In the eighth month of the sixth year of Zhongping, Dong Zhuo marched into Luoyang with his troops.
A man with the heart of a wolf, he seized control of the court inside and out. He killed Empress Dowager He, deposed the young emperor Liu Bian and demoted him to the Prince of Hongnong, then falsely claimed kinship with the Empress Dowager Yongle's family and sought to enthrone Liu Xie, the Prince of Chenliu, whom Dong's own empress had raised.
But after several upheavals, Liu Bian was dead. When Dong Zhuo searched the palace, the Prince of Chenliu was nowhere to be found. The only surviving child of Emperor Ling's bloodline was a princess.
"Put the imperial robes on the 'Prince of Chenliu,'" ordered the traitor, whose robes were still stained with the emperor's blood.
The realm needed a Liu heir on the throne, and Chancellor Dong needed an obedient Prince of Chenliu.
But Dong Zhuo only realized that this serene, beautiful princess of unknown origins was not at all docile when he was finally executed in the great hall.
Liu Tao knew that in such a chaotic age, saving the people from danger would be no easy task. But when she looked back...
"I, Zhang Liao of Yanmen, pledge to lead the way for Your Majesty and give my life in your service."
"The Xun clan seeks only to assist Your Majesty, so that the flame of the Han may never die and, once extinguished, rise again."
"I once heard that Your Majesty is as still as an abyss, yet your words rumble like thunder. I have admired you for a long time. Now that I have met you, I see you truly are a sage emperor."
Before she knew it, she was surrounded by loyal ministers and generals devoted to the Han. Rebuilding the Han dynasty for the third time suddenly seemed easy.
(Well, that explains it.jpg)
Warnings:
This is a parallel world, and the author may have made things up in places, including the timeline. For example, in this version, the Prince of Chenliu Liu Xie dies from the start during the turmoil of the Ten Attendants. If that bothers you, run. This may contain elements from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, unofficial histories, and official histories alike. It has all five poisons, so don't read it for historical accuracy.
Includes original character interpretations, a male lead, and multiple love interests.
Theme: A benevolent person would never gain the world by committing one unjust act and killing one innocent person.
