Sky Curtain: The opening scene explains the four major cases of the Ming Dynasty plus the early Ming

Zhu Gaosui knelt on the ground, his mind racing with a thousand curses, but he dared not utter a single word.

He could only bury his head low, bearing the almost tangible rage of his own father with his back.

Zhu Di looked at his third son and became angrier and angrier. If it weren't for the inappropriate occasion, he would have liked to kick him.

But he also knew that it was really unreasonable to blame Zhu Gaosui for this.

If he doesn't vent to someone, the pent-up anger and shame in his chest could suffocate him!

In the end, he could only direct that nameless fire at the sky once again.

"That rebellious grandson of Zhu Dijun... wait for me... wait for me..."

He waited for a long time, only to find that he had no way to deal with that descendant six hundred years later.

This feeling of powerlessness drove him even more insane than being publicly exposed!

……

Above the sky, Zhu Dijun seemed completely oblivious to his ancestor's overwhelming rage, and instead began to conduct an "in-depth analysis."

"Family members, let's laugh it off, but let's also analyze this rationally."

"Why would my ancestor, Emperor Yongle, do these two things that seem incredibly stupid to us?"

Zhu Dijun's tone shifted from teasing to serious.

The answer is simple: two words—guilty conscience!

"His throne was stolen! He sat on it over the corpse (or perhaps the missing body) of his own nephew!"

"In a Confucian cultural sphere that places great emphasis on 'orthodoxy' and 'filial piety,' this is inherently sinful!"

"Therefore, he craved 'legitimacy' more than any other emperor! He even reached a paranoid, pathological level!"

On the sky, the scene changed once again.

After Zhu Di ascended the throne, a bloody scene unfolded where he massacred former officials of the Jianwen Emperor.

Fang Xiaoru was executed along with ten generations of his family, and their blood stained the streets of Nanjing.

Tie Xuan was executed by slow slicing. After his death, his flesh was cut off, stuffed into his mouth, and he was asked, "Do you like it?"

Jing Qing concealed a dagger before going to court, but when the plan was finally revealed, the dagger was exposed. After his defeat, he was skinned alive and stuffed with straw...

The scenes of inhumane torture made people from all times and spaces feel uncomfortable.

Why was he so cruel?

Zhu Dijun's voice was icy.

"Because he's afraid! He's using extreme violence to mask his inner weakness!"

"He wants to shut everyone up, to make everyone acknowledge him, even if it's a lie!"

"The 35th year of Hongwu was the first lie he wove for himself. He wanted to create the illusion of 'the abdication of the Taizu Emperor' and glorify 'usurpation' as 'the mandate of heaven'."

"Revising the 'Veritable Records of Emperor Taizu' was the second lie he fabricated. He wanted to deny the legitimacy of Emperor Jianwen from the root and portray himself as the only person qualified to inherit the throne."

"Unfortunately..."

Judy sighed. "His methods are just too crude."

……

The Great Tang Dynasty, Taiji Palace.

The smile on Li Shimin's face, who had been watching the show the whole time, had disappeared without him noticing.

As he watched Zhu Di's actions on the sky, his eyes no longer revealed simple mockery, but rather... the scrutiny of a peer, and a hint of disdain.

"His Majesty?"

Changsun Wuji keenly sensed the change in Li Shimin's emotions.

Li Shimin picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and slowly spoke.

"Fuji, tell me, isn't Zhu Di quite pathetic?"

Changsun Wuji was taken aback, then bowed and said:

"Your Majesty, I am foolish. Zhu Di, as a prince, seized the throne and ushered in a golden age. He should be considered a great ruler. How can you say he was a pitiful ruler?"

"A powerful ruler?"

Li Shimin shook his head, a cold smile curving his lips.

"A true leader dares to act and take responsibility."

"Back then, at Xuanwu Gate, I killed Jiancheng and Yuanji, forcing my father to abdicate. I have never denied it!"

"Because I know that history is written by the victors! As long as I can create a golden age that far surpasses that of my father and brothers, allowing the people to live in peace and prosperity, the bloodshed at Xuanwu Gate will be washed away by the achievements of the Zhenguan era!"

"I used an open strategy! I used a glorious achievement to silence the criticisms of the world!"

Li Shimin's eyes gleamed with powerful confidence and domineering presence!

He put down his teacup, his voice tinged with disdain.

"But what about Zhu Di? He wouldn't dare!"

"He won the world, yet he still acted like a petty thief who had stolen something, desperately trying to erase his footprints."

"Changing the reign title and altering history books, they're using these underhanded tricks that can't be brought to the table."

"And the result? His clever scheme backfired, riddled with flaws, ultimately turning him into a laughingstock for all time!"

"He did this job so sloppily!"

Li Shimin offered a succinct assessment.

He thought he could deceive the world, but he didn't realize that history is the shared memory of all people! The more you try to cover it up, the more obvious it becomes!

"Instead of racking your brains to fabricate a clumsy lie, face it honestly and prove yourself with a hundredfold achievement!"

"He had the ability, but he chose the most foolish path."

"That's what makes him so tragic."

Upon hearing this, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and others were all shocked, and their eyes were filled with awe and admiration as they looked at Li Shimin.

Yes.

It is also a case of improperly gaining a position.

Their emperor chose to prove himself through the "Reign of Zhenguan".

Meanwhile, the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was still agonizing over how to amend his "birth certificate".

The difference in perspective is immediately apparent!

……

The Qin Dynasty, Xianyang Palace.

"Hmph, womanly compassion, short-sighted."

The First Emperor, Ying Zheng, commented coldly.

"Now that you have seized the world, everything under heaven is yours. History books are nothing but ink and paper."

"Write however you want. Once it's finished, promulgate it throughout the land; who would dare disobey?"

"If there are any objections, just kill them."

"To create such a scandal for such a hollow reputation is a complete disgrace to the emperor!"

In his view, Zhu Di's troubles were not a problem at all.

The problem is that Zhu Di's methods were not ruthless or decisive enough!

……

The Great Han Dynasty, Weiyang Palace.

Liu Bang clicked his tongue and said to Xiao He beside him:

"Xiao He, look at you, scholars are always the most cunning."

"Back then, when we fought Xiang Yu for the empire, victory was victory. We became Emperor Gaozu of Han, and he became the Hegemon-King of Western Chu—it's that simple and clear!"

"Unlike this old Zhu family, who even after winning, still tries to figure out how to make the loser say he won beautifully. Isn't that just like taking off your pants to fart—completely unnecessary!"

Xiao He and Chen Ping exchanged a wry smile and repeatedly agreed.

Talking about "procedural justice" and "historical narrative" to this emperor who rose from humble beginnings is indeed like casting pearls before swine.

……

Above the sky, Zhu Dijun seemed to sense the "online comments" from the big shots of various time and space, and he smiled.

"Family members, it seems that our ancestors are not very satisfied with my public relations skills as the Yongle Emperor."

"However, we've already criticized and laughed. We must admit, setting aside these ridiculous maneuvers done in the name of 'legitimacy'..."

"My ancestor was absolutely top-notch in governing the country and expanding its territory!"

"Although he made a fool of himself in political propaganda, he perfectly embodied Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin's philosophy of 'silencing public opinion with glorious achievements' in his actions!"

Judy's voice began to rise in intensity.

"But to usher in this prosperous Yongle era and to accomplish this unparalleled feat, he needed a helper."

"A top-tier strategic planner who can turn his ambitions into reality!"

"A wicked monk hidden beneath a black robe, later known as the 'Black-Robed Prime Minister'!"

Above the sky, all the images disappeared.

Instead, there was a deep darkness.

In the darkness, a monk dressed in a black robe, with a withered face but frighteningly bright eyes, slowly emerged.

A faint, enigmatic smile played on his lips, conveying both compassion and an all-knowing wisdom.

His name is—

"The Way of Derivation!"

"Or rather, it's his name after he reverted to his original surname—"

[Yao! Guang! Xiao!]