Zeng Guofan goes to war to defend a fixed universe – and nearly drowns proving how unfixed his own place in it actually is. Across a single year, Hunan's most unlikely general brutally finds out that he is indeed no warrior, and consequentially must rebuild a river fleet from nothing... all while the Taiping's own capital is spared only my a mix-up with the date. By December, the Yangtze has changed hands – and a nervous throne has just learned exactly how dangerous a loyal army, and the man who built it, can become... and exactly how briefly gratitude lasts.

Time Period Covered:

Feb. – Dec. 1854 CE

Major Historical Figures:

Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:

Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864]

Yang Xiuqing, the East King [c. 1821–1856]

Wei Changhui, the North King [1823–1856]

Qin Rigang, the Yan King [1821–1856]

Shi Dakai, the Wing King [1831–1863]

Qing Dynasty:

The Xianfeng Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yinzhu) [r. 1850–1861]

Zeng Guofan, founder of the Xiang Army [1811–1872]

Taqibu, Manchu commander of the Xiang Army's land forces [d. 1855]

Peng Yulin, co-founder of the Xiang Army's naval forces [1816–1890]

Zhang Shoulin, aide who pulled Zeng Guofan from the Xiang River at Jinggang

Major Sources Cited:

Michael, Franz, and Chang Chung-li. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vol. I.

Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom.

Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan.

Kuhn, Philip A. "The Taiping Rebellion." The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10.

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