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

During his university years, Shen Chuan enjoyed reading historical fiction novels. He discovered that given Zhu Yuanzhang's circumstances, it would have been difficult for any emperor in history to achieve what he did, except perhaps Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang.

Starting with a bowl and conquering the world—only a novelist with a cheat code would dare to write something like that.

Zhu Yuanzhang is the only person in two thousand years to go from poverty to wealth.

Follow-up comment: This isn't just ordinary poverty; it's the kind of poverty where people are on the verge of starvation.

[Currently, no time-travel novels feature a protagonist who travels back in time to become Zhu Yuanzhang, because no one knows how to write such a story; it's simply too legendary.]

[His ascension to the throne was perfectly legitimate; Liu Bang was still living off the Qin family at the time.]

[His greatest achievement was the recapture of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, and the reconnection of the northern regions, which had been severed from Han civilization for nearly two hundred years.]

Follow-up comment: After the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty, the northern regions were occupied by the Jurchens, and for nearly two hundred years there was no Han Chinese culture. When Zhu Yuanzhang first conquered the north, it was a desolate wasteland.

Without the Ming Dynasty, the Han Chinese would indeed have been unable to maintain a complete empire for the next six hundred years after the Tang Dynasty.

"Father, look! You are the greatest emperor of all time!"

Zhu Di and his princes surrounded Zhu Yuanzhang, their eyes filled with excitement, shouting repeatedly.

Zhu Yuanzhang feigned composure and calmness, but the slight upturn of his lips betrayed his true feelings.

However, after a moment, he adopted an imperial air, patted Zhu Di on the shoulder, and spoke in a deliberately indifferent tone:

"However, your father has long been aware of the mere title of the First Emperor of All Time."

Zhu Yuanzhang patted Zhu Di on the shoulder: "Fourth son, I'm not trying to be mean, but don't be fooled by your future plans for a Yongle reign."

"You still need to work on calming your mind and expanding your perspective."

Zhu Di tilted his head in puzzlement after hearing this, thinking, "Is this really my father? Why does he seem a bit pretentious?"

My fists are hard now. If it weren't for the fact that you're my father, I would have already followed Gao Cheng's example.

Zhu Biao sighed inwardly again.

Ever since Dad learned that the fourth son would become emperor and that there would be the Yongle Reign, he always liked to tease him from time to time. Zhu Biao, the good elder brother and the good eldest son, was always trying to smooth things over. It was exhausting.

"Father, it seems that your descendants have a very high opinion of you," Zhu Biao said gently.

"That's right. Your father crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood. Look how later generations evaluate us. The most righteous emperor to have won the country."

"Let me tell you, back in the day..."

Qing Dynasty

Looking at the evaluation of him as the greatest emperor of all time displayed on the celestial screen, Emperor Qianlong felt a surge of dissatisfaction.

"This emperor, who will be a legend for all time, must have me by his side."

"I have achieved ten great military exploits, pacified all directions, and created a prosperous era. My achievements are illustrious. Am I not worthy of being ranked among the greatest emperors of all time?"

Although he harbored resentment, he dared not openly deny Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Zhu Yuanzhang can be considered one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history."

After all, Emperor Kangxi, Emperor Qianlong's grandfather, admired Emperor Taizu of Ming throughout his life and repeatedly praised him as one of the greatest emperors of all time.

As Kangxi's most beloved grandson, Qianlong could not possibly say that his grandfather was wrong.

After a moment's contemplation, Emperor Qianlong stroked his long, white beard and commented with self-satisfaction: "It is reasonable to place Emperor Taizu of Ming as the fifth. As for the remaining positions, Emperor Shengzu, Emperor Taizong of Tang, and Emperor Wu of Han can all be firmly placed among them."

Having said that, he turned to look at Heshen beside him and asked calmly, "Heshen, tell me, who should be the last one?"

Heshen immediately bowed and smiled obsequiously, praising the emperor: "Your Majesty is wise beyond compare, your ten great military achievements are unprecedented, the country is at peace, and all people live in peace and prosperity. Everyone praises the Qianlong Emperor's golden age."

This last emperor, a figure of unparalleled stature, is someone no one in the world could rival except Your Majesty!

.....

Ying Zheng was stunned. He started with a bowl, and ended up with the whole world. His parents were dead, and he built a dynasty from scratch... This...

I thought my experiences were already tragic enough: being a hostage in a foreign land, relying on my mother for survival, and after inheriting the throne, facing the tyranny of Lü Buwei and the betrayal of my mother.

Emperor Taizu of Ming truly deserves the title of one of the greatest emperors of all time. I acknowledge you.

Zhao Kuangyin of the Northern Song Dynasty was not concerned with the title of "Emperor of the Ages," but rather with the information revealed by the heavens, his gaze fixed on the historical facts shown in the sky.

He murmured to himself in a low voice, hoarse and full of regret: "So... in the end, my Great Song Dynasty was unable to reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun."

"Just as I thought, the Southern Song Dynasty, its territory is entirely in the south."

With a bitter laugh, Zhao Kuangyin slumped, instantly losing the spirit and vigor of his former military emperor, his heart filled with sorrow.

Zhao Kuangyin understood one thing even more clearly: if the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun could not be recovered, there would be no natural defenses in the north, and the cavalry of the northern barbarians could march south at any time, running rampant across the Hebei Plain without any hindrance.

At this thought, a surge of guilt welled up inside me.

Zhao Pu realized that Zhao Kuangyin was stuck in a dead end and obsessed with his own ideas, so he quickly stepped forward and gently advised him:

"Your Majesty need not be overly critical of yourself. Now that we understand the importance of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, with Your Majesty's military leadership and the unity of the Song army and people, how could we possibly fail to take the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun?"

"Furthermore, failing to take the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun isn't necessarily your fault. Didn't Tianmu say earlier..." At this point, Zhao Pu glanced at Zhao Guangyi, who was kneeling on the ground with his hands bound by ropes.

it is more than words.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin's eyes gradually regained their spirit, and a sharpness and vigor rekindled in them.

Zhu Yuanzhang fought his way up, but didn't I, Zhao Da, do the same?

With my dragon-patterned staff, I refuse to believe I can't reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun.

[Fourth, Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, watched dogs fight at the age of forty-eight, and pacified the world at the age of fifty-five. With his humble origins, he established the Han Dynasty, which lasted for four hundred years.]

[To stabilize the turbulent situation from the reign of Qin Er Shi to the end of the Qin Dynasty and the Chu-Han Contention, and to implement a policy of recuperation and development.]

The one who perfected the centralized system of government established by Qin Shi Huang.

[Kill Xiang Yu, destroy Ying Bu, know how to use people well, accept advice and love the people.]

[I swear by beheading the white horse: Whoever is not of the Liu clan and becomes king, the whole world shall attack him.]

Compared to the praise and recognition of the previous emperor who was considered one of the greatest emperors in history, there are many more voices of doubt when it comes to Liu Bang.

[Liu Bang was nothing but a petty scoundrel. If Xiang Yu hadn't been careless, he wouldn't have stood a chance.]

[Xiang Yu was only suited for warfare, not for being an emperor. So, I ask you, who won in the end?]

[Liu Bang killed so many meritorious officials, yet he doesn't deserve to be called one of the greatest emperors of all time, and he didn't have any groundbreaking achievements.]

Follow-up comment: If Liu Bang hadn't killed those people and abolished the vassal states ruled by non-Liu Bang, the Zhou Dynasty would have re-emerged not long ago, and the world would have been divided again.

Follow-up comment: Do you think the system established by Qin Shi Huang was perfect? ​​Many things were established and implemented in the Han Dynasty. The role of this refinement is no less significant than the achievement of its creation, is it?

[Even great figures have personally said that Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, was the most powerful emperor among feudal emperors. Doesn't that prove that Liu Bang is a great emperor of all time?]

Shen Chuan shook his head as he looked at the comments; he hadn't expected Liu Bang to be so controversial.

In his heart, Liu Bang deserved the title of the greatest emperor of all time.

Some say he was a local ruffian, a scoundrel, and far inferior to Xiang Yu in terms of his heroic spirit, domineering presence, and battlefield bravery.

However, for an emperor, battlefield prowess is the least important thing; the ability to recognize and utilize talent, and to reward and punish fairly, is the most important.

People like Zhang Liang, Han Xin, and Chen Ping initially served under Xiang Yu, so why did they all eventually switch allegiance to Liu Bang?

It was Liu Bang's personal charisma and superb political skills that made them realize that Xiang Yu's reign would not last.

No one but Liu Bang could have conquered the world.