The Adventures of Lu Xiao Feng, Book One, Chapter Three, Part One

Lu Xiao Feng finds himself face to face with the Golden Roc Emperor, and the secrets of an ancient empire are revealed. Knowledge brings power, but in this case, it also brings debts, obligations...and danger.

As a general note, at various times China has been dotted with minor kingdoms, especially in Western China where the terrain makes it difficult to travel. While there has been one central ruler for the central plains area of China for most (but not all) of history since the first Emperor, the farther West you go, the more the rule of Imperial law tended to break down.

Enjoy!

Rob