Sky Curtain: My Great Qin must have an aircraft carrier!

Besides these, there are even more incredible feats.

For example, to prevent his subordinates from rebelling, the emperor would first kill 70,000 elite troops as a sacrifice to the flag.

The empress, who had seized the throne illegitimately, sent her son, who had the right to inherit the throne, to marry into a foreign tribe.

He traveled back in time to the Ming Dynasty, insulted Empress Ma, and fell in love with Zhu Yuanzhang.

Can you hold back your laughter while watching these scenes?

Zhu Yuanzhang: ? ? ?

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly typed out a question mark.

He wasn't even angry, because the whole thing was so outrageous that he found it absurd and laughable.

"Biao'er, read it to us, we didn't see it wrong, did we?"

Zhu Biao's expression was priceless; he was trying to suppress his laughter, but dared not actually laugh out loud.

"Your Majesty, you read that right. It means someone traveled to the Ming Dynasty, insulted the Empress Dowager, and then fell in love with you."

"puff--"

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but laugh.

"Were those playwrights of later generations filled with chaff?"

"How much counterfeit alcohol must one have drunk to come up with a story like this?"

People have opinions about the political intrigue in historical romance dramas, not because they insist on being completely historically accurate, since they are artistic creations after all.

The main problem is that it's so idiotic; it's practically an insult to the audience's intelligence.

The general is right; artists must first and foremost be cultured.

You can make up things to create a dramatic plot, but at least make it believable, right?

So the question is, what were the real power struggles like in history?

Well... I can only say it was much more exciting than I imagined.

Now you are facing a powerful enemy, how will you deal with him?

A: Find a few trusted confidants, invite him over for dinner, and stab him to death.

B: Design a sophisticated, multi-pronged plan to kill him.

C: To turn his colleagues against him and unite with his enemies.

D: After ten years of lying low and accumulating strength, we'll wipe him out in one fell swoop.

"Oh? That's interesting."

Liu Bang straightened up from the soft couch, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.

Didn't Xiang Yu do the same thing back then?

There's no need for all that complicated stuff; I'll just invite you over for a meal.

If Xiang Bo hadn't given him advance warning, and if his brothers hadn't done what he was supposed to do, he would have been doomed.

Fan Kuai was gnawing on dog meat when he saw the sky and grinned.

"Big brother, are you craving that meal again?"

"I don't want to." Liu Bang downed the wine. "I've never wanted to eat at Hongmen in my entire life."

Fan Kuai laughed heartily, then fell silent, a hint of lingering fear on his face.

That day, he charged into the military tent with his shield, truly risking his life.

If Xiang Yu hadn't been so concerned with his reputation and unwilling to bear the stigma of assassination, he and Liu Bang would have been executed.

Fan Kuai, gnawing on a dog leg, muttered, "If it were me, a hundred Liu Bangs wouldn't be enough to kill."

"Can't you speak more politely, you dog of a butcher?"

"Brother, the truth is hard to hear."

Liu Bang rolled his eyes.

The answer is obvious: A. Invite him over for dinner, then stab him to death.

I've already said they're a formidable enemy, don't you have any sense of that?

They have a strong army and immense power; any political maneuvering you try to outmaneuver them will only lead to your own demise.

The best way is to invite him to dinner; if he agrees to come, just stab him to death.

"Huh? It's that simple?"

"Shouldn't it be like what the storyteller described, using all sorts of schemes? Like the honey trap, the double agent plot..."

"What kind of political maneuvering is this? It's so crude!"

Upon seeing this answer, countless ancient people who had little exposure to politics were completely dumbfounded.

This is completely different from what I imagined!

Shouldn't they all be strategizing and using all sorts of unpredictable tactics to manipulate the enemy at will?

How come when we get to the sky dome, it turns into a street brawl?

Someone immediately said, "Storybooks are for us to read; we should just listen for fun."

"For us common folk, the best approach is to unleash a fit of rage and spill blood five steps away!"

Some people might say that inviting someone to dinner is too direct. Is there a better way?

Some brothers do, and there are many other methods like this.

The general was tricked into going to the palace and killed (He Jin was summoned to the Jiade Hall by the Ten Attendants under the false pretense of an imperial edict from the Empress Dowager, and was hacked to death).

The military genius was lured to Changle Palace and killed by palace maids.

He tricked his adoptive father into going to the abdication platform and then stabbed him to death. (Lu Bu conspired with Wang Yun to trick Dong Zhuo into going to the abdication platform and then stabbed him to death.)

He tricked his brothers into going to Xuanwu Gate and killed them (Li Shimin ambushed and killed Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and Prince Li Yuanji at Xuanwu Gate).

The tactic of deceiving people into attending meetings is incredibly effective, arguably the most masterful political maneuver throughout history.

"what?"

He Jin was about to leave when he saw the sky and his feet did not land for a long time.

The steward waited at the door for a long time before cautiously asking, "General, the carriage is ready. When do we depart?"

He Jin gripped the letter tightly and said calmly, "Gather five hundred soldiers and come with me to the palace."

The Imperial Palace of the Sui Dynasty.

Yang Jian was initially enjoying himself, but after seeing the Li brothers, he suddenly realized something.

Previously, when Tianmu talked about Emperor Taizong of Tang and Emperor Taizu of Song, he mentioned Li Shimin, but he just thought it was a coincidence of names.

After all, there are countless people in the world with the surname Li, and quite a few with the name Shimin.

But Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji...

Yang Jian's eyelids twitched; the name was all too familiar.

He remembered clearly that his nephew, Duke Li Yuan of Tang, had several sons.

Is it...

"Galo, if I remember correctly, what were the names of Li Yuan's eldest sons, the Duke of Tang?"

Dugu Jialuo frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then replied: "Eldest son Li Jiancheng, second son Li Shimin, fourth son Li Yuanji."

The two exchanged a glance, and saw horror in each other's eyes.

The country's name matches, so what's there to argue about?

"Emperor Taizong of Tang and Emperor Taizu of Song...Emperor Taizong of Tang."

Yang Jian gritted his teeth, "I have treated him well, and he has prepared a great gift for me."

Yang Jian himself had usurped the throne, so he knew the ins and outs best.

This was entirely Li Yuan taking advantage of the upheaval in the Sui Dynasty to seize the throne!

"Someone, go and invite Li Yuan, the Duke of Tang, to come here for me."

The commander of the guards felt a chill run down his spine and quickly retreated from the main hall.

-

After watching the video about political intrigue, Lu Li nodded in agreement.

"If I had absolute power, why would I need to play political games? I could just use an army to slaughter them all."

Lu Li glanced at the clock on the wall and decided to spend the last five minutes.

With a simple swipe of your finger on the screen, you can switch between short videos.

What would have happened to the reputations of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, and Emperor Qianlong if they had preserved their integrity in their later years?

"To preserve one's reputation in old age?"

Inside the Xingqing Palace of the Tang Dynasty, Li Longji held a wine cup, his brows slightly furrowed.

What kind of talk is that?

Since his ascension to the throne, he has eliminated Empress Wei's misrule, appointed virtuous ministers, and brought the Tang Dynasty to its peak.

With such achievements, history books should at least give him the evaluation of a wise ruler.

How did it become known in later generations as "failing to maintain one's integrity in old age"?

Li Longji fell into deep thought, unable to figure out where he had gone wrong.

The world is at peace, and the people live and work in contentment. Isn't this a scene of a prosperous age?

Will he become senile in his old age? Will he favor treacherous officials? Will he...?

Li Longji felt increasingly uneasy, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Zhu Yuanzhang was still brooding over the cement issue.

My face twitched a couple of times when I saw this new title.

He didn't recognize Qianlong, but guessed which dynasty's emperor he was.

But Emperor Xuanzong of Tang... what merit or ability did he possess to compare himself to this man?

He favored Yang Guozhong and heavily relied on An Lushan, which led to the An Lushan Rebellion, leaving the Tang Dynasty in dire straits.

No matter what I did, I couldn't have ruined the Ming Dynasty like that!

Even so, Old Zhu still had some doubts in his heart.

Could it be that I've become senile in my later years?

-

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong actually became more energetic.

"Well, we should take a good look at this."

Emperor Qianlong picked up the imperial blue-and-white porcelain covered bowl, blew away the foam, and leisurely took a sip.

Since Tianmu asked what would happen if he preserved his integrity in his later years, the implication is—

His achievements were great enough that later generations of pedantic scholars were simply jealous and deliberately fabricated stories about him.

"Hmph, at least those from later generations have some foresight."

Emperor Qianlong leaned back on the dragon throne, striking what he considered to be his most majestic pose.

"Your Majesty's civil and military achievements are unparalleled throughout history. How can the mere words 'honorable conduct in one's later years' possibly encompass Your Majesty's virtues?"

"Alright, alright, let me hear what future generations have to say."

Emperor Qianlong was truly unperturbed.

His only regret in life was probably that he didn't live long enough.

As for the issue of one's reputation in old age, that doesn't exist.