Shimmering Mountains and Rivers

The prince refuses to resist and flees south in a panic. The script no longer works. The bandits within the realm are useless, while the Manchus beyond the borders seem to have taken an aphrodisiac. The officials in the south are even more spineless than the history books describe. History is going off the rails, and foresight is gradually failing. Though he is the crown prince, he has none of a crown prince’s authority. If he wants to enjoy life, he must save the empire from collapse. He will rebuild the realm, restore the Ming, and usher in an unprecedented golden age. This story is a slow burn, but the first moves have already been made.