Chapter 2: A Ruler's Petty Mercy Ruins a Great Nation

Zhu Yuanzhang stared with wide eyes, utterly astonished.

With such a large population, even the national treasury could no longer afford to support them.

It could be said that all the commoners of the Great Ming were supporting millions of imperial clansmen!

How could a Great Ming like this not perish?

"A ruler's petty mercy ruins a great nation!"

Zhu Yuanzhang knitted his brows tightly, agonizing over a countermeasure.

【Ding! Host has initiated the Simulation for the first time and will receive one opportunity to travel to the end of the Ming dynasty!】

【The Illusion of the end of the Ming is opening...】

As the system prompt sounded, Zhu Yuanzhang discovered that his surroundings had suddenly changed.

Amidst swirling halos of light, he finally appeared inside a Wangfu.

The next second.

The following system prompt appeared in his mind:

【End of the Ming! Luoyang Fu Wang Mansion!】

Zhu Yuanzhang surveyed his surroundings.

There were extremely luxurious pavilions and towers, with winding streams.

In the white jade-inlaid inner hall sat a fat man weighing nearly three hundred catties, resembling a mountain of flesh.

This person was none other than the Prince of Fu!

At his side, the Luoyang Provincial Administration Commissioner and the Regional Military Commander were pleading bitterly, hoping to be allocated some military funds.

Yet the Prince of Fu ignored their pleas and flatly refused.

Seeing this scene, Zhu Yuanzhang's expression grew increasingly grim.

He had not expected his own descendants to have become like this!

Before he could react, the scenery around him changed once again.

This time, Zhu Yuanzhang was high in the sky, looking down at the entire city of Luoyang.

Upon observation, his first impression was this.

The people's livelihood was desolate, and all industries were withered!

And this was the scene in the ancient capital of Luoyang; if it were other regions, the suffering would likely be even more unbearable.

At the same time, Zhu Yuanzhang discovered that the thirty thousand mu of the most fertile land outside Luoyang city had all been seized by imperial clansmen!

As for the farmers and commoners...

He saw only large groups of refugees and displaced people!

Furthermore, at every intersection on the roads, there were heavy checkpoints.

These were used to collect taxes and fees!

It could be said that in the current Great Ming, from the common people to the wealthy merchants, no one could escape the exploitation and extortion of the imperial clansmen.

Seeing all this, Zhu Yuanzhang felt rage rush straight to his head!

Soon, the environment changed again.

Then.

Zhu Yuanzhang saw the commoners rising in rebellion, already possessing the momentum to sweep across the world.

At the same time, the Northern Yuan was gradually being replaced, and the force replacing it was the Later Jin, led by Nurhaci.

Finally, he arrived at the capital, Beiping.

The Great Ming had actually moved its capital by this time!

And the emperor now sitting on the Dragon Throne was none other than Chongzhen.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood and watched for a good while, discovering that although this descendant emperor was very diligent in governance, his ability was still slightly lacking.

Heartbroken and pained, he could not help but approach Chongzhen and shout, "Boy! If you want to save this burdensome Great Ming, you must be decisive and bold, and start by taking the knife to the imperial clansmen..."

But no matter how he spoke, Chongzhen, who was hunched over his desk in deep thought, could not hear a single sound.