The Little Conqueror Sun Ce: Romance of the Three Kingdoms Chapter 9 (Chinese Classical masterpieces comic strip book trilingual learning)

: In this chapter, the story focuses on Sun Ce, the son of Sun Jian. After the death of his father, Sun Ce takes command of the army, defeats Liu Yao, the Governor of Yangzhou, conquers Wu County, captures Kuaiji, and gains control of the six regions of Jiangdong. Known for his bravery and heroic strength, he is nicknamed "The Little Conqueror." Later, while hunting in the Western Mountains, he is ambushed and assassinated. His younger brother, Sun Quan, takes over his legacy, wisely appointing Zhou Yu and Lu Su, leading to the eventual formation of the Three Kingdoms.

In the first year of the Zhongping era (184 AD) during the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, Sun Ce’s father, Sun Jian, was recommended by Zhu Jun to serve as a military strategist to fight the Yellow Turban rebels. Sun Ce stayed with his family in Shouchun (now Shou County, Anhui Province). Sun Ce, known by his courtesy name Bo Fu, was the eldest son of Sun Jian, the general who repelled invaders, and the elder brother of Sun Quan, the founding emperor of Eastern Wu. He is regarded as one of the key figures who laid the foundation for the state of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period, often referred to as the "Little Overlord" (Xiao Ba Wang) due to his martial prowess, similar to the legendary warlord Xiang Yu.
Sun Ce was handsome, open-minded, and liked to laugh and joke. In his teenage years, he befriended scholars in Shouchun, and his reputation gradually spread. Zhou Yu, a scholar from Shuxian (now in the southwest of Anhui Province), admired Sun Ce’s fame and visited him in Shouchun. Both men were of the same age and shared a similar vision. They instantly hit it off and formed a deep friendship, often supporting each other. This bond became known as the "Total Corner Friendship" (总角之好), a term used for childhood friends who share a close bond.
In 191 AD, after Sun Jian’s death in battle, Sun Ce, who was only 17 at the time, inherited his father’s army. He was escorted by Sun Ben, his cousin, to return his father’s body to Jiangdong (modern-day Jiangsu Province). Later, Sun Ce allied with Yuan Shu and moved to Jiangdu (modern-day Yangzhou) after mourning the loss of his father. There, he met Zhang Hong, a prominent figure, who, impressed by Sun Ce’s ambition and loyalty, advised him to cross the Yangtze River and build his power in the south.

In 193 AD, after fulfilling his mourning duties, Sun Ce returned to Shouchun to seek revenge for his father’s death and to reclaim his father’s former army. He initially served Yuan Shu, who promised to help him, but Yuan Shu soon betrayed him by appointing his own men instead. Disappointed, Sun Ce left Yuan Shu and began his conquest of Jiangdong, gathering followers and soldiers as he marched east.
By 197 AD, Sun Ce's forces had grown strong, and he successfully defeated Huang Zu in a battle that saw his forces wipe out most of Huang Zu’s army. However, just as Sun Ce was on the brink of establishing his dominance, he was ambushed while hunting in 200 AD. He was struck by an arrow and fatally wounded. Knowing his time was short, Sun Ce entrusted his younger brother, Sun Quan, with the responsibility of continuing his efforts. Sun Ce died that night at the age of 26.
His death marked the end of his short but impactful life, and his brother, Sun Quan, went on to become the ruler of Eastern Wu, fulfilling Sun Ce’s dream of establishing a powerful state in the south. Sun Ce's legacy as a bold and charismatic leader lived on through his brother’s reign.