Voice of the Empire- The Dawn of a Dynasty

February 17, 3597/3657 (960 A.D.)

Yesterday, Zhao Kingpin invaded the city of Kaifeng with his troops to seize power over the empire. This marks the beginning of the “Sung” dynasty. Although these have been turbulent times, Zhao, a former warrior who is now a general, promises that “I will rule… and heaven shall smile.”
Within hours of his marching into the imperial palace, Zhao has already claimed the throne for himself. His arrival means another unification of China under imperial rule. However, there remain several “rebellious” states. When asked about it, one of Zhao’s top advisors said, “We do not want this. These states must be brought under control. Otherwise, peace will not be attained. Zhao plans to do this through negotiations. Nobody wants bloodshed. Especially not Zhao.”
Looking back at the history books, this has been quite an unusual change in power. No lives have been lost. Though there is no official ruling family, the ones that were found in Kaifeng are being treated very fairly. None have been exiled or executed. This takeover has been strictly political.
Some of Zhao’s most loyal supporters have reported that the only reason that he is in the position of control is because of the generals that were unhappy with the recent warring states. They wanted power, so they helped Zhao. Now there are rumors circulating of him planning to depose of his (potential) enemies. How he plans to do this is unknown.
The mood in Kaifeng today is quite normal. There is no rioting, looting, robbery. Life goes on for the residents as though nothing has happened. When a peasant was asked about this new leader, he was dumb-founded. He new nothing of the takeover, as did most of the people in the countryside. For those who heard though, they are undisturbed. Ching Xi (a wheat farmer) had this to say: “Me? I care not about this emperor. I care that thieves do not rob me and that I pay less taxes. If this happens, I will be content.” Still, others are ecstatic. These are people who are “sick of the endless and pointless fighting.” They are glad that they are united once more.

However, Zhao is not without critics- many influential people oppose him. They question his credentials, asking “Why not us?” In response, Zhao released a document stating his military history, record, and awards. In the event that his personal life is questioned, Zhao is prepared to be “perfectly honest and outright” in his answers.