In the fifteenth year of Hongwu, the eldest imperial grandson, Zhu Xiongying, is gravely ill.
The palace physicians kneel throughout the Eastern Palace, daring to say only one thing: "Your Highness, you have no more than seven days."
Zhu Yuanzhang flies into a rage, Zhu Biao breaks down, and Empress Ma keeps watch by the sickbed all night.
But that night, Zhu Xiongying opens his eyes.
[The Benevolent Medicine and Governance System has been activated.]
[Conflicting medicinal properties detected. Probability of death within seven days: 97 percent.]
To survive, Zhu Xiongying starts by investigating a bowl of medicine.
He saves himself, investigates the Eastern Palace, protects Zhu Yuntong, saves Zhu Biao, and steadies Empress Ma.
He uses medicinal soap to reduce military casualties, sets up military medical camps to care for wounded soldiers, stops epidemics after disasters with disease-prevention methods, and reforms the Imperial Medical Bureau with a medical college.
At first, Zhu Yuanzhang only wants his eldest grandson to survive.
But later, he realizes that this child, who fought his way back from the brink on a sickbed, has saved more than just himself.
He has saved the wounded, the disaster victims, the crown prince, the imperial grandsons, and the Ming itself, a dynasty being dragged toward the abyss by deep-rooted illness.
Years later, Zhu Yuanzhang looks at Zhu Xiongying, his eyes red, and says:
"Back then, all I wanted was for you to survive."
"I never imagined you'd end up healing the entire Ming for me."
