With the help of exceptional strategists such as Zhang Liang, Xiao He, and Han Xin, Liu Pang's forces grew in size and Han Chung experienced great prosperity. However, Xiang Yu lets Liu Pang go because he considered it "dishonorable," and did not consider him as a threat.Įscaping the capital, Liu Pang takes refuge in the land of Han Chung, and started building his strength. However, Xiang Yu, with a superior force, takes control of the capital after he arrives, proclaiming himself as the Xi Chu Bawang or "Conqueror King from West Chu." Xiang Yu's venerable strategist, Fan Zang, tells him he must kill Liu Pang. The two heroes agree that the one who first conquers the capital would become the next emperor, and Liu Pang accomplishes the feat first (With the help of strategists Zhang Liang and Xiao He). Liu Pang joins under the banner of Xiang Liang to help defeat the Chin Dynasty. Thus, instead of completing his mission, he freed his prisoners (who by then were enthralled by Liu Pang's personality), and formed a rebel army. Many of the prisoners escaped, and Liu Pang knew that he would be punished with death for his failure. One day he was ordered to escort prisoners to the capital for forced labor. In contrast, Liu Pang was born as a peasant and became a lowly government employee-an equivalent of a police officer, known for being lazy but well liked due to his personable attitude. As a member of the Xiang family known as loyal subjects in the Kingdom of Chu, Xiang Yu followed the lead of his uncle, Xiang Liang, in a rebellion against Chin. Xiang Yu was an ambitious young man known for his incredible strength and skill as a commander. Xiang Yu and Liu Pang did not start out as enemies, in fact they were allies who fought together to defeat the corrupt Chin Dynasty. However, the story of Xiang Yu and Liu Pang is well known in China as one of the most gripping drama between two men who fought each other to become the emperor of China. Its content is relatively dry compared to other epic works, such as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Unlike Shui Hu Zhuan, which is mostly fiction, the stories within the Shi Zhi are largely factual. In particular, Suikoden 2 heavily borrows from the Chinese Shi Zhi (literally translates to "Historical Records") where the wars between Xiang Yu and Liu Pang are chronicled. However, Suikoden also borrows plot elements from other stories from Chinese and Japanese history/folklore. In fact, some of the thematic elements along with numerous episodes from the plot directly borrow from Shui Hu Zhuan. It is no secret that Suikoden is based on Shui Hu Zhuan, a Chinese novel edited by Shi Nai An in the 16th century.
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