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

Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, a torrent of roars assaulted the eardrums of everyone present.

Half is flame and half is sea water.

Just as this raging tide was about to overturn the roof of the palace, a hoarse and shrill voice ripped a hole in it.

"Your Majesty! Peng Shi... Peng Shi is from Jiangxi!"

Chen Xun, who was already as thin as a tree, somehow managed to get up with the strength he had found. His withered fingers trembled as he pointed at Peng Shi, who was clearly young, but whose expression was no different from that of a middle-aged man.

Like a gambler who has lost all his chips, he threw out his last and most absurd bet.

Jiangxi, although located in the south, is not part of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, or Fujian.

He wanted to use this example to prove that the emperor's accusations were "map-based," "generalized," and wrong!

In an instant, the thunderous roar inside the hall came to an abrupt halt.

All eyes were on Chen Xun and Peng Shi.

Peng Shi was initially taken aback, but then a deep-seated anger and humiliation made his face contort with rage.

He was so angry that he was trembling all over, his lips were shaking, and he almost bit his old teeth to pieces!

You bastard!

How dare you say that!

Peng Shi felt a rush of blood to his head, and his vision went black.

In the thirteenth year of the Zhengtong reign, he achieved the highest rank in the imperial examination, a truly glorious moment!

Just because I refused your dirty tricks of "running for official positions," you have suppressed me completely!

From the thirteenth year of the Zhengtong reign to the fourth year of the Jingtai reign, a full five years! Five years!

You've sidelined me, saying nice things like "promoting me to the cabinet to participate in key affairs," but in reality, you're just making a fool of me, leaving me with no way to realize my ambitions!

Now that disaster is upon you, you've remembered I'm from Jiangxi? You want to drag me down with you, to use me as a fig leaf?

Why didn't you do this sooner!

On the steps of the imperial palace, Zhu Dijun watched this scene and smiled.

The laughter, though not loud, was filled with cold, undisguised mockery.

"Oh."

He looked at Chen Xun, who seemed to have gone mad, with the same gaze he would give a clown.

"Chen Xun".

Are you reminding me that your faction is deeply entrenched and extends far beyond just Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Fujian?

"Or are you telling me that even fellow Jiangxi scholars who achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations cannot tolerate you pillars of the nation?"

One sentence was enough to drain the last trace of color from Chen Xun's face.

He...that's not what he meant!

But the emperor's words were like a knife, precisely dissecting his pathetic tricks and nailing him to the pillar of shame for "forming a wider faction"!

Zhu Dijun stopped looking at him and turned his gaze to the old scholar who was trembling with anger.

His voice became much gentler, carrying a restrained encouragement.

"Peng Aiqing".

"I would like to hear your opinion."

"This Chief Minister Chen now wishes to establish a connection with you as fellow townsmen."

Do you admit it?

boom!

This sentence was the final straw that broke the dam that Peng Shi had been holding back for five years!

He took a sudden step forward, causing a gust of wind to rise from the hem of his robe!

"Your subject denies it!"

Three words, as loud as thunder!

Peng Shi suddenly turned around, his cloudy eyes burning with rage fixed on Chen Xun, who was slumped on the ground!

"Chen Xun!!"

He pointed at the other person's nose, his voice sharp with extreme anger.

"In the thirteenth year of the Zhengtong reign, after the palace examination, who sent someone to my residence to say that if I offered three thousand taels of 'ice tribute and charcoal tribute,' they could guarantee me a position as a principal officer in one of the Six Ministries?!"

"After I turned them away, who was it at the hometown banquet who pointed at my nose and called me 'ungrateful' and 'disconnected from my fellow villagers'?!"

"Five years!"

Peng Shi stretched out his trembling fingers, his eyes red-rimmed, tears streaming down his face!

"I am Peng Shi, the top scholar of the thirteenth year of the Zhengtong reign of the Ming Dynasty! Simply because I refused to associate with you, I was relegated to a sinecure in the Hanlin Academy for five whole years!"

"My colleagues at court see me as an oddity! My juniors and juniors see me as a laughingstock!"

"Am I to be buried alive with my vast knowledge and patriotic aspirations simply because I refuse to collude with you?!"

"You talk about promoting me to the cabinet and getting me involved in military affairs, but it sounds nice. You're just pushing me into a corner!"

"Today! You shameless old thief, you actually want to use me as a shield?!"

"How dare you say I'm from Jiangxi and should take care of my fellow townsmen?!"

"I'm telling you! First and foremost, I am a subject of the Ming Dynasty!!"

Every word is written in blood! Every sentence is piercing to the heart!

A top-scoring student's tearful accusation, a once-in-a-lifetime genius who had been buried for five years pleading his case in court!

This is more damaging than any accusation from the emperor!

This is the most lethal blow from within their ranks!

"puff--"

Unable to withstand the devastating blow any longer, Chen Xun coughed up a mouthful of blood, fell straight backward, his eyes rolled back, and he lost consciousness completely.

The officials from Jiangnan surrounding him were all silent and pale with fear.

It’s over.

It's completely over.

Peng Shi's accusations tore their last fig leaf to shreds, threw it on the ground, and crushed it underfoot.

In the entire court, not a single person dared to say a word in their defense.

Officials from outside Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Fujian provinces, upon seeing Peng Shi with his beard and hair standing on end and tears streaming down his face, all felt deeply sympathetic and filled with righteous indignation!

"Your Majesty, please do justice for Lord Peng!"

"Your Majesty, please severely punish this traitor!!"

"Severely punish the traitors!!"

A roar echoed through the hall once more, this time filled with unwavering determination and killing intent!

Judy watched all of this quietly.

This is exactly the effect he wanted.

The victim himself stepped forward to deliver the final blow.

He slowly walked down the steps, ignoring the pool of blood on the ground and the unconscious Chen Xun.

He walked up to Peng Shi and personally helped the still trembling old minister up.

"Minister Peng, I understand your grievances."

"I am aware of the grievances suffered by the Ming Dynasty."

His voice was steady and powerful, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness.

"From today onwards, there will be no more."

Having said that, he turned around and faced the entire court.

His gaze swept over the faces that were either excited, fearful, or numb.

Finally, he raised his hand and pointed to the group of Jiangnan officials who had completely collapsed.

"I'm giving you one last chance."

His voice was icy cold and devoid of any emotion.

"Anyone who has engaged in bribery, selling official positions, seizing farmland, or disregarding human life since the first year of the Zhengtong reign (1444-1445)."

"Anyone who participates in factional strife, excludes colleagues, holds a position without performing its duties, or acts illegally and unjustly."

"Those I've named, come out here!"

"Since you have voluntarily surrendered, I will spare your lives and your families from exile, out of consideration for our past relationship."

"If you're still hoping for a lucky break, let me send the Embroidered Uniform Guard to 'invite' you..."

A cruel smile curled at the corners of Zhu Dijun's mouth.

"Then it would be more than just confiscating property and exterminating the entire clan."

"I will carve your names on the pillar of shame in history, so that you will be infamous for eternity!"

"I keep my word!"