In the seventh year of the Hongwu reign, a meteor fell from the sky, and Zhu Yuanzhang awakened the Emperor's Life Simulator!
Its projections revealed that Crown Prince Zhu Biao would die young, and that on his deathbed, Zhu Yuanzhang would hand the imperial seal to an outsider named Gu Changqing, a court diviner who would wield power over the entire court!
Zhu Yuanzhang was furious. “How dare that brat! I will have him executed!”
He searched the entire roster of officials, only to discover that Gu Changqing was the magistrate of Guangning County, and just twenty years old!
To nip the threat in the bud, Zhu Yuanzhang went incognito with Empress Ma and the Crown Prince, swearing to uncover evidence of Gu Changqing's crimes.
But when they arrived in Guangning County, he was stunned: broad, smooth roads led straight to the county seat; fragrant rice filled ten thousand mu of fertile fields; ironworks and brickworks were bustling with activity; and smiles covered the faces of the common people. Even the soldiers at the city gate handed them a sightseeing guide with discounts!
Empress Ma said, “Your Majesty, he is the worthy minister foretold in your dream!”
Zhu Yuanzhang snapped, “Nonsense! He's clearly a Cao Cao, a thief trying to steal the nation!”
That was before he saw Gu Changqing leading the people against the Northern Yuan, opening the granaries to distribute grain, and improving their livelihoods.
Zhu Yuanzhang fell into deep thought. “Could I have… misjudged him?”
Come on come on come on come on