Impersonating a County Magistrate, I Rose to Become a Prince of the Great Ming

He transmigrated to the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, and the county magistrate before him had just died. The body was still warm.

Jiang Hongwen was at a loss.

There was no helping it. He would just have to do whatever the body he transmigrated into had done!

In Fengyang County, he impersonated the county magistrate, treading carefully at every turn. He helped the people escape poverty and grow prosperous, while also keeping an eye out for assassins lurking everywhere.

Life was pretty miserable.

On his first trip to the countryside, Zhu Yuanzhang saw golden waves of wheat and smiling faces. Delighted, he declared, "What a capable official. He'll make a trusted minister one day, and I can leave him to Biao'er."

On his second trip, Zhu Yuanzhang saw well-maintained roads and a land at peace. He mused, "Does the capital at Yingtian Prefecture really look worse than this place?"

On his third trip, Zhu Yuanzhang saw a thriving, peaceful scene and a steady stream of merchant caravans. He slapped the table in admiration. "Now this is what our Great Ming should look like!"

And so the Hongwu Emperor began quietly copying Jiang Hongwen's approach.

Within a few years, the Great Ming grew rich and powerful, its neighbors submitted, and nations from afar came to pay tribute!

As he went about his work, Jiang Hongwen finally realized something was off.

Wait... Old Zhu, is this right?

I'm just a county magistrate, and a fake one at that. How have I nearly become a prince of the Great Ming with a different surname?