In the sixtieth year of the Dayao era, the empire, now in its third generation since its founding, shows signs of decline. The aging emperor is gravely ill after suffering a stroke. The Four Great Houses each harbor their own schemes, while the four princes turn against one another. A palace coup deposes the crown prince, and the second prince raises an army to “purge the court of corrupt officials.” From then on, the empire slides into the abyss of division and war.
The Northern Wilderness cavalry ride south, and the capital, Shenjing, falls. The Prince of Chu declares himself emperor in the southern borderlands and breaks away to establish his own realm. On the grasslands, the Wolf Lord Tuoba Lang unites the tribes and founds the Wolf Dynasty, whose iron hooves crush the Central Plains. The old regime’s loyal minister, Xie Mingyuan, gives his all to the bitter end, while the young emperor Yuwen Zhao struggles to move south through the ruins.
Heroes emerge in troubled times. At the foot of Mount Tai, Chen Che, a refugee by birth, gathers a righteous band and raises an army under the banner “Drive out the wolf invaders and restore China.” He rises through fire and blood, destroys the Wolf Dynasty, pacifies Xiliang, and takes the Jiangnan region. At last, he claims the throne from Dayao and brings a century of warfare to an end.
This is a story of power, loyalty, and betrayal. Rivalry among the great houses, brothers turning against one another, conflict between the Hu and Han peoples, and an underdog’s rise: when the old order collapses, only those who combine benevolence with an iron fist can found a new dynasty.
