Sky Curtain: The opening scene explains the four major cases of the Ming Dynasty plus the early Ming

Zhu Dijun's voice was clearly transmitted throughout the world through the live streaming equipment.

"Get ready to go down the well."

"Send men down there and retrieve his bones, one by one."

This command, as calm as saying "sweep up the trash on the ground," contained a chill that froze the souls of all the descendants of the Mite-Qing and the ancient emperors who witnessed this scene through the sky.

This is not archaeology.

This is the process of collecting a rotting corpse.

No, it doesn't even qualify as a proper burial; it's more like cleaning up a contaminated industrial waste site!

Beneath the sky, in the era of the Qing Dynasty.

Daoguang could no longer make a sound. He just stared at the sky in despair, his body trembling violently, becoming increasingly transparent, as if he might disappear at any moment.

Kangxi, Qianlong, and other Qing emperors had ashen faces and clenched their teeth.

They saw that after Zhu Dijun gave the order, no one immediately went down into the well.

A uniquely designed white mobile cabin was driven over, with the words "Mobile Environmental Monitoring and Biochemical Analysis Center" printed on its side.

A slender probe is precisely inserted into the drilled hole by a robotic arm.

On the screen inside the mobile medical unit, a series of complex data began to refresh rapidly.

"Report to the captain, the air composition analysis inside the underground palace is complete."

"The oxygen content is 17.8%, which is below the safety standard."

"The concentrations of toxic gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide are seriously excessive, posing a risk of combustion, explosion, and poisoning."

"The air humidity is 98%, and various molds and anaerobic bacteria communities were detected. The biosafety level is determined to be Level 3."

The technician's voice was calm and professional; every word was like a slap in the face to those emperors who called themselves "the Celestial Empire."

The emperor's mausoleum has been turned into a highly toxic biogas digester!

["Hahaha! Biosafety level 3! This treatment is almost on par with high-risk viruses in a P3 lab!"]

["Emperor Daoguang: My mausoleum is characterized by being purely natural, pollution-free, and organically fermented!"]

["Stop showing off, this is clearly top-grade soy sauce-flavored pork ribs, aged for a century!"]

"You're stealing bamboo shoots from upstairs! You've taken all the bamboo shoots from the mountain!"

The chat rooms in modern live streams are filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Those in ancient times, especially the emperors and generals who paid great attention to the regulations of their mausoleums, were already dumbfounded.

Datang.

Li Shimin frowned and asked Yan Liben, who was standing beside him:

"Would my great Tang Dynasty imperial tombs be like this?"

Yan Liben immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, all the mausoleums of our Great Tang Dynasty are located in the mountains, with complex internal structures. Ventilation and drainage systems are of paramount importance, and it is absolutely impossible for such a scene of water accumulation and decay to occur."

Ming dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang let out a smug hum.

"Let me tell you, these Tartars are incapable of anything! They can't even fix a proper grave, yet they dream of ruling the country for eternity? Dream on!"

He looked at the sky and saw Zhu Dijun calmly continuing to issue orders after listening to the report.

"Initiate the Class A purification procedure, inject inert gas and disinfectant into the underground palace, and carry out the first round of disinfection."

"The personnel going down the mine must wear the highest level of protective clothing, including full-body positive pressure chemical protective suits."

The order has been issued.

A huge blower began pumping gas toward the cave entrance.

Meanwhile, two tall team members, with the help of others, began to put on their equipment.

It was a fully enclosed protective suit, bright yellow in color, like a spacesuit, with an independent oxygen supply system on its back.

The moment they put on their helmets, they were completely cut off from the outside air.

One of them was Ma Jun, the Northwest veteran who had previously shattered the mite's soul with three blows.

He stretched his slightly clumsy body and gave a thumbs-up to the camera.

His voice came through the built-in communicator, carrying a hint of gruff, teasing tone.

"Captain, don't worry, we'll bring up every last bone of this Emperor Xuanzong of Qing."

"This outfit makes me feel more formal than if I were meeting an alien."

Judy looked at him and smiled, a rare occurrence for her:

"Be careful. The stuff inside is dirty; don't let it offend our eyes."

"clear!"

Preparations are complete.

A small crane hoisted a specially made lifting platform above the opening.

Ma Jun and another team member stood on the platform.

Under the watchful eyes of the world, the platform slowly descended and disappeared into the deep cave.

Everyone's heart was in their throat.

The cameras on the team members' helmets transmitted first-person perspective footage of the underground palace back to the sky screen in real time.

The camera enters darkness, with only two blinding spotlights tearing through the thick darkness.

Wherever the beam of light reached, there was only devastation.

The murky, yellowish-green water was ankle-deep.

Rotting wood chips and some unidentifiable flocculent matter floated on the water's surface.

The walls were covered with water droplets and bluish-black mold, and the air seemed to be filled with a nauseating stench of decay.

"Wow...this visual is amazing! I can almost smell it through the screen!"

"The emperor's underground palace? Isn't that just a cesspool?"

"It's unbelievable that this is the place where Emperor Daoguang lay for nearly two hundred years."

Ma Jun and his companion landed steadily, their feet splashing in the puddles.

Instead of rushing to the central coffin, they first took out several items from their toolbox.

Portable water quality testing instrument.

Foldable sampling shovel.

And... a yellow sealed bag with "Medical Waste" printed on it and a skull and crossbones symbol.

Ma Jun held the bag and waved it in front of the camera.

This silent act was even more insulting than the previous brawl involving a hundred people.

During the Qing Dynasty…

Every emperor felt a sharp pain in his chest.

Medical waste!

The dragon bones of the Qing emperors were, in the eyes of their descendants, only fit to be put in bags used for medical waste!

What a shame!

Ignoring the reactions from the outside world, Ma Jun and his teammates waded through the sewage step by step until they reached the dilapidated black coffin.

Upon closer inspection, the scene was even more shocking.

The large hole in the corner of the coffin resembled a black wound.

A few skeletons lay scattered and soaking in the sewage inside and outside the coffin.

"Let's begin."

Ma Jun's voice was devoid of any emotion.

Instead of using his hands, he picked up a long-handled medical clamp.

He bent down and carefully used pliers to pick up the leg bone closest to him.

The bone had been soaking in the murky water for too long, and a slippery biofilm had formed on its surface.

"Click."

Clamp the clamps.

Under the watchful eyes of hundreds of millions of people, the leg bone of Emperor Xuanzong of the Qing Dynasty—Aisin Gioro Minning—was lifted out of the sewage.

Then, it was gently placed into the yellow "medical waste" sealed bag.

The entire process was quiet and solemn, yet filled with an indescribable absurdity and coldness.

Just as Ma Jun was about to grab the second bone, the spotlight on his helmet inadvertently swept across the inside of the hole in the coffin.

"what?"

He let out a soft exclamation.

"What's wrong?" Judy Jun's voice came through the communicator.

"Captain... there seems to be more than one skeleton in this coffin."

Ma Jun's voice carried a hint of confusion.

He adjusted the angle of the spotlight, aiming the beam of light firmly into the coffin.

The camera then zooms in.

Beneath the scattered remains of Daoguang, in the deeper silt, lies another slender skeleton, clearly belonging to a woman, completely disintegrated!

A double burial?

Do not!

According to historical records, in addition to Emperor Daoguang, Empress Xiaomucheng, Empress Xiaoshencheng, and Empress Xiaoquancheng should also be buried in the underground palace of Muling.

But they should all have their own independent coffins!

Why...

Why was a woman's skeleton found in Emperor Daoguang's coffin?

In that instant, an absurd yet highly probable guess surfaced in everyone's mind!

The whole world fell silent once again.