Zhao Hongxiao, the seventh prince of Great Wei, is nicknamed "Bianjing's Number One Useless Good-for-Nothing." Skipping class, fighting crickets, playing the fool: he's done it for fourteen years straight. Nobody knows that this spoiled brat, who can't even be bothered to memorize the Analects, has arithmetic, military strategy, farming, commerce, astronomy, calendars, and statecraft in his head. He was born knowing all of it. No one ever taught him. Nobody knows that every night, he dreams of a map of the realm: rivers crisscross it, cities and towns dot it like stars, and the borders between the nations slowly shift. He only wants to keep up his act until he's fifteen, receive his princely title, and take his mother and consort to enjoy a carefree life in his fief. Unfortunately, fate has other plans. When a great flood strikes Ye Province and the court descends into chaos, he is copying books in the corridor and casually remarks, "What's there to argue about?" His father promptly drags him into the throne room. From then on, his days of hiding his abilities are over. The Qi envoy makes trouble? He finds a lowly musician hanging around beneath a wall and has him wipe the floor with the Eastern Sea Qin Sect. Embezzlement runs rampant? He goes undercover at a river works project, and one ledger exposes three corrupt officials. The struggle for the throne? While his brothers fight to the death, all he wants is to protect his mother and younger brother. Anyone who dares touch them will have their game board flipped over. Emperor Zhaoheng looks at him with both affection and suspicion. "That boy is just like I was when I was young." Hongxiao grins. "Father, I'm better-looking than you." ...Years later, on the imperial throne, someone asks, "Your Majesty, the realm is at peace. What should we do next?" Hongxiao crosses one leg over the other and swings the map of the realm in his hand. "Next? It's time I set some rules for this realm."
