In the thirty-fourth year of the Jiuyan era, the Great Zhou's fortunes were at their zenith. Yet the imperial house was weak and its bloodline dwindling. The feudal lords across the provinces commanded their own armies and grew increasingly arrogant. Cangzhou and Xuzhou, in the northern frontier, had been on friendly terms for generations. Cangzhou guarded the nation's backbone, while Xuzhou protected the court's throat, keeping the northern frontier secure. Yet chaos takes shape unseen, and in the end, leaves no trace.
A Comprehensive History of Great Zhou: Biographies of the Nine Princes
