Old Mountains and Rivers

In the thirteenth year of the Shenhe era, Emperor Hui of Qi passed away. Crown Prince Zhao Yi ascended the throne and changed the era name to Mingbao. At the time, the court of Qi was beset by troubles at home and abroad, with rival powers all around. The Chief Eunuch Song Yi held complete control of the government, leaving Emperor Zhao Yi a mere puppet. The following year, the new emperor, who had been on the throne for less than three months, suddenly died. With no other choice, his younger brother Zhao Heng was pushed onto the throne.

Pei Qing, Marquis of Changping; Song Yi, the Chief Eunuch; and Lu Yuan, General Who Conquers the West: these three forces in the capital kept one another in check. Caught between their rivalries, Zhao Heng struggled to survive, clinging to a small corner of power.

But after the Marquis of Changping died and the Chief Eunuch Song Yi was thrown into prison, the balance between the three forces was suddenly shattered. General Lu Yuan, who commanded the army, used the emperor to control the feudal lords, and his wolfish ambition was plain for all to see.

At that moment, Pei Yan, son of the Marquis of Changping, led his troops back to the capital...

Within the imperial city, two families contended for power, and the Zhao dynasty teetered on the brink of collapse...