The story is based on the historical background of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms to the early Northern Song Dynasty (approximately 934-1005), focusing on the magnificent historical period of the cession and competition of the Sixteen States of Youyun. The novel begins in the late Tang Dynasty (Shi Jingtang ceded the Sixteen Youyun Prefectures in order to seek Khitan assistance), and goes through the Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou dynasties, until the long-term confrontation between the Northern Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty, and finally came to an end with the signing of the Chanyuan Alliance. During this historical period, regimes changed frequently and wars continued...
