Late Ming: Dad, I'll Make Weapons, You Start a Rebellion

In the seventh year of Chongzhen, on a day of heavy snowfall, the Snowfall Mountain Villa, hidden away in the wilderness, reopens to welcome its father back from three years of doing business!

That same year, the fallen emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, strays into the Snowfall Mountain Villa, and the villa's master, Lan, mistakes him for his own father.

Master Lan, who is plotting a rebellion, hears that his father plans to enter government service. He then lays out the reasons the Ming dynasty is doomed, weeping as he tells little Chongzhen that becoming an official is as good as throwing his life away.

"The first reason the Ming will fall: its finances are in ruins..."

"The second reason: disasters keep coming, and rebel bandits run rampant..."

"The third reason: the Donglin Party is wreaking havoc at court... The civil bureaucracy is collapsing!"

"The fourth reason: the generals are out of control..."

"The fifth reason the Ming will fall! Those Manchu scum..."

He spins around, sleeves fluttering, looks at his father, who's frozen on the spot, and shouts furiously!

"My great Ming has flourished for three hundred years! We will not marry off our princesses for peace, and we will not pay tribute! The emperor guards the gates of the realm, and the ruler dies for his country! How could the Han realm fall into the hands of the Manchus?"

"Lan... you want to help your father?"

"Father, let's join forces. I'll handle the weapons, and you start the rebellion!"

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.