An Age of Apocalypse, a Piece of Unofficial History

Woman transmigrates as emperor, man transmigrates as empress========If this isn’t for you, take the warning and head home, kid.

Civil-engineering veteran Zhu Xiaoxiao pulled an all-nighter working on design drafts and unfortunately died at her computer. When she opened her eyes again, she discovered she’d been reborn as Zhu Youxiao, the famous miniature enthusiast known throughout Ming history.

Starting over as a woman transmigrated into a man’s body? She could manage that.

Dying young and dissolving in water? Absolutely not!

Fortunately, Zhu Xiaoxiao had a Dynasty-Building System bound to her. By handcrafting all sorts of parts, she could earn Craftsmanship Points, draw cards to summon famous ministers and generals, and exchange points for all kinds of cheat skills and blueprints, helping her complete the main quest of preventing the Ming dynasty from falling.

And so, Zhu Xiaoxiao unleashed her imperial majesty, and the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard fell to his knees: I’ll brave fire and water for you, Your Highness!

Her first draw was an SSR! The God of War Qi Jiguang was resurrected, and Japanese pirates, red-haired barbarians, and Portuguese would face their strictest father yet.

Shaanxi is suffering a terrible drought and the Yellow River has burst its banks? Xu Guangqi charged in with sweet potatoes and corn, while Zhu Xiaoxiao personally mixed the concrete. A cement dam is invincible!

The decisive battle in Liaodong: every soldier had a new weapon, and cannons roared as they blasted the enemy to hell! Nurhaci had one more regret: Don’t look down on a poor old man!

Huang Taiji lay low and built his strength. When the three-year deadline arrived, he gathered his armies and returned, only to suffer another humiliating defeat: Don’t look down on a poor middle-aged man!

Hong Chengchou personally persuaded Consort Zhuang to surrender, and the remnants of the Eight Banners joined them. Fulin angrily drew his sword: Don’t look down on a poor young man!

Consort Zhuang slapped him. “You’re not allowed to treat Uncle Hong like that!”

*

Before Zhang Juzheng died, his greatest worry was the work he’d left unfinished. Even after being reborn as a woman, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Then he read the historical records and learned that after his death, his reforms had been overturned and his family destroyed.

He’d known political struggle was a matter of life and death, but he’d never imagined the emperor would hate him so much that he’d overturn policies that benefited the country for personal reasons!

The suffering of his innocent family filled him with both grief and regret. But when he saw the young woman’s face in the mirror, all his resentment seemed futile.

He watched coldly as wars erupted and the people suffered, while his former student dragged the dynasty toward ruin. His indignation finally gave way to a long sigh.

What he couldn’t accomplish in his previous life might yet be possible in this one.

A life of managing a husband and raising children would be too much for this old man. Taking the reins of government suits me better.

Don’t you agree, Emperor Wu Zetian?

*

Although Zhang Juzheng wanted power, he considered himself a loyal subject and had no plans to kill the emperor outright. Though teaching a young ruler had given him a bit of PTSD, he still held on to a glimmer of hope.

What if, just this once, he could teach a once-in-a-millennium sage ruler?

Zhu Xiaoxiao, buried in a pile of wood shavings and oblivious to the world: Nobody can stop me from building an aircraft carrier by hand!

Juzheng was furious.

His loyalty melted like butter.

I am no regent. I am the emperor!

Warnings before reading:

1. Readers who care about historical accuracy are advised not to fact-check. Some events and people differ from real history.

2. I ship the Matrix. The heroine doesn’t ship anyone.

3. The main reason I’m writing this is to put Teacher Zhang in a mobile castle carried by thirty-two people (just kidding).

4. If you support Regent Zhang ascending the throne, comment “1” and add the novel to your collection to show your support.

5. Plenty of unofficial histories, with a few dark jokes mixed in.

Theme: Make the Ming great again