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

The faint light of dawn could not penetrate the heavy doors of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Inside the hall, the candlelight flickered, casting a dim and dim light.

This place was once the most sacred and majestic power center of the Ming Dynasty.

But now, it resembles more of a slaughterhouse that has just ended a brutal brawl.

The air was filled with a strange, nauseating smell—a mixture of blood, sweat, and sandalwood.

Dozens of corpses lay scattered on the ground, their official robes, some magnificent and some simple, now soaked in blood, becoming sticky and filthy.

Many more people, with injuries, sat or lay down, groaning in pain.

Broken scepters, torn court robes, scattered official hats, and knocked-out teeth, mixed in with the blood, created an absurd and tragic scene.

Those who survived were divided into two distinct groups.

Although everyone in Xu Youzhen's faction was wounded and disheveled, their eyes gleamed with a morbid excitement and ruthlessness. They were the victors in this internal power struggle.

On the other hand, the cabinet ministers, led by Yu Qian, Chen Xun, and Wang Wen, appeared extremely miserable.

Wang Wen's legs were twisted at an odd angle; he had already fainted from the pain.

Chen Xun had a large gash on his forehead, and blood covered half of his face. He was being supported by others, and his body was still trembling uncontrollably.

Yu Qian, the Minister of War who once saved the day at the gates of Beiping, now had a patch of his official robes ripped open, and every breath was excruciatingly painful. Leaning on a broken door bolt, he forced himself to stand, his gaze fixed on Xu Youzhen and the others. In his bloodshot eyes burned disappointment, anger, and endless sorrow.

He didn't understand.

Why did the blade turn against each other, instead of the emperor or the rebels, overnight?

"Xu Youzhen!"

Yu Qian's voice was hoarse, like a broken gong, "You...you traitorous villain! You incited military men, trespassed into the palace, and attacked your colleagues. You...you deserve to die!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Youzhen wiped the blood from his face and grinned maliciously.

"Lord Yu, you can't say that!"

"We have restored order, purged corrupt officials from the court, and restored the Emperor Emeritus to the throne! This is an immense achievement!"

"It is you who control the government and deceive the emperor; you are the true traitors!"

"Merit? Traitor?" Yu Qian trembled with rage, unable to catch his breath, and coughed violently, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

The two sides were on the verge of attacking each other, as if they were about to pounce on each other again at any moment, using the most primal methods to decide who was "loyal" and who was "treacherous".

Just then.

"Squeak—"

The heavy doors of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, which seemed to have carried the weight of a century of national destiny, slowly opened inward with a teeth-grinding scraping sound.

A ray of dawn light, like a sharp sword, suddenly cleaved through the darkness and bloodshed within the hall.

Everyone's movements froze at that moment.

They subconsciously squinted, looking towards the gleaming entrance.

Two figures, one tall and one short, stood side by side, their outlines golden in the morning light, like deities descending from the heavens.

Behind them stood the Imperial Guards, their armor gleaming and their menacing aura palpable.

At their feet stood Marquis Shi Heng of Wuqing, who had just been helped up and was beaming with ecstasy and flattery.

It's them!

Emperor Emeritus Zhu Qizhen!

And "Today's" Zhu Qiyu!

Inside the hall, an eerie silence instantly descended.

Even the groans of the seriously injured seemed to be choked by an invisible hand.

Everyone's brains have crashed.

They envisioned countless scenarios, including the retired emperor rewarding them for their contributions and the possibility of new clashes between the two emperors.

But one thing they hadn't anticipated was...

This is a picture of two brothers standing side by side in court!

It was a harmony and tacit understanding that could not be described in words.

It was as if they were born to stand together.

It was as if there had never been any suspicion, imprisonment, or the seven-year-long estrangement and resentment between them.

Zhu Dijun's gaze calmly swept across the entire hall.

He swept over the corpses on the ground, over the disheveled appearance of the officials, and over the terrified, bewildered, and blank faces.

His face was expressionless.

There was no anger, no shock, not even disgust.

There is only one kind of absolute, cold calm, like looking down on ants fighting for food.

He took a step.

step.

Two steps.

The leather boots made a soft "tap, tap, tap" sound as they stepped on the blood-stained gold bricks.

Each blow felt like a heavy hammer, striking everyone's hearts.

Zhu Qizhen followed beside him, half a step behind.

His face held just the right amount of pity and heartache, but his eyes, which had once been humiliated, now held an unprecedented firmness.

He was watching too.

Looking at these civil officials who once manipulated him, now they were like stray dogs.

He remembered his brother's words.

These people are parasites.

And he and his brother will be the red-hot iron, burning through these termites and their rotting nests!

The two brothers walked on, stepping on blood and corpses, past the stunned civil and military officials, and up to the high steps of the imperial palace.

Judy Jun did not walk toward the dragon throne that belonged to the emperor.

He simply stood atop the steps, looking down at everything below.

a long time.

He finally spoke.

The sound wasn't loud, but it clearly resonated throughout the deathly silent palace.

"My court..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping from Xu Youzhen to Yu Qian, and then over everyone else.

"How could it be so dirty?"

boom!

These words were like a thunderclap from the heavens, exploding in everyone's minds!

Dirty?

The smug looks on Xu Youzhen and the others' faces froze instantly.

They had assumed the emperor would ask, "Who are the meritorious officials?"

They had assumed that the emperor would settle scores and identify the traitors.

But he didn't!

What he asked was, why is it so dirty!

This is neither a victor's reward to his subordinates nor a king's judgment of his subjects.

This is……

Imagine an owner returning home to a scene of utter devastation, seeing their dogs tearing each other apart and leaving a trail of blood. The sheer disgust they feel is palpable.

[Sky Screen Live Stream]

"Holy crap!!! The phrase 'How could it be so dirty?' isn't very offensive, but it's extremely insulting!!"

[“Here it comes! Jun-ge’s kingly disdain! I can feel the chill through the screen! In his eyes, these civil officials aren’t even human, just a bunch of dogs who dirtied his house!”]

"This is truly 'heartbreaking'! Xu Youzhen was still waiting to receive his reward, but Brother Jun's words brought him back to reality! You're not a hero, you're just a garbage maker!"

["Zhu Qizhen's acting is spot on! That compassionate expression, paired with the cold light in his eyes, is absolutely brilliant! These two brothers, one white-faced and one red-faced, no, now they're both black-faced! It's time for a mixed doubles match!"]

"I hereby declare that the best pretentious line of the year has been born! 'How could my court be so filthy?' Brother Jun, please publish a book! I've even thought of a title: 'The Art of Language'!"

"Look at Xu Youzhen's expression, like he's swallowed a fly! Hahaha! It's so satisfying! I love watching these self-important officials get humiliated by the protagonist!"

["What's next? I bet Jun-ge is going to start calling roll! A massive social media frenzy is about to begin! Sunflower seeds, peanuts, and bottled water for sale in the front row!"]