Emperor of Beacon Fires

Emperor of Beacon Fires is an Eastern fantasy novel by Qidian Platinum author Rui Gen, following his novel Boundless Officialdom. Serialized on Qidian Chinese Network from August 21, 2016, and completed on January 31, 2018, it totals about 2.43 million characters. The story takes place in a transformed historical space-time: the Tang dynasty still exists, but central authority has long collapsed; the Huang Chao Rebellion is less severe than in real history; and military governors and local clans have seized the opportunity to expand. The realm has split into rival powerful commands—the Li clan of Guanzhong, the Zhu clan of Bianluo, the Shatuo Li clan of Jin, the Liu clan of Nanyang, the Yang clan of Huainan, the Qian clan of Wuyue—alongside numerous prefectural and county clans scattered like stars, with the "Six Powers and Twelve Heroes" checking one another. Jiang Feng, a history major, travels back in time and possesses Jiang Erlang, a down-and-out scout from Gushi in Guangzhou. With neither a system nor an overwhelming cheat, he can rely only on his understanding of the logic of chaotic times, his foundational knowledge of technological innovation, and his insight into human nature, rising from a lowly officer of humble birth. He first establishes his authority by defending Gushi, then navigates between the rival lords, gradually building his power through land grants to stabilize the army, salt revenues to fund troops, military reforms, and the parallel cultivation of arcane arts and martial arts. Ultimately he unifies the Huaiyou region, resists the Shatuo and Khitan in the north, restores the legitimate line of Huaxia, and founds a new dynasty. The book follows the main thread of "rising from the wilds, making his name on the battlefield, and maneuvering in the court," fusing political intrigue, military and administrative reform, and fantasy martial power into one, and stands as Rui Gen's representative work of transition into fantasy.