The year is 1589, the seventeenth year of the Wanli era of the Ming dynasty.
Zhang Juzheng, who had wielded power unchecked, is dead. Qi Jiguang, who loved going to war, is dead. Hai Rui, who loved giving the powerful a hard time, is dead too. Tired of arguing with his ministers, the Wanli Emperor has shut himself away in his chambers and stopped attending court, ushering in the bizarre era of "30 years without imperial sacrifices, hunting trips, or court audiences."
Time marches on. The streets are prosperous and peaceful, and ordinary people are keen to chat, listen to music, travel, gamble, visit brothels, collect curios, and keep flowers, insects, fish, and birds...
Amid the bustling crowds, no one knows that Europeans are setting sail at the other end of the continent to explore the world. Amid the clinking of cups, no one pays attention to Nurhaci, leader of the Jianzhou Jurchens in the far north, as he trains his troops and eyes the vast lands of the Ming.
Su Hao, a geologist from a later age, transmigrates into the body of a farmer's son who has passed the scholar examination in Fengcheng County, Nanchang Prefecture, Jiangxi.
Watch as our Ming dynasty geographer makes waves and builds a new era of prosperity and strength for the people and the nation.
