By a twist of fate, Ji Boying traveled through the long river of history. Only after raising the reign of the Ming dynasty in sixteen parallel timelines to more than five hundred years could he open the portal back to the present.
In the thirteenth year of Hongwu, Ji Boying looked at Old Zhu on the imperial throne. Before Old Zhu could say a word, he spoke first.
“Your wife is dead.”
“Your eldest son is dead.”
“Your eldest grandson is dead, too.”
“Your fourth son rebelled and became emperor.”
“Don't believe me? I'll show you.”
In the fourth year of Jianwen, Zhu Laosi marched into Yingtian, full of confidence as he strode up the palace steps. The moment he looked up, he fell to his knees in shock.
“Father, you... you're not dead?”
The commoner emperor Zhu Yuanzhang; Zhu Yunwen, who said, “Don't hurt my uncle”; Zhu Laosi, the warmonger; Zhu Gaochi, the foodie; Zhu Zhanji, the cricket emperor; Zhu Qizhen, the God of War of the Ming; Zhu Qiyu, the soft-hearted one; Zhu Jianshen, who loved wet nurses most; Zhu Youcheng, the embodiment of true love; Zhu Houzhao, the playboy of the Leopard Room; Zhu Houcong, who sought immortality and the Dao; Zhu Zaihou, the top womanizer; Zhu Yijun, who couldn't be bothered to attend court; Zhu Changluo, the Red Pills Case emperor; Zhu Youxiao, the master carpenter; and Zhu Youjian, the tireless worker who presided over the dynasty's fall.
Posterity praised them: The sixteen Ming emperors, every one of them a delight to listen to and watch.
