As the state of Wu falls into moral decline, Emperor Zhao Jiwen acts on a moment of greed and repeatedly offends Zhu Yunhe, the Han Prince and master of Yanzhao Tower in Daming City. He also has Zhu Yunhe's younger sister, Zhu Yunru, brought to the empress's residence in the former Ming City, where she is forced to work as a laborer. Hatred gradually takes root in the Han Prince's heart. He sets out to rescue Yunru and bring her back to Yanzhao Tower in Daming City, but this leads to a war with Zhao Jiwen that lasts twenty years. From then on, the people of Daming City are plunged into misery. The Hong family is displaced by the imperial court's forces, while the eldest son, Hong Mingyu, has been in and out of military camps since childhood. As an adult, he openly clashes with Zhao Jiwen, kills Crown Prince Zhao Jihe, and joins his three younger brothers in conquering the former Ming City and driving Zhao Jiwen beyond the frontier. Hong Mingyu then establishes the Chen Dynasty in Daming City, overthrows Wu rule, and ushers in a new chapter of history.
The beautiful story of the rise of Chen and the decline of Wu, although fictional, is touching and worth a read!