Chapter 1: Old Zhu Activates the Simulator

Great Ming, Hongwu era.

Fengtian Hall, Jingcheng.

Zhu Yuanzhang was handling state affairs within the hall as he usually did.

Since ascending the throne, he had not been slack in state affairs for a single day.

Today, the Great Ming had the Northern Yuan eyeing it covetously from without, and corruption accumulating within.

He had to go all out to deal with these problems.

【Ding! Congratulations to the host for activating the Emperor Simulation System!】

The sudden voice interrupted Zhu Yuanzhang's train of thought.

"Who is it?"

He frowned and looked around, only to find the Great Hall empty.

Yet the voice in his mind sounded once more:

【The host may use this system to simulate the effectiveness of the decrees issued by yourself.】

【According to the National Fortune cycles of various dynasties, with the three-hundred-year limit as a watershed, if the host increases the National Fortune lifespan by fifty years each time, you can obtain a mysterious system grand prize!】

【Friendly reminder, the host's Great Ming National Fortune lifespan is: 276 years!】

When Zhu Yuanzhang saw that the Great Ming Dynasty he had built with his own hands could not even last three hundred years, his mind was shaken to the core.

How could this be?!

However, before he could react, that inexplicable voice in his mind sounded once again:

【Ding! Congratulations to the host for opening the Emperor Chat Group!】

【Current group member count: 1!】

【Current host group nickname: Zhu Yuanzhang!】

【Tip: To change the group nickname, you need to increase the corresponding authority; increasing the National Fortune lifespan will provide opportunities to obtain authority upgrades.】

Silence for a long time...

Zhu Yuanzhang finally recovered his senses.

"Could this be the voice of the heavens?"

He pondered inwardly.

There was no one else in the Great Hall besides himself, and there were layers of guards watching outside; unless it were a deity, how could it be possible to transmit this mysterious voice to him?

And it seemed that only he could see this voice and interface, it's just that...

"My Great Ming can only last two hundred and seventy-six years?"

Zhu Yuanzhang could never have imagined such a situation.

Although he did not covet a ten-thousand-generation foundation, not even having one thousand years was truly hard to accept.

Today, the Great Ming's national power was flourishing, and its wealth far exceeded the past; how could it...

【Ding! The host's remaining simulation attempts for today: 1!】

【Please use it as soon as possible, so as not to have the new day's refresh overwrite today's.】

Zhu Yuanzhang: "..."

After a moment of silence, he tentatively muttered in his heart: "Start simulation?"

Boom!

It was as if the heavens and earth were first opened, and chaos was suddenly broken.

A ray of light came from the void, projecting a huge phantom screen!

【Ding! The Great Ming Dynasty's first simulation is ready to begin!】

【Detection! The Great Ming Dynasty currently has three main state policies!】

【State Policy Anti-Corruption: Firmly and unswervingly punish corrupt officials; even if it implicates ten thousand, never show mercy!】

【State Policy Feudatory Defense: Establish royal clansmen as Feudatory Princes to garrison the frontiers and hold off the Northern Yuan!】

【State Policy Primogeniture: As the saying goes, there is a distinction between elder and younger, and between legitimate and concubine-born; continue the tradition of establishing the Crown Prince as the legitimate eldest son to stabilize the National Fortune!】

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the three state policies displayed on the light screen before him and nodded with satisfaction.

These were precisely the systems he had implemented.

【Ding! Simulation begins!】

【"State Policy Primogeniture" Hongwu Year 1, the Great Ming is founded, the host ascends the throne, and appoints the legitimate eldest son Zhu Biao as Crown Prince!】

【"State Policy Feudatory Defense" Hongwu Year 3, the host enfeoffs the various princes; second son Zhu Shuang as Prince of Qin, third son Zhu Gang as Prince of Jin, fourth son Zhu Di as Prince of Yan...】

【"State Policy Primogeniture" Hongwu Year 7, Zhu Xiongying, son of Crown Prince Zhu Biao and Chang Shi, is born!】

【"State Policy Anti-Corruption" Hongwu Year 8, the host's nephew Zhu Huan engages in corruption and perverts the law; kill!】

【"State Policy Anti-Corruption" Hongwu Year 9, historically known as the outbreak of the Empty Seal Case; nearly a thousand officials and nearly ten thousand family members; kill!】

【"State Policy Primogeniture" Hongwu Year 10, Crown Prince Zhu Biao has another son, named Zhu Yunwen; at that time, snow fell in the sixth month, a strange omen from heaven!】

【"State Policy Feudatory Defense" Hongwu Year 11, the host enfeoffs the various princes again; eleventh son Zhu Chun as Prince of Shu, twelfth son Zhu Bai as Prince of Xiang, thirteenth son Zhu Gui as Prince of Dai...】

【"State Policy Anti-Corruption" Hongwu Year 12, Censor-in-Chief exposes the major case of Kai Ji; the Minister of Justice is involved in corruption and bribery, implicating many; kill!】

【"State Policy Anti-Corruption" Hongwu Year 13, Yongjia Marquis Zhu Liangzu is exposed for corruption and perverting the law; the host is furious; kill!】

【"State Policy Primogeniture" Hongwu Year 15, Zhu Xiongying, son of Crown Prince Zhu Biao, suddenly falls ill and passes away.】

【"State Policy Primogeniture" Hongwu Year 25, Crown Prince Zhu Biao passes away; in the same year, his son Zhu Yunwen is established as the Imperial Grandson!】

【"State Policy Feudatory Defense" Hongwu Year 28, Prince of Qin Zhu Shuang dies of illness.】

【"National Policy: Anti-Corruption" 30th year of Hongwu, Imperial Son-in-law Ouyang Lun dabbled in the Tea-Horse Trade, the host was enraged, kill!】

【"National Policy: Feudal Occupation" 31st year of Hongwu, Prince of Jin Zhu Gang died of illness.】

【"National Policy: Primogeniture" 31st year of Hongwu, the host passed away, the last testament ordered the Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen to ascend the throne.】

【"National Policy: Primogeniture" 1st year of Jianwen, Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne, began to weaken the feudal lords, exiled Prince of Zhou Zhu Su, abolished Prince of Dai Zhu Gui, forced Prince of Xiang Zhu Bai to commit suicide...】

Zhu Yuanzhang was shaken to the core upon seeing this.

Biao'er died in the 25th year?

The legitimate eldest grandson even died of illness in the 15th year?

In the end, the twelfth son Zhu Bai was even forced to commit suicide?

And the second son, third son, and others actually all died in their prime...

This, this, this!

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

Especially that the Crown Prince would die so early, this was absolutely something he could not accept.