The Legend of Great Qin's Horse-Raising Island

“A thousand years of raising horses on Horse Island, ten thousand years of the Qin dynasty. Those who call a deer a horse doom the dream of Great Qin.” Ren Zhong, a descendant of the Ren state and a master horse breeder, earns the favor of Qin Emperor Ying Zheng. He climbs Mount Kunyu and finds the “Nine-Dragon Steed,” then breeds it with the emperor’s seven prized horses. Their offspring are named Muping, Weihai, Lai Mountain, Zhifu, Fushan... Thousands upon thousands of fine warhorses are conscripted by imperial command. Shipped by boat through the port of Fuzhu (modern Yantai), they head north to Jieshi Port (modern Qinhuangdao) to help Meng Tian fight the Xiongnu, then sail south to Kuaiji Port (modern Shaoxing) to aid Ren Xiao in subduing the Baiyue. They brave bloody battles and earn glory through their service. Ren Zhong’s love for Qi princess Gui Ruyun and Ju noblewoman Ji Moqin is a tale of two hearts flying together, supporting each other through thick and thin. The childhood bond between the emperor and Li Jiang, and the doomed, passionate love between Zhongli Ran and Ren Qi, are all deeply moving and heartbreaking. Ren Zhong’s eldest son, Ren Qi, can identify a hundred poisons by taste and a thousand by scent. He battles assassins and faithfully protects the emperor. His second son, Ren Qi, uses the Beast-Commanding Order to drive away serpents and defeat the Xirong. In the South China Sea, he finds Ju-Ren Island, breeds warhorses anew, and guards Qin’s southern frontier. After Qin Emperor Ying Zheng dies at Shaqiu, Hu Hai usurps the throne and Zhao Gao seizes power, persecuting Ren Zhong and Ji Moqin. The following year, the youngest daughter, Feng Siqi, leads tens of thousands of warhorses from Horse Island to join the anti-Qin armies of Xiang Yu and Liu Bang. Years later, after making her name, Feng Siqi retires to Horse Island and continues breeding warhorses for the Han emperor Liu... The author’s portrayal of love and hatred, sorrow and joy, loyalty and treachery, right and wrong is truly masterful and incisive. The novel is rich in literary merit and historical atmosphere, making it well worth a read!