He begins with the “resonance of the classics” in the preliminary imperial examination, grounds his resolve in the "Record of Knowledge and Action", and repels his enemies with the "Song of Righteousness", pursuing the Great Way both at court and on the battlefield. When the demon tribes press at the borders and the literary tradition crumbles, what will he choose? To become a sage for his own sake and enjoy worship forever, or to scatter the Way across the realm and reshape the world? He wields his brush as a blade to defend the land, giving up the literary tradition for the people. This is a Confucian epic full of warmth and integrity.
