Mercenary Mandarin

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century China, the story follows William Mesny, who arrived in Shanghai at 18 and quickly became immersed in a world of foreign intrigue and civil conflict. His journey takes him from smuggler and prisoner of the Taiping rebels to a gun-runner and military instructor. After five years of intense combat in Guizhou, Mesny ascends to the rank of general, leveraging his status to explore China, document his experiences, collect plants, and offer counsel to officials.