In the second year of the Chongzhen reign, Chen Yao, an expert in science and engineering, transmigrates to the late Ming dynasty and becomes the magistrate of Wujiang County in Suzhou Prefecture. Taking advantage of its location on the shores of Lake Tai and the strong handicraft industries of Jiangnan, he starts by improving textile looms and developing cement and waterworks. When he submits a memorial proposing the abolition of silver surcharges, Chongzhen is enraged.
Facing secret investigations by the Eastern Depot and attacks from court officials, all under the watchful eye of a suspicious emperor, Chen Yao relies on eunuchs such as Cao Huachun and Wang Cheng'en to pass on his technological achievements. By tying merchants' interests to his cause and using public opinion to force the issue, he gradually establishes military academies and a standardized production system. Together with Su Wanniang, he launches government bonds to save the nation and its people. When Later Jin cavalry besieges the passes and famine spreads across the Central Plains, the new firearms and agricultural machinery produced in Wujiang become a lifeline for the Ming dynasty.
Yet the technological revolution shakes the foundations of feudal rule. When Emperor Chongzhen travels incognito and discovers a steamship, the ultimate clash between imperial power and technology erupts... Where will this transformation, intended to save the dynasty, ultimately lead the Ming?
