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Synopsis

After a major coalition conflict leaves China on the mend, the state of Qin struggles to stabilize amid political rivalry. Ying Zheng, respected after acting as a leader during the campaign, faces continued opposition from Buwei Lü, who intends to disrupt Zheng’s coming-of-age ceremony within eighteen months. Simultaneously, a Zhao force of 20,000 advances toward Qin. With few generals able to meet this threat, Lü suggests that Zheng assume command, but Zheng entrusts the task to his half-brother Cheng Jiao, who volunteers and is accepted because of their bond forged during the campaign. The Zhao army withdraws shortly after engaging Jiao’s troops, but this sudden retreat hints at unseen dangers, complicating Qin’s internal power struggles. In the palace, Zheng’s circle narrows: he relies mainly on General Bi, who leads 30,000 soldiers, and Xin, commander of the Fei Xin unit, as factional schemes and military uncertainty converge on the state.