In the fifteenth year of Hongwu, Zhu Xiongying, the Ming dynasty’s eldest imperial grandson, contracts smallpox and hangs between life and death.
The Imperial Medical Academy is powerless. The crown prince kneels before the palace, praying to Heaven, while Zhu Yuanzhang keeps vigil outside and turns white-haired overnight.
At that very moment, a modern soul transmigrates into his body.
“Quarantine, disinfection, ventilation. You want me dead? Not so easily!”
Zhu Xiongying survives. Zhu Yuanzhang clutches his grandson and weeps like a child. “My thousand-mile steed is back!”
From then on, history takes a turn.
Heated brick beds, cement, steam engines: with his knowledge, he lights the spark of the Industrial Revolution.
A fleet of dragon ships, volleys of cannon fire, envoys from all nations paying tribute: he plants the Ming banner across the four seas.
Zhu Di becomes his staunchest ally, Zhu Yunwen avoids a tragic fate, and the Jingnan Campaign never happens.
Zhu Yuanzhang says, “I don’t care where you came from. You’re my good grandson.”
This is the story of someone changed by love, who goes on to change an entire era.
The name of this article should be "Traveling Through Zhu Xiongying: The Road to Growth Without Zhu Yunxi"