Chapter 1: Arriving in the Great Ming

In the sixth month of the eighth year of Chongzhen, the capital was abnormally hot and muggy. Several months had passed since the start of spring without a single drop of rain, and many roadside trees had already curled their leaves. The sun blazed so brightly it was painful to look at, and few pedestrians were on the streets. Dogs in front of wealthy households lay sprawled lazily, tongues hanging out, panting heavily.

Inside Wuying Hall of the Forbidden City, the Chongzhen Emperor sat on the dragon throne with a gloomy face. Several dozen memorials from across the realm were piled on the imperial desk before him, but he had not read a single one. The eunuch Wang Cheng'en stood to the side, slightly hunched, eyes fixed on the floor beneath his feet, not daring to breathe loudly.

The Chongzhen Emperor's gaze was fixed on a corner outside the hall, his eyes vacant, his mind wandering far away, lost in thought.

Wang Cheng'en inwardly lamented his misfortune. Ever since His Majesty had recovered from the cold and fever that had left him bedridden for two days a few days prior, the emperor had taken refuge in Wuying Hall on the pretext of the roving bandits burning the imperial tombs at Fengyang and their growing power. He had reduced his meals, dispensed with music, and dressed in plain mourning clothes. For the past several days, His Majesty had simply sat there in silence, staring blankly, his expression grim, ignoring everyone.

What he did not know was that this Chongzhen was no longer the same Chongzhen. The body was still the same body, but the soul was now that of a young university student from several hundred years in the future.

Zhu Zhenqing could never have dreamed that he, a graduate student in archaeology from the history department of a top-tier twenty-first-century university, would, because of an accidental touch inside an ancient tomb, travel through time to become Zhu Youjian, the last emperor of the Ming dynasty several hundred years ago. Though he could not and would not accept this reality in his heart, there was no going back. Fortunately, in his previous life he had been an orphan and had never had a girlfriend in university, so he was truly alone, with no attachments or worries. After the initial sadness passed, he was able to come to terms with it.

As a student of archaeology, his daily studies were inseparable from history, and he had a fairly deep understanding and research of late-Ming history. From the probing questions and observations of the past few days, he knew it was now the eighth year of Chongzhen, leaving him less than ten years before he would hang himself from a southeastern branch on Coal Hill.

In his previous life, online evaluations of the Chongzhen Emperor had been mixed. Some said he was obstinate and self-opinionated, suspicious of those he employed, and of mediocre talent. Others said he was diligent and hardworking but had employed the wrong people, making him a tragic emperor. As for the main causes of the Ming dynasty's fall, there were even more divergent opinions.

Zhu Zhenqing found several points particularly convincing: first, financial collapse—there was no money to pay the soldiers; second, continuous natural disasters, compounded by the onset of the Little Ice Age, with severe drought in the north for years on end, leading to more and more people rebelling because they could not get food; third, the civil official faction cared only for private gain and ignored matters of state; fourth, in the late Chongzhen period, the government's control over military generals nearly collapsed—most commanders kept troops for their own power, refused orders, and caused many battles that should not have been lost to be lost.

He understood the causes clearly, but actually solving these problems was too difficult, almost impossible. To have traveled through time and then watch with his own eyes as the Ming perished at his own hands—that would truly be a shame for the ages.

There was no other way; he would have to take it step by step. His greatest advantage was knowing the course of history clearly and having a general understanding of which people should be used and which should not. The primary issue now was to have a powerful armed force he could completely control, as well as rapid acquisition and transmission of information and intelligence.

Thinking of this, Zhu Zhenqing slowly gathered his thoughts, turned his head to glance at Wang Cheng'en, and felt moved despite himself toward this eunuch—the only one who had accompanied him in death in this life. Since he had traveled through time, he absolutely would not allow the tragedy to repeat itself. This middle-aged man with the meek and submissive expression before him—he would see to it that the man met a good end, and enjoyed wealth and honor.

He opened his mouth and called out: "Wang Cheng'en."

"This servant is here. What does His Majesty command?" Wang Cheng'en quickly shuffled forward in small steps to stand before Zhu Zhenqing, head lowered and back bent, replying.

"Send someone to summon the officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard for an audience."

"This servant will send someone at once." Wang Cheng'en replied, then, still bowing, retreated backward to the door of the hall, swiftly turned, and left the great hall. He called over a young eunuch, gave a few instructions, then returned to stand before the Chongzhen Emperor and reported: "Does His Majesty have any further commands?"

Zhu Zhenqing paused for a moment, then said: "Wang Cheng'en, how many years have you served me now?"

"To answer His Majesty, this servant entered the palace at age twelve, and it has been twenty-three years since. I have followed Your Majesty ever since you were granted the title of Prince Xin, which makes fourteen years."

Zhu Zhenqing nodded and continued asking: "Do you still have any family members at home now?"

"To answer His Majesty, this servant still has an elder brother, a younger brother, and an elder sister at home, all tending the fields in our hometown."

Zhu Zhenqing was taken aback for a moment, then asked: "Tending the fields? I know that the relatives and sons of men like Cao Huachun, Wang Dehua, Gao Qiqian, and Wang Zhixin have all received hereditary appointments as Assistant Guard Commanders in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, or Chiliarchs, or at the very least Centurions. You are also an old hand in the palace—could it be that following me has brought you no standing?"

Although Zhu Zhenqing's last sentence was spoken in a joking tone, Wang Cheng'en was terrified. He fell to his knees with a thud: "This servant must have cultivated blessings in a past life to serve Your Majesty in this one. Everyone in the palace envies this servant for attending to Your Majesty's side. Is Your Majesty dissatisfied with this old servant and wishing to drive him away?"

Zhu Zhenqing said impatiently: "You old fool, I was just speaking offhandedly, making a joke. What are you overthinking for? Get up and answer me!"

Wang Cheng'en scrambled to his feet trembling, his back bent even lower. Zhu Zhenqing continued in the same impatient tone: "You old fool, you still haven't answered my question from just now!"

"To answer His Majesty, this old servant used the private savings he had accumulated over many years to purchase several dozen mu of farmland for them in our hometown. They are all accustomed to scratching a living from the soil and are unwilling to follow me to the capital. They say their hearts feel unsettled if they don't go work in the fields for a day. This old servant simply went along with their wishes."

"They are honest, law-abiding folk, then. But we cannot let honest people suffer losses. Since you follow me and are one of my close attendants, if your family members at home have not received any benefit, those who do not know might think I treat you too harshly."

"To answer His Majesty, this old servant does not know how many lifetimes of blessings he cultivated to be able to serve Your Majesty every day in this one. This old servant's only wish in this life is to serve Your Majesty well, and to do anything for Your Majesty! As for anything else, this old servant has not given it much thought!"

"Do anything for me? Including dying for me?" Zhu Zhenqing said again in a joking tone.

Wang Cheng'en knelt down once more and answered without hesitation in a loud voice: "Your Majesty is this servant's heaven. This old servant cannot speak grand principles, but dying for Your Majesty is this old servant's duty!"

Zhu Zhenqing was slightly moved. He looked at this unremarkable middle-aged eunuch before him and thought to himself: In that history, I truly was your heaven, and you truly did die for me.

"Get up. I believe you!"

Wang Cheng'en suddenly began sobbing loudly. He raised his head to look at Zhu Zhenqing, tears streaming down his face: "Your Majesty, with those three words you have spoken to this old servant, this old servant's life has been worth living!"

Zhu Zhenqing's eyes also grew a little moist. To have such a loyal and devoted servant in this life, he too felt it was worth it. Though the man was a eunuch, despised in the hearts of the vast majority of people, in the end he proved to the world with his actions that eunuchs were not lacking in loyalty and integrity—a thousand times more worthy than certain so-called literati who read the books of the sages and spoke endlessly of benevolence, righteousness, and morality.

"Get up, you old fool. Are you trying to squeeze tears out of me for nothing? Very well—in a few days, send someone back to your hometown and pick one from your nephews on both your brother's and sister's sides—one who is clever, willing to work hard, and not slick. Have him come to the capital. I will speak to the Guard Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and make him a Probationary Centurion. Find a reliable man to mentor him, and his future advancement will depend on himself. Remember, this is my favor to you—you are not to refuse it. When he arrives in the capital, you must also admonish him well not to bring shame upon me or upon you."

Wang Cheng'en burst into loud sobs, tears and snot smearing his entire face as he knocked his head heavily on the ground: "This old servant thanks Your Majesty for your favor! This old servant thanks Your Majesty on behalf of his family! Your Majesty may rest assured—he will never bring shame upon Your Majesty!" Wang Cheng'en knew full well that although the relatives of those other inner-court eunuchs His Majesty had mentioned earlier had received no small hereditary appointments, those were all nominal titles—they would never take up actual posts in the Embroidered Uniform Guard. But this time, His Majesty was granting an actual post as Centurion, which was like leaping to heaven in a single step. If the boy performed his duties well in the future, his prospects would be bright indeed.

Just then, the young eunuch who had been sent to deliver the summons arrived outside the hall door, lowered his head, and reported in a loud voice: "Reporting to His Majesty, the officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard request an audience!"

Wang Cheng'en hastily rose and wiped the traces from his face with his sleeve. Zhu Zhenqing instructed: "Summon them!"

"His Majesty commands the officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to present themselves!" the young eunuch shouted in his shrill voice. As the summons was relayed from one to another, in short order several middle-aged men wearing bright red straight-cut robes, with oriole belts at their waists and black gauze caps on their heads, arrived at the great hall and filed in through the door.