text: [Themes: historical, war]
  
  Treasury: 125 yuan {-75}
  Army: Small (-25)
  Masses: High
  
  Workers: Low (-25)
  Buddhists: Low {-50}
  
  You travel to the mudslide devastated community and distribute donations. Sunburned peasants give you wide gap-toothed grins as you walk among them. Some applaud when you grab a two-handed saw and help remove a tree toppled over the middle of a road.
  
  Word spreads of your leadership during the relief effort. The populace now believes that you share their priorities and values. You become the people's favorite throughout the South.
  
  Your citizens now work together with your police to ward off infiltrators. Neighboring warlords no longer bother sending saboteurs or assassins to your realm. As a result your small Army's morale temporarily spikes.
  
  Your Treasury adviser reports that, although your Treasury has been dramatically reduced, you still possess just enough yuan to make the fiscal investment that will ensure you do not go broke. The Buddhist temple chastises your lack of piousness, but otherwise does not frown upon you for tending to your people. Some government professionals complain about not getting a raise, but most remain optimistic and continue to work for your benefit. They even finish construction on a castle, a sturdy, gated structure that will serve as your residence and enhance your capital's defenses.
  
  You listen to news from faraway lands. The northern empire of General Nahru is experiencing internal turmoil and the General is barely holding onto his own life. He will not pose any threat to you, at least for now. Your other main rival, President Min, has been seen traveling East in your direction. He reportedly met with several minor warlords nearby. Other warlords had been skirmishing back and forth among each other, but none had acquired enough power to be worth your time.
  
  While the chaos in China has been wearing on the populace, hope has not been lost. The people long for a capable leader who will bring peace and create a sound economic environment. They say they would be willing to secede from their kingdom and join such a leader if one were to emerge.
  
  Your next move...
  
  Treasury: 125 yuan {-75}
  Army: Small (-25)
  Masses: High
  
  Workers: Low (-25)
  Buddhists: Low {-50}
  
  > invest in increasing your Treasury (-75 yuan)
  Treasury: 0 yuan (+150)
  Army: Small (-25)
  Masses: High
  
  Workers: Low (-25)
  Buddhists: Low {-50}
  
  You hold long meetings with your director of horticulture to ensure that the project will be a success. After many hours of precise planning, you commission your planters to buy the best lychee seeds for planting in your most fertile soil. You eagerly anticipate the opening harvest and its boost to your economy.
  
  Just as your laborers sow the last batch of seeds, you learn to your surprise that President Min and his allies have marched their armies to a position a few miles outside your castle. "No rest for the weary," you mutter to yourself.
  
  Your militia knocks on every door rallying citizens to help defend your city. The next day, Min and his allies unfurl a large white banner half a mile away from your castle. It reads:
  
  "Astute Governor Toleron, we offer you a proposition. If you relinquish your claim to China and open your castle gate, we will spare the lives of everyone inside. Otherwise we will have no choice but to lay siege to your castle. At that point, we will no longer show mercy."
  
  You keep your gate closed. They stay true to their word and blockade your castle. Weeks pass, but your citizenry's faith in your guidance keeps their spirits high. The attacking force, on the other hand, begins to lose cohesiveness. One warlord cites your small Army and insists on launching a full scale attack on your walls. Another advocates a long-term siege, using their pooled advantage in resources to wear you out, taking years if need be. Another has citizens back home pushing for more attention to other matters and would rather call off the attack completely. President Min is unsure of what to do. He is not quite prepared for actual bloodshed, thinking originally that his larger forces would induce your surrender. On the other hand, resigning so easily would be a bitter pill to swallow. After much bickering and deliberation, they halfheartedly send their troops to attack your walls.
  
  Foot soldiers carrying rope ladders charge at your parapets. Your archers respond with barrages of burning arrows. Many attackers expire before reaching your walls. The ones who do encounter dense fire as they climb up their ladders. Some fall to their doom when your warriors cut through their rope. Those who manage to reach the top meet ferocious resistance from everyone stationed inside. Sparks fly between clanging swords while crimson blood flows readily over the battleground.
  
  Your ranks gradually shrink, but for each of your warriors killed in battle, the invaders lose five of theirs. Without a strong leader, the remaining attackers outside your castle lose their resolve and give up. Remnants of the invading force disperse, to the cheers of your triumphant defenders.
  
  Warlords all over China learn of your improbable victory. Many now think so little of President Min that he will never wield much diplomatic influence again.
  
  While recovering from this clash, you hear from spies that General Nahru is preoccupied with capturing and executing disloyal subjects in his kingdom and consolidating his power base in northern China. He will not be free to attack you anytime soon. No other warlords remain much of a threat.
  
  On the domestic front, many Workers threaten to desert you and work for other warlords if you do not increase their wages now. The Temple also grows impatient with your lack of communication. And your colonels still suggest an increase in conscription.
  
  What will you do next?
  
  Treasury: 0 yuan (+150)
  Army: Small (-25)
  Masses: High
  
  Workers: Low (-25)
  Buddhists: Low {-50}
  
  > pay Workers more money (-75 yuan instead of -25)
  Treasury: 50 yuan (+300)
  Army: Small (-25)
  Masses: High
  
  Workers: High (-75)
  Buddhists: Low {-50}
  
  You announce salary raises for your professional Workers. They are happy to hear the news and your government's administrative efficiency greatly improves.
  
  Thanks to your careful strategic planning, you have increased your kingdom's cohesiveness and prestige, developed an economy that generates lots of income, and maintained peace throughout your realm. Your citizens are content and recognize you as a wise leader.
  
  Meanwhile, General Nahru has wiped out his enemies and now rules northern China unopposed. However, he is incensed at your growing opposition to his goal of complete world domination. Your scouts report that General Nahru has been amassing enough troops along your northern border to launch a heavy assault.
  
  Do you:
  
  Treasury: 50 yuan (+300)
  Army: Small (-25)
  Masses: High
  
  Workers: High (-75)
  Buddhists: Low {-50}
  
  > gain the respect of foreign citizens by becoming a member of the Buddhist Temple (-50 yuan)
  Treasury: 200 yuan (+600)
  Army: Small (-25)
  Masses: High
  
  Workers: High (-75)
  Buddhists: High
  
  You donate a sizable chunk of funds to the temple. The high monks are overjoyed by your generosity and invite you to the nearest monastery for a lavish conversion ceremony. Facing a bronze idol of Buddha and lit red candles, you chant newly learned Buddhist hymns alongside monks in saffron colored robes. The monks compliment your devotion and spread word of your piousness far and wide.
  
  Tales of your empire's prosperity and your popularity among your people travel with those of your piety. When citizens all over China learn of your realm's high quality of life, not only do the best, brightest, and bravest flock to your kingdom, but some cities even secede from their local warlord and voluntarily raise your banner.
  
  Despite fierce crackdowns by the General's men, half of General Nahru's provinces secede from his kingdom and join yours. Nahru is enraged at you and predictably launches an all out assault bent on destroying you once and for all.
  
  You hurriedly gather your troops at your capital. Due to your decision to postpone increasing your soldiers' pay, you can only put up a cursory defense.
  
  General Nahru's troops tear through your capital, razing and destroying every symbol of power you have ever built.
  
  Just as you hear from your remaining advisers that General Nahru has announced he will execute anyone who surrenders from your camp, you all die in an unannounced flurry of arrows.