Sky Curtain: With a vermilion mirror, Jing travels through the modern world, shaking all dynasties.

"Taoist immortal techniques? There's no such thing as immortal techniques in this world!"

Jiang Chuan raised his hand and gently rubbed Zhu Jingjing's head, his tone carrying a hint of helpless amusement, "If there truly were immortal magic, how could Zhang Jiao have ended up dying from illness?"

Zhu Jingjing dodged to the side, then looked up and asked, "Then how did he manage to gather hundreds of thousands of followers? A mere political slogan like 'The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise' is certainly not enough to make so many people willingly die."

"That's true. The slogans were loud and clear, but without real benefits, it would be impossible to gather hundreds of thousands of refugees." Jiang Chuan withdrew his hand and asked in a deep voice, "However, what he did back then is now impossible to verify. In my opinion, he was probably using the name of the talisman water to actually distribute porridge."

Zhu Jingjing's eyes deepened with doubt as she asked, "Brother, this doesn't make sense. How can porridge cure illness? Besides, if you're just distributing porridge, why bring in some talisman water and make such a fuss?"

Jiang Chuan sighed, his gaze becoming somewhat heavy. "Jingjing, in that famine year when people were forced to eat their own children and had eaten all the grass roots and tree bark, most of the illnesses were caused by starvation."

"As for why you described distributing porridge as healing talisman water, that's even simpler! According to the laws of the late Eastern Han Dynasty, those who distributed porridge privately could be beheaded!" Jiang Chuan added.

"That's even stranger!" Zhu Jingjing frowned suddenly, her small face full of confusion. "Distributing porridge to relieve famine and ensuring people have enough to eat should be an act to stabilize the world, so why does the law prohibit ordinary people from doing it privately?"

Jiang Chuan smiled bitterly to himself. Although Zhu Jingjing grew up in the deep palace, she was still young and, being a woman, would not be drawn into the vortex of power struggles, so she naturally could not see through the dangers involved.

"Jingjing," Jiang Chuan said, his smile fading and his expression turning serious. "You must understand that once the situation deteriorates to the point where private individuals are needed to provide porridge, the famine will not be quelled in the short term."

Zhu Jingjing pursed her lips tightly, her pretty face tense, sensing the heaviness in Jiang Chuan's tone.

"If no one provides porridge, those who are starving will simply die." Jiang Chuan's words were like a dull knife, cutting through them word by word. "When they are starving to that extent, they don't even have the strength to rebel."

Zhu Jingjing's face turned slightly pale.

"But if someone provides porridge and they survive..." Jiang Chuan paused for a moment, his gaze falling on her face, his tone becoming increasingly serious, "Then tell me, what kind of consequences would arise if that person who provides the porridge raised their voice?"

Three Kingdoms, new fields.

The night wind was bleak in front of the tent. Liu Bei stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the sky, remaining silent for a long time.

Zhuge Liang quietly approached and asked in a low voice, "My lord seems distracted. Is it because you are troubled by the matter of suppressing the Yellow Turbans?"

Liu Bei lowered his eyes and sighed, saying with a sense of melancholy, "Hearing Jiang Chuan's words, I suddenly understand. The people are wandering in ditches and valleys, displaced and homeless. Is this not the responsibility of the Han Dynasty? Yet Zhang Jiao's rallying cry seems to be acting on behalf of Heaven, raising the banner of the Yellow Heaven for the common people!"

Zhuge Liang composed himself, cupped his hands, and said solemnly, "My lord, you are mistaken!"

He looked at Liu Bei earnestly and said, "At first, Zhang Jiao may have truly had the heart to save the people. However, he called himself the General of Heaven and gathered hundreds of thousands of lives into the war, causing countless deaths and corpses to litter the fields! How can such actions be called acts for the benefit of the people?"

Liu Bei remained silent, listening intently.

Zhuge Liang continued, "If my lord truly cares for the well-being of the people, he should resolve to restore the Han Dynasty! Once the nation is stable, he should reduce taxes and corvée labor, lighten punishments, and ease legal disputes, so that the people may forever escape the suffering of war and enjoy the happiness of peaceful living. Only in this way can we truly save the people from their misery!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei bowed deeply, saying, "The strategist's words are like a sudden awakening!"

modern.

Zhu Jingjing lowered her head, her voice as soft as a feather falling to the ground, "Brother, so according to you, all the emperors of past dynasties valued their thrones more than the lives of their people?"

Her clothes were crumpled from her grip.

She didn't want to ask, but she couldn't stop the thought from creeping into her mind.

What about her father, the emperor?

What was Father thinking when he sat on that dragon throne?

Jiang Chuan noticed that her eyes were slightly red, and his heart tightened. He gently took her hand in his.

"Jingjing, it's not entirely like that." He softened his tone and thought seriously for a moment. "You've heard of Emperor Renzong of Song, Zhao Zhen, right? When he passed away, the people of Bianliang spontaneously closed the market and mourned him. Even the emperor of Liao shed tears. A person who can live like that can't be faked."

Zhu Jingjing pursed her lips and said sullenly, "He may be benevolent, but the benevolence he shows is more towards those around him than towards the common people!"

Jiang Chuan paused, then pondered for a moment before saying, "What about Emperor Zhaolie, Liu Xuande? His story of leading the people across the river is still talked about today!"

"But," Zhu Jingjing muttered even softer, "he didn't unify the world..."

The Great Ming Dynasty, Fengtian Hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat upright on the dragon throne, his face ashen, pointing at the sky and shouting angrily: "Jiangchuan brat, shallow and presumptuous! You've never sat on this dragon throne, how can you know the weight of this position!"

Inside the hall, civil and military officials prostrated themselves on the ground, silent as cicadas in winter, fearing that the thunderous wrath would befall them.

"Father, please allow me to speak boldly."

In the dead silence, Crown Prince Zhu Biao suddenly sat up.

He bit his lip lightly, but his gaze was unusually firm: "Your subject believes that Jiang Chuan's words are not entirely without reason. Mencius said: 'The people are the most important, the state is next, and the ruler is the least important.'"

These words caused an uproar in the hall. The ministers looked at each other in dismay, cold sweat pouring down their backs.

These words were directed at Zhu Yuanzhang. Even as the crown prince, he could not escape punishment. At best, he would be reprimanded; at worst, his position as crown prince would be threatened!

Unexpectedly, Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a moment and did not get angry.

"Biao'er," he sighed softly, and said slowly, "before I sat on this dragon throne, did I not share your thoughts?"

Zhu Biao was taken aback.

"It is precisely because I sit on this dragon throne that I can continue to serve the people of the world." Zhu Yuanzhang rose, his gaze sweeping over the officials prostrate on the ground. "If this throne were handed over to someone else, who could guarantee to me that the next person to sit on this throne would treat my people well?"

Zhu Biao fell silent instantly; he had never considered this possibility!

modern.

"Jiang Chuan, stop telling Jingjing those heavy historical stories."

Lin Xiaoyu, who was standing to the side, couldn't stand it any longer and interrupted, "Since the textbooks we ordered haven't arrived yet, why don't we take Jingjing out for a walk?"

Before she finished speaking, Zhu Jingjing, who had been hanging her head, suddenly jumped up.

She clapped her hands, her eyes sparkling, the heavy thoughts about the throne and the people that she had just been pondering long ago had been forgotten.

Zhu Jingjing hurriedly asked, "Sister Xiaoyu, where are we going to play today?"

Jiang Chuan smiled helplessly.

He's still just a child; the moment he hears about going out, all his worries vanish into thin air.

He turned to Lin Xiaoyu: "Xiaoyu, do you have any good places to recommend?"

Lin Xiaoyu pondered for a moment, then smiled mysteriously, "Of course! Don't ask anymore, just come with me, you'll find out then!"

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