Three Kingdoms Episode 6

I felt I needed to cleanse my palate so I went back to watch a bit of the Korean drama The Princess' Man. Now that is how you do a drama.

Cao Cao and his brother ride in the back of a truck  -er, they ride on "horses" and have a long conversation. Turns out Cao Cao did know that the capital of Luoyang had been burnt to the ground which is why he was so generous as to let General Sun take it. Cao Cao has his sights on rescuing the child emperor, which will surely give him great rewards. They catch up to the long caravan in a narrow canyon and attack it with paper mache boulders, which causes the people being struck to spit out cherry kool aid.

Lu Bu is supposed to be guarding the emperor, but he's too distracted by the lovely (and in danger) Diaochan who is riding in a carriage. When her horse is spooked, Lu Bu rides after her and is able to snatch her before she goes over a cliff. (Nothing is done to save the poor horse.) Lu Bu rides off with the unconscious Diaochan in his arms. Unfortunately her father, old man Wang, doesn't realize she's been rescued and he thinks she has plunged to her death.

Far, far from the battle, Lu Bu watches over the sleeping beauty. He leans down to plant a kiss when Diaochan cuts him off by waking up at that moment. Oh Diaochan, you tease. Later at some kind of refugee camp, old man Wang and Diaochan are reunited. However, her father notices she's wearing an elaborate cape now and recognizes it belongs to Lu Bu.

Meanwhile, General Sun and his troops reach the burned out capital. Right at the father's side is that nine-year-old son that Dong Zhuo wanted to marry his daughter to. Something tells me this kid is going to be important to the story later on so I'd better learn his name. It is Sun Quan. As they sift through the wreckage of the charred palace, they happen upon the very important jade imperial seal and tell big, long stories about it. All may not be lost for the Sun faction. With this rather hefty piece of jade, General Sun could easily declare that he now has the mandate of heaven and proclaim himself a new emperor. Cao Cao's not gonna like this.

Yuan Shao is throwing a little get together to celebrate General Sun's victory when a beaten and battered Cao Cao shows up. Once again we get to hear about and not see a significant battle, this time in which Lu Bu defeats Cao Cao. Cao Cao has a hissy fit about how Yuan Shao isn't a competent leader and C.C. plans to leave the alliance. After this, Sun Jian announces that he's also disappointed in Yuan Shao and he also plans to withdraw. Yuan Shao wants Sun Jian to give up the imperial seal before he leaves and orders his men to attack. Sun Jian had a feeling that Yuan Shao would pull something and so his own men spring out of the woodwork to defend their leader. The alliance is practically shattered and Sun Jian leaves with the seal. At certain camera angles the actor playing Sun Jian resembles English actor Claude Rains.

Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Sun Jian have a last sit down together before they split up. After The Three Musketeers take off first, Cao Cao advises Sun Jian that having the imperial seal is not such a good thing. It will cause enemies to spring up all around Sun.

Speaking of enemies, we now jump to an old man - no, not Wang. This is old man Liu Biao and he's received a secret message from Yuan Shao to intercept Sun Jian and get that friggin' seal. Old man Liu doesn't really want to get involved but his yes men convince him otherwise. While they may not have the military strength, they can use guile.

First, a messenger is sent to meet Claude Rains on the dusty trail. His message supposedly warns Claude about how Liu is set to ambush the Sun army at Sanjin Crossing. After a meeting with his own yes men, Claude decides to split his forces into three parts. One go one way, one go the other, and he'll lead the rest into the supposed trap and find out just what Liu Biao has in store.

Old man Liu and his troops are stretched across the opening of the pass. He comes out for a private pow wow with Claude Rains. Liu admits that he received instructions from Yuan Shao to kill Sun Jian and get the seal. Liu also honestly admits that he's an old and sickly man and his troops are no match for Sun's, but he can't risk angering Yuan Shao. He's stuck between a rock and a hard place, so here's his suggestion. Claude Rains will lead his troops to charge against old man Liu's. Liu's men will pretend to fight but will surreptitiously pull back and allow the Sun troops through. That way it will look like Liu was trying to do what Yuan Shao ordered him to do but his troops weren't strong enough. Sun agrees to this ploy and the episode ends with him leading the charge.

Don't trust him, Claude Rains! It's a trap!

Three Kingdoms Episode 5

I had to find another video source.

Because General Sun's army wasn't adequately supplied, they suffer a defeat, leaving the road wide open for Dong Zhuo and his million man march. However, Cao Cao convinces Yuan Shao to instead tell the other lords that Sun had a great victory so no one will lose hope. The Three Musketeers decide to leave the alliance.

Outside the fortress gate, Lu Bu challenges Cao Cao or Yuan Shao to come out for one-to-one battle. And then my second video source goes wanker on me and I'm forced to find a third feed. I think someone's trying to tell me something. Inside the camp the rebel alliance is falling apart. Cao Cao goes to try and convince the Three Musketeers to join his camp but Liu Bei refuses. Cao Cao then warns the brothers that they can't leave anyway as the legendary warrior Lu Bu and his Red Hare horse are outside the gates. What Cao Cao is really doing is egging the brothers to go out and prove themselves in battle with Lu Bu. Liu Bei isn't fooled by Cao Cao but he does agree to send Loudmouth/Zhang Fei out to fight.

What comes next is a pretty epic and protracted action sequence. You really need to watch it. First there is a duel on horseback between Lu Bu ("Bastard of Three Fathers" as Zhang Fei keeps calling him) and Loudmouth. Even the horses are used as weapons, which a well-trained battle horse would have been. But when Lu Bu unseats Zhang Fei and is about to dash his brains in, Longbeard/Guan Yu rides out and interferes. Two against one? Not right. Then Liu Bei decides to join in the action and now it is three against one. Where's the vaunted honor in that? During a break in the fighting Liu Bei complements Lu Bu's fighting skills and tries to convince the young jedi to turn away from the dark side. Lu Bu, with his fabulous Fabio locks flowing in the wind, instead is forced to ride away in defeat.

Cao Cao persuades Yuan Shao that now is the time for everyone to attack Dong Zhuo's troops. Everyone goes rushing out of the fortress. Everyone, that is, except Cao Cao. He hangs back and instructs his brother to gather their troops. They're going to head for the pass and attack the capital themselves. Clever, Cao Cao. Clever. Still, knowing you it won't be long before you do something totally asinine.

The next scene takes us back into the capital. There's old man Wang telling the other ministers about a tremendous battle (that we don't get to see) with the rebels victorious and Dong Zhuo presumed dead. With a light step in his decrepit bones, Wang plans to go tell the Emperor about the latest news, only to be stopped by a eunuch telling him that Dong Zhuo was alive and inside the palace right now. Oh, old man Wang, when will you ever learn to not count your chickens before they hatch?

Dong Zhuo announces his plans to move the Han capital westward to the city of Chang'an. He picks up the child emperor and takes off, setting fire to Luoyang so there will be nothing for the rebels. Cao Cao joins up with General Sun. Sun is frantic to know where Yuan Shao and the rest of the alliance is at. Now is the time to strike while the iron is hot! Cao Cao lays it on smooth that the others are miles away drinking wine while he's the only one who has come to Sun's aid. Cao Cao sways Sun into making his choice that they make a two-fold attack. Sun will march into Luoyang (does he not know about Dong Zhuo's scorched earth policy?) and Cao Cao will pursue Dong Zhuo.

I was teetering on the brink of giving up on this drama but I have to say, if there are more kick-ass action scenes like that horseback duel, I'll stick with it. Still no sign of Ruby Lin. *sigh*

Three Kingdoms Episode 4

Be warned: I'm a little bit tight as I watch this installment. But maybe that's how you should be in order to enjoy this show. I gotta tell ya, I'm not sure if I've got the testicular fortitude to continue with this mess, Ruby Lin or no Ruby Lin.

So where were we? Oh yeah, that guy with all the hair - Hua Xiong - shows up and he's all like, "Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia." So they send out some no name to face the hairy guy. No name is gonna die because he has no name. He's like those red shirts from Star Trek. Star Trek, now there's a show that didn't have a dumb ass as the main character.  No name goes riding out and guess what?! Guess what?! He dies!!! OMG, did not see that coming.

Then they send out another no name guy. He lasts about thirty seconds longer than the last guy, but you know he's gonna die. He dies really gross. I ain't gonna tell ya how. You'll have to watch. After the second guy dies, Yuan Shao asks his rebels who will now go out to meet this Hua Xiong. Naturally everyone is like, "Hell no, I ain't going out there!" But that guy with the long beard, one of the Three Musketeers, Guan Yu, offers to go face the hairy guy. Two hairy guys! The Battle of the Hair! He was this hairy in the other Three Kingdoms episode. I guess in the classic story that's how he was described, as having a long beard and a funny little hat. But I digress.

Longbeard goes outside and shee-it, even Hua Xiong's horse is afraid of Guan Yu's horse. There's a flash of battle and Longbeard is the winner. He walks back inside the strategy room with the head of Alfredo Garcia and throws it at the feet of Yuan Shao. Why does Longbeard never look up? He's always looking down. Come to think of it, Liu Bei seems to have his eyes down most of the time. Only Loudmouth, Zhang Fei, looks up.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, since Longbeard did the deed, Yuan Shao makes Liu Bei a leader with equal rights as his other generals. Yet when Liu Bei sends a man to get the supplies their army needs, the guy in charge of supplies (Yuan Shao's cousin) won't give any and beats the messenger up. Liu Bei suggests they go to Cao Cao as he's a man of honor. Bull crap. At least Zhang Fei sees him for what he is. You're my man, Loudmouth. Screw this Cao Cao.

Meanwhile, back at the capital, after hearing about Hua Xiong, Dong Zhuo wants to personally lead an army against the rebels. Some suck-up, Li Ru or something, suggests to Dong Zhuo to use the old divide and conquer technique. As Dong Zhuo is leaving he's got a guy behind him who is totally macking the seventies' bro-stache. It's awesome!

That doofus, Cao Cao, personally goes to the poor camp of Liu Bei to deliver the supplies Yuan Shao has denied them. Cao Cao is doing this in order to win over these three brothers. Cao Cao and Liu Bei have a deep and meaningful discussion but I'm to lit to tell you what they're saying. Basically Liu Bei understands that these "rebels" are not trying to restore the noble Han but to gain what they can for themselves. Dong Zhuo isn't hated so much as they're jealous of the power he has. Ain't that the truth. Liu Bei, behind Loudmouth, you my man.

Next scene we see some people I've never ever ever seen before. There's this guy, General Sun, that I believe is a rebel because he mentions Yuan Shao's name. Li Ru, that suck-up from earlier, comes to pay a visit. He has a message that Dong Zhuo has a daughter he wishes to marry to General Sun's son. The son turns out to be nine-years-old but when has age ever stopped royalty from marrying? Still, Sun isn't in to it and sends Li Ru on his way.

There's a quick battle scene and now we're back with Yuan Shao. Some general comes in and chastises Yuan for not delivering any supplies to General Sun's troops who are currently in battle. Yuan doesn't seem to be keen on keeping promises, although he tells this general he'll get his supplies before sun down so go and get some rest. And again, the show just ends.

Three Kingdoms Episode 3

Otherwise known as: Dear Lord, What Am I Watching?

After Cao Cao and Gongtai realize what a boner they've pulled they do what any fool would do - they get the hell out of Dodge. But as (bad) luck would have it, on their way of getting away they run into the returning Uncle Lu Boshe. He asks where they're going. Cao Cao tries to explain that since the soldiers are hot on the fugitives' tail he doesn't think it would be safe for everyone if he stayed. Uncle won't hear of that and laughingly insists they go back home and enjoy the wine he just bought. I know its coming... I know its coming... and there it is. Cao Cao runs his sword through his beloved uncle. And just to make sure the bloodletting is complete, Cao Cao even kills the innocent ass the uncle had been riding on. Because, ya know, can't have any witnesses to the WTFery going on.

As Cao Cao drags his uncle's body into the brush, Gongtai at least as a sliver of decency to feel offended by all the useless slaughter. Cao Cao explains he had to kill his uncle, otherwise the old man would return home to find everyone dead and swear vengeance on them. They've got enough trouble as it is. Cao Cao covers the old man up with dry brush and attempts to set it on fire when the heavens burst open with a downpour. See, Cao Cao? The Gods are angry with you. Cao Cao suggests they return to the house (with all the dead people) because it offers shelter and has all that food to eat. Would be a shame to let it all go to waste.

Back at the house, where they've taken Lu Boshe's body to conduct a funeral, Cao Cao prays to his dead uncle that none of this was his fault, it was society's problem. Oh. My. God. Cao Cao then goes to stir a  stew pot - with the same sword he used to kill his uncle!! Finally Gongtai is asking himself, "What the hell have I gotten myself into?" That night, as Cao Cao snores away, Gongtai wonders what kind of man is this guy who can kill dozens of innocent people and still sleep like a baby? Cao Cao could be even worse than Dong Zhuo. Gongtai takes out his sword, thinking it would be better if he killed Cao Cao before he causes even more harm, but then he waffles himself out of it and just leaves.

Later, Cao Cao stops by to visit his father (who strangely looks younger than Cao Cao) and tells him of his plans. Leaving out the whole killing of the uncle and his family, of course. Elder Cao gives Younger Cao all the money the family has. Minor warlords and warriors come flocking to Cao Cao's side. Even Yuan Shao, that other rebel leader, sends an invitation to Cao Cao for them to join forces. Cao Cao sits with his underlings and explains that having a rebel army is all good and everything, but ultimately means nothing if they don't have the emperor's edict, the Mandate from Heaven. When asked if he has the emperor's edict, Cao Cao admits of course he doesn't, but he can forge one.

At this point I just don't know what to make of Cao Cao. One minute he's an absolute idiot. The next minute he's pretty clever. The third minute he's killing someone who's completely innocent.

Computer generated armies are swarming to join rebel leader Yuan Shao at his fortress. This is where those Three Musketeers - Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei - reappear. They try to also join up but because they bring nothing to the party but their facial hair, the gatekeeper won't let them through. While they're all arguing, Cao Cao and his army show up. Cao Cao is reminded of the time when he wasn't invited to old man Wang's birthday party so he helps the three get inside.

Everyone is greeting each other and introducing themselves. When Liu Bei is asked just who he is, he alleges to be of noble lineage of the House of Han, the very house all these rebels claim to be trying to restore. Of course everyone laughs at this seller of mats claiming to be royal, but Cao Cao defends him. Yuan Shao invites Liu Bei to sit in with the strategy leaders, offering the peasant a straw stool to sit on (everyone else has nice chairs). Hot-head Zhang Fei is about to roar his disapproval of the lowly seat but Liu Bei signals him to control himself.

Cao Cao brings out the edict from the emperor he claims to have smuggled out of the capital. As he's reading the mandate, a wily old general begins to question the authenticity of the document. Cao Cao admits that it's a fake and reasons that if Dong Zhuo can use the nine-year-old emperor as a puppet then why shouldn't they be able to use the emperor. Once the edict gets around, the cowards will run to ground while the brave heroes will step up to the challenge. Liu Bei quietly looks concerned.

Meanwhile, outside the fortress, one of Dong Zhuo's generals - Hua Xiong - surrounds the fortress with his army. He yells a message that the rebels should surrender Cao Cao's head to him. Inside, Cao Cao explains to the others that Hua Xiong is the fourth strongest general of Dong Zhuo's legions. The rebel leaders begin to discuss who should go out and challenge Hua Xiong to one-on-one combat. Musketeer Guan Yu starts to come forward when Liu Bei waves him back. Instead another blowhard is sent out and is quickly dispatched by the underestimated Hua Xiong.

And again, the episode just ends. With no Ruby Lin.

Three Kingdoms Episode 2

The next day all the ministers are heading into court. Unaware of how Cao Cao has totally messed things up, old man Wang is gleefully informing the other ministers that Cao Cao has killed Dong Zhuo. Everyone's step is a little lighter, their hearts a little freer. That is until Dong Zhuo shows up, alive and well. Wang has a classic "Oh Crap!" look on his face.

Inside the court, Dong Zhuo is ripping everyone a new one. While he's still after Cao Cao's head, he knows someone in this court put Cao Cao up to the attempt and Dong Zhuo swears to find the culprit and eat him for dinner. Poor Wang is ready to pee in his pants from fear. Out of nowhere Dong Zhuo changes the subject and asks Wang why he wasn't invited to the old man's birthday party. Wasn't he good enough to drink Wang's wine?

Wang knows the jig is up. He goes back home and tells everyone to basically run for the hills. If they stay they'll be killed. We're now introduced to Wang's beautiful daughter, Diaochan. She goes looking for her father to learn what all the commotion is about and discovers him holding a knife and contemplating suicide. She talks her father out of it, pointing out that until Dong Zhuo captures Cao Cao, he can only suspect that Wang was in on it. If Wang were to kill himself, that would just verify Dong Zhuo's suspicions and he would have the entire household killed.

Just then Lu Bu and his hairy minions show up. Old man Wang, who has a much better poker face than that doofus, Cao Cao, goes to greet him. Lu Bu explains he's here to arrest Cao Cao. Wang asks why would the fugitive be here? Search all you want, he's not here.

While Lu Bu is looking around he stumbles upon the lovely Diaochan and violins begin to play. Or whatever the Chinese orchestra plays. Maybe they do have violins. Anyway, it's quite clear that Lu Bu is instantly smitten. He apologizes for intruding but he's here to arrest Cao Cao. Diaochan says the name sounds familiar to her. Ah yes, that's the man who rudely crashed her father's birthday party and was insolent. Her father publicly scolded the rascal and had him thrown out of the house. If Lu Bu doesn't believe her, he can asks all the other party guests.

Lu Bu then spies an ornate dagger on display and goes over to look at it. Clever Diaochan explains that this is her father's famous knife, the Seven Stars Dagger. Lu Bu believes if this is the true Seven Stars Dagger, then the one Cao Cao had must be a fake, and that old man Wang is not involved with the traitor. Oh Diaochan, I'm going to like you.

Next we see three men in an orchard. This same scene was in that other dreadful Three Kingdoms drama I mistakenly watched before. It took those weepy guys twenty minutes to swear eternal brotherhood with each other. Thankfully in this drama it only takes a minute or so. All we learn are their names: Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. Who are these men? What have they got to do with the story? We don't find out as the scene quickly ends and we now join Cao Cao (the big doofus) on the lamb.

Wanted posters of him are up so he's disguised as a peasant. Not too well disguised as he's recognized and apprehended by a guard at a city gate. Cao Cao is taken in bondage before the city magistrate, Chen Gongtai. Cao Cao tries to give a false name and claim the guards have mistaken him for someone else. But it turns out this magistrate has an unpleasant past with Cao Cao and recognizes him. He taunts Cao Cao that the failed assassin has a huge bounty on his head. It would take Gongtai over three hundred years to make that much money. But he doesn't see why Cao Cao is worth that much. He'll take Cao Cao's head to the capital tomorrow and claim the reward, so tonight C.C. will be the magistrate's "guest" in a prison cell.

Yet that night, when Gongtai comes to visit Cao Cao, it is to explain that he had to say all those things because the walls have ears. Secretly, Gongtai also holds a grudge against Dong Zhuo and he admires Cao Cao for trying to kill the tyrant. Cao Cao says he realizes now that assassination was a stupid thing to do. Even if he had succeeded, who's to say an even worse fellow would take Dong Zhuo's place? What Cao Cao should have done was raise a militia and fight Dong Zhuo man to man - er, army to army. Gongtai is just so taken with all this that he pleads to join Cao Cao on his quest, even if that means leaving his family behind.

In the morning the two men ride out on the dusty trail. They stop to take a piss. (Seriously, why do we need to see this??) Gongtai recommends they join up with a Yuan Shao who is already leading a rebellion against Dong Zhuo. Cao Cao nixes this idea saying 1) They wouldn't be given very high positions in his army, and 2) Yuan Shao isn't a very good leader. Turns out years before it was Yuan Shao who had invited Dong Zhuo and his thugs into the capital to get rid of a nest of pesky eunuchs. After Dong Zhuo killed the eunuchs, he decided this was such a nice place that he would stay. So it's basically all Yuan Shao's fault that they're in these dire straits in the first place.

Cao Cao suggests they go and rest awhile with his uncle, Lu Boshe. Lu is so glad to see his nephew alive that he orders a feast. Anonymous Offscreen Voice replies that they're all out of wine. Lu Boshe orders someone to go to town and buy some wine. This makes Cao Cao nervous as there are wanted posters of the two men all over the place. He fears someone would be tempted to turn them in. Lu Boshe offers to go to town himself, then.

While Uncle is gone, Cao Cao takes a nap but Gongtai is awfully nervous. He hears someone outside sharpening a knife. He wakes Cao Cao and they hear voices saying things like, "Tie them up. Don't let them get away. We'll kill them all." Fearing that they've been betrayed, Cao Cao says their only choice is to fight their way out. And fight they do. They come out swinging with their swords, slashing men and women left and right. Then the two men make a discovery. There are some pigs tied up. The two men comprehend that what they had heard were the servants planning on killing the pigs for the feast that night.

Oh, you idiots! You great big, gi-normous, thick headed idiots! And you're the heroes of this story? I'm beginning to like Dong Zhuo more and more. And where's Ruby Lin?

Three Kingdoms Episode 1

I first discovered Ruby Lin through her dramas Qing Shi Huang Fei and Schemes of a Beauty. (Both of which I found at Viki.com) So I went looking for more of her work and found she was in Three Kingdoms. I started watching the first episode over at DramaFever and it was awful. But then I realized I was watching the wrong version! Yep, there's Three Kingdoms and The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Now I've found the right version so let the everlovin' adventure begin.

Boy, this has the longest opening credits.

It's a turbulent time in China. As mentioned in the other Three Kingdoms drama, there are some kind of rebels called The Yellow Turbans, but we don't get to them much in this episode. There's a child emperor on the dragon throne but the real power is the craggy old Dong Zhou. His ministers don't like him.

It's old man Wang's birthday and he's invited all of the ministers to a party at his house. All the ministers, that is, except Cao Cao. He's considered a lackey of Dong Zhou's so he's not allowed to play any reindeer games. Cao Cao does what any excluded guest would do and he crashed the party. Old man Wang is kind enough to allow him to stay, seating Cao Cao waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down there at the end.

As the party proceeds, Wang tells his guests they're not here to celebrate his birth day but to commemorate his death day. These are dark days in the empire and that rat, Dong Zhou, is just plain awful. The other guests start weeping and wiping their eyes with their sleeves, as ancient Chinese do. Cao Cao, however, starts laughing. Wang asks him why he's laughing and Cao Cao says all this crying isn't going to get rid of Dong Zhou. (He does have a point.) Cao Cao goes on to brag that he has it in him to cut off the rat's head and hang it from the gate! This shocks the party goers and old man Wang has Cao Cao physically thrown out of the house.

As Cao Cao is starting to leave he's stopped by one of Wang's servants. The servant explains that his master had to publicly throw Cao Cao out because what he said was so dangerous. (That there should be a warning sign to old man Wang: that Cao Cao can't keep his mouth shut when he needs to.) The servant further asks Cao Cao to wait in the study until the party guests all leave as Wang really wants to talk to him.

After the party, Wang comes to the study and acts much more respectful of Cao Cao, even calling him General Cao Cao. As they discuss the situation, Cao Cao explains that he's just been acting like Dong Zhou's toadie so that Dong Zhou won't suspect him. Cao Cao refers to an earlier failed assassination attempt on Dong Zhou and explains that DZ wears a suit of armor under his clothes at all time. Cao Cao has heard that Wang has a special weapon, the Seven Star Dagger, that can cut through anything. Cao Cao asks to borrow the dagger, and since Dong Zhou's household is so used to seeing Cao Cao they won't suspect him of smuggling in a weapon.

Next we see Cao Cao entering Dong Zhou's house. Here we meet DZ's son, Lu Bu. There's some chit chat and DZ sends LB off to go get a better horse for CC. The two men talk some more, Cao Cao laying it on thick with all the, "You're the greatest! You're the smartest!" That's how a lackey goes. Dong Zhou trusts his friend enough to lay down and take a nap as Cao Cao fans him. As he checks to make sure no one else is around, Cao Cao pulls out the dagger and starts towards his intended victim. Then he muffs it! He totally muffs it and wakes Dong Zhou up!

At least he thinks quickly. When Dong Zhou asks what's he doing, Cao Cao improvises with, "Look at this fantastic weapon I've come across. It's called the Seven Star Dagger and see, it cuts through this copper mirror with one swipe. It slices, it dices, it juliennes! I'm so not worthy of this dagger so I came to give it to you." Dong Zhou happily accepts the knife and Cao Cao makes his polite exit.

Out in the courtyard Lu Bu rides up. Cao Cao thinks he's been caught until Lu Bu reminds him he was to receive a horse. Cao Cao has some trouble controlling the horse, probably because it senses the man's nervousness. OMG, this man has NO poker face! Lu Bu muses to himself that for a calvary officer Cao Cao seems a rather inept rider. Cao Cao rides off for the gate while Lu Bu goes inside.

Dong Zhou shows off his cool new toy to his son, telling him it's called the Seven Star Dagger. Lu Bu asks, doesn't old man Wang have a knife called the Seven Star Dagger? Why would he give it to Cao Cao? Dong Zhou mentions that Cao Cao had been acting rather nervous when he presented the knife. Dong Zhou didn't get where he is by being stupid. He quickly adds up that 2 + 2 = assassination attempt and orders the capture of Cao Cao.

Cao Cao is hiding out in some tall grass while groups of DZ's men search for him. Meanwhile Lu Bu goes to Cao Cao's house and slaughters everybody. Then, as Chinese dramas tend to do, the episode just ends. There's no real closure to the episode. Sometimes it feels like they just cut off in the middle of a scene. Other times it just peters out and fades to credits. Chinese TV needs to take some pointers from Korean dramas. At least they end with a cliffhanger.