THE MIDDLE KINGDOM

The epic story of how one man, detached from his people, can lead a prosperous and unified empire to its demise.

After four centuries of war, the Middle Kingdom is unified and at peace. But age-old feuds between clans live on, and the young emperor declares war on a fiercely independent northern territory. This war, fought purely for glory, plunges the kingdom into chaos, and the emperor into madness.

From the disorder, treason, revenge, and opportunity for independence arise. The great Li clan, who have always been loyal to the imperial family, must choose whether to betray the emperor for the good of the dynasty. The beautiful Meying, a princess married to the leader of the nomads, must decide whether to side with her lawful family and wage war on the Middle Kingdom; or return to the mad emperor’s court. A young peasant defects from the army only to find his village destroyed and his family murdered – he joins a band of other deserters, to terrorize the powers that be. And the empress faces a terrible question: will she sacrifice her husband to save her family?