Back to the Ming Dynasty to Be a Benevolent Ruler

Emperor Wanli, take note! You'll face a great calamity when you're over 300 years old. Make sure your tomb is securely built. The indomitable Guo Moruo is your nemesis.

Even becoming an emperor requires a system? Unbelievable! Nine and a half out of ten books these days are system novels; even historical novels are. Does this mean that writers can't write books without a system?

You say the Ming Dynasty was rubbish and dark, then give me a dynasty that wasn't dark. We won't prove it; it's meaningless. If you think the Ming Dynasty was rubbish, then give me a dynasty you consider virtuous.

This book offers a unique perspective! It resonates deeply with my own views! Decisiveness alone cannot instill fear in everyone! Even if fear arises, it's only temporary! The art of subtle manipulation is incredibly powerful! The most terrifying approach is like boiling a frog in lukewarm water! It lures people into a trap without them even realizing it! The wisdom of the ancients is unmatched by modern people! Modern education has already fallen far behind!

To tell you the painful truth, it was not the Qing army that overthrew the Ming Dynasty, but the Ming Dynasty's already bankrupt finances, Li Zicheng's rebellion due to starvation, and the Ming army's surrender to the Qing Dynasty.

I'm tired of it all; it's all political intrigue. It's not the kind of emperor I want to watch. Even being an emperor seems uncomfortable; they're such pathetic creatures. No wonder I prefer Qin Shi Huang.

Regardless of the veracity of historical records about Zhang Juzheng, history often serves political purposes; it's like a young girl who can be dressed up however one pleases. Putting aside the truth, a person is inherently multifaceted, especially the first Grand Secretary of the Ming Dynasty. I'm more inclined to believe that the real Zhang Juzheng was a composite of two sides.

So-called benevolent rulers were nothing more than puppets. Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Li were the true emperors; the rest, one by one, were oppressed and killed by Confucianism.

If one possessed the ruling power of Zhu Yuanzhang, industrialization could absolutely have begun. Without it, it would be suicidal. Those writing historical novels must understand the era of Zhu Yuanzhang. Why did he eliminate so many worthless founding heroes? The country remained stable.

If we were to transition from the Ming Dynasty to the modern era, China would certainly have recovered the territories of Burma and Vietnam. It had both the legal basis and the military strength to do so. While the Ming Dynasty itself didn't record it, there was an evacuation of Chinese citizens from Luzon during the Wanli era, documented in the records of Spanish colonists.