One day, Zhu Quan wakes up as the Prince of Ning of the Great Ming. He commands ninety cities beyond the frontier, eighty thousand armored troops, six thousand supply carts, and the famously fierce Three Guards of Doyan.
But there’s bad news: the Jingnan Campaign to seize the Mandate of Heaven has already begun, and his good fourth brother, Zhu Di, is plotting how to take his troops.
According to history, Zhu Quan will lose his military authority, have his guards disbanded, and spend the rest of his life under house arrest, dying a broken man.
But Zhu Quan says, “I’m a professional when it comes to attaching myself to powerful people.”
And so…
“Fourth Brother, need troops? Take my tiger tally. I’ll send you eighty thousand armored soldiers!”
“Fourth Brother, need provisions? Six thousand supply carts should feed you for a year!”
“Just charge ahead, Fourth Brother. I’ll take care of eating, drinking, and having fun… and help you seize Liaodong, intercept the grain ships, and deliver the navy right to your doorstep.”
Dao Yan: “This Prince of Ning… I can’t figure him out.”
Li Jinglong: “The Prince of Ning is one of us!”
Zhu Yunwen: “Zhu Quan, how dare you, ”
Zhu Di: “What more could a man ask for than a brother like you? Once I’ve succeeded, we’ll split the realm between us!”
Zhu Quan: “No, no, no. Being emperor is exhausting. I just want to be a wealthy, carefree prince… and, while I’m at it, aim for an empire on which the sun never sets.”
