Chenghua-Era Ming: I Am a Corrupt Emperor

What's interesting about the emperors of the Ming Dynasty is that those highly praised by scholars were generally mediocre, while those with low evaluations were often quite accomplished.

Finally, I've found a time-travel novel featuring the Chenghua Emperor as the main character. However, the Chenghua Emperor is not easy to write about. His abilities were arguably second only to Zhu Yuanzhang among the Ming Dynasty emperors, even surpassing Zhu Di. However, he was severely vilified by the Ming Dynasty gentry and literati, who portrayed him as a tyrannical ruler in various ways.

No matter how powerful the Chenghua Emperor was, his son, the Hongzhi Emperor, completely destroyed him. Before the Hongzhi Emperor, the Ming Dynasty emperors were at the peak of their imperial power. After the Hongzhi Emperor, the ancestral rules and etiquette were used to deceive the court and punish the emperor. Before the Hongzhi Emperor, the emperor favored his concubines and killed his wife.

I feel like you've unfairly portrayed Emperor Chenghua. It's not just the gentry opposing him; all the high-ranking officials are against him, showing no fear. You've made the gentry and officials seem incredibly powerful, and Emperor Chenghua seem weak. Although he killed many people, they showed no fear. Logically, Emperor Chenghua was a decisive and ruthless ruler.

Emperor Chenghua was undeniably skilled in political maneuvering, but his sons were incompetent, completely yielding to the civil service. His eldest grandson acted rashly but ultimately failed. His second son's grandson was even more problematic. His political acumen was superb, but it seems he didn't use it for anything worthwhile.

Chenghua was the only emperor after Hongwu and Yongle. The others were too weak. They portrayed him too badly in TV dramas. At least Yongzheng had the aura of being popular with female viewers.

The Chenghua Emperor was the legitimate ruler, and the Chenghua Emperor's purge of the court was a major event...

Zhu Jianru was indeed the most outstanding emperor of the Ming Dynasty besides Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di. He took over a mess and resolved it all. To govern chaos, to govern the people, and to govern officials Pacifying Jingzhou and Xiangyang, fighting against the Jurchens, suppressing the rebellion at Guyuan, the Battle of Hongyanchi, and building the Great Wall.

In the author's mind, were there no scholars left in the Ming Dynasty? And no one who wanted to be an official or aspired to be one?

If we exclude the first two emperors, there are only two truly capable rulers in the Ming Dynasty: Zhu Jianshen and Zhu Houzhao. Emperors Renxuan and Xiaozong of Ming can only be considered models of rulers who maintain the status quo. In my modern eyes, it's fine if you don't want to fight, but giving up your territory is just... Well, you know.