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

Zhu Dijun looked at the furious Zhu Yuanzhang on the sky, and the emperors and generals who were dumbfounded in various timelines, without the slightest surprise on his face.

He simply looked calmly, even with a hint of pity, at those from the first year of Jianwen's reign.

"I know you're not convinced."

"You consider yourselves to be wise and virtuous ministers, serving a benevolent ruler."

"You think the title 'The Four Idiots of Jianwen' is a huge insult to you."

Zhu Dijun sneered, his voice suddenly turning sharp.

"But history doesn't care what you say, it only cares about what you do!"

"And what you did next, every single thing you did, was the perfect testament to this title!"

Images flow across the sky.

After Emperor Jianwen, Zhu Yunwen, ascended the throne, a group of civil officials led by Huang Zicheng, Qi Tai, and Fang Xiaoru eagerly began their "Jianwen New Deal".

The first thing to do was to reform the system.

"They disliked the system established by Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, finding it crude, unrefined, and full of murderous intent."

"Therefore, they raised the banner of restoration and wanted to revive the rites of Zhou!"

"They changed official titles and laws, turning the entire court into a giant cosplay event, with everyone playing the role of an official from the Zhou Dynasty thousands of years ago."

Zhu Dijun's tone was full of sarcasm.

"A dynasty forged in iron and blood, a nation that has just risen from a century of war, needs nothing more than recuperation and strengthening its military!"

"And you, you're debating which official title's name is more in line with ancient customs, or which ceremonial robe's style is closer to that of the Zhou emperor!"

"What else could this be but stupidity?!"

In the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign, Zhu Yuanzhang was furious.

Our system was fought and won by us, with hundreds of thousands of brothers, through mountains of corpses and seas of blood!

Every garrison and every law is soaked in blood and lessons!

As a result, when it came to the grandson, it became vulgar and unrefined.

Does he want to restore the Zhou rites?

Why doesn't he just go back to the tree and become a monkey!

"You unfilial grandson! You unfilial grandson!" Zhu Yuanzhang pointed at the sky, trembling with rage.

On the sky, Zhu Dijun's voice continued, like a knife, stabbing the hearts of all the Zhu family members.

"If the reforms were merely foolish, then what happened next was a complete self-destruction!"

"Cutting the feudal lordship!"

Two large, blood-stained characters appeared in the center of the sky.

"The founding emperor enfeoffed the princes to guard the frontiers and protect the imperial family. It was our Zhu family's own 'War of the Eight Princes'... cough, it was our Zhu family's own armed force!"

"But in the eyes of 'smart people' like Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai, these uncles who hold military power are the biggest threat!"

"Therefore, Huang Zicheng presented his 'brilliant plan' to Emperor Jianwen."

On the sky, next to Huang Zicheng's portrait, a line of text appeared.

"The kings of Zhou, Qi, Xiang, Dai, and Min were all lawless during the reign of the late emperor, and their removal was justified. For the present sake, it would be best to first remove the king of Zhou. The king of Zhou is the younger brother of the king of Yan; removing Zhou is like cutting off Yan's limbs."

Zhu Dijun translated: "He said that it's reasonable to start with those erring princes, and I suggest we go after the Prince of Zhou first! The Prince of Zhou is the younger brother of Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan. Taking him down would be like cutting off one of the Prince of Yan's hands!"

"Family members, listen to this! Isn't this a strategy on par with Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong?"

"If you want to deal with the strongest enemy, instead of concentrating your forces for a fatal blow, you first try to intimidate his henchmen, telling them, 'I'm coming for you, so get ready!'"

"This isn't called 'beating the grass to scare the snake,' it's called 'beating the drums and gongs to tell the snake, "I'm coming to catch you!"'"

The live stream chat exploded with comments.

"I laughed. How did someone with that level of intelligence become the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices?"

"Even someone who's never eaten a peanut couldn't pull this off!"

"King Zhu Su of Zhou: I was terrified at the time, and I felt that my brother was going to rebel."

In the fifteenth year of the Yongle reign, Zhu Di looked at the sky and a cold, mocking smile appeared on his face.

Yes, that's what he thought back then.

When he heard that his fifth brother, Zhu Su, had been stripped of his title and imprisoned, he knew that the next target of that knife would be himself.

His good nephew and his group of good ministers gave him the most ample time to prepare!

By the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign, Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that he was speechless.

He stared at Huang Zicheng, who was talking eloquently in the video, and the murderous intent in his eyes was almost tangible!

That was the study companion he chose for Biao'er!

Is this the kind of trash he produced?!

"Don't rush, even sillier moves are yet to come." Judy Jun's voice sounded like a judgment from hell.

"They deposed King Zhu Su of Zhou and imprisoned King Zhu Gui of Dai and King Zhu Pian of Min."

"Then, their swords were turned on their next target—the Prince of Xiang, Zhu Bai!"

The screen above suddenly went dark.

That was in the thirty-first year of the Hongwu reign, in Changsha, at the Prince of Xiang's residence.

Outside the Prince's Palace, banners were densely displayed, armored soldiers stood in rows, and a chilling atmosphere enveloped the entire city.

"Prince Xiang, Zhu Bai, was the twelfth son of Emperor Taizu. He was skilled in both literature and martial arts, and was especially good at poetry and painting. He was a famous talent among the princes."

"Yet this very person was framed by Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng, falsely accused of treason!"

"They even forged evidence of the Prince of Xiang's privately sealed 'imperial edict,' and sent troops to surround the Prince's residence, intending to escort him to the capital for questioning!"

In the picture, Zhu Bai, the Prince of Xiang, who is only 28 years old, is wearing a royal crown and stands in front of the palace.

He looked at the dark mass of soldiers outside the mansion, and at the generals who were once familiar but now had ferocious faces.

He smiled.

There was no fear in that smile, only endless sorrow and resolute determination.

He knew that once he was taken to Yingtian, endless humiliation and torture awaited him.

He was the son of Emperor Taizu Gao!

He has his pride!

He turned around, walked into the mansion, and calmly said a sentence to the princess and children beside him.

"The court has framed me without cause; how can I allow myself to be humiliated by prison guards?"

"I should follow the example of King Zhao of Chu, and burn myself alive with my entire household to prove my innocence!"

Having said that, he personally set the palace ablaze!

A raging fire shot into the sky and instantly engulfed the entire magnificent mansion.

Zhu Bai led his family step by step into the center of the inferno.

He straightened his clothes and, facing the direction of Yingtian and the mausoleum of Emperor Taizu, kowtowed three times heavily.

At that moment, golden bullet comments fell like snowflakes from the sky, filling the entire screen!

[Zhu Bai, the Prince of Xiangli of the Ming Dynasty, pays respects to his father, the Emperor!]

[Twelfth Brother! Fourth Brother Zhu Di will avenge you!]

[King Xiangli, your soul has returned! Pay homage to the Great Ancestor Emperor Gaozu!]

[King Xiangli, your soul has returned! Paying homage to Emperor Chengzu!]

This scene plunged everyone in all times and spaces, and everyone watching the celestial spectacle, into a deep sense of shock and grief!

In the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign, at the Fengtian Hall.

"Bai'er—!"

A piercing scream escaped from Empress Ma's mouth, and her vision went black as she fainted!

"Mother!" Zhu Biao exclaimed in shock and quickly helped her up.

Zhu Yuanzhang, as if struck by lightning, stood frozen in place.

He looked at the sky above, at his son engulfed in flames, and at the direction in which he made his final bow.

He felt his heart being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and then, bit by bit, crushed into powder!

That's his son!

He was one of his most beloved sons!

Bai'er is both literate and skilled in martial arts, and is full of talent!

Just like that... they were forced to commit suicide by self-immolation?!

By whom?

His good grandson, whom he personally helped to rise to power?!

"puff--!"

A mouthful of blood, which he could no longer hold back, gushed out of Zhu Yuanzhang's mouth, staining the dragon table in front of him red!

This emperor, who had lived a life of iron-fisted rule, was shaking violently, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at the four words on the sky.

【The Four Idiots of Jianwen】!

"Aaaaaahh ...

He let out a roar that was not human, filled with endless pain and regret!

"We...we killed meritorious officials, we crippled military commanders...just so you beasts would...come and kill our sons?!"

"Khazar! Huang Zicheng! Zhu Yunwen!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's fingernails dug into the armrest of the dragon throne, drawing blood. He roared with all his might, each word distinct and forceful.

"If we don't tear you to pieces and grind your bones to ashes!"

"I...swear I will never be human!!"

On the sky, Zhu Dijun's cold voice brought this tragedy to a final close.

"The death of Prince Xiang, Zhu Bai, was a 'great victory' for the Jianwen Emperor in his efforts to weaken the power of the princes."

"But it was the last straw that broke the camel's back."

"It showed all the vassal kings in the world their own fate."

"And it also caused one of them to completely abandon all illusions."

Zhu Dijun's gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, landing on Beiping.

"Because, after forcing the Prince of Xiang to his death."

"This butcher's knife, finally and without any concealment, has been aimed at its initial and final target—"

"The Prince of Yan, Zhu Di!"