The Ming Dynasty's Cruelest Tyrant

Xue Wuchen transmigrates into the seventh year of the Tianqi reign, bringing with him the memories of a graduate student in Ming history. He becomes the very Chongzhen Emperor who, according to history, would hang himself on Coal Hill.

By now, the Ming Empire is rotten to the core: the civil officials are consumed by factional strife, the Jurchens glare menacingly from beyond the frontier, refugees are everywhere, and natural disasters loom.

According to history, am I supposed to kill Wei Zhongxian, get led around by the nose by the civil officials, and end up hanging myself?

No! I won't kill Wei Zhongxian. I'll make him the sharpest blade in my hand!

“Wei Zhongxian, go raid the households of those censors who impeached you. Sixty percent of the money goes into my private treasury, thirty percent pays the frontier troops, and the remaining ten percent is yours.”

I will be the most ruthless tyrant the Ming has ever seen.

As long as I am cruel enough, no one in this realm will dare rebel!