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

Above the sky, Judy Jun's earth-shattering proposal was like a nuclear bomb dropped into all the heavens and the myriad worlds, causing a huge wave to rise in all time and space.

The Ming Dynasty, the Tianshun reign.

Inside the Southern Palace, Zhu Qizhen, who had just been restored to the throne, was first stunned when he saw his "younger brother" kneeling on the ground with tears streaming down his face in the sky. Then, an inexplicable anger rose in his chest!

Outrageous!

What right does Zhu Qiyu have?!

Why should my son be adopted into his name?!

Is this meant to make my own flesh and blood recognize a thief as their father?!

His fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and he wished he could rush into the sky, grab that hypocritical "younger brother," and beat him up!

But when the anger reached its peak, it transformed into a chilling coldness.

He is not a fool.

He immediately understood the key point.

The nephew Zhu Jianji had just died, and the murderer was unknown, but the finger pointed directly at Empress Dowager Sun and her group of civil officials.

Could the next one be my own Shen'er?

This thought sent a chill down his spine.

Zhu Qiyu's move, seemingly an admission of defeat and a plea for mercy, actually pushed Shen'er into the safest and most prominent position of "Crown Prince"!

Once Shen'er becomes the crown prince, he will become the foundation of the Jingtai dynasty!

For the sake of her grandson's future, Sun Ruowei must save the life of Zhu Qiyu, her "adoptive father" emperor!

Even if Yu Qian and his group were unwilling, they had no choice but to accept this fait accompli in order to maintain the stability of the court!

What a brilliant move – retreating to advance!

What a brilliant move to use someone's force against them!

This descendant, imitating Zhu Qiyu, used the most humble posture to make the most ruthless move!

"Zhu Dijun..." Zhu Qizhen spat out the name through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with an extremely complex expression. "You just wait! When we get to the underworld, I'll make you pay!"

The Chenghua Dynasty.

Zhu Jianshen, who had already ascended the throne, was completely dumbfounded.

He stared blankly at the "uncle" kneeling on the ground, crying like a child, on the sky, and then at the "grandmother" who was elegant and noble, yet harbored murderous intent.

To...to recognize one's uncle as one's father?

What... what kind of operation is this?

Although he suffered greatly in his childhood, he never imagined that his fate would take such a dramatic turn.

The uncle who, in history, had everything taken away by his father and died a tragic death, actually... wanted to protect himself in this way?

For a moment, Zhu Jianshen was filled with mixed feelings, unsure whether to be surprised, fearful, or... a strange emotion that even he himself was unaware of arose.

Zhu Qiyu himself, during the Jingtai reign, was utterly dumbfounded.

He stared blankly at the "self" in the sky, who looked exactly like him but was doing things he never dared to even imagine.

Should the elder brother's son be made crown prince?

Isn't this... trampling on one's last shred of dignity and allowing others to trample on it?

Can……

Seeing Sun Ruowei's shocked and horrified expression, and looking at the insightful comments on the screen, a glimmer of light gradually appeared in his dim eyes.

So that's how it can be done...

It turns out that kneeling down was to prevent the enemy from raising their heads.

So, the throne... can be used in this way!

……

Inside the Cining Palace, time seemed to stand still.

Sun Ruowei stared intently at Zhu Dijun, and for the first time, a crack appeared on her well-maintained face.

Reason told her that this was a trap.

A trap that seems tempting but is actually full of spikes!

But emotionally, the words "Establish Zhu Jianshen as Crown Prince" echoed in her ears like the devil's whisper, making it impossible for her to refuse!

That's her own grandson!

She is the only bloodline of her brother Zhu Qizhen!

Making him the crown prince and allowing him to rightfully inherit the throne—wasn't that precisely her ultimate goal in tacitly approving the "Tumu Crisis"?

Now, this goal has been presented to her in a way she never imagined!

As long as she nods, everything seems to be settled!

Looking at Zhu Qiyu on the ground, who was crying until he was exhausted and in a daze, the scales in her heart began to swing violently.

She needs time.

She needs to discuss it with Yu Qian and Chen Xun.

This is a huge matter.

It was big enough to change the entire political landscape of the Ming Dynasty!

"This matter... concerns the very foundation of the nation, and is of utmost importance."

Sun Ruowei finally spoke, her voice slightly hoarse, as she tried her best to maintain the dignity of the Empress Dowager.

"I need to think about it."

She paused, then added, "We should also ask Yu Shaobao and Grand Secretary Chen for their opinions."

Zhu Dijun sneered inwardly.

ask?

This is exactly what he wanted!

His move was a calculated, open strategy!

The goal is to put Sun Ruowei's selfishness and the public interest of the civil service group on the table, so that they can collide and tear each other apart!

Aren't you all a united front?

Today, I will smash a crack in this iron plate that is yours!

"It's entirely up to... Mother Empress to decide."

Judy Jun remained humble to the point of being insignificant. He struggled to get up from the ground, but collapsed to the ground once again.

Xing'an quickly helped him up.

"Mother..." Zhu Dijun raised his head, his red and swollen eyes filled with a glimmer of hope and pleading, "Your subject... Your subject may go and see... See Shen?"

"My son Ji'er is gone... I just want to see him..."

His voice choked with emotion, as if he were just a poor father who had lost one child and was looking for solace in another.

Sun Ruowei's brows furrowed even more.

Her first reaction was to refuse.

But looking at Zhu Dijun's expression, she couldn't bring herself to refuse.

If she were to refuse even this small request, wouldn't it make her, as the grandmother, seem too heartless and too guilty?

More importantly, she also wanted to see what this emperor was really up to.

"Go."

Sun Ruowei's voice turned colder, carrying an undeniable warning.

"He's still a child."

"Don't scare him."

The subtext of this statement is laid bare: Don't entertain any improper thoughts; your every move is under my watchful eye.

"Your subject... dares not."

Zhu Dijun kowtowed again, and then, supported by Xing An, he staggered out of Cining Palace like a walking corpse.

The palace doors slowly closed behind him.

The light inside and outside the palace was completely blocked.

It wasn't until he stepped out of the Cining Palace and was hit by the cold wind that Zhu Dijun's "heartbreaking" expression vanished without a trace.

Instead, there was a chilling indifference.

He was still hunched over, still being supported by Xing'an, but his lowered eyes gleamed with a sharp, hawk-like light.

Sun Ruowei has taken the bait.

She was moved.

As long as she had the idea of ​​"making Zhu Jianshen the crown prince", the alliance between her and Yu Qian would inevitably crack.

And the person he was going to meet was the second key piece in this game of chess.

The future emperor, Zhu Jianshen.

A pitiful child, imprisoned, ignored, and shrouded in fear within the high walls of the Southern Palace, along with his deposed emperor father.

He wasn't going to see a child.

It's a flag!

On one hand, it can be used to command Sun Ruowei, to restrain Zhu Qizhen, and even more importantly, it can be used as his strongest talisman—the Crown Prince's banner!

"Your Majesty, are we... really going to the Southern Palace?"

Xing'an's voice was filled with worry and unease.

Nangong, that's a forbidden area.

It is the scar that His Majesty least wants to mention.

"go."

Zhu Dijun only said one word.

His steps, seemingly unsteady yet firm, led him toward the cold palace that imprisoned another emperor.

Beneath the sleeve, the hand cut by the broken porcelain still throbbed faintly.

But at this moment, Zhu Dijun felt only a cold calm.

He had already kicked over the first corner of the chessboard.

Now, he's going to make his move.

Use the enemy's son as your own shield.

Use the future emperor as your weapon.

He was determined to turn this deadlock around himself!