Sui Yangdi (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Wang Xiang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: In the late 6th century, after the Jin Dynasty, China had been divided into two regimes along the Yangtze River for nearly three centuries. The split between the Northern and Southern Dynasties had reached a precarious state, teetering on the brink of collapse. Yang Jian, a key minister of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, seized the opportunity to support the young emperor, issued a false imperial decree, and usurped the throne, establishing the Sui Dynasty and changing the era name to Kaigang. Eight years later, he launched a military campaign against the Chen Dynasty, pacified the southern region, and reunified the nine provinces of China, marking a new chapter in Chinese history.
Against this backdrop of great turmoil, this book portrays the passionate yet tragic life of Yang Guang. At the age of thirteen, he was enfeoffed as Prince of Jin and sent to govern Bingzhou. Later, at his father's command, he repelled the Turks in the north and pacified the northern frontier. At twenty, as the commander-in-chief, he led a half-million land and naval forces across the Yangtze River, defeated the Chen Dynasty, and earned great merits for unifying China. During his ten-year tenure as governor of Yangzhou, he gained a strong reputation for governance, further earning the favor and trust of his father and mother, which fueled his ambition to usurp the throne. Through cunning schemes and measures, he eventually convinced Emperor Wen of Zhou to depose his eldest son, Yang Yu, and appoint him as crown prince. When Emperor Wen grew critically ill, Yang Guang, together with several key ministers and generals, thwarted a palace coup aimed at replacing him, thereby ascending the throne and changing the era name to Daye.