During the Jiajing era of the Ming dynasty, imperial authority was highly centralized, factional strife ran rampant, pirates wreaked havoc along the coast, and the treasury was depleted, yet literary culture flourished.
The imperial examinations were the only path to advancement for those born into humble families. In officialdom, success depended on balancing political alliances, achievements, and imperial favor. With the political instincts and powers of observation of a modern liberal arts student, Li Ming rises step by step amid the tides of real history.
