Sima Yan

Named once, in the inference everyone draws from his father's refusal of the throne: 'Those who heard this felt that in these words was an implication that he intended to place his own son Sima Yan on the throne, and they ceased to urge him to act.'

Takes the imperial throne in this chapter — it is the right half of its own title, 'The Abdication: Later Seeds Learn From The Ancient'. Named heir over his father's preference for Sima You after Shan Tao, Jia Chong, He Zeng, Pei Xiu, Wang Xiang and Xun Kai all remonstrate — 'huge of frame, his flowing hair reached to the ground when he stood up, and both hands hung down below his knees'. Succeeds as Prince of Jin when his father dies pointing at him. Then works the precedent out loud with Jia Chong and Pei Xiu ('Still Cao Pi succeeded the rule of Han. Can I not in like manner succeed that of Wei?'), walks into the Forbidden City armed with a sword and tells the reigning Emperor to his face that he is 'unskilled in debate, inept in war, and unfit to rule', has Zhang Jie beaten to death for objecting, and takes the abdication on a terrace on the 'mouse' day of the twelfth month. Founds Great Jin, AD 265.

Opens the chapter already emperor. Keeps Yang Hu on the frontier for years without pressing him, is moved to tears by his deathbed recommendation, appoints Du Yu on it, and finally launches the seven-army river campaign. Asks Yang Hu why he burned the draft of a memorial recommending men — 'How beautiful it is to bring good people into prominence!' Mourns him with the posthumous rank of Imperial Guardian and Lord of Juping. Takes Wu's surrender in AD 280 and makes Sun Hao Lord of Guiming, and the novel ends with the empire in one pair of hands for the first time in ninety years.