"The Mystery of Jianwen's Traces" takes the mysterious disappearance of Emperor Jianwen Zhu Yunwen as the main line, connecting the magnificent history and legends of the early Ming Dynasty.
The first volume, "Emperor's Tribulation," focuses on historical facts. The fish-shaped jade pendant, Xuanwu sword and fragments of the "Huang Ming Ancestor Instructions" left by Zhu Yuanzhang have begun to appear. From the changes in the government and the opposition caused by the implementation of Jianwen's New Deal, to the intensified conflicts in the exile of the King of Zhou and the self-immolation of the King of Hunan in the storm of vassal reduction, to the disastrous defeat at Baigouhe and the great victory of Jinan after Zhu Dijingnan raised his army, and finally ended with the destruction of Nanjing at the Jinchuan Gate Incident and Emperor Jianwen's escape from the Ghost Gate with his treasures, it outlines a tragic picture of the change of power.
The second volume, "Shadows of Rivers and Lakes", turns to folklore, and three treasures become the focus of competition for all parties. The collection of pictures by the Xu family in Jiangyin, the mysteries hidden in Tang Yin's paintings, the secret transmission of information by Huizhou merchants, the Ryukyu tribute envoys and the Japanese pirate group were also involved, the Longqian porcelain in Jingdezhen, the rituals of Wudang Mountain, the rebellion of the Fujian and Guangdong fish flag gangs, etc., Weaved a tracking network all over the world.
The third volume, "Canghai Crossing," expands the stage overseas, intertwining Emperor Jianwen's exile route with Zheng He's voyages to the West. From the treasure fragments of the Champa Kingdom to the port planning of Manchuria, from the collision of civilizations during the Mecca pilgrimage to the naval battles in the Gulf of Aden, to the medical legends of the Malin Kingdom in East Africa, the treasures are scattered in foreign lands, and the road to exile is full of unknowns.
The fourth volume, "Records of Returning to the Mountain", finally shows the return journey. The return of the treasures and the transformation of Emperor Jianwen's identity reflect each other. The encounter with the past in Yandang Mountain, the secret war in Beijing, the seclusion in Zhongnan Mountain, and finally in the Dabaoen Temple in Nanjing, three treasures were hidden in the underground palace, and Emperor Jianwen was enthroned next to the parietal bone relic of Xuanzang, leaving behind a legend that spanned the emperor and the hermit.
