Great Yong at Its Zenith

The Great Yong Dynasty has stood for a hundred and fifty years and passed through the reigns of seven emperors. It now finds itself at a delicate turning point, just as it reaches the height of its prosperity and begins to decline. The late Emperor, known as Emperor Wuzong, was ambitious and eager for glory. Though he expanded the realm, he also emptied the imperial treasury. In the twenty-three years since the current ruler, Emperor Yongxi, ascended the throne, he has championed the "Yongxi Reign of Order," easing taxes and labor demands so the people can recover. On the surface, the empire appears peaceful and prosperous.

Beneath that glittering facade, however, social classes are growing ever more entrenched, powerful interest groups are intertwined, and a contest for power is brewing beneath the surface...