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

Chapter 35 Would someone as insignificant as me frighten you?

Upon hearing the mad words spoken from the sky, most people cursed loudly, while some pondered, "How come these words from a later generation during the Warring States period sound so much like the thinking of Yang Zhu?"

Yang Zhu looked at the thoughts displayed on the celestial screen with a gratified expression: "To sacrifice even a hair's breadth for the benefit of the world, I would not give; to have the whole world offered to me, I would not accept."

"It seems that my teachings did not disappear in later generations."

Mencius was furious, exclaiming, "What's wrong with later generations? How can they be so lacking in integrity?"

"Wealth and honor cannot corrupt me, poverty and hardship cannot sway me, and power and force cannot subdue me."

"How can you give up your principles over such a trivial matter?!"

The students nearby quickly advised, "Master, there were many other nonsensical things said on the sky before, you don't need to pay attention to them."

"Don't be fooled by the fact that Yang Zhu's doctrines and the Mohist school are currently the most prominent schools of thought."

"Who knows, in later generations, Confucianism might become the dominant school of thought?"

[He was immediately forced to drink a bowl of talisman water after he finished speaking]

Follow-up comment: If you actually told your family that, they'd really think you were having a mental breakdown. [Nothing good comes before nothing, but good things come first, and they're truly sweet.]

Follow-up comment: I want to go home and live off my parents. Follow-up comment: OI, Old Deng, get some gold coins, I need to go out and spend them. [That's right, if hard work could lead to wealth, the first ones to get rich would be the donkeys pulling the millstone.]

I used to just listen to these words, but not long ago I almost died from a brain hemorrhage. That's when I realized that nothing is insurmountable. We only live once, so we must enjoy it. There's no going back in life.

That day I said I'd rather die than live another day, and in the end, I got a huge beating, waa ...

Follow-up comment: Do you know how much psychological damage a big fight can cause? Does that mean that being hardworking and enduring hardship is wrong?

Watching the words flash across the sky, one by one, felt like a brush repeatedly sweeping away the fog in their hearts.

What is the point of suffering so much in this life?

Could it be that it's all just to provide those wealthy and powerful families with the fine silks and satins they sleep in at night?

Yes, we only live once. If we are just to be servants to kings and nobles, what is the point of this life?

Some people seem to understand why the previous statement on the screen said that some people no longer want to have children.

Some people, while their eyes held a bit more life, were filled with more hostility.

Yeah, nothing's a big deal except death. At worst, you'd rather be skinned alive than live!

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, his expression was unpredictable. What did this mean? Was the emperor teaching the common people not to endure hardship?

If everyone thinks like that, who will farm the land? Am I supposed to wield a hoe?

The ministers and officials in the hall also had gloomy faces. Those commoners are unwilling to endure hardship, but are they expecting us to suffer?

If they don't work hard in the fields and don't earn money for us, what will we eat?!

Moreover, the message on the sky said that nothing is a big deal except death, and even death is no big deal. This is blatantly teaching the common people to rebel. How dare those common people rebel? We are born noble, and they, as lowly people, should obediently be exploited by us. How dare they rebel?

"Pfft"

The sharp blade pierced the flesh, its surface rusted, clearly having only been hastily polished. The young master in brocade clothes let out two "hoo" sounds, and bright red blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. His eyes were filled with disbelief. "Where did you, a lowly commoner, get the guts?"

The man in hemp clothing, gripping the knife, had a numb yet slightly crazed look in his eyes. He was thin and covered in bruises, with not a single patch of unscathed flesh. So, even someone as born noble as you can die.

Would someone as insignificant as me scare you?

In different times and places, especially in the middle and late periods of dynasties and the Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties, there were many cases of common people assassinating or even torturing the sons of dukes and nobles.

Just like the clown zombie in Plants vs. Zombies rushing to the corn cannon, everyone has one chance to use the backup hidden energy.

Some wealthy young men, however, looked at their fathers with bright eyes.

"Dad, did you see that? It says on the screen that we should enjoy life and sponge off our parents."

"If you can't endure hardship, you must learn to enjoy life."

"Old Deng, I'm going to spend these coins and enjoy life!"

Clearly, this rich young man hadn't looked closely at the sky and didn't understand what "Old Deng" meant; he probably thought it was a term of endearment used by later generations to refer to one's father.

The father sneered, and with a powerful kick, his son flew out like a shrimp.

"I have no problem with enjoying myself, but don't use my money. I don't have any gold coins for you to use."

"I'm just giving it to you. You're going to the Qinhuai River anyway, so why should it go through your hands?"

The man dusted himself off and stood up unharmed. He was just taking a chance, hoping for a lucky break but not caring if it didn't.

He has already mastered the essence of the celestial canopy.

Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty frowned. "How can what later generations say be so absurd?"

"If you don't endure hardship and work hard, and only seek enjoyment, then who will farm the land, and will we still have food to eat?"

"And why does it seem like there's an element of inciting the people to rebel?"

Empress Ma sneered, "Didn't you, Zhu Chongba, also rebel back then?"

"If that's the case, then you shouldn't have rebelled in the first place? You should have been oppressed by the Yuan dogs?"

Zhu Yuanzhang became anxious, "Sister, how can you say that about us? How can these be the same?"

"Our Great Ming Dynasty is thriving, how can it compare to the Yuan Dynasty? If the people are wronged, they can report it to the authorities. We have already distributed the imperial edicts."

"Report to the authorities? Why didn't you report to the authorities when you rebelled?"

Empress Ma's words left Zhu Yuanzhang speechless for a moment. Her heart softened, and she said to him, "Zhongba, I know you are now the emperor, and your status is different."

"But don't forget where you came from; you were once an oppressed commoner."

"Officials need not be feared, but common people should never be looked down upon."

This folk rhyme existed as early as the Eastern Han Dynasty: "The common people should never be deceived."

"Mind your own business with your sons, I'm not one of them."

Empress Ma turned and left, leaving behind her retreating figure and the words, "I remember what you said."

"The imperial harem must not interfere in politics!"

Zhu Yuanzhang stood there blankly, his mind filled with the scenes of being oppressed by Yuan Dynasty officials and Mongol nobles. He also thought about the current state of the fiefdoms of the various princes reported by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. His original intention was to have the princes help guard the local areas and keep those officials in check, but unexpectedly, his own sons became the greatest evil.

They seized land, bullied men and women, indiscriminately killed innocent people, and subjected people to cruel torture.

Each and every one of these incidents was shocking. Zhu Yuanzhang pondered, realizing he had to deal with those bastards.

Suddenly, melodious music drifted from the sky, its gentle tune captivating the listener: "Flowers bloom and wither, filling the sky, you appear and disappear like a dream~"

"I see you every morning and evening, yet I can hardly capture your face in my mind."

This tune is quite nice. Li Cunxu nodded along with the rhythm. This tune is definitely worth singing. I'll write it down and sing it next time I'm on stage.

Zhu Yuanzhang listened to the music and nodded. "This music is not bad, but why do I have a bad feeling about it?"

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