In the fourth month of the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen reign, Li Zicheng's Great Shun army breached the capital. The Chongzhen Emperor, Zhu Youjian, hanged himself on Coal Hill, giving his life for his country.
Yet at the very moment he died, countless images surged through his mind. His soul seemed to drift above China, witnessing nearly four hundred years of upheaval after the fall of the Ming Dynasty. In an instant, centuries passed.
In that instant, Zhu Youjian understood where he had gone wrong and the true reason the Ming Dynasty had fallen. If the Ming had not fallen, how could China have endured centuries of decline...
If I had the chance to live again, I would surely revive the Ming and keep the Chinese people at the pinnacle of the world!
The Jianzhou Jurchens and Mongol Tatars are no more than minor irritants.
The civil officials' factional strife has ruined the country, the honored nobles and military commanders are incompetent and greedy, and the princely clans are bloodsucking parasites. What? There are also countless starving refugees rebelling? Hmph! If I could live again, I wouldn't wait for the refugees to revolt. I would rebel against this rotten court myself and slaughter every one of these traitors who bring ruin to the country!
