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

The night was as dark as ink, and the murderous intent lingered.

Even at 6 a.m.

In front of the Duke of England's mansion, the two stone lions guarding the house seemed to be stained with blood under the torchlight.

"Creak—"

The heavy mansion gates slowly opened.

Shi Heng, the Marquis of Wuqing who had just stirred up a bloodbath in the capital, was now covered in blood and exuded a murderous aura.

Beneath his feet, mud and blood mingled, each step leaving a filthy mark.

In one of his hands, he held several bloody human heads, their hair disheveled, their eyes wide open in death. They were none other than Empress Dowager Sun's brother and confidant, Sun Tang, and others.

Blood droplets trickled down her hair and onto the bluestone slab, spreading out like dark plum blossoms.

However, Shi Heng paid no attention to any of this.

His eyes were fixed intently on the magnificent mansion before him.

Flying eaves and brackets, carved beams and painted rafters.

Even in the dead of night, its extraordinary grandeur and profound cultural heritage are evident.

This was one of the most prestigious noble residences in the Ming Dynasty, a symbol of power and glory.

In Shi Heng's eyes, there was an undisguised greed and desire.

He seemed to see that in the near future, he would also live in such a mansion, no, a mansion that was even more magnificent and splendid than this!

He will become the new Duke, the pillar of the Ming Dynasty, second only to the emperor!

Just as he was immersed in his beautiful dream, a figure slowly walked out from inside the door.

The newcomer was dressed in the casual attire of a prince, with a handsome face, yet his expression carried an indescribable air of authority.

It was none other than Emperor Jingtai, Zhu Dijun.

When he saw Shi Heng covered in blood and the severed head he was holding, he showed no disgust or fear on his face, but rather a joyful smile.

"Minister Shi!"

Judy Jun's voice was full of admiration and excitement.

"In this effort to restore order and eliminate traitors, you deserve the greatest credit! You must be richly rewarded!"

These words were like a warm current, instantly flowing through Shi Heng's entire body.

The unease he felt from the killing vanished instantly, replaced by boundless triumph and ecstasy.

He knelt down on one knee with a "thud" and placed the head heavily on the ground, the sound like a booming bell.

"To share Your Majesty's burdens and to eliminate traitors for the Ming Dynasty is my duty! I dare not claim credit!"

Even so, his face, flushed with excitement, said it all.

"What a fine example of sharing the nation's burdens!"

Another voice rang out, and Zhu Qizhen stepped out from behind Zhu Dijun.

He looked at Shi Heng kneeling on the ground, at those familiar yet unfamiliar heads, and a chilling coldness and hatred flashed across his eyes.

He remembered Shi Heng!

This man was one of the main culprits in the Tumu Crisis!

A moment earlier, Zhu Qizhen would probably have ordered on the spot to tear this scoundrel to pieces!

but now……

He remembered his brother's words and that tragic yet insane plan.

He got it.

Shi Heng is nothing more than a knife.

A bloodstained knife used to clear away the trash before our eyes, destined to be discarded in the future.

You must learn to use this knife.

Thinking of this, Zhu Qizhen forcibly suppressed the murderous intent surging in his heart, forced a smile of approval on his face, and personally stepped forward to help Shi Heng up.

"General Shi's loyalty and bravery are commendable, as my brother and I have witnessed. Please rise!"

Shi Heng was flattered and overwhelmed, being treated by the two "emperors" on his left and right, and felt as if he was about to float away.

He stood up straight, his back ramrod straight.

Zhu Qizhen took a deep breath, trying to appear more like a monarch who had just escaped danger, and asked in a tone tinged with lingering fear:

"General Shi, what is the situation in the palace and the court now? Those rebels..."

Mentioning this, Shi Heng's smug expression grew even stronger.

He described it vividly, as if he were a peerless hero in a play who single-handedly rescued his lord.

"Reporting back to the Emperor Emeritus, Your Majesty!"

"The palace guards have all submitted! The Sun family and their cronies, who stubbornly resisted, have been executed on the spot by my subject!"

"As for the imperial court..."

A cruel smile curled at the corner of Shi Heng's mouth.

"Without me lifting a finger, they started fighting amongst themselves!"

"When I led my troops to the Meridian Gate, those civil officials were already in complete chaos, fighting amongst themselves over who was the mastermind behind the 'purging of the emperor's inner circle'! Blood was everywhere, and their court robes were torn to shreds! Dozens of them were killed on the spot by their own men!"

"This is simply... outrageous!"

He spoke with great enthusiasm, his tone full of disdain.

However, he did not notice that when he heard the phrase "dozens were killed," the two emperors in front of him exchanged a glance without leaving a trace.

In that instant of eye contact, there was no shock, no anger, only a cold, unspoken understanding.

Good riddance!

This group of parasites who spout benevolence and morality on ordinary days, but behind the scenes only know how to form cliques, eliminate dissidents, and fight for power and profit!

This group of hypocrites uses "the nation" and "the sovereign" as tools to attack their political enemies!

The more they die, the cleaner the body of the Ming Dynasty becomes!

Zhu Dijun remained completely calm.

All of this was within his expectations.

That's why he chose to "detonate" it at this time.

The civil service, seemingly a monolithic entity, was in reality riddled with factions and rife with internal conflicts. Once they lost their three common "enemies" and balancing forces—Empress Dowager Sun, the Directorate of Ceremonial, and the Grand Secretariat—their internal contradictions would immediately erupt!

Uneven distribution of benefits, especially with the Jiangxi clique monopolizing the lion's share for 50 years, has led to a total eruption of old and new grievances today.

They don't even need to lift a finger; they'll tear each other apart and wipe out a large number of them.

Those who survive will be severely weakened and will find it difficult to mount an effective resistance.

Zhu Qizhen suppressed his inner pleasure and continued to play his role, pressing for an answer:

"What about Yu Qian, Chen Xun, and Wang Wen? They are important ministers in the cabinet..."

Shi Heng pursed his lips.

"Reporting to the Emperor Emeritus, the three of them are not dead."

"However, that's about right."

"Wang Wen had his leg broken on the spot. Chen Xun, an old man, was pushed to the ground and his head was bleeding profusely. Yu Qian, that stinky rock, also took a lot of punches and kicks while protecting them; I heard he broke several ribs."

"Now, they are all lying on the ground groaning, waiting for the imperial physician to treat them."

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Zhu Dijun's eyes.

It's good that he's not dead.

Especially Yu Qian.

This person's existence is crucial to his next plan.

He needs a target that is substantial enough and "clean" enough to stabilize the situation in the North.

Yu Qian is the best candidate.

Everything was proceeding exactly as planned, down to the last detail.

Zhu Dijun snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Zhu Qizhen beside him, his gaze deep and resolute.

"Brother Emperor."

His voice, though not loud, clearly reached everyone's ears.

"The villains have been eliminated, and the traitors have been purged."

"The court cannot afford to descend into chaos any further."

"Many people are already waiting for us."

Zhu Qizhen nodded heavily, understanding the meaning in his younger brother's eyes.

The most difficult private communications have been completed. Now it's time to step onto the stage and announce the new order to the world.

He looked at Judy Jun, the brother he had once distrusted and guarded against, but who was now willing to die for him and his country, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Ultimately, all the emotions culminated in a calm and composed response.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

After saying this, the two brothers stood side by side.

One was the retired emperor who "came back to life".

One is the current emperor who "restored order to the country."

Together, they strode toward the heart of power, toward the Golden Palace, still shrouded in the stench of blood.

Behind them was the ecstatic Shi Heng, and the entire Ming Dynasty, whose world had been turned upside down by this earth-shattering event.

[Sky Screen Live Stream]

"It's here! It's here! Two emperors ruling! Holy crap, just thinking about that scene sends chills down my spine!"

["Zhu Qizhen's acting was superb! That line, 'My brother and I have seen it all,' was so well said! It both reassured Shi Heng and clearly indicated who was in charge now!"]

"It's hilarious! Shi Heng is still so smug. Little does he know he's just a knife that's been used and then thrown away. Watching him drool over the Duke of Ying's mansion is both pathetic and laughable."

"The most satisfying line was 'I killed dozens!' The eye contact between Jun and Zhen was absolutely amazing! The words 'Good riddance!' practically jumped off the screen!"

"This is Brother Jun's open scheme! He doesn't care how these civil officials fight; he just wants them to fight! The fiercer the fight, the better! Ideally, they'll destroy themselves, saving Brother Jun the trouble of taking action!"

[Trailer: The epic historical disaster film "When Your Two Bosses Appear at the Company at the Same Time" is coming soon! Starring: Civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty. I bet five cents that everyone's expression in the court later will be worse than if they'd eaten shit!]

["The previous ones were too narrow-minded! This isn't a disaster movie, it's the opening act of an epic! Two emperors are about to rule, and the golden palace will be ravaged by blood! One plays the good cop, the other the bad cop—the Ming Dynasty is about to change drastically!"]