Sky Curtain: A Review of Historical Foes and the Secrets of Ministers

"Outrageous! Outrageous!" Zhu Yuanzhang was furious.

Zhu Biao kept his head down, though he wanted to say that Emperor Taizong of Tang was also an emperor, and his insolence seemed to have little effect.

But seeing his father's red eyes and thick neck, he decided to shut up.

At the end of the scene, Li Shimin stands majestically on the city wall, overlooking the vast land.

Take Li Jing, for example. He led three thousand soldiers down the Yin Mountains on a snowy night and annihilated the Eastern Turks. What an achievement that was!

[As a result, some people got jealous and accused him of treason. Ha.]

Friends, if a military genius with immense power were accused of treason, and this happened to be Zhu Yuanzhang, the beggar, wouldn't he be executed first, regardless of the truth? And perhaps tens of thousands of people would be implicated?

The Ming Dynasty fell into a deathly silence.

All the ministers, including Crown Prince Zhu Biao, looked at Zhu Yuanzhang in horror.

"A beggar... Zhu Chongba?" Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that he trembled all over, and his head was practically steaming.

On the sky, Li Er didn't care whether Lao Zhu was alive or dead, and just started talking.

But in my Great Tang Dynasty, I simply replied to that informer with four words: "It's a trivial matter."

I, Li Shimin, trust those I employ and do not employ those I do not trust! I can command the respect of all the civil and military officials in the land.

[You keep harping on about Xuanwu Gate, what more do you want from me? Hmm?]

The video abruptly ended with Li Shimin's questioning, then vanished into a sky full of starlight.

The entire hall was silent, all the civil and military officials still immersed in the soul-searching rant they had just heard.

No one expected that Emperor Li Er, who was usually aloof and always displayed the demeanor of a benevolent ruler, actually harbored so many grievances in his broad chest.

"saint……"

Changsun Wuji broke the silence first, his eyes red and his voice even choked with emotion.

He was not only the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, but also Li Shimin's brother-in-law and one of the direct planners of the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

Seeing the sky so openly reveal the humiliations Li Shimin had suffered back then, he felt both heartbroken and relieved.

"Heaven has mercy! Even the gods in the heavens are indignant on behalf of the sage!" Fang Xuanling shouted excitedly, his beard trembling.

"Your subject Fang Xuanling congratulates Your Majesty. A divine voice descended from the heavens, clearing Your Majesty of the injustices of the past. From this day forward, all people under heaven, and for all future generations, will know that Your Majesty was forced into this situation and was acting on behalf of Heaven."

"Your subject, Du Ruhui, congratulates Your Majesty on clearing your name of injustice."

"Your subject Yuchi Jingde congratulates Your Majesty!" The tall, dark-skinned Yuchi Jingde shouted the loudest, his face covered in tears and snot.

"Damn it! I told you back then to just chop those two bastards up, but the Sage insisted on holding back! Now look what's happened, even the gods are saying the Sage was wronged. Let's see who dares to gossip now!"

The officials were immediately outraged and rushed to offer their congratulations.

Even Wei Zheng, who usually stood up like a fighting rooster and was always looking for trouble with Li Shimin, was unusually silent at this moment.

Wei Zheng's expression was complicated. He had once been the tutor of Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and was one of the people who strongly urged Li Jiancheng to get rid of Li Shimin as soon as possible.

Now, seeing this sky and hearing Li Shimin's heart-wrenching questions, even Wei Zheng, the number one troublemaker, couldn't find a single fault to refute.

He slowly stepped out of the ranks, bowed deeply, and said, "Your Majesty's military achievements are illustrious, and your spirit is awe-inspiring. What the heavens have said... is all true. Your subject has nothing to say."

Even Wei Zheng stopped finding fault with them.

At this moment, Li Shimin felt comfortable from every pore of his body.

Originally, the sky was hung with the three words "Xuanwu Gate". He was heartbroken and indignant because his wounds were exposed in public, and he was even prepared to issue an edict of self-reproach.

Unexpectedly, the heavens of later generations used this method to blatantly prove his innocence.

Li Shimin's eyes were still wet with tears of excitement, and his mouth was already stretched to his ears in a wide grin.

As for the beggar Zhu Chongba mentioned in the sky, Li Shimin went through his mind and realized that he had never heard of such a person in any dynasty.

But he was currently enjoying himself so much that his scalp tingled, so he had no time to be curious about a beggar.

"That's wonderful! That's wonderful!" Li Shimin's face was flushed, and he clenched his fist. "I will reward him handsomely and let him strike while the iron is hot. He should take stock and give a good talk about my reign of Zhenguan. In this way, the whole world will surely submit and all nations will come to pay tribute."

Upon hearing this, the eunuch immediately bowed and prepared to withdraw to attend to his duties.

"Wait! Sage, wait a moment!!!"

Just as the eunuch was about to take his leave, Fang Xuanling, who had been weeping bitterly, suddenly jumped up and waved his hands repeatedly.

"Lord Fang, what do you mean by this?" Li Shimin was stunned.

We absolutely cannot let the sky continue its inventory.

"This heavenly secret... cannot be revealed forever."

In an instant, the ministers in the Taiji Palace seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, and they all changed their tune. The words that were flattering just now turned into righteous and stern advice.

"Your Majesty, the heavens are unfathomable. Clearing your name was already an immense favor! I believe that heavenly secrets should not be revealed continuously. If we forcefully use rare treasures to tempt the immortals to continue their inventory, we risk upsetting them and causing unforeseen complications!"

Fang Xuanling advised him with a righteous and awe-inspiring expression, his eyes so firm that it seemed he was willing to sacrifice his life for righteousness.

"Yes, Your Majesty! Such a divine artifact can only be left to its own devices; it must not be interfered with by human intervention, or we risk divine retribution. For the sake of the Tang Dynasty, Your Majesty, please reconsider!" Changsun Wuji nodded frantically in agreement.

Looking at the group of pillars of the nation below, who were usually eloquent but were now sweating profusely, Li Shimin's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

Who is Li Er? Just one glance at the guilty expressions on the faces of these old foxes tells you what they're thinking.

Just a moment ago you were saying you'd strike while the iron was hot, and now you're saying you're afraid of divine retribution?

They were clearly afraid that the sky would expose their little secrets that couldn't be brought to light.

"Oh? No more rewards? Or we'll be punished by heaven?" Li Shimin drawled, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji.

"What's wrong, my dear ministers? Don't you want to see the magnificent spectacle of all nations paying tribute to our Great Tang? Or do you have some unspeakable secret that you're afraid this heavenly canopy will expose?"

"Your Majesty, we dare not! We are utterly loyal to the Tang Dynasty, and our innocence is as clear as the sun and moon!" The ministers were so frightened that they quickly prostrated themselves again, answering in unison.

Li Shimin scoffed inwardly. Who doesn't have a few secrets?

In this imperial court, who dares to say they are absolutely clean? However, seeing these ministers who usually put on airs in front of him now trembling like startled birds, he felt that his grievances had been completely vented, and he was in a great mood.

"Alright, alright, since all of you say that heavenly secrets cannot be revealed continuously, then I will postpone it for now." Li Shimin waved his hand.

The court session ended hastily, and the officials, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, had no longer been concerned with state affairs.

Li Chengqian stared intently at the sky, his eyes flashing with a kind of fanaticism.

"His true thoughts...even his father's resentment towards his grandfather back then could be exposed..."

Li Chengqian muttered to himself, a twisted smile on his lips.

He was a prince living under immense pressure. His father, the emperor, was too dazzling, and he felt increasingly inferior because of his foot ailment.

What kept him up at night the most was his fourth brother, the Prince of Wei, Li Tai, who was favored by their father and was ambitious.

Li Tai not only occupied the literary academy and recruited famous scholars, but also showed signs of surpassing the Crown Prince in terms of food, clothing and daily necessities.

Li Chengqian knew that Li Tai, that fat man, was always coveting his position as crown prince.

"If..." Li Chengqian's breathing quickened, "If I could offer this Heavenly Curtain an unparalleled treasure, allowing it to take stock of the Tang Dynasty's princes... wouldn't Qingque's wolfish ambition and usurpation thoughts be exposed to the world?"