The Shatuo people submitted to the Tang in the Zhenguan era. From then on, they guarded the empire's borders and fought across the land, becoming an ironclad force to be reckoned with amid the chaos of the late Tang. In the first year of Guangming, the court grew wary of the Shatuo's strength. After treacherous officials framed them, the Tang court ordered a large army to wipe out their tribes. Li Keyong and his father were defeated and fled to the Tatars with the remnants of their forces. The Shatuo people's foundation was all but destroyed, marking the beginning of their desperate struggle for survival in a time of chaos.
The Tang empire was already in turmoil. Regional warlords carved up the realm, and Huang Chao's rebellion swept through the Central Plains as rival powers eyed the throne. The Shatuo exiles had to evade pursuit by both the court and hostile warlords, while rallying their former followers and rebuilding their strength, struggling to survive in the cracks between greater powers. With his wise wife Liu Shi at his side, Li Keyong came to his senses and worked tirelessly to restore the Shatuo cavalry. He helped the Tang suppress Huang Chao's rebellion, but incurred the undying hatred of Zhu Wen, setting off the bloody struggle for supremacy between Liang and Jin. Through battle after battle, the Shatuo grew in strength and became a decisive force shaping the late Tang era.
Theme: The arduous journey of the Shatuo people from exile to rise, set against a turbulent age of court suspicion, warlord rivalries, and internal power struggles.
