Northern Qi: A Mirror on Twenty-Eight Years of Rise and Fall

In 550, Emperor Wenxuan Gao Yang deposed Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei and founded Northern Qi. Gao Yang's early rule was enlightened, and he won victories against the Khitans and the Kumo Xi, bringing the kingdom to the height of its power. In his later years, he indulged in wine and women and became cruel, even turning his beloved consort's thigh bone into a musical instrument for his amusement.

In 559, Gao Yang died, and Crown Prince Gao Yin took the throne. The following year, his uncle Gao Yan deposed and killed him. Emperor Xiaozhao Gao Yan governed diligently, and Northern Qi's strength recovered somewhat. But after only two years on the throne, he fell gravely ill. To protect the life of his crown prince, Gao Bainian, he passed the throne to his younger brother Gao Zhan, leaving behind an edict: "Bainian is guilty of no crime. Do not follow the example of those before you."

In 564, Gao Zhan used the excuse that eight-year-old Gao Bainian had written the character for "edict" to summon him to the palace, humiliate him, beat him to death with a sword pommel, and throw his body into the dye pond. Gao Zhan was even more depraved than Gao Yang. He took his sister-in-law Li Zu'e as his concubine, killed her infant daughter, beat his own son Gao Shaode to death in front of him, and subjected her to the humiliation of public naked punishment.

In 570, Gao Zhan abdicated in favor of Crown Prince Gao Wei. He died in 573. The Later Lord Gao Wei doted on treacherous officials and lived a life of debauchery. In 576, Northern Zhou attacked Northern Qi. When Jinzhou was in danger, Gao Wei delayed sending reinforcements to please Feng Xiaolian. He also poisoned Prince of Lanling Gao Changgong and had Hulü Guang strangled to death.

In 577, Gao Wei and his sons were captured. Northern Qi, which had ruled for twenty-eight years, fell. Its infamous reputation as a "dynasty of beasts" became a warning to later generations that "debauchery and cruelty inevitably lead to ruin."

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental. Please do not imitate.