The Romance of Zhao Pu

Zhao Pu, courtesy name Zeping, was a founding statesman of the Northern Song, the chief architect of its policies and a designer of its military strategy. During the dynasty's formative years, he was Zhao Kuangyin's most important adviser. His life was full of twists and turns: he served as prime minister three times, assisted two emperors, and took part in nearly every major event of the early Song. He handled each crisis with remarkable ease and calm, inspiring admiration for his seemingly prophetic foresight and extraordinary political talent.

This book depicts Zhao Pu's nearly forty years of ups and downs in officialdom. The Chenqiao Post mutiny and the banquet at which military power was relinquished showcase his remarkable cunning. His military genius is revealed through campaigns to seize Jingnan, attack Wuping, conquer Later Shu, destroy Southern Han, campaign against Southern Tang, and subdue Northern Han. His petty, envious side emerges in his vindictive framing of Feng Zan and his pursuit of revenge against Lu Duoxun over the slightest pretext... Together, these episodes portray Zhao Pu's complex and changeable character from many angles. The book also vividly brings to life figures such as Zhao Kuangyin, Zhao Kuangyi, Feng Jiao, and Lu Duoxun.