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

Zhu Qizhen's words, "Let's go," seem to mark a watershed moment.

They left behind both tenderness and farewell.

Ahead lies only chilling danger and an unpredictable fate.

Under the vast sky, the emperors of past dynasties, and even the common people, felt extremely complicated emotions.

Qin Dynasty.

The First Emperor, Ying Zheng, looked at the two future rulers who were about to face a "dead end" with a deep and unfathomable gaze.

"Using oneself as bait, burning one's boats...it has a bit of the courage of a tyrant, but also a bit of...cunning."

He commented casually:

"If this plan succeeds, these two young men will be recorded in history."

"It's clearly a fabrication created by future generations using AI technology, so why should I want them to succeed?"

Han Dynasty.

Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, stroked his chin, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Interesting. If I had possessed such methods when dealing with the witchcraft scandal back then, how could we have ended up with father and son killing each other? It's too late for regrets now."

His gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, landing on the young man named Zhu Dijun.

"This kid is a born ruthless official, and also a born... emperor."

Tang Dynasty.

Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

"Guanyinbi, you say... if back then at Xuanwu Gate, my brother had also pulled a 'self-immolation' stunt to frame me..."

Li Shimin's voice was somewhat hoarse.

Empress Zhangsun gently shook her head:

"Your Majesty, they lack that resolve."

Yes, they didn't.

This kind of madness—betting oneself and the entire country on a gamble—is not something everyone possesses.

Song Dynasty.

Zhao Gou looked at the sky, his face turning pale and then flushed.

He thought of his own situation, of the Jurchens in the north, and of the ministers who shouted "Welcome back the two emperors" every day.

If... if his father and brothers, in the Five Kingdoms City, also set fire to it...

He dared not think any further, only feeling a chill rise from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

This descendant of Zhu Dijun is simply the nightmare of all emperors who "obtained the throne illegitimately"!

……

In the dark alleys of Beijing.

Zhu Dijun took out a small oil paper package from his pocket and handed it to Xing'an.

"Daban, this is the land deed for a manor outside the city, along with some silver notes."

"Take your sister-in-law and the Crown Prince and go there to settle down first. Remember, if anyone asks, tell them that you are a wealthy family who have fled here and have no connection with the palace."

Xing'an solemnly accepted it, hid it close to his body, and nodded emphatically:

"Your Majesty, rest assured, this old servant will risk his life to protect Her Highness and the Empress!"

Zhu Dijun's gaze fell on Zhu Jianshen for the last time.

The child has stopped crying.

He just stared intently at me with his swollen, red eyes. In his eyes, there was fear and hatred, but more than anything, there was a forced, chilling calmness.

Zhu Dijun knew that he had taken the lessons to heart.

"Let's go."

He said no more and gave Zhu Qizhen a wink.

The two turned around and walked towards the other end of the alley without any hesitation.

Their figures quickly disappeared into the deeper darkness.

"Father! Uncle!"

Zhu Jianshen suddenly shouted at their backs with all his might.

The two paused, but did not turn around.

"You...must come back alive!"

A subtle, unnoticed smile curved at the corners of Zhu Dijun's lips.

alive?

Zhu Qiyu and Zhu Qizhen had already died when the fire broke out in Nangong.

The survivors will be two avengers who have returned from hell.

……

Xing'an led Empress Qian and Zhu Jianshen through the intricate alleyways.

Instead of heading towards any of the city gates, they came to a secluded culvert that connected to the inner city's waterways.

An unassuming awning boat was already quietly waiting there.

This was part of Zhu Dijun's "golden cicada shedding its shell" plan, originally intended for themselves, but now being used against Empress Qian and her son.

The three boarded the boat, and the boatman, without saying a word, used his long pole to propel the small boat silently into the dark waterway.

Empress Qian held her son tightly, watching the darkness rushing past on both sides of the river, her heart filled with bewilderment.

Where is the future?

she does not know.

All she knew was that her husband and his morally ambiguous brother-in-law were gambling their lives for her and her son on an uncertain tomorrow.

Zhu Jianshen didn't look at the scenery; he just curled up in his mother's arms with his eyes closed.

His uncle's words kept replaying in his mind.

"Military power! Personnel power! Financial power!"

"Sun Ruowei..."

"The Zhou family..."

"The Wang family..."

Those names, those words, were like red-hot branding irons, leaving an indelible mark on the depths of his soul.

……

Meanwhile, on the other side...

Zhu Dijun and Zhu Qizhen had changed into tattered, blood-stained armor.

They had taken it from the body of a guard who had been hacked to death by the mutinous soldiers.

At this moment, they looked like two unlucky guys who had narrowly escaped death while fighting a fire in Nangong.

His face and hands were covered in soot from the bottom of a pot, his hair was messy, and he looked utterly disheveled.

Instead of taking the main roads, they deliberately chose the dark alleys, gradually approaching the military and noble residential area in the west of the capital.

"Qi Yu, will the Zhang family... really accept us?"

Zhu Qizhen lowered his voice, but there was still a hint of unease in his tone.

Although Zhang Fu, the Duke of Ying, was the head of the Wu Xun faction, the Wu Xun group was severely weakened after the Tumu Crisis and had long since lost its glory during the Yongle era.

Would they dare to oppose the powerful civil service and Empress Dowager Sun for the sake of two "dead" emperors?

Whether they dare or not is not important.

Zhu Dijun's voice sounded exceptionally clear in the night breeze.

"The important thing is that I gave them a reason they had no choice but to accept it."

He stopped and looked back at Zhu Qizhen, his eyes gleaming with calculation.

"Your Majesty, what do you think Yu Qian and the others most want to do after tonight?"

Zhu Qizhen was taken aback, then realized what was happening:

"Find us! Alive or dead!"

"That's right." Judy nodded.

"They must prove to the world that we truly 'died' in the fire. Otherwise, they will be condemned as 'monarchs'!"

"Therefore, the entire capital city will soon be turned upside down. Nowhere will be safe."

"Except for one place."

Zhu Qizhen's breath hitched.

"The Zhang family!"

"Yes!" Judy Jun smiled, a smile that appeared extremely sinister against the backdrop of firelight and night.

"We were two 'dead men,' covered in blood, standing at his doorstep. Did he dare refuse to take us in?"

"If he refuses, we'll go outside and shout: 'The Duke of England is turning a blind eye to our plight and is conspiring with treacherous officials!'"

"By accepting it, he's essentially tied the entire Wu Xun Group to our cause! Even if he wanted to get off, he wouldn't be able to!"

"This is not a multiple-choice question."

"This is a knife I'm handing him; the hilt is in our hands. He either picks it up and fights his way through with us, or he waits for this knife to plunge into his own chest!"

Zhu Qizhen felt a chill run down his spine.

This is Yang Conspiracy.

A calculated scheme that you know is poison, yet you have no choice but to drink it with a smile.

They finally arrived at the brightly lit mansion district.

The plaque bearing the four large characters "British Duke's Mansion" appeared majestic and solemn in the night.

The stone lions at the gate of the mansion coldly watched the two uninvited guests.

Zhu Dijun straightened his tattered armor and smeared blood on his face to make himself look even more miserable.

He looked at Zhu Qizhen.

Zhu Qizhen also took a deep breath and nodded.

His four-year prison sentence is about to come to an end.

And a storm powerful enough to overturn the entire Ming Dynasty will begin here.

Zhu Dijun stepped forward.

Raise your hand.

With all his might, he slammed his fist against the vermilion, tightly closed gate of the mansion!

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The dull knocking sound carried far, far away in the quiet night.

It was as if the death knell of an era had been tolled.