The story takes place in the mid-Ming dynasty, after Emperor Yingzong Zhu Qizhen reclaimed the throne. The political landscape is complex, with rival factions locked in open and covert struggles at court. Meanwhile, the empire faces incursions from the Oirat Mongols, the Tatars, and other powers abroad, while social tensions grow at home. Land is increasingly concentrated in the hands of the wealthy, and ordinary people struggle to survive.
