If Guan Yu would have taken Cao Cao prisoner

[Guan Zhi Sun of Guan Yu]

Ok, Im sorry if this has already been posted. I dont know if this is the exact time but when Liu Bei just defeated Cao Cao at Steepslope Bridge then Guan Yu surrounded Cao Cao but let him go. Anyways I was just wondering what would have happened if Guan Yu would have taken Cao Cao prisoner????

[Wu Chun]

In this situation there are many possible outcomes

Wei will continue on, carried out by the high ranking officers,
revolts are possible but the Wei supporters would suppress them

Wu might take advantage on an attack on the middle lands

Shu will still have their land but will most likely still have the same problems as before.

But unless Wei stays together Sima yi and the Jin dynasty would never occur

I think Wu would control China in time

[robbyjo]

I would say that Cao Cao would be executed by Liu Bei and thus gained favor to the Emperor. Cao Pi would assume the power and Wei vs Shu bitter battle would ensue. Wu would watch and take advantage, I suppose. However Wu would want to help Shu instead since they have the favor of the emperor once this happened.

-- Rob

[Li Zhen]

Well the impression I get from the book is that Wei is held together by Cao Cao's leadership. Without his presence, the Cao clan and their supporters would not be able to overcome Shu and Wu. Either Shu would invade, and the Han dynasty would be restored, or Wu would invade, and then face the problem of Liu Bei (assuming Sun Quan didn't want to restore the Han).

[Sima Hui]

One sentence. BAD for Liu Bei. If this is after Chibi, then the rivalry between Kongming and Zhou Yu had become bitter, to the point of murder. Sun Quan would have cut his way north, gained support of able men there, and would have cut off Jing and surrounded Liu Bei. Repelling both Sun Quan at Jing Bei and Zhou Yu from Chaisang would ultimately have crushed Bei. Zhou Yu would have happily disposed of Liu Bei and as for Kongming, well, he'd be killed as well.

Zhou Yu would then have gone on to take the provinces of Xu, Yu and possibly even the Capital Districts. Then, a protracted war with the remains of the Cao clan would have been like the Yuans. Cao Pi, Cao Zhang and Cao Zhi would have fought it out for control. The other sons would have fled or surrendered or been killed. Eventually, Sun Quan would emerge as the winner and we don't know what he would have done with the Emperor. Probably depose him.

[Wu Chun]

Yeah go Wu!

Liu Bei Would gain alot of land too, i think Wu and Shu would race to conqure the capital of the middle land. The land thus would most likely be split between the two, i dont know how long that would last, but Wu would have more trouble in the plains while shu would have trouble in the water. but the outcome if that happened would still be hard to predict, what if Liu Bei gained Sima Yi? and some of Cao Cao's greater generals?

[Sima Hui]

He wouldn't have.

Zhou Yu would have seized the moment to take Liu Bei when he was still holed up in Jiangxia and destroyed him. Then, while the Cao clan were fighting in the north, Zhou Yu would destroy each faction, one by one.

[KingofWei&Wu]

but he probably should have.

[Wu Chun]

i dont know, liu bei is known for fleeing and making come backs!

[Big Blu]

Exactly, and please stop acting like Zhou Yu is a brillient genius and Kongming is an idiot. Lets not forget how many times Zhou Yu attemted on Zhuge Liang's life, and failed b4 he eventually died (Which is still gonna happen) Zhuge is't stupid, he'd have something up his sleeve