Great Ming: I Kidnap the Chongzhen Emperor from the Start

After transmigrating to the seventh year of the Tianqi era, at the end of the Ming dynasty, Lu Heng becomes a penniless imperial clansman. He faces a collapsing empire plagued by starving refugees, vicious factional strife, and a crumbling court.

He had only wanted to survive the chaos, but the Civilization-Building System forcibly assigns him its ultimate mission: restore China and build an empire on which the sun never sets.

Fine. If we're doing this, let's go all in!

First, let's “kidnap” the Chongzhen Emperor just before he's about to hang himself!

Crack down on corrupt officials? Plundering their estates makes money too fast. My treasury is overflowing!

Wipe out the rebel bandits? With ranks of troops armed with modern flintlocks, call my Lu family army the “Line-Up-and-Get-Shot Party”!

Pacify Liaodong? Three rounds of cannon fire will plow the land. Hong Taiji, do your Eight Banners have enough men for me to blast?

Lu Heng: “Your Majesty, just sit back and be a figurehead. I'll handle the rough work of fighting wars and farming.”

Zhu Youjian: “My dear subject... would you like to sit on my Dragon Throne too?”

Lu Heng: “No rush. First I'll win over the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai, persuade the Jurchen tribes to adopt centralized administration, then show those bumpkins in Europe a thing or two.”

This is the story of how steel, capital, and ideas forcibly set crooked history straight and guide it toward the stars and the sea.