Spoilers for the Ming Dynasty: Old Zhu Begs Me to Join Him in Robbing the Rich

In the twenty-fourth year of Hongwu, Lu Jingyuan, Vice Minister of Revenue, had his home ransacked by the Imperial Guard.

Staring at the mountains of gold and silver, Zhu Yuanzhang was so furious his eyes nearly bulged. "You drained the imperial treasury! I'll have you skinned alive!"

The court officials all piled on, while Prince of Yan Zhu Di went so far as to denounce him as the greatest corrupt official in history.

Just as Lu Jingyuan was about to be executed by slicing, a sky screen descended, presenting a list of "The Ming Dynasty's Greatest Loyal Minister of All Time."

The images revealed the truth:

Every tael Lu Jingyuan had embezzled had gone toward building an invincible fleet, developing flintlock guns, and even buying a miracle medicine that saved Crown Prince Zhu Biao's life!

He had borne a notorious name for generations and secretly raised an elite force, all to turn the tide in the future Jingnan Campaign and the Tumu Crisis!

After seeing the Ming Dynasty's horrific future, and then the "Ming Empire Where the Sun Never Sets" that Lu Jingyuan had quietly built,

Zhu Yuanzhang kicked over the execution platform on the spot, tears streaming down his face. "Anyone who lays a hand on Minister Lu will have their entire clan wiped out ten generations deep! Minister Lu, the treasury's out of money. Shall we go rob some more, father and son?"