The Golden Rankings Descend: A Roll Call of China's Greatest Figures Throughout History

The Golden Ranking of Chinese history appeared across time and space, simultaneously reviewing the ten greatest emperors across five thousand years. The moment the result for tenth place was revealed, all of history erupted! The Emperor of Wu Zhou, Wu Zetian! Li Shimin was outraged on the spot. “A palace woman from my harem dares to claim the throne and make this list?” The great scholars of the court jumped up and cursed in unison: “A woman ruling as emperor is like a hen crowing at dawn. This ranking is unjust!” Nobles from the Six States and elder statesmen from every dynasty joined in, their furious cries shaking the heavens. But when the Golden Ranking revealed her achievements one by one breaking the monopolies of the great clans, establishing palace examinations that would be used for a thousand years, carrying forward the legacy of the Zhenguan era and paving the way for the Kaiyuan era, and securing China’s borders… The realms that had been full of furious curses fell silent in an instant. If even tenth place is this controversial, what manner of ruler could the top nine be? And where would Qin Shi Huang, who conquered the Six States, rank?