Mou Gou | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chinese | Meng Ao | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kanji | 蒙驁 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Romaji | Mou Gou | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Epithet | Haku Rou (Bai Lao) Famous Sieger of Cities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Professional Information
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Appearance
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“ | To me, you've always been the greatest hero, Great General Mou Gou. | ” |
Mou Gou was a Great General of the Qin Military and leader of the Mou Gou Army. He was the father of Great General Mou Bu and the grandfather of Mou Ten and Mou Ki. He was known under the moniker "Haku Rou" before his death.
Appearance[]
Mou Gou was an old man in his 60s to 70s. Like his son, Mou Gou was an incredibly tall and large man as he regularly towered over people. He had a long and thick beard, closed eyes, and regularly wore a calm expression on his face. He later loses his left arm to Ren Pa after the Great General cut it off during their duel.
Personality[]
Mou Gou had a relaxed, almost too lax personality, as he would routinely tell his soldiers to take it slow and easy as he always had a calm look on his face throughout his appearance and was abnormally strict when it came to his own family as he would often forbid, Mou Bu from going to the battlefield early on in his youth and denied Mou Ki’s request on going to Han Campaign. The only time ever he was truly troubled from when had to face by the insurmountable wall in his life that was the former Zhao Great General and famous rival from his youth, Ren Pa and faced the armies of the Coalition. Whenever under a heavy amount pressure, Mou Gou disguised himself as a normal infantry soldier and would find a quiet place somewhere nearby to clear his head.
History[]
Mou Gou was born in the eastern state of Qi. Not much is known about his early life aside from the fact that he was married to an unnamed woman that give him (a daughter, Mou Aki, currently noncanonical) and a son, Mou Bu.
He would join the Qi Military at some point in his youth and rose through the ranks from squad leader to a 1000-Man Commander. He was frequently pitted against a rising young prodigy from the state of Zhao named Ren Pa but was repeatedly beaten by him. After countless defeats he left the military and his homelands with his son and wandered the lands in search of better luck and reward. Mou Gou eventually emigrated to the State of Qin where he and his son would both have successful military careers as he rose to the rank of a Great General during the era of the War God and the Six Great Generals whom he resented due to their talent and fame. He would also build their family into a respectful and great house of nobility with a great number of vassals. he would get to know and befriend Chou Tou, another Qin General. At one point during this period, Mou Gou was assigned to quell bandits in southern Qin as punishment for repeated losses on the battlefield. [1] However, Mou Gou was immediately beaten in battle and captured along with his commanders. While Kan Ki wasn't in the mood to kill him, Mou Gou would comment on Kan Ki's personality and praise him for his talent in warfare, but the Hakurou could tell that there was more to Kan Ki's potential and his genius as he needed "power". So, Mou Gou asked Kan Ki to join him and fight by his side shocking everyone present. Kan Ki, the ever strange and outlandish man that he was, accepted Mou Gou's offer. With that done, Mou Gou freed himself from his restraints and they set out. Mou Gou would also meet and take underneath his wing Ou Sen, the head of the noble Ou Family's main branch and cousin to Ou Ki of the Six Greats. Both men would serve as vice generals within his army for years to come as they won countless battles and fought in many campaigns together all while living underneath the shadows of the Six Generals of Qin during the waning days of King Sho's era of warfare. Ten years prior to the events of the series, he took over a castle of Han, making it his 4th of that campaign.
Story[]
Training Arc[]
Mou Gou was made the Supreme commander-in-chief of an army of 200,000 soldiers to attack and invade the neighboring state of Han. He oversaw the troops attacking the city of Kouu which would be conquered in six days. After Kouu, Mou Gou and his Vice generals continued to subdue a total of 11 cities in a single month.
Sanyou Campaign Arc[]
A few years after the death of Ou Ki, he leads a Qin campaign to conquer the Sanyou region in Wei with 250,000 troops at his command and they arrived to besiege the Wei city of Kourou. When told of their losses and lack of progress, Mou Gou just tells his four commanders to check up on their troops, nothing more. He later announced that the plan is to continue the siege for an entire month despite the situation staying the same. Upon hearing a word that the Gyoku Hou Unit has gotten over the walls, he says it is heartwarming to see the energetic youth and hopefully, Ou Hon does not die due to his recklessness. His vice generals capture two Wei cities the day after Kourou falls to the Qin army and Mou Gou sets up a defensive march after some of his commanders are slain in Kinrikan.
When told that his enemy is none other than Ren Pa, he calms his commanders down and tells them his vice generals are working on counters to defeat him. He engages in his strange habit to destress from the thought of facing Ren Pa and is encouraged by Shin who meets him accidentally.
The next morning, after promoting Mou Ten and Ou Hon to the position of 1000-man commander, Mou Gou makes an exception for Shin provided he kills either 3 enemy commanders or a general. Shin accepts and is given the position along with all the troops from commander Kaku Bi’s unit. He arrives with the army at the Rui Plains around the same time the Wei army reaches Ren Pa's camp and meets with his Vice Generals, congratulating them on their work.
On the second day of battle, Mou Gou delivers a speech to his troops, telling them to be defensive for the upcoming battle. On the fifth day of battle, he is informed that the Gaku Ka have engaged Rin Ko and hesitates to call him back. He chooses to trust in his grandson's skills, calling him the most talented man born to the Mou family in the last three generations. When Mou Ten returns from his attack on Rin Ko's troops, Mou Gou calls him to share a few drinks and tells him that a battle to the death is drawing near but he won't run away from it. Positioning his HQ on high ground on the sixth day of battle, Mou Gou and his men watch the battle unfold and he recognizes the use of the Rindou, mentioning that it was used in the past to great success against Great General Ou Ki's defensive formations.
Shocked at Ren Pa's appearance at his rear, he directs his 8,000 troops to use an anti-defense formation specifically for Ren Pa. Finally leading Ren Pa to a dead end, Mou Gou calls for reinforcements as he attempts to finish him off only to realize that he already escaped its grasp. As his officers' worry, telling him that Ren Pa is on his way to their position, he tells them not to panic and states that they can hold out by using the terrain advantage. When Ren Pa arrives, he is mounted and challenges the Great General to combat, stating that they shall exchange words by doing so. While he battles Ren Pa, Mou Gou manages to push back the Great General at various times in the fight and tells him that the golden age Ren Pa speaks of has passed. He moves to finish off the Zhao General but is hit by a powerful swing which kills his horse and severs his left arm at the elbow.
Talking to Ren Pa about the end of the golden age, he comments on Shin blocking Ren Pa's blow and tells him that the boy inherited Ou Ki's Glaive. Rising up, he points out Ren Pa's battles as empty since no one can match up to what he wants and rallies his men to attack the Zhao Great General just as Kai Shi Bou arrives with reinforcements.
When they see the burning of the Wei HQ, Ren Pa declares the battle as his loss, saying they were checkmated since Ou Sen's practically untouched army was merely waiting for the opportunity to deal a decisive blow. He calls for a ceasefire on terms which Mou Gou accepts. Mou Gou invites Ren Pa to chat, but he declines and tells him that Sanyou is an important stronghold of great significance.
He had the Ou Sen Army stay behind to subjugate the region while the heavily wounded returned home. At the reward ceremony in the royal palace, Mou Gou was given the greatest honor for leading the Qin army to victory. He was raised one rank in the nobility, granted the lands of Kahaku and Zen, given 2,000 units of gold and 10 units of treasure.
Coalition Invasion Arc[]
During the Battle of Kankoku Pass General Mou Gou defended Kankoku Pass Wall against the Coalition Army forces of Wei and Han.
Kyou Kai's Revenge Arc[]
One year after the end of the war with the Coalition Armies, Great General Mou Gou was on the brink of his death bed as he was dying from old age. Before dying he revealed to Mou Ten and Shin, as they sat with him, that while he achieved his goal of finding status as a Great General, he had always been jealous and envious of the Six Great Generals as he was never able to become a hero. After lamenting on the past, he advised his grandson, Shin, and Ou Hon to cooperate and bond with their peers. While they didn't have to get along all the time, just cooperating was enough as this was one of the defining characteristics of the Six Great Generals.
Mou Gou’s passing was mourned by Mou Ten, Shin and his vessels as they all cried with Mou Ten saying that he was always the greatest hero he had ever known. And after receiving the news of his father’s passing, Mou Bu sat with a drink and thought back about to his childhood with his father as they traveled the lands together. He would exclaim that it had been quite a journey as he offered final toast.
Abilities[]
“ | It's true that Mou Gou's military talents are inferior when compared to other great generals. However, in exchange there is no one else that can compare when it comes to his eye for people. If that's the man that Mou Gou has chosen, then it won't be a problem. | ” |
STATS | |
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Strength | 85 |
Leadership | 90 |
Intelligence | 91 |
Experience | S |
Dislike the Six Great Generals Foh |
STATS | |
---|---|
Strength | 85 |
Leadership | 90 |
Intelligence | 91 |
Experience | S |
Dislike the Six Great Generals Foh |
STATS | |
---|---|
Strength | 89 |
Leadership | 90 |
Intelligence | 91 |
Experience | A |
Who?: Mediocre General Foh! |
STATS | |
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Strength | Unknown Foh |
Leadership | 90 |
Intelligence | 91 |
Who?: Mediocre General Foh |
Mou Gou was considered an unremarkable general who fought by the book, as he always won against opponents who were weaker than him. This was shown clearly as he always took his time to conduct sieges on enemy cities. To compensate for his mediocre skills as a tactician and strategist, he possessed a good eye for potential, as he recruited Kan Ki and Ou Sen as his Vice Generals.
Physical Abilities[]
Immense Strength: Mou Gou possessed enormous brute strength, despite his age. His brute strength alone was strong enough to push back the large Ren Pa along with his horse with heated strikes during their duel. Because of that, it was believed that it might even be above Ren Pa. Despite that, his martial skill was not good enough as his arm is severed by Ren Pa. This caused his prowess to be weakened after the Sanyou Campaign.
Leadership[]
Mou Gou had a unique way of raising morale and it is proven very effective. During his speeches he rarely focuses on himself, but rather gives off an aura of care for their lives. Not only that, but he also managed to recruit the enigmatic Ou Sen and vicious Kan Ki under his leadership with the former bandit leader even offering a tribute in his moniker name after his passing.
Tactical Abilities[]
Known as "by the books" strategist, Mou Gou's tactical and strategic abilities were standard within standards which many considered "mediocre" at best. His usual battle plan was to split his forces into three separate armies, that would invade any region at the same pace. His grandson, Mou Ten called him the "Famous Sieger of Cities", who patiently surrounded a city and pressured it with attacks to whittle down enemy morale until an opening appeared to strike. His army's battle style had always been a test of endurance.
Military Formation: Mou Gou was capable to perform military formations like Line Formation.
Terrain Manipulation: Unlike Ou Sen's fort that possesses no single opening and is extremely hard to conquer, Mou Gou developed a mountain fortress with the tactic, Strategem of Broken Paths. Its strength lies in its deception to any attacking force and ability to conceal the path to the top. With this, it is possible to whittle down the enemy by using archers to shoot down those who are confused by the layout of the fort. However, the weakness is that it requires great planning and resources as well as trained troops who know how to use the layout effectively.
Gallery[]
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Trivia[]
- Mou Gou was mentioned for the first time in Chapter 2 during Shin's flashbacks making him the first great general in the series to be mentioned by name.
- In the Season 2 of the anime's version of Mou Gou's fight against Ren Pa, the scene where Mou Gou's arm is cut off is censored, instead, his arm got broken. This is later corrected in Season 3 of the anime, where his arm is now missing.
- Mou Gou was the last remaining veteran of Qin's old generation of Great Generals to pass away. He is also the only one who died of natural causes.
[]
Mou Family | |
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Family Heads: | Mou Gou † • Mou Bu • |
Members: | Mou Ten • Mou Ki • Mou Aki • Shou Hei Kun • |
Vassals: | Ko Zen † • Rai Ki • Chou Shi • Riku Sen • Ai Sen • Ken Fu • |
Affiliates | Six Great Generals • Ei Sei Faction • Ryo Fui Faction ‡ (Ryo Fui • Sai Taku † • Ri Shi) • Kan Ki Army ‡ • Ou Sen Army • |
Story Arcs: | Assassination Plot Arc • Battle of Bayou Arc • Alliance Arc • Sanyou Campaign Arc • Sanyou Aftermath Arc • Coalition Invasion Arc • Kyou Kai's Revenge Arc • State of Ai Arc • War of the Three States Arc • |
Other Articles: | Meng Wu and Chu Zi • Mou Bu Army • Mou Gou Army ‡ (Do Mon • Ei Bi †) • Strategist Academy • Strategist • Ryo Fui Faction • Battle of Bayou • Anhou Campaign • Sanyou Campaign • Battle of Kankoku Pass • Battle of Gento • Battle at Gecchi Plains • |
References[]
- ↑ Chapter 755