All times of prosperity must break into conflict; all times of conflict must return to prosperity. For years upon years, as ages passed, the Empire declined from the era of peace it had enjoyed under Han Kiiro, and the people looked back to this age and prayed to the spirits that such an age might return to them. Sadly, such prosperity could not return without a period of stress. Several seasons of poor harvest led to unrest among the people, and had it not been for an invasion by the Oni, the people might have risen up against the Han, regardless of the will of Heaven.
At that time, the Prime Minister of Han was Dou Lü, a nephew to the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven himself, Han Tse had no heir; he had been born weak of body, but strong of mind, and in history, no tactician or scholar has been his equal. To say that he knew the Book of Seasons by heart, and that he could read the Heavens so clearly that weeks in advance, he could accurately predict both physical and spiritual occurrences months in advance is to touch only the tip of Han Tse's learning. When news of the Oni army reached him in Shangti, the Son of Heaven spoke to Dou Lü, saying, "Take an army of five-thousand of the finest men. Engage the enemy, but do so cautiously, seeking to test their strength and their strategy. When you have done this, position your men in small camps equal in distance, but have them light more fires and lanterns than needed by the small number of men, showing the enemy an illusion of strength. You yourself will come back to me and report on what you have found."
Dou Lü directed the forces just as the Son of Heaven had commanded, and though they did not win any of their engagements against the Oni, Dou Lü learned how the creatures fought, and learned of the dissention and chaos within the ranks of his enemy. When he ordered the men to space out their camps, the Oni were convinced that reinforcements had come, and the demon army fell back, waiting to see what the Imperial forces would do.
Han Tse himself recorded the events of the campaign in Commentaries on the Campaign against the Oni, so this humble scholar will not dwell on them here. That the campaign itself was a great success is without question, but the most important turn that came with the success of the Empire in pushing back this threat was that the people became devoted to Dou Lü, who had lead the Imperial army against darkness and come back unscathed. The Son of Heaven, knowing that his nephew was both competent and well-loved, declared Dou Lü his heir, and within a few years, abdicated the throne to him, serving in the position of an advisor from a small estate in the country for the rest of his years.
When Dou Lü took the throne, he declared that the Mandate of Heaven clearly indicated that the age of Han was over. The stars showed that a new dynasty had arisen, declaring him the father of a new dynasty. He proclaimed the year the first in the Reign of Eternal Peace, and thus began the Dou Dynasty and ushered in the Golden Age of Rosuto-Shima, bringing to the people the prosperity and peace they had longed for. Those generals and mighty soldiers who had proved themselves on the battlefield were awarded land and position, and all rejoiced that Heaven had declared that they would live in such an age.
