Sky Curtain: The Overlord Charges into Battle, Shocking Emperors of All Dynasties

Chapter 39 The Civil Service Group is Truly Evil

The love between Emperor Taizu and Empress Gao during the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty was truly enviable.

Emperor Ming Xianzong Zhu Jianshen was filled with envy. He was also a passionate man, and he naturally admired the love story between Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma told on the screen.

"Your Majesty~" A woman's sweet voice pierced through the hall, carrying a mature charm, and reached Zhu Jianshen's ears. Upon hearing this, Zhu Jianshen's face blossomed into a smile like a flower, "Sister Zhen'er is here."

Wan Zhen'er slowly walked behind Zhu Jianshen and gently massaged his head with just the right amount of pressure, the kind of pressure Zhu Jianshen liked best.

"Now that you're the emperor, you still have to call me Sister Zhen'er?"

Wan Zhen'er looked reproachful but spoke gently, as if coaxing a child.

"Whether I am the emperor or Zhu Jianshen, Sister Zhen'er will always be Sister Zhen'er."

[It was all a conspiracy by the civil service; the civil service is utterly wicked.]

What's the logic behind this?

The civil officials of each dynasty immediately panicked. How did they suddenly get dragged into this? This is a slander, a complete slander!

! !

Compared to the civil officials' outbursts, the military officials were much calmer, inwardly sneering.

The sky can see clearly, can't it? You civil officials are full of evil intentions, you love to plot and scheme, and you impeach us at the drop of a hat. You are truly wicked!

Compared to civil officials before the Song Dynasty, those after the Song Dynasty were even more frustrated, especially during the Ming Dynasty. The Heavenly Curtain was talking about our dynasty's affairs, and they knew exactly what they had done. Of course, there were some less-than-honorable things. If the Heavenly Curtain were to reveal these things, oh no, my ancestors!

Liu Qi was somewhat confused. How could civil officials form a group?

During the Han Dynasty, there was not much distinction between civil and military officials. Most officials served as generals when they went out and prime ministers when they returned to their posts. The distinction between civil and military officials was not that great. Liu Qi saw it very clearly. He was sure that the so-called civil official group was secretly plotting to seize power and profit. He had seen this kind of thing many times before.

Yes, many things in the Ming Dynasty are mysterious, and given that it is relatively close to our time, there are many historical records left behind, which inevitably makes people wonder.

Commentary: Many novels now speculate that the deaths of Zhu Xiong Ying and Zhu Biao's Crown Princess Chang were inextricably linked to the civil official group. Of course, the main culprit was Zhu Biao's Crown Princess Lü. Commentary: It's too coincidental. First, Chang died in childbirth, and then Zhu Xiong Ying passed away. Chang was a daughter of a military family, physically strong, and had given birth before, yet she still had a difficult childbirth. Moreover, Chang's last son, Zhu Yunwen, could he really be incompetent? Or perhaps Lü deliberately spoiled him. Commentary: Don't forget who Zhu Yunwen's maternal uncle was. Think about it carefully. Commentary: That's right. Lü was the daughter of Lü Ben, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and Lü Ben was a former official of the Yuan Dynasty. It's hard not to make the connection.

Emperor Renzong of Song, Zhao Zhen, stared wide-eyed. This was clearly beyond his imagination. But upon closer examination, he realized it wasn't entirely unreasonable; everything made sense. The Song Dynasty had always adopted a policy of emphasizing civil officials over military ones. Although he didn't know how the Yuan and Ming dynasties treated their civil officials, Zhao Zhen dared to say that the Song Dynasty was the most lenient and best-treated dynasty in history in terms of its treatment of civil officials. He was highly skeptical of the veracity of what was said on the celestial screen. Surely the integrity of civil officials wouldn't be so questionable? The Song Dynasty also had civil officials, and he himself had no children. Could this be a conspiracy by the civil official group? He had treated them very well; they were even more anxious than he was about having children.

During the Zhengde era, Zhu Houzhao lay on his sickbed, his face ashen. A minor fall into the water could not have killed him. He had loved martial arts since childhood, personally led many campaigns, and was in good health. Moreover, he was in his prime; how could he have died suddenly from a single fall into the water? Since the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven in March, he had been frequently vomiting blood, and he no longer trusted the imperial physicians. Zhu Houzhao knew that his life was coming to an end. At this moment, he was thinking about what would happen to the Ming Dynasty in the future. Most likely, Yang Tinghe and those civil officials would support a puppet ruler.

Jiajing snorted coldly. He was extremely intelligent and skilled in using power tactics. He had seen and experienced many such things over the decades.

Just consider the fire at the imperial palace during the Jiajing Emperor's southern tour in the eighteenth year of his reign. The officials, attendants, and guards were unable to find the emperor to help. If Lu Bing hadn't risked his life to rush into the fire to rescue him, he would have perished during the southern tour. After that, there were several more major fires, which makes it hard not to have some doubts.

Zhu Houxi was somewhat gloating. He could naturally guess that the emperors of every time and space should be able to see it. Could it be that the True Martial Emperor was particularly favoring him?

The civil officials of the Hongwu era are going to be in trouble. During the Hongwu era, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were red, his fists were clenched, and the veins on his face were bulging. He had never felt so angry. With a "don", Zhu Yuanzhang drew the long sword hanging on his back. The blade was bright and reflected Zhu Yuanzhang's face full of murderous intent.

For Zhu Yuanzhang, some things didn't need evidence; suspicion was enough. As for the evidence, the Embroidered Uniform Guard would find it themselves.

Meanwhile, the officials inside the hall had already been so frightened by the revelation of Zhu Xiong Ying's affair with the Crown Princess that they knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a sound.

Even Li Shanchang knelt on the ground with his head down. Although he had fought alongside his superior to conquer the country, he was now considered a civil official. Who knew if his superior would still remember their past relationship?

As for the military officers of Huaixi, they were all already red-eyed, staring intently at the civil officials on one side. If it weren't for Xu Da holding them back, Lan Yu and the others would have rushed forward and drawn their swords to cut them down.

"Chongpachi"

For the civil officials, this was nothing short of heavenly music, a savior's cry. They all raised their heads, looking at Empress Ma with hopeful eyes.

We must quickly persuade His Majesty to prevent another major case like the Blank Seal Case from happening again!

Zhu Yuanzhang's anger subsided slightly. He looked at his wife, who had shared his hardships, but did not question her. He understood and trusted his wife.

Empress Ma gently placed her hand on Zhu Yuanzhang's hand gripping the hilt of his sword, and softly uttered a single word: "Investigate!!"

The civil officials closed their eyes in relief; there was no hope left now.

"Biao'er, this time your mother will make the decision for you. We'll start the investigation with the Lü family."

Zhu Biao's face was also full of anger. That was his wife who had grown up with him since childhood, and his eldest son on whom he had placed high hopes. How dare they do that?

At this moment, he couldn't believe it either, but what if? There's always the possibility of something going wrong, and all of this was for the sake of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang glared angrily, then turned his gaze to the civil officials in the hall. "I know that some of you have become accustomed to the comfortable life of the former Yuan Dynasty and still dream of returning to the former Yuan and the former Song Dynasty, a world ruled by scholar-officials."

With a sharp "crack," Zhu Yuanzhang plunged his long sword into the imperial desk before him, the blade trembling and sending shivers down the spines of the assembled civil officials. "Now, I will tell you plainly."

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly descended the steps and stood to the right of a group of military generals. Facing these civil officials, Xu Da understood something. With a gesture, the military generals, led by him, stood behind Zhu Yuanzhang, glaring at the civil officials. "Impossible!!!"

"I rose from humble beginnings to rule the world with my sword and the soldiers in my army. You can help me govern the country, but if you wish to return to the Song Dynasty..."

"I will send you to meet the past emperors of the Great Song Dynasty."

"If you still intend to rebel and incite local unrest,"

"At worst, I'll just go back to Huangjue Temple!!!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's roar reverberated throughout the entire hall. Behind him stood a group of proud and fierce soldiers. The imperial aura and the killing intent of the battlefield intertwined. The civil officials who rushed to the left were so timid that even those who knelt down felt their legs trembling and their bodies covered in cold sweat.

Damn Lady Lü, you better really don't have such thoughts. But whether she really has such thoughts or not is no longer important. It seems that the biggest case of the Hongwu era is really about to occur.

In every timeline of the Hongwu reign, the Embroidered Uniform Guard was at work, kicking down doors, arresting people, searching, and interrogating—the process was very efficient. In some timelines, they actually found something, while in others, it seemed they didn't find anything at first but later did.

However, in the eighth year of Hongwu's reign, before Lady Lü entered the Eastern Palace, it seemed that she would never be able to enter the Eastern Palace again, and Zhu Chongwen would never be born into this world.

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