773-843 (20-90 AD) (L'Uniona Homanus)

Buildup
In the year 774 (21 AD) the Song-Tang Commonwealth had conquered what remained of the Tang resistance. They began to focus on what could be done about the refugees who were coming into the Eastern Border areas from Xi. At first they were allowed to settle freely. After the success of King Zhelin and the declaration of his new dynasty, the Song-Tang Commonwealth, which was only beginning to restart its trade with the Western world after the devastation of earlier wars, began putting the Xi refugees into ghettos outside of the cities. This move, which was a request of the Zhelin himself, would leave a sour taste in the mouths of the small town governments which had to force many women and children into scarcely developed and oppressively ruled slums.

As the economy of the Song-Tang rose, so did their spirit of independence. By the end of the year 783 (30 AD) the Song-Tang had asserted their first sovereign act against the United Kingdom, which was still dominated by King Zhelin. This was the liberation of the ghettos. This started in those areas outside of Lanzhou 兰州 the city with the largest amount of ghettos encircling it. The liberation was more of an experiment in allowing these immigrants, who were not lazy in many ways and actually worked to improve as best they were allowed the ghettos where they were huddled into, to enter the general population of the cities and contribute as they chose. The introduction of these people into the city was met in some ways initially with mistrust and disapproval from the major businesses of the region, these who sold many products to the United Kingdom which drove them out, but the Xi people began to build their own business or ally with smaller competitors. The larger businesses could have used their influence among the political families to stop these competitors but they felt so much contempt with them that they weren’t a concern. Almost immediately, the businesses began to expand.

By trading with the Western world, and avoiding the United Kingdom, the silks and the porcelains of Song-Tang could reach as far as Rome. The Commonwealth, after seeing the growth in Lanzhou, began to free all of the ghettos around all of their cities; much to the disapproval of the United Kingdom. The establishment businesses did not stop altogether. Many in the United Kingdom were encouraging people to purchase products from these businesses and to also express the sentiment that the Xi should never be allowed into their business.

Money from all the other kingdoms was proving to be much more than that of the United Kingdom. The King Zhelin began to mobilize, in the last years of his life, a large offensive to unite the Song-Tang commonwealth with the United Kingdom, and eliminate the Xi people. The Kingdom of Bei, which used to be the most powerful kingdom in Sinica, adopted this plan immediately because of expectations of money and trade that would rebuild the sputtering kingdom. The new alliance was celebrated by the people as the best way for them to create employment and glory for their kingdom. The discontented people were satiated momentarily by the prospect of a new war to create factory jobs making gunpowder, grenades, and bullets. The Kingdom of Nan and the Srivijaya were almost enamored with each other and the public sentiment towards the Japanese began to turn to one of forgiveness and alliance. With this, the Kingdom of Nan did not accept the move of Zhelin.

Being the impressive orator that he was, Zhelin’s last speech was a rally against the Song-Tang commonwealth including such accusations as being ungrateful and deserving of punishment. Also in his speech, as he and the people all knew he was approaching his end, he declared his young son, a Sergent of twenty-six, named He Keqiang 贺克強 his successor and also left him in leadership of the combined forces of the United Kingdom and Bei. Zhelin died in the year 788 (35 AD) and the war began with his burial.

The First Battles: When it was simple
Beginning in 788 (35 AD) the Kingdom of Bei moved in from the North, around what was the mountains of Xi but now a dominion of the United Kingdom, and started to attack industrial centers to cut down the military of Song-Tang in the beginning to prevent them from making any great gains. The knowledge of the industries of Song-Tang was flawed and underestimated the scope of the development made by Song-Tang in recent years.

The Push down from the North of the Xi mountains was combined with the United Kingdom, and their King Keqiang, leading his army into the enemy lands South of the peaks of the formerly proud and wealthy kingdom. The Bei troops, coming from a kingdom which had been suffering in recent years, were very sensitive to defeat as well as victory and the Song-Tang took advantage of this deficit in morale. They moved back into the lands taken by Bei and stormed their camps around the cities and on what was the former border lands.

The Kingdom of Bei proved to be a rather ineffective ally for the United Kingdom, whatever sort of rise in the economic status of the Kingdom was faltering and it would take more effort to effect the Song-Tang and the general population. The King of Bei, King Cao Zhao 曹昭 had only ruled for two years and was doing what he could to keep the people satisfied. They weren’t effective however. After the reversing of the course of the battle on the border between Song-Tang and Bei against his country, Cao Zhao made a peace treaty with the King of Song-Tang and kept his borders secured.

This did not win over the Bei people but the money which had poured into Bei from the United Kingdom was used to make new monuments and to repair degrading infrastructure in the Kingdom. The United Kingdom was too involved with the Song-Tang to fight the Bei who were using the money meant to go to the fighting of the Commonwealth forces. While this was happening the Srivijaya Empire and the Nan Kingdom were being coerced by the Japanese to take advantage of this opportunity to expand themselves. The Srivijaya, having much larger plans in mind, declined the offer and the Nanese King, King Zhao 昭, took on the task suggested by the Japanese but rather than both trying to take on the same enemy, they chose to split of the offensive between Song-Tang and the United Kingdom. The First Japanese troops landed on the United Kingdom harbors in the year 791 (39 AD).

A More Complex War
With the introduction of the Nanese troops, who had become more confident in themselves due to recent reforms made by Kings after the Great Sinican War, into the Song-Tang Commonwealth presented many problems for the country which had so recently been reunited. The Tang Resistance, which had been for the most part neutralized by the Song-Tang Army, met up with the army of Nan to form not only problems from an outside force but also allowing growth to start again among a movement of native people. The United Kingdom was at first pleased by this development and appreciated the movement they were able to make into the Commonwealth after they divided their army to face both enemies.

As the Kingdom of Nan went to take the Song-Tang, the Japanese Empire was preparing to take the coast of Asia which it had attacked so many times before. Emperor Riku 陸, who was another one of the new Kings who was looking for a grandiose display of the power of his army to set his name in the Annals of History, was looking for the most expedient route into the United Kingdom. Because he was not attacking the Kingdom of Bei he was not able to go into the Bohai Sea as was the favored path of the Japanese forces, the cities there being very developed and strategic in a larger plan to take on the other Sinican coastal cities. The Kingdom of Bei and the Japanese were on safe diplomatic ground in recent years and, with the recent revival of the Bei economy, was proving fruitful for both nations. The city of Shanghai, which had grown into a powerful city only shortly after the accension of King Zhao Chuan, the victor of the Great Sinican War and also a Shanghai native, who made the small swamp community in which he was raised into one of the most prosperous and economically active cities in the Eastern World.

Riku wanted that gem in his crown and he launched the largest strategic invasion from Japan and onto the surrounding areas of the city, rather than attack it directly. Outside of the suburbs was mostly pasture lands which were irrigated by the Yellow River Delta. The Japanese chose to attempt to draw out the troops in the fortifications of the city and fight them on the pastures. The destruction to these crop areas, even if the battles against the Sinicans weren’t successful, would still devastate the city population and weaken its troops. So the Japanese forces landing on the shores around Shanghai began a slash-and-burn technique allowing no people to escape. The fear that was struck in the hearts of the surrounding villages and the troops of Shanghai which were coming out to meet the Japanese won them a victory not only in the areas around Shanghai but in the stories of destruction that spread with the refugees. When the Shanghainese regiments shocked and awed into defeat, one of the largest cities of the United Kingdom was now in the hands of the Japanese Empire by the start of the year 793 (41 AD), just two years after the operation had begun.

The Battle of Chengdu
In the Song-Tang Commonwealth, the King had not yet received word of the destruction that was taking place in the homeland and was still unclear on the motivations that the Kingdom of Nan held in assisting the United Kingdom, as they had rejected such action earlier. The Song-Tang and the Resistance/Nanese troops were pushing closer and closer into the Commonwealth and the lines of battle were closing in on the large city of Chengdu 成都, a center of industry and politics in the country. The same goal was being pursued by the United Kingdom forces but there seemed to be no deference given by the Nanese commanders or the Resistance leadership to King Keqiang or any UK general.

The lack of battle on the Norther part of the Commonwealth prompted the leaders to bring down the armies from Xining 西宁 and Lanzhou 兰州, the larger cities in the Song part of the Song-Tang Commonwealth. The Nan troops and the Tang Resistance as well as the reinforcements from the Northern Commonwealth all met together along with the United Kingdom armies led by King Keqiang. The other troops from these kingdoms were tied up in smaller conflicts and were trying to move them to the centers of the military action in Chengdu in the hopes that the greater access to men would beat back the smaller regiments and make the war simpler. The cluster in Chengdu made it decisive to any advancement that could be made. As the King was preparing to move into the city, where the Nanese and the Commonwealth forces had been battling for a few days already, he received the news of the capture of Shanghai and how the Japanese were poised to move out from there.

Keqiang decided to continue to pursue the city of Chengdu as the other cities still had, in his opinion, more than enough troops to at least stall any advance of the Japanese into his Kingdom. Keqiang moved in through the southern part of the city, the same way the Nanese were entering, and attacked the from behind. In this fray he captured many Nanese officers and interrogated them thoroughly in the UK camp outside the city. As the Song-Tang reinforcements and the nanese reinforcements came into the city shortly after these captures the UK forces were, shockingly to the other armies, withdrawn to the encampment and the Song-Tang and Nanese/Resistance forces continued the battle, which was mounting bodies in the markets of Chengdu.

As it became apparent that the city was becoming a stalemate on both sides the Nanese began to, secretly, redraw their battle plans and circumvent the Song-Tang and continue a push north. As this was happening the UK forces moved in to the Song-Tang and did so with enough number to seem as if they were preparing to battle. This made the Nanese stop to see the advance which could be made by King Keqiang and perhaps an opportunity for the Nanese to come in and take the Song-Tang. The nanese continued to believe that the United Forces and the Nanese were fighting together, though not with any real communications.

The King of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth met for the first time, an action which rarely occurred in the Sinican Kingdoms. King Keqiang explained the motives of the Nanese, which was also not understood by the Commonwealth leadership. The Japanese and the Nanese were working together to try and take Sinica for themselves King Zhao of Nan and Emperor Riku of Japan were the center of the death and destruction being seen around them. As the two leaders discussed what they could do, the Nan troops were beginning to lose interest and move around the unmoving group of soldiers. At this same time, from the tents of the King emerged King Keqiang to announce the peace between these two Kingdoms. The United Kingdom Forces and the Song-Tang moved out to take on the Nanese. After driving them out of Chengdu, they moved to force a capitulation or annihilation.

Another Turning Point
Once the offensive against Nan came to their ante bellum borders, they capitulated to the Song-Tang and to the United Kingdom. This did not, however, would not satisfy the thirst for blood that was coming out from the leadership of both of these Coutnries. The Kingdom of nan, who had been building impressive defenses of their borders for generations, was going to be attacked by more numerous and more powerful forces, as they always feared. The several walls of Nan, which were at one time considered one of the most impressive in Sinica, even more so than the Great Wall of Bei, were being attacked by the explosives and soldiers of both the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. The news sent back to the Homeland was met with mixed reception.

The Japanese began moving up the Yangtze River 長江 and had taken the cities of Nanjing 南京 and Wuhan 武汉, and were beginning to attack Chongqing 重庆. The Largest river in the United Kingdom, the Yangtze river was a major source of fertilization for the cities around it and it capture was already disrupting the other cities of the Kingdom.

Once King Zhao of Nan was killed in the year 796 (44 AD), the Kingdom of Nan was placed under the governorship of a cut-off regiment led by the brother of King Keqiang. Governor Guangmei 光美 would take control of the, formerly, most well-defended Kingdom in Sinica an give it to his brother. The origin of the Yangtze river in the Song-Tang Commonwealth was the source of a naval force that would move in with the United Kingdom Forces and push them back into the sea. When the King arrived in Chongqing he saw the Song-Tang already there and moved to Wuhan which was falling apart trying to reinforce itself, as were all the conquered cities on the Yangtze. Wuhan, Chongqing and Nanjing were taken quickly, but Shanghai was still a stronghold for the Japanese military.

The war torn men of the Kings army were in need of rest but were commanded to fight. The sluggish movement of the troops would be no match for the Japanese, but if they camped too close then the Japanese would take them in their most weakened state, or perhaps while they were sleeping. The Japanese prepared to force themselves through and murder the King of the United Kingdom and, they hoped, the morale of the country would decline so that the rest of Sinica would be easily taken by their armies.

The Second Battle of Shanghai and the final complications.
As the Japanese prepared to move out of Shanghai, the King’s army was beginning to move into it. The battle lasted for more than a week before the Song-Tang moved in to support Keqiang. The attempts by the Japanese to move around Shanghai, like they did when they first attacked the city, were thwarted by the navy of Guangmei from Nan, who moved out of Hong Kong to assist the fight against the Japanese. The naval battles between Guangmei and the Japanese and the land attacks of Keqiang were beginning to have some effect on the islanders advance on the continent. With the last Japanese taken out off the picture the Sinican Kingdoms were at their most united, though also their most devastated. The Song-Tang King and the King of the Untied Kingdom were able to settle terms to allow the incorporation of Song and Tang into the United Kingdom. With Nan now a dominion of the UK the last of the foreign soldiery of Japan was back on the islands where they came from.

The different kingdoms were not strongly united, especially after being so devastated from war. The Japanese only lost a fraction of their military and were by no means ready to surrender. The separation of the Nan government by Guangmei made it vulnerable to invasion by the opportunists in the Srivijaya and Japanese spheres. Rather than pass up the opportunity the Srivijaya and the Japanese began to move into Hainan and Hong Kong, similar attractions which made Keqiang’s mission far from over.

Japanese soldiers moved in to avenge their fallen brothers in the south. From Taiwan to Luzon and the Ryukyu islands came soldiers ready to further the pride and name of their, still very popular, Emperor. Guangmei, having only been partially involved in the conflict, was sent to the south with enough of a military power to keep the Japanese and Srivijaya from taking any important amount of land. UK and the Commonwealth generals rallied around the impressive oration of Keqiang and appealed to be allowed to fight the Japanese.

Keqiang sent his military into the south after hearing of the capture of Hong Kong, despite attempts by Guangmei. He himself moved into the north and allowed the Commonwealth King to lead against the Japanese. The two leaders had been growing apart after the victory in Shanghai and they were both fearing that one would overpower the other. This gesture allowed the Commonwealth to provide, alone, its leadership in the cause against the outside invaders.

Keqiang moved into the Kingdom of Bei, with a small regiment, on what he called a diplomatic mission. Once Keqiang was in the palace with the King of Bei, Cao Zhao, was surprised to find the, now famous, King in his Kingdom. Keqiang wanted to settle the betrayal that Cao Zhao had committed at the beginning of the war. The infirm ground that the Beinese found themselves at the beginning of the conflict between the United Kingdom and Song-Tang. The Bei military was stronger and so were the other parts of the Kingdom. Cao Zhao had made his reign defined by development and growth but he was anxious for the most impressive of actions which are done by Kings, success in battle.

The Bei army combined with the troops left behind in Shanghai, after the Song-tang generals were ordered down to Nan. The Bei and the remaining UK forces moved into Taiwan and began a campaign of taking on the Japanese directly.

The Battle for Taiwan was, at first, a victory for the Sinicans and struck a major blow to the Japanese, who were then forced to abandon the front in the, former, territory of Nan and this allowed the Srivijaya to be beaten back to their original land, which the generals did not want to violate and further cause war. Japanese forces from the mainland were moving on to Taiwan only to discover that the Sinicans had already left. The destruction that ensued from the new weapons of the Sinicans would scar the island for years.

Grenades and missiles had been combined to rain a shower of grenades after a single missile is launched into the air. The inability to defend from these attacks and the confusion of their arrival made a profound effect on the Japanese. They were launched from boats far off shore so they could not be stopped by ground troops. The same that was being done on Taiwan could befall the other islands of Japan. They began immediately calling for a peace with the King of the United Kingdom, who was producing these weapons. The treaty of Taipei, in a makeshift tent, as all the buildings were unsuitable for habitation, sealed the peace between King Keqiang and the Empire of Japan. The only change in the geography of the country was in Hainan, which was still held by Japanese troops. This issue would not be addressed by the Sinican treaty.

The Crimson Empire and the Second Han Dynasty
With the peace finally arriving in the continent, the King of the Commonwealth as well as Keqiang and Cao Zhao came together in the year 800 (48 AD) to declare their joining of the United Kingdom under King Keqiang, who was then named Emperor in the same year. Cao Zhao and the Commonwealth Kings declared themselves Co-regents and proceeded to rebuild their new Empire.

The regents though were beginning to create conflict in the new country as soon as they had concluded peace. Keqiang, being the most well known of the leadership, was made Emperor but spent much of his time building a new palace in Wuhan, which would also be the center of the military of the new Empire. The Cao Zhao moved back to Beijing, where he would spend the rest of his life administering the government of the Bei Province of the new Empire. Guangmei reached out to the people of the Empire through his connection to his brother. The replanting of crops, a job which he had been taught to do as a child of King Zhelin, especially in the areas that were burned by the Japanese was the central mission of Guangmei. This left the Commonwealth King and Keqiang as the main rulers in the Empire, a system which managed to function until the year 812 (60 AD) when the question of succession came up.

The Council of the new Empire, consisting of all 280 dukes of the several kingdoms, those which weren’t killed in the war, was split into several nationalistic factions and was unable to conclude a decision. The Commonwealth King, who was still the co-regent at this time, killed Emperor Keqiang in his sleep in the palace and claimed it was a peaceful death. This struck fear into the still only twelve year old dynasty. So many questions arose so quickly. How would they govern themselves? Would the Japanese or the Srivijaya move to invade after their greatest general had died? Would Sinica become separate Kingdoms again? Would the Commonwealth King be able to rule effectively?

The answer came after Guangmei, who had been staying in the newly completed palace in Wuhan at the time of his brother’s death, moved into the Council chamber next to the palace and gave a candid speech on the murder of his brother and the threat of factions to the new kingdom.

"這個新帝國不得染的緋紅色血那些誰就會背叛它. 我們已經建立了自己從戰爭的灰燼，成為最有潛力的機智帝國歷史. 現在我們有更多的機會比我們在時間的舊帝國或者當我們有分歧. 我鼓勵所有的你不要看這個逆賊[國王宋唐]作為您的領導者，而是放眼未來，大膽向世界宣告，我們應當記住大陸的正義與和平，我們會帶來什麼. 春天的和平應像一條河從非常低的農民這個國家. 在這個新王朝的和平，從古老的祖先之一，應僅蓬勃發展，如果我們現在決定的方向，加強對未來並沒有被拆除的小區別歷史爭吵. "

“This new Empire shall not be stained by the Crimson blood of those who would betray it. We have built ourselves from the ashes of war to become the Empire wit the most potential in History. We have more opportunity now than we did in the time of the old Empire or when we were divided. I encourage all of you not to look at this usurper [the King of Song-Tang] as your leader but to look to the future and declare boldly to the world that our continent shall remember the justice and peace that we will bring. The Peace that shall spring like a river from the very lowest peasant of this country. The Peace of this new dynasty, descended from the ancient one, shall only thrive if we decide now to step in the direction of the future and not be torn down by the petty difference of Historical quarrels.”

Guangmei was given the task of killing the usurper Emperor and taking the crown to rule the new Empire. The Council became a solidified group which worked to make Sinica the most powerful in the world. This single mind led to the growth of this Emperor which would last until the end of his life in the year 832 (90 AD) at the age of 62. His dynasty would continue and his memory would shape the whole continent.