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

Dead silence.

It was a long, deathly silence.

When Zhu Dijun's words, "The real deal is to put all the money of the Ming Dynasty into your own pocket," came to an end, the entire modern live broadcast room seemed to have all the air sucked out.

The live chat stopped.

The comments section fell silent.

Millions of netizens seemed to be frozen in place, staring blankly at the massive and bloody economic map on the screen, their minds filled with only a buzzing roar.

The truth, it turns out, is so stark.

The truth is so cold.

Where is the integrity of a saint's disciple?

Where is the backbone of the country and the people?

Everything is just business.

Using the emperor's blood, the dynasty's life, and the bones of the people, they've created a highly profitable family business!

After an unknown amount of time, a trembling comment slowly drifted by.

I...I think I...understand a little bit...

This comment was like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, instantly creating a huge wave!

[Holy crap! I totally get it! Isn't this just a war between state-owned enterprises and private conglomerates?!]

[Yes! That's exactly right! The "official trade" that Zhu Di and Zhu Zhanji wanted to establish was essentially the largest "state-owned enterprise"! They wanted to nationalize the profits from maritime trade and use them to strengthen the military, provide disaster relief, and develop infrastructure!]

[And Yang Shiqi and his group of civil officials, the families behind them were "private conglomerates" that controlled various industries! They engaged in smuggling and tax evasion just to line their own pockets!]

[State-owned enterprises, in their pursuit of development and profit for the country, inevitably encroach upon the interests of these private conglomerates. Therefore, they are willing to go to any lengths to eliminate the chairman of this "state-owned enterprise"!]

This analogy was instantly enlightening for all modern viewers!

All previous doubts vanished at this moment!

They finally understood the underlying logic behind that seemingly incomprehensible betrayal and madness!

That wasn't a power struggle.

That's a business war!

It's a life-or-death business war with the nation as the chessboard and imperial power as the target!

[Holy crap! Looking at it this way, aren't these civil servants just the Ming Dynasty version of "Wall Street"? They spout all that morality and righteousness, but their hearts are full of predatory business tactics!]

[This is exactly Wall Street! The American emperor was assassinated by a psychopath, and the American emperor was shot just past his ear. These private conglomerates are truly ruthless! The histories of China and the United States are overlapping.]

I suddenly thought of America across the ocean, and a chill ran down my spine...

[Upstairs, I get you! Look at America now, isn't it the ultimate form of a country completely hijacked by private capital? Politicians are their mouthpieces, the law serves them, the lower classes struggle with drugs and chaos, while the elites revel! Isn't this the "ideal state" these Ming Dynasty officials most wanted to achieve?!]

[Hell on Earth! These four words are a precise and accurate strike!]

[It turns out that Zhu Di, Zhu Zhanji, and even Zhu Qizhen, whom we always thought was a tyrannical ruler, were actually the ones who were prolonging the life of this country! They were fighting against a group of evil spirits who wanted to drain the nation of its lifeblood!]

[Damn! I'm breaking down! I used to think emperors were all feudal cancers, but now it seems that in that era, a powerful emperor who wanted to nationalize all rights and interests was the only hope for the people!]

Without a strong state-owned enterprise to stabilize the economy, allowing private capital to expand unchecked ultimately resulted in the entire country being devoured, leaving only an empty shell! The Ming Dynasty… the seeds of its eventual demise were sown so early on!

Inside the live stream, the tide turned completely!

At this moment, countless people's understanding of history underwent a complete and radical overturning!

Looking at the names of those once praised as "wise ministers" in history books on the sky, they felt nothing but disgust and irony.

Looking at those emperors who were described as "tyrants" and "incompetent rulers" in history books, I felt an unprecedented sense of sympathy and respect.

Above the sky, Zhu Dijun watched all this, the coldness in his eyes gradually turning into a deep sorrow.

This is the moment he's been waiting for.

When his compatriots can transcend hundreds of years and truly understand the essence of this war.

"Family members, you were right."

His hoarse voice rang out again.

"This is a war between the state and private interests."

"However, at that time, the 'nation' was represented by imperial power, while the 'private' was represented by the scholar-official class who read the classics but acted like wolves."

"They monopolized knowledge, and thus monopolized the power of discourse. They could arbitrarily rewrite history, portraying emperors who resisted them as tyrants, and depicting themselves as virtuous ministers who sought benefits for their families."

"They succeeded."

"Historically, they were after Zhu Di and Zhu Zhanji, before Zhu Qizhen seized power."

"And they got what they wanted, and later they ushered in their favorite era—the era of the sea ban."

"Without competition from official trade, their smuggling networks completely controlled the oceans of East Asia, earning astronomical profits."

Zhu Dijun's voice, without a trace of emotion, was like a knife, dissecting the bloodiest reality of history.

"However, not a single penny of this money went into the national treasury."

"This money has become a Taihu stone in their Suzhou garden, a piece of silk and satin on their Yangzhou slender horses, and the capital for their family's generations of officialdom."

"Meanwhile, the Ming Dynasty's border troops, lacking pay, were ragged and starving."

"In the face of natural disasters and man-made calamities, the people of the Ming Dynasty had no choice but to sell their children and even exchange their own offspring for food."

"The blood of a dynasty was thus drained, bit by bit, by this group of so-called 'pillars of the nation'."

"This is the fangs of capital."

"Once it breaks free from all its restraints, it will not hesitate to devour the mother that nurtured it."

"Without exception."

Zhu Dijun's words were like daggers to the heart!

In all times and spaces, those gentry and noble families who were enjoying this "supreme benefit" were struck dumb at this moment, their faces ashen!

Their biggest secret, the very foundation upon which they depend for survival, was laid bare before everyone!

During the Hongwu reign.

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly closed his eyes, and the killing intent in his bloodshot eyes had become tangible.

He finally found the true, ultimate enemy hidden behind countless corrupt officials.

That's not one person.

That's a class!

A complex entity of gentry and merchants, deeply intertwined with blood ties and interests, clinging to the body of the Ming Dynasty and frantically sucking its blood!

"good……"

Zhu Yuanzhang squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth.

"I... understand."

Got it. Now, who should be killed?

Got it, that's how. How to kill him!