The Yue Family Army: The Iron-Blooded Spirit of the Army

The novel begins with Yue Fei's birth. His first campaign comes when he joins the army at nineteen to fight the Liao. It covers virtually every major event in his life, ending with his death in prison on the trumped-up charge of “groundless accusations.” The story spans about twenty years. It features famous generals such as Zong Ze, Han Shizhong, Wu Jie, and Liu Qi, as well as members of the Wanyan family on the Jin side. Following the timeline recorded in official histories, the novel weaves together historical events connected to Yue Fei. Starting out as a common soldier, Yue Fei rises through the ranks from squad leader to centurion to commander, eventually leading an army of a hundred thousand as one of the “Four Generals of the Restoration.” His rise is the stuff of legend. The key figures around him are all real people recorded in history, including Yue Yun, Yao Zheng, Xu Qing, Wu Jie, and Niu Gao. The story also features familiar characters from historical novels, such as Tang Huai, Gao Chong, and Lu Wenlong.