 Cao Ren is a cousin (or second cousin) of Cao Cao, first introduced during the campaign against Dong Zhuo. He does a lot of work for Cao Cao, though there aren't any really interesting anecdotes about him before this point. Having him here is a bit of an odd choice; he was in command of the previous attack on Xinye, when the Lu brothers were killed, but seems to sit this one out. It should be Xiahou Dun here instead of Cao Ren. Xiahou Dun bets his head he'll capture Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang alive, so Cao Cao lets him command the campaign. 2:38 I introduced Yu Jin and Li Dian under Episode 08. They notice they're on a tight road with dense foliage and figure out Zhuge Liang is going to ambush them with fire. They try to warn Xiahou Dun, but by the time they do it's too late. As I said last time, Zhuge Liang's plan was a bit more elaborate than is depicted here. Guan Yu is ordered to wait in the hills to the left for the enemy to pass and ambush their supplies in the rear with fire. Zhang Fei to hide in the ravines to the right and burn the supply depot at Bowang. Liu Feng (apparently not in this game) and Guan Ping are ordered to set fires when the enemy troops first arrive. Zhao Yun is to lead a direct assault but feign defeat. Zhou Cang hasn't been mentioned since before Yuan Shao died and won't be for quite a while, so presumably he's accompanying Guan Yu in whatever he does. Everything goes according to plan. Much of the enemy army is wiped out, and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, who you'll recall from last episode's writeup were convinced the plan would fail, now say of Zhuge Liang, "He is a true hero, a champion!" Oh, in case anyone's wondering: Cao Cao spares Xiahou Dun, and rewards the other two guys for trying to warn him. Cao Cao can be pretty brutal, but he's relatively forgiving of failure. 9:50 "Where did he find all these people?" China. Anyway this scene is reasonably accurate. Liu Biao wills his rule to his elder son Liu Qi and asks Liu Bei to serve as regent. Under Episode 15 I discussed how Liu Biao's wife Lady Cai, mother of his second son, and her brother Cai Mao plotted to put her son Liu Zong in charge of Jingzhou. After Liu Biao's death, they forge a will making Liu Zong the heir. 10:23 This seems to be an adaptation of something a bit different: Liu Zong and company discover they're directly in the path of Cao Cao's march, and convene to discuss how to handle it. Ultimately they decide their least worst choice is to surrender to Cao Cao. Oddly, Cai Mao is present for this discussion but doesn't say anything, but I guess he's on board with it. 11:49 Liu Qi was well aware of his stepmother's intentions, and begged Zhuge Liang for advice. (This was shortly before the battle at Bowang depicted in this episode.) Initially Zhuge Liang didn't want to get dragged into another family's problems, so Liu Qi lured him into an attic by offering to show him an ancient text, then had the ladder withdrawn until he helped. Zhuge Liang advised Liu Qi to ask to be put in charge of Jiangxia. According to the endnotes in the Moss Roberts version "Jiangxia was located north of the river about twenty miles northeast of Xiakou" so I'm not sure why Liu Qi is in Xiakou. In fact if I'm reading the text correctly Xiakou is under control of Sun Quan.

[@Metalders]

11:30 Could've used a Lord of the Rings reference there.

[@blackdragoncyrus]

HCBailly's one of the first LP channels I ever discovered on YT, and it sounds like the microphone/audio mixing quality has stayed absolutely identical. XD

[@SomeGuy712x]

(2:09) I'm guessing the game was acting as if you were facing down when you tried to talk immediately after that random encounter. (3:45) Toasty! I love how the game used the battle mechanics like that and transitioned to a "fiery" state when your allies started joining mid-battle.

[@Nekosage]

Time to get it underway! 3:46 - 3:56 - I'm guessing Beavis somehow got sent back in tim- Wait, never mind. 10:00 - 10:17 - Heh. I remember when you put this in Bravely Second.

[@vashstarwind36]

Great episode, HCBailly! I watched this one a couple times in a row. Lol. This is a pretty good, old school JRPG! Ya gotta love the music in this game series. 🎶🎶💎🎶🎶 You're doing a great job with LP, sirr! 🫡 😎💎👍

[@teefa85]

Always love a good cutaway joke. Especially for classic games like FFIV!

[@HCBailly]

Thanks! I have so many LPs to draw upon. It's one of my favorite things to do.

[@MrMatthias]

That blood quote is a classic

[@Azurus]

what is that even from? I like it.

[@Nekosage]

@@Azurus It's one of the Blood Mage's quotes from Warcraft.

[@HCBailly]

It's from Warcraft 3, which my brother played heavily.

[@AzurGamer81]

Bo Wang Po---sounds nasty.

[@AzureIV]

So, the battle is quite winnable before everyone arrives, but it is assumed you probably wouldn't win it until everyone joins.

[@richardkenney9636]

Classic Blood quote

[@leohowell7678]

Yoshimitsu: a raging fire becomes dying embers!

[@darklordzagato]

9:50 I'll bet most of those soldiers are not there of their own free will. "Volunteering" people to join your army under penalty of death (or that of their family) is one of the basics of being a despot.

[@HCBailly]

You got me on that one. I'd have to imagine that even the real Liu Bei wasn't so different, in Chinese history.

[@PanAnning]

I've streamed this game a few years ago, and did get the softlock glitch. I think the game can't seem to handle party members that should be here but aren't, however I can't confirm this 100%, but this seems correct. Just don't finish the battle before Guan Ping shows up and it should be fine.

[@HCBailly]

That what I previously thought, but I was able to win once Zhang Fei showed up. Unfortunately, I could not win before that point, so I couldn't test it.

[@raphaelfelix4795]

"but i'm only cousin" well, if you kill the other 2, then all will be fine no?

[@DQMaster777]

:)

[@CosmicRPG]

Wrong title, continue saying (Chapter 2)

[@HCBailly]

Thanks. I've corrected the error.

[@LuccaLucanez]

Hi! Are you OK? I noticed you haven't updated your forums or avatar for your new Let's Play. Also, last time I tried to speak to you at Discord, you reacted really weird. I wonder if everything's fine. Do you need anything?

[@HCBailly]

Yeah, I use Discord to handle my test runs now.