[A look at the era]
The Great Tang Group goes bankrupt and undergoes a restructuring. Its chairman flees overnight with his favorite consort, leaving a host of provincial governors clamoring for support.
This is a chaotic age so wild even a battle royale game would balk at it: five bosses in fifty-three years, emperors go out of style faster than influencers, military commanders have to list “expert at changing sides” on their resumes, and civil officials must learn to turn a blind eye before attending court.
[Highlights]
A political power-play reality show
- Zhu Wen: From former employee at Huang Chao Inc. to CEO of the Bianliang startup. A professional backstabber who specializes in betraying his old boss, and moonlights writing resignation letters for emperors.
- Li Cunxu: The Later Tang’s top-tier star idol. He rides out to kill by day and rules the country through opera by night. His fans chant: “When Emperor Zhuangzong marches out, not a blade of grass survives!”
- Shi Jingtang: The most hardcore client in history. Desperate to hit his KPIs, he signs a “son-emperor” contract and gives away the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun without a second thought. His Khitan boss can only marvel at his expertise.
A showcase of baffling behavior
- The Shence Army: Promoted from frontier security guards to the royal cheer squad. They’re better at cricket fighting than actual warfare.
- Tian Lingzi: The Tang dynasty’s chief playmate. He plays polo with the emperor and gives away the realm, with a VIP top-up earning you a deluxe provincial governor gift pack.
- Li Yu: Before his kingdom falls, he writes lyrics to promote his wares; afterward, he becomes a top-tier star among artsy types, while fans flood the comments with “I’m in tears.”
Open this book and you’ll get:
A VIP seat to watch the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era unfold,
An uncensored script for a Chinese version of Game of Thrones,
And a truth that has endured for a thousand years:
Political power grows from the barrel of a gun, but the hand that holds it will rot sooner or later.
Beautiful, humorous and profound