Ming

Biodata

Background / History

Ming belongs to an alternate Divine Continent whose history diverged after the fall of Great Qin. Centuries of upheaval produced six rival nations—Han, Sui, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing—with smaller states surviving between them. Ming itself endured centuries of warfare; General Qi Jiguang, celebrated for fighting Japanese pirates, is remembered as one of the national heroes who helped preserve it 1 11.

To confront the northern threat, Emperor Chengzu moved the capital to Beiping and established Shuntian Prefecture. This embodied the principle that “the Son of Heaven guards the nation’s gates,” but the dynasty’s finances later proved insufficient to sustain effective retaliation against repeated raids 16.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard dates to the Hongwu Emperor’s reign. Its influence declined after the East Depot’s establishment, particularly under Wei Zhongxian, when even its personnel appointments depended on the depot’s approval. Emperor Tianqi removed Wei Zhongxian from his position ten years before the opening events 6 8.

Geography and Important Locations

Northwestern Frontier

• Territorial boundary: The desert beyond Dragon Gate Pass is not Ming territory; it nominally belongs to Great Yuan. Blackwater City, the former capital of the Great White Upper Kingdom, lies within it 16 36.
• Defence: Dragon Gate Pass maintains a year-round garrison despite relatively few tribal incursions through the sparsely settled desert 21.
• Military oversight: Embroidered Uniform Guard agents secretly monitor the garrison commander to prevent him from building an independent power base 21.
• Trade and travel: Merchant caravans cross the desert to trade with Ming. Travellers may leave the pass after proving their identity, but Ming accepts no responsibility for their safety beyond it 22.

Government and Political Institutions

The emperor is the ultimate source of the depots’ authority. Their leaders answer directly to him, and even Yu Huatian’s extensive powers do not free him from imperial control. Ming law nevertheless prohibits eunuchs from participating in government affairs 10 12 13.

The East and West Depots were originally established to deal with martial-world forces. Their overlapping powers also create internal competition: Dragon Guard Mountain Villa claims jurisdiction over threats to Ming’s stability, while Yu Huatian rejects its authority over his independently commissioned West Depot 10 16.

Succession and Court Factions

• Prince Xin, Zhu Youjian: The emperor’s younger brother and most likely successor under Ming law because Tianqi has no children. He maintains a public low profile while secretly recruiting officials, including Lu Wenzhao 8 15.
• Zhu Wushi: Secretly gathers evidence against leading generals to gain control of the realm’s armies and pursue rebellion 8 11.
• Consort Wan: The emperor’s most favoured concubine and an important source of palace support for Yu Huatian 4 17.
• Yu Huatian: Seeks to become Ming’s “uncrowned king,” bringing both the court and martial world under his control rather than remaining dependent on imperial patronage 11 17 49.

Economy and Civilian Conditions

• Depleted treasury: Repeated disasters generate requests for relief that the emperor cannot fully fund. Assistance is prioritised for the worst-hit regions 19.
• Displacement: Many commoners abandon their homes and become refugees as disasters accumulate 19.
• Cost of war: Ming’s lack of money limits its ability to punish northern raiders, who withdraw when retaliation is prepared 16.
• Official corruption: Lu Xiaofeng attributes much of Ming’s instability to corrupt officials withholding the truth from the emperor. Tianqi himself worries that disaster reports may be fraudulent and plans to inspect conditions personally 19 49.
• Treasure recovery: The Great White Upper Kingdom’s wealth offers a potential answer to Ming’s financial crisis. Lu Xiaofeng hopes the recovered gold will support refugees, but its actual allocation is not established in the supplied chapters 16 43 49 50.

Martial World

Ming’s martial factions are powerful enough to undermine ordinary law enforcement. In one reported Jiangnan incident, a martial gathering caused civilian deaths, yet the court’s investigators accepted compensation rather than confront the participants 2.

• Sword rankings: Ming has a ranking of Ten Greatest Swordsmen; Sword God Xie Xiaofeng holds fifth place 18 42.
• Exceptional masters: Xie Xiaofeng reportedly killed a Great Grandmaster while still a Grandmaster. Zhu Wushi’s earlier exploits established his reputation as Ming’s God of War 18.
• Highest realms: Yu Huatian’s inherited knowledge identifies no Heavenly Realm Land Immortals in Ming. Known Great Grandmasters are rarely seen, and he considers Zhang Sanfeng a likely source of guidance 1 48.
• Divided loyalties: Martial factions oppose one another and the court, but Yuan Zhen expects them to unite against an external Mongolian enemy 36.

Foreign Relations

• Great Yuan: Ming’s principal northern threat. Repeated raids devastate civilian communities, while Zhao Min openly advocates a future Yuan conquest of the Divine Continent 16 44.
• Great Qing: An eastern rival described as watching Ming opportunistically 16.
• Great Song: A western rival whose court and martial world ordinarily have little contact with Ming’s. Its Four Great Constables ally with the Bright Moon Cult during the treasure struggle 16 31.
• Western Xia: Helian Tieshu and First-Class Hall experts join Zhao Min at Blackwater City. When defeated, Helian offers to keep Western Xia from opposing Ming in exchange for his life 44 45.
• Inter-dynastic restrictions: Tianqi initially avoids deploying troops while foreign courts have not openly intervened. Zhao Min later accuses Ming’s desert deployment of violating a pact among the great dynasties 16 45.

Story Role / Major Arcs

East Depot Power Struggle

Wan Yulou’s death triggers a contest for the East Depot leadership. Yu Huatian intervenes and kills Zhao Jingzhong and Liu Xi, frustrating Zhu Wushi’s plan to install Liu Xi. Officials petition for the depot’s dissolution, but Tianqi instead appoints Cao Zhengchun and orders the two depots to cooperate 1 5 12 13.

Yu Huatian then targets the Embroidered Uniform Guard, using compulsory transfers, threats, and killings to secure the Northern Pacification Office commanders’ obedience. The emperor subsequently approves his use of the Guard for the treasure mission 17 19.

Great White Upper Kingdom Treasure Expedition

Tianqi commissions the West Depot to recover the treasure, with assistance from Dragon Guard Mountain Villa. At Dragon Gate Inn, Yu Huatian’s forces devastate the assembled martial factions, leaving them unable to contest his expedition effectively 16 32 36 38.

At Blackwater City, Jiang Yan arrives with thirty thousand Dragon Gate Pass troops. Yu Huatian defeats Zhao Min’s poisoned Yuan and Western Xia contingent, kills Zhao Min, and orders the gold removed. The West Depot fleet later returns with the treasure 44 45 50.

Imperial Accident and Renewed Intrigue

On returning, Yu Huatian learns that Tianqi fell into the water during a boat excursion and became ill. He suspects Lu Wenzhao’s involvement, but that suspicion is not confirmed. Meanwhile, Cao Zhengchun expects the martial factions injured during the expedition to retaliate against the West Depot 50.