In the Middle Kingdom there has been mass unrest, with the crop failures of the past few years, many farmers had hoped the Son of Heaven would assist them in this trying time, but it seems not to be so. Instead of caravans of food being brought to the people, there were instead bureaucrats carrying papers, decrees from the Son of Heaven levying a larger tax, while also demanding food be brought to the Forbidden City. These men were uncaring of the plights of the peasantry, and when not enough food or money was scrounged up, soldiers were called in to crack down on these "dissidents". Soon after the first couple of rounds of this, people began to whisper rumors, perhaps this famine was a omen from Heaven. Perhaps the Emperor did not hold the Mandate of Heaven as he claimed, and this was his punishment.

With the next arrival of a government official in a small village in the Shaanxi province, a brave young man denied the man the tax and food he so demanded, instead demanding relief be brought to the village. The young man's bravery, or perhaps foolishness, inspired the village, who all gave similar responses to the man. Enraged, the man quickly rode away, before riding back with a small group of soldiers, however, he was shocked to find the village people armed with rocks and farm utensils and the tired soldiers were soon routed by these simple village people. After the soldiers fled, the young man who had started this affair, grabbed one of the soldiers forgotten weapons, before raising it in the air and declared that they shall get their food from the Emperor, one way or another, and with a band of followers he fled into the countryside. There are now scattered reports of ambushes occurring around the Shaanxi province, men coming out and sacking merchants, and even a caravan of grain going to the capital being attacked. Word is quickly spreading about these "roving bandits" and while among the circles of the government officials they are denounced, they have begun to gain popularity and respect among many of the starving, impoverished peasantry.

Meanwhile, among the soldiers of the Imperial Army, there is also discontent. In the structure of society, the soldiers are considered to be among the lowest of the low, however as they are now being used more and more to force villages into payment, disdain toward the soldiers has turned into downright hatred, something that is not lost by the soldiers. For the soldiers themselves, they have been losing morale heavily, as many do not enjoy extorting the peasantry, especially for those who grew up around the areas they are now garrisoned in. Recently, a group of soldiers garrisoned in the Guizhou province have broken off, and have formed a bandit group lead by a man calling himself 最高的主, Zuìgāo de zhǔ or "Highest Lord". They have begun to terrorize the land, including staging an attack on a Imperial shipyard and destroying ships being constructed for the Treasure Fleet.

It is clear that the peasantry are quickly becoming dissillusioned with the Ming Dynasty, and how the Son of Heaven reacts could change the path of the entire Empire.