A warrior prince ambushes his brothers at Xuanwu Gate, takes the throne, and becomes one of imperial China's most celebrated rulers. Yet the court of Li Shimin-Emperor Taizong-still contains Wei Zheng, the outspoken adviser who once served the brother he killed. From the wars that founded the Tang to the contested glories of the Zhenguan era and the failed siege of Ansi, this immersive historical narrative follows a ruler of brilliance and bloodshed: a commander who knew when to wait, an emperor who made remonstrance a tool of government, a father who could not master his own succession, and a conqueror who reached the limits of power.
A warrior prince ambushes his brothers at Xuanwu Gate, takes the throne, and becomes one of imperial China's most celebrated rulers. Yet the court of Li Shimin-Emperor Taizong-still contains Wei Zheng, the outspoken adviser who once served the brother he killed. From the wars that founded the Tang to the contested glories of the Zhenguan era and the failed siege of Ansi, this immersive historical narrative follows a ruler of brilliance and bloodshed: a commander who knew when to wait, an emperor who made remonstrance a tool of government, a father who could not master his own succession, and a conqueror who reached the limits of power.