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

"Is this just the beginning?"

Zhu Qizhen murmured the same sentence over and over again, the blankness on his face gradually being replaced by a new, deeper fear.

In his view, overthrowing the Directorate of Ceremonial, the Grand Secretariat, and Empress Dowager Sun was already a monumental feat, a change of dynasty.

But according to Zhu Dijun, this was just the beginning?

That real...

Zhu Dijun didn't leave him puzzled for long.

He stood up, walked to the window, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked out at the deep night.

His silhouette, illuminated by the candlelight, appeared exceptionally lonely and heavy.

"Brother, do you remember the great rebellion in the southeast that lasted for five years during the Zhengtong era?"

Judy Jun's voice drifted over softly.

Zhu Qizhen's pupils suddenly contracted!

How could he not remember!

Ye Zongliu, Deng Maoqi... those names haunted him like a nightmare throughout the first half of his reign as emperor.

That massive rebellion, which spread from Fujian and Zhejiang all the way to Jiangxi and Guangdong, devastated several provinces. The imperial court repeatedly sent troops to quell it, but it was like being stuck in a quagmire, unable to be eradicated and constantly resurrected!

It consumed countless resources and manpower, took up a lot of his energy, and could even be said to be one of the factors that indirectly led him to make the wrong decision to "personally lead the expedition" later!

He always thought it was just troublemakers causing chaos.

But now, at this crucial juncture, Judy Jun has suddenly brought this up...

A terrifying thought instantly soaked Zhu Qizhen's back with cold sweat.

"Brother, you mean...?"

"That's right."

Zhu Dijun turned around, his gaze piercing Zhu Qizhen's heart!

"That's not just some simple case of troublemakers causing chaos!"

"That was a premeditated war, secretly supported, funded, and even directly planned by local gentry, powerful families, and large merchants, aimed at opposing the imperial court's land survey and tax reform!"

boom!

These words, like a thunderclap from the heavens, exploded in Zhu Qizhen's mind!

He staggered back a step and barely managed to stand up by grabbing the table.

The gentry...the powerful...supported the rebellion?!

How...how is this possible?!

They are the cornerstone of the imperial court, the disciples of sages, and the local worthies who maintain peace and stability in the region!

How could they...?

"Brother, don't you understand?"

Judy Jun's voice was as cold as ice.

"With the downfall of Yu Qian, Chen Xun, and Wang Wen, the 'Jiangxi clique' in the imperial court seems to have collapsed."

"But their roots in the local areas are still there! From Emperor Yongle to now, a full fifty years! Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Southern Zhili... the most prosperous half of the Ming Dynasty, the most fertile land, the most profitable businesses, have long been divided up cleanly by them and their fellow townsmen, students, and in-laws!"

"They formed deeply entrenched interest groups, bound by ties of hometown, teachers, and classmates, making them virtually impenetrable!"

"They monopolized the land, the trade routes, and even the quotas for the imperial examinations!"

"They talk about 'sharing the country's burdens,' but in reality, they use their power to allow their families and fellow villagers to enjoy tax and labor exemptions, while shifting all the burdens onto the poorest, most landless, powerless people who can't even get enough to eat!"

"Officials forcing the people to rebel? No!"

A cold, mocking smile crept across Zhu Dijun's lips.

"It's a conspiracy between officials and gentry, forcing the people to revolt!"

"They incited the people to rebel, creating chaos. Once the imperial army arrived and ravaged the land, they would then 'assist in suppressing the rebellion,' taking the opportunity to annex more land, eliminate disobedient opponents, and firmly control everything!"

"This is the truth behind that five-year-long rebellion!"

"Therefore, our real enemy has never been any particular person in the court, or any particular political force or group!"

Zhu Dijun spoke each word clearly and deliberately, his voice resounding throughout the entire hall and across all the heavens and myriad realms!

"Our real enemy is this deeply entrenched, powerful force that, under the guise of Confucianism, engages in annexation and monopolizes power and land, clinging to our Great Ming and frantically sucking our lifeblood generation after generation—"

"The civil service and gentry group!"

Dead silence.

A deathly silence so profound you could hear a pin drop.

Zhu Qizhen stood there blankly, as if the blood in his body had been frozen at that moment.

He felt like a fool.

A fool who has been emperor for over a decade, yet knows nothing about the terrifying vampire lurking within his empire.

He recalled his capture by the Oirat Mongols, where his "loyal" ministers immediately enthroned a new ruler.

He recalled being welcomed back to the capital, only to be placed under house arrest in the Southern Palace, living a life worse than that of pigs and dogs.

He recalled that tonight, when the news of his "death" spread, the first reaction of those civil officials was not grief, but rather to launch a frenzied attack on his political enemies under the pretext of "avenging" him!

Scenes flashed through my mind.

That fig leaf called "warmth" was brutally torn away by Judy Jun in the most ruthless way!

What is revealed is the bloody truth, the truth called "interests"!

He got it.

He finally understood why Judy Jun didn't care about the throne.

Because, in the face of this enormous, invisible monster, the emperor is sometimes nothing more than a slightly larger puppet!

Today you sit, tomorrow he sits. As long as their fundamental interests are not affected, what difference does it make who is the emperor?

But what if someone tries to take a bite out of their cake...?

They wouldn't mind replacing him with a more obedient emperor!

A chill ran from Zhu Qizhen's tailbone straight up to the top of his head!

He looked at his younger brother, and his eyes had changed from fear to... awe!

A kind of awe, like that of a prophet!

[Sky Screen Live Stream]

"Holy crap... I'm stunned... Jun-ge's vision... My God!"

"This isn't just a historical drama about power struggles; it's a political economy lesson! It hits the nail on the head! It directly points out the root cause of the demise of feudal dynasties—land annexation and the unlimited expansion of the gentry class!"

["I hereby declare that from today onwards, Brother Jun is my sole history and politics teacher! His level of expertise and depth far surpasses that of a hundred experts and professors!"]

"Our true enemy is this vast group of civil officials and gentry who have been frantically sucking blood from our Great Ming Dynasty generation after generation!"—This sentence should be engraved on the dragon throne of every emperor!

["Zhu Qizhen: I feel like I've been emperor for nothing these past ten years. Turns out I'm the biggest clown.jpg"]

"If you don't kill the snake, it will only harm you! Brother Jun is trying to... nip it in the bud! He gave up the throne just to jump off the chessboard and overturn the whole table!"

Zhu Qizhen's lips trembled. He remembered something, suddenly grabbed Zhu Dijun's arm, his eyes filled with terror.

"Brother! So...so you've given up the throne, is it because you want to..."

Zhu Dijun looked at him, a resolute yet tragic smile appearing on his face.

"Brother, if you don't kill the snake, you'll only get hurt."

"Within ten years, as long as you are in power, or as your nephew Jian Shen ascends the throne in the future, a new 'Jiangxi Gang,' 'Zhejiang Gang,' and 'Fujian Gang' will immediately emerge. Moreover, they will learn from this lesson and become more covert, more cunning, and more difficult to deal with."

"so……"

Zhu Dijun gently pulled away from Zhu Qizhen's hand, his voice calm, yet carrying a sense of composure as if he were heading to the execution ground.

"Someone must be the one to wield the knife."

"Go do that, uproot them, you wicked people."