Great Ming: The Red Jiajing Emperor

After his soul transmigrates into the sixteenth year of the Zhengde era, Zhu Houcong finds himself facing hellish odds from the start: an empty treasury, a stagnant empire, and a powerful bureaucracy determined to make him acknowledge someone else as his father.

He decides to rebuild this ancient dynasty in his own way, grounded in facts and practical results.

First, win the Great Rites Controversy. Second, reform the bureaucracy, little by little.

Let Yan Song raise funds for the nation; let Hai Rui speak up for the people; let Qi Jiguang's firearms corps take to the sea.

Cement, new gunpowder, modern firearms, the liberation of thought... The achievements are sweeping, yet the story ultimately takes on a tragic hue.

At the end of his life, as the hero grows old, how will he pass on the legacy of these reforms?

“Shuda, hide these books I've left behind.”

“Xu Jie, I know what you want to do. After I die, you can curse me. But there are a few things you mustn't do: don't close the Maritime Trade Office, don't ban seafaring, and don't overturn the case. Otherwise...”

“My son, your soft heart is both a virtue and a weakness. I've left Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and Zhang Juzheng to you. They're capable men, but they also pose risks. You must handle them carefully.”

“Change brings growing pains. No one knows how long they'll last.”