Introduction
Following the successful colonization of the South-East Pacific Islands and the Western Coast of Arcadia, the Ming dynasty fell into a period of economic disaster and social disorder. The economic burdens came in turn from these successful colonies, which were dependent on continual shipment of supplies from the homeland, and the increase spending on the Imperial Army. The Imperial Court and the Dragon Emperor instituted a new system of taxes that bled the people of all but the absolute least amount of gold and rice they could live off of. This was only suficient to continue to pay for the colonies and the Imperial Court's coffers, leaving the Imperial Army out to dry.
Both the peasants and the Imperial Soldiers began protests throughout the Kingdom. The Ming Emperor quickly had dispatches sent to acting Generals and Warlords with order to put down these protests, and many were obeyed. Blood flowed down the streets of the Middle Kingdom, as thousands died defending themselves and their lively hood from the Imperial butchers.
This senseless slaughter encouraged 2 disgruntled Warlords, angered at the intensity of the killings, to break away from the Ming Dynasty and form their own Kingdoms, the Shun and Daxi. They quickly speard their influence and gained much territory from the now crumbling Ming Dynasty, with the Shun now even marching on Beijing. The capital of the Ming Dynasty was taken, and the Imperial Court and the Emperor forced into exile while this new threat was dealt with.
Away from the interior of China however, with cease of supplies from the mainland, the colonies that had been set up in the Pacific and Arcadia quickly shook off the shackles of Ming control and established Republics. Inter-marriage and disease quickly wiped out the local populations of these colonies until only the decendents of these colonists were left. These new democracies would quickly expand, and unite in their respective areas to counter the threat of increasing European contact.
Back in China, after years of shun occupation, the Ming Dynasty was able to take back control of Beijing and its neighboring counties, with the help of a large peasant force and the backing of Manchurian mercenaries. The Manchurian's siding with the Ming after their disaterous attempt to unite the steppes of Mongolia showed their inadequacies in the art of warfare. Zheng Chenggong, a former Imperial Navy Admiral, quickly showed his allegiance by gathering a navy of those who shared his views, and launching his own war against the naval forces of the Ming and Manchurians. Chenggong quickly became a hero across the land to those oppressed and many joined his force. Though Chenggong's efforts greatly aided the Shun's war effort, it would be all for naught as Beijing eventually fell to the combinded forces of the Ming and Manchurians.
Chenggong, dissatisfied with this outcome, decided to unite the land under his own banner and set forth with his navy to Taiwan. He hoped to use Taiwan as a base to train his troops and launch attacks onto the mainland, and so an attack was launched against the Dutch troops stationed on the island. In less than a year, Fort Provintia was captured, and siege laid unto Fort Zeelandia. The Dutch Governor quickly capitulated, and the Kingdom of Tungning was established with Zheng Chenggong as its King.
Statue of our proud founder, Zheng Chenggong.
Several decades pass, with the peace between the Ming and Manchurians ending after a incident that saw the Capital of the former Ming Dynasty, Beijing, fall to the Manchurian hordes, and the Ming government moving to Nanjing, and the Tungning expanding into the Northern Philipine Islands. The Christian converts of the mainland however, angered after years of persecution by the Ming, rise up against the Dynasty, anf form their own Kingdom, The Holy Kingdom of Taiping. They quickly take ground out from under the Ming and reduce the Dynasty to just a cordon of provinces around the Capital. This is when the current King of the Tungning, Zheng Bei, decides to strike and re-asert his Kingdom's influence onto the mainland.
The Taiping, with their 3 "Holy" Armies, were continously pushing the Ming armies back into their cordon when the Tungning striked. Landing on the coast, the Tungning's smaller, but better equiped, army encircled the Taiping's Army of the Cross and wiped it out to the last man. Ripple's were quickly seen throughout the Taiping military as the illusion of Holy Mandate was crashed to the ground. A "white" peace was signed between all 3 powers as the Taiping were realing from the destruction of the Army of the Cross, and the Ming did not have the strength to utilize this advantage.
The year is now 1836, and the Tungnig have a foothold on the Continent. Will Bei be able to see his ancestor's dream into fuitition, or will the Tungning be nothing but a foothold in this chaotic time?
The holdings of the Kingdom on the mainland, Tungning, and the Northern Philipines.