The Great Ming Dynasty: Emperor Jingtai

In the fourteenth year of Zhengtong, the emperor personally led an expedition north to attack the Oirat, only to suffer a crushing defeat at Tumu Fortress...

The Ming dynasty was on the verge of collapse. The throne stood vacant, the court was divided, and calls to move the capital south grew louder by the day. The Oirat army was bearing down on Beijing, and the people were gripped by fear and unrest.

It was then that Liu Ming transmigrated into the body of Zhu Qiyu, Prince of Cheng, the man who would become Emperor Jingtai of the Ming.

The good news was that there was still plenty of time before the future Coup at the Gate, and he was confident he could change this tragic course of history.

The bad news was that he was only acting as regent. He had not inherited the throne and therefore held no real power.

As the nobility declined, the civil officials began to rise, banding together to keep the emperor in check.

The eunuch faction had been suppressed because of Wang Zhen’s abuses of power. They dared not take on real authority, afraid of arousing suspicion.

In the inner palace, Empress Dowager Sun supported Zhu Qizhen’s line, so things were hardly peaceful there either.

Given a second life, and facing the clash of blades among the factions at court, I, Zhu Qiyu, will save the Ming dynasty this time and make it great again!