Late Ming: Mountains and Rivers

In the final years of the Ming dynasty, overseas silver imports dwindled, and the flow of goods and money within the country suddenly tightened. The commercial economy and the livelihoods of small farmers alike fell into crisis. The Little Ice Age made matters worse, bringing years of famine and disaster as one domino after another fell across a country in turmoil. In the fifth year of the Chongzhen reign, roving bandits sprang up across Qin, raiding prefectures and counties. The flames of war gradually spread into Yunyang, while the Later Jin repeatedly battered the frontier walls from beyond the passes. Border defenses grew ever more costly, the government’s demands for taxes grew ever more urgent, and the people fled along the roads. The Great Ming, after more than two hundred years in power, was already tottering on the brink. Zhang Shun arrives at just this moment. The story begins in a gambling house on River Street in Yunyang Prefecture.