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

During the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty

"I... can't even be considered a great emperor of all time?"

Yang Jian looked dejected and filled with loneliness.

He believed that ending the four-hundred-year period of division and chaos during the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, and unifying the North and South, was a feat comparable to that of Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han.

He cultivated virtuous governance internally, reduced taxes and levies, and allowed the people to rest and recuperate; externally, he deterred powerful enemies, divided the Turks, and his power shook the northern frontier, earning him the title of Holy Khan.

The Nine-Rank System, which was controlled by powerful clans, was abolished, and a system of selecting officials based on their academic disciplines was established, opening up a path for those from humble backgrounds to advance in the civil service and shattering the hereditary monopoly of the court by aristocratic families.

Now the Sui Dynasty's treasury is full, its granaries are overflowing, the world is at peace, and the people live and work in contentment.

With such civil and military achievements, and a legacy that will last for millennia, how could he not become an emperor for all time?

Yang Jian pondered to himself, recalling one by one the five emperors listed on the Heavenly Screen.

Liu Bang needs no introduction; their ancestor, Yang happy, was personally enfeoffed as a marquis by Liu Bang, which led to the establishment of the Hongnong Yang clan.

Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, decisively defeated the powerful Xiongnu, expanded the territory, and demonstrated the prestige of China with his iron-fisted military prowess. His illustrious military achievements and formidable strength naturally earned him the title of one of the greatest emperors of all time.

I've never heard of Zhu Yuanzhang. I guess he was a ruler from later generations. He rose from humble beginnings to sweep across the country and seized power with his bare hands. That was incredibly difficult. He deserves to be called one of the greatest emperors of all time.

Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng, was a tyrant, but he merely established prefectures and counties and set up the imperial system, yet he still deserves to be called one of the greatest emperors of all time.

I am now the emperor, and I cannot eat from the bowl and then curse the cook. Ying Zheng created this great achievement and can be called an emperor for all ages.

The last one was Li Shimin.

I wonder who this person is, to be called the strongest creature, possessing both literary and martial talents.

If my son had some of Li Shimin's talent, I wouldn't have to worry about the issue of succession.

Yang Jian's mind drifted back to all the troublesome things that had happened to Crown Prince Yang Yongqian.

As the crown prince, he indulged in pleasure, was extravagant and unrestrained, and acted recklessly and carelessly. No matter how large the family fortune was, he would squander it all.

Yang Jian snapped out of his daze, turned to look at the silent Dugu Jialuo beside him, and looked puzzled.

"Hmm? Galo, what are you thinking about? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Empress Dugu slowly raised her eyes, her expression solemn: "Does Your Majesty still remember who the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty was, as mentioned in the heavenly curtain just now?"

Yang Jian casually replied, "I know, it's naturally Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin..."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly froze.

"Huh? No, that's not right, Emperor Taizong!!"

Yang Jian's face was full of surprise and doubt. The temple name of Emperor Taizong usually refers to the second emperor of a dynasty, not the founding emperor.

Empress Dugu continued, making a startling statement: "According to Tianmu, Li Shimin's father was named Li Yuan, and he had an elder brother named Li Jiancheng, and the name of their dynasty was Tang."

"Your Majesty's nephew, Li Yuan, the Duke of Tang, has an eldest son named Li Jiancheng."

Their eyes met, and horror spread rapidly in their eyes, a chilling cold instantly engulfing their entire bodies.

Could it be that... the once-powerful Sui Dynasty, like the tyrannical Qin Dynasty, will ultimately perish after only two generations?

.....

Emperor Qianlong was furious and smashed the jade string he was playing with to the ground.

A crisp cracking sound rang out, and the white jade beads scattered and rolled all over the ground, leaving a mess.

"What kind of bullshit sky curtain is this? The 'Emperor of a Thousand Ages' doesn't even include 'I'!!!"

"This must be a deliberate fabrication and slander by later Han Chinese! Our Great Qing Dynasty has a vast territory, with all nations paying tribute. How could it not have even one emperor who could be remembered for all time?"

Emperor Qianlong pointed to the sky and began to curse.

"Even the tyrant Ying Zheng is called the greatest emperor of all time. I have ten great military achievements. No emperor can compare to my accomplishments."

"Everything the sky says is a lie; it must be a conspiracy by someone with ulterior motives."

The old, cloudy eyes of Emperor Qianlong were filled with a fierce rage.

"Heshen!!!"

"Issue the decree: No one is permitted to look at the celestial canopy or speak of its affairs. Anyone who dares to disobey this order will be killed!!"

"Order all officials in the court and the countryside to submit memorials to refute the fallacies of the imperial court and to reassess the merits and demerits of emperors throughout the ages!"

"These are mere empty words, unworthy to be called the greatest emperor of all time!"

"I will personally determine who these emperors, the greatest emperors of all time, truly are."

Heshen verbally agreed, but inwardly he felt bitter.

This canopy can't be completely banned; you can't just gouge out your own eyes, can you?

During the reign of King Li of Zhou, people used their eyes to communicate on the road; now, even what the common people see is forbidden.

The emperor's command was difficult to disobey, and despite his many concerns, he could only follow the emperor's orders.

Rural life, bustling streets and alleys.

The people gathered together, whispering amongst themselves, their long-suppressed feelings quietly revealed through the sky.

"So we used to be this powerful! These barbarian tribes were beaten so badly by us!"

"No wonder the Mongolians were so good at singing and dancing when I went to the grasslands to do business; it's a tradition passed down from their ancestors."

"If it weren't for the sky, I wouldn't have known that we Han people were so powerful in the past."

"Aren't we disgracing our ancestors by acting like this?"

As soon as the words were spoken, the entire room fell into a deathly silence. Everyone turned to look at the rat-tail braid behind them, their faces filled with humiliation and bitterness.

"It's so ugly. The hair and clothes on the sky are much better."

"When will we be able to live like the people in the sky? At least we'll have dignity and be treated like human beings."

"I heard that there has been another uprising in the south, with people saying they want to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming dynasty, and reclaim the Han people's land."

The appearance of the sky added fuel to the nearly extinguished embers, igniting a spark.

The common people finally realized that Han Chinese should not live such a humble and wretched life.

They won't be safe and sound for no reason; their land will be forcibly seized, their wives and daughters will be kidnapped and humiliated, and they will live in constant fear, with the possibility of being killed at any moment.

I'd rather die standing like our ancestors, on the road to the revival of the Han Dynasty!

[High-energy edit by Marquis Wu'an]

Ying Zheng looked at the text description that appeared on the sky.

"Marquis Wu'an?"

"Could it be referring to Zhao Xing?" Ying Zheng's gaze narrowed slightly as he murmured in thought.

After conquering Zhao, in order to appease the Zhao nobles, he enfeoffed Zhao Xing, the grandson of Lord Ma Fu of Zhao, as Marquis of Wu'an.

"Hmph, what merit does he have? Many soldiers of our Great Qin have fought bloody battles and been ennobled for their military achievements. Why does the sky have to edit out his story?"

The eighth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty

Zhu Di, who was personally leading the expedition, sat in the central military tent, surrounded by civil and military soldiers, all of whom were elite troops accompanying the expedition.

A burly military officer patted his colleague on the shoulder and laughed loudly: "Haha, Marquis Wu'an, Old Zheng, this must be talking about you."

"I never expected that you, Zheng Heng, would be able to rise to fame and make a name for yourself in the heavens. This has brought glory to your ancestors."

"You have to treat us, Old Zheng."

The tent was filled with laughter and chatter, with everyone joking around, creating a lively atmosphere.

...

"Hmm? Do later generations favor you so much?" Liu Bang thought to himself with secret delight.

Later generations called him a great emperor of all time, praising him again, and now they're going to create another high-energy montage of him.

Marquis Wu'an, with the knowledge revealed by the heavens, would later generations not know that you are Marquis Wu'an?

Using military force to secure the country and stabilize the nation—that was the essence of your life.

"High-energy" is easy to understand; it means your whole body is about to burst into flames.

Back in Pei County, those young widows would get Nai Gong fired up all day long.

Honestly, it's also appropriate to mention my ministers; they are quite outstanding as well.

Various dynasties discussed the text on the sky, and then images slowly emerged and unfolded.

Inside the city, soldiers stood on both sides, clad in armor, shouting "Marquis Wu'an" with excited expressions, as if they had seen a great savior.

"Squeak~"

Several soldiers slowly pulled open the city gate, the sound waves rising in layers, shaking the sky.

"Marquis Wu'an! Marquis Wu'an!"

The heavy city gate was slowly pushed open by the soldiers, and after a creaking sound, it was finally opened.

Along the main road, banners fluttered, and two large flags unfurled in the wind, embroidered with the words "Marquis of Wu'an".

Rows of spears stood like a forest, exuding a chilling aura.

The one urging his horse into the city was a young man, carrying a long spear, wearing a purple-gold crown with pheasant feathers, and clad in armor. He had red lips and white teeth, and a thin build. He rode his horse forward unsteadily.

At that moment, the world fell into a deathly silence.

! ! ! ! !

Liu Bang's eyes widened, his finger pointed intently at the image on the sky, his face filled with disbelief, his expression completely frozen.

"Is this Marquis Wu'an??"

"It's fine if the Marquis of Wu'an isn't yours."

He turned to look at the burly, imposing Fan Kuai beside him, exuding a menacing aura, and then compared him to the young man in the sky, unable to help but cry out in doubt:

"Is this the Marquis of Wu'an, who fought his way through the battlefield?"

"This is the Marquis of Wu'an, who secured the country and brought peace to the world through military force and was a veteran of many battles."

"His face is so pale, without a single scar, and he's as skinny as a chick. How can he go to the battlefield?!"