Tianqi: From the Start, I Skinned and Stuffed Men to Shake the Court

Transmigrated into the body of Zhu Youxiao, the carpenter emperor, he wakes on the first morning after his enthronement ceremony.

The original owner was obsessed with woodworking and neglected state affairs? That was then.

Now he has four hundred years' worth of knowledge in his head, and he won't tolerate a single treacherous minister.

He secretly summons Li Jinzhong, a eunuch who has fallen out of favor, gives him the name Wei Zhongxian, and appoints him head of the Eastern Depot.

He also promotes Wang Tigan to seal-keeper of the Directorate of Ceremonial, setting up a balance of power between civil and military forces.

At court, the Grand Secretary urges peace talks? Fine, but first bring in Nurhaci's head!

The treasury is empty? The officials can pay the five million taels in military expenses out of their own pockets!

The Donglin faction pleads poverty and protests? Then they'll repay every bit of the commercial tax they've owed since the Wanli era, with interest!

A eunuch supervisor who embezzled 290,000 taels in military pay is dragged into the Golden Hall.

Zhu Youxiao doesn't even blink. “Flay him and stuff his skin with straw. Display his head at the Nine Frontier Garrisons.”

He overhauls the secret police, reinstates commercial taxes, reduces agricultural taxes, and prepares the troops for war.

Everyone thinks this young emperor can only play with wood.

Until they realize...

This man intends to treat the entire Ming court like a block of wood, carving it down one cut at a time to build a realm of peace!