Transmigrating to the Longqing Era: A Path to Success in the Imperial Exams Across Two Worlds, Day and Night
I. The Transmigration Anomaly: The Beginning of Two Worlds, Day and Night
1. A modern office worker awakens to find that she has transmigrated to the Longqing era and become an orphan who chops wood.
2. That night, after falling asleep, her consciousness suddenly returns to her modern body. Thinking it was a dream, she goes to sleep in the modern world the following day, only to return once more to the body of a man in the Longqing era. After this happens several times, she realizes her soul must travel between the two worlds as day and night alternate, with no moment of rest.
1. The modern perspective: Using her knowledge of modern history, she identifies the current era as the Longqing reign, when Zhu Zaiji, father of the Wanli Emperor, is on the throne. She knows how history will unfold during the Wanli reign and understands that the Ming dynasty is not currently facing any large-scale foreign wars, such as an urgent crisis against the Tartars. She therefore rules out saving the country through military force.
2. The ancient perspective: As a poor scholar, she deeply experiences the rigid social hierarchy of the Longqing era. The imperial examinations are the only viable path for people at the bottom to rise in society. Drawing on her modern knowledge of history, she makes passing the exams and changing her fate in the ancient world her main goal: she will become the top scholar. She serves in the same court as Zhang Juzheng, becomes Grand Secretary, and eventually rises to First Grand Secretary.
