Silent Chang'an

This is the sixth book in the Last Princess series. The heroine is Li Yi, the last Princess Pingyuan of the late Tang dynasty. Historical records say very little about her, mentioning only that she was forced to marry Song Kan, the son of Li Maozhen, military governor of Fengxiang, who had been granted the imperial surname. But while she was newly married, Zhu Quanzhong, the military governor of Xuanwu, whose forces were stronger, forced Li Maozhen to send her back to Chang'an. The historical records say nothing about whether she and Song Kan fell in love during their brief marriage, or whether she remarried after returning to her imperial parents. This leaves the author of this book ample room for invention.

Although the book touches on Princess Pingyuan's love life, that is not its focus. More than anything, it uses the princess's experiences to depict one tragedy after another as Zhu Quanzhong persecuted the Tang imperial family during his usurpation of the dynasty, along with the upheaval from the Later Liang to the Later Tang. These events are often glossed over in history textbooks, but they deserve a closer look. I hope that as readers mourn the fall of the glorious Tang dynasty, they will treasure the peaceful times they have today even more!

This period of history is full of unbelievable events. By following the broad lines of the historical record and adding a touch of drama, the book brings them vividly to life. Alongside the leads' love across distance and their enmity between nations and families, the tragic romance of the two supporting characters, Zhu Yougui and Zhang Zhenniang, who live and die together, will also deeply move readers. I'm sure this plot-driven historical novel will win readers' praise!

Theme: Portraying how the turmoil of the late Tang left people so powerless, and highlighting the value of a stable society.