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

Shi Heng lost everything in his bet.

When Zhu Qizhen smashed down the heavy plaque of "The Righteousness of Imperial Power," any struggle seemed ridiculous and laughable.

The third year of the Tianshun reign.

Shi Biao, who once held considerable military power in Datong and even dared to disobey imperial edicts, was summoned back to the capital by a single imperial decree.

There was no suspicion, and no punishment.

He was greeted with an overwhelming gift that almost blinded him!

Zhu Qizhen issued an edict promoting Shi Biao's title from "Earl of Dingyuan" to "Marquis of Dingyuan"!

A single word makes all the difference.

The Shi family mansion was immediately decorated with lanterns and streamers, and guests flocked to the house, the noise almost lifting the roof off. Everyone thought that this was the emperor appeasing the Shi family, a gentle rain after thunder.

Only Shi Heng himself, at the lively celebration banquet, looked at his nephew, who was beaming with pride, and felt no warmth in his hand holding the wine glass.

This favor is far too great.

The coffin was like a magnificent coffin that had been custom-made for the two of them, uncle and nephew.

[Modern Live Streaming Room]

"Here it comes! This smell is so strong! Familiar recipe, familiar taste! First, I'll promote you, then I'll send you on your way!"

"Damn, Zhu Qizhen really mastered the art of 'praise to death'! Before killing someone, you have to destroy their spirit first. Giving you a marquisate as your last meal before beheading, isn't that generous enough!"

"That idiot Shi Biao is still grinning like a fool! Doesn't he know that the moment he stepped into the capital, he was already a dead man?"

"A storm is brewing! I have a feeling the big one is coming, so hold on tight!"

Zhu Dijun watched the boiling barrage of comments, his expression remaining completely calm.

"Family members, the final judgment never requires an earth-shattering battle."

"It often arrives at the calmest moment, with the fastest speed."

The scene above the sky suddenly changed!

Just seven days after the good news of Shi Biao's ennoblement spread throughout the capital!

August of the third year of the Tianshun reign!

Squads of Imperial Guards, dressed in flying fish robes and wielding embroidered spring knives, emerged silently from the shadows, like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves, and instantly surrounded the brand-new Dingyuan Marquis's mansion!

The leader was pale-faced and beardless, with a soft, feminine voice.

It was none other than Cao Jixiang, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial and concurrently the Military Supervisor of the Three Great Camps!

The other "meritorious official who seized power" that Zhu Qizhen used to check and balance Shi Heng!

"By imperial decree!"

Cao Jixiang's shrill voice, like an awl, pierced the tranquility of the Marquis's mansion.

"Marquis Shi Biao of Dingyuan has formed cliques for personal gain and plotted treason. He is hereby imprisoned in the Imperial Guard prison!"

The smile on Shi Biao's face froze instantly, then turned into endless terror!

Before he could even utter a cry, he was pinned to the ground by the ravenous Imperial Guards and dragged out of the marquis's mansion, which he had only enjoyed for seven days, like a dead dog.

He never came out again.

Inside the Duke of Zhongguo's mansion, when the news arrived, Shi Heng seemed to have all his strength drained away, and collapsed to the ground.

He knew it was all over.

The arrest of his nephew meant that the emperor had gathered enough evidence.

Or rather, the emperor no longer needed any evidence.

In October of the same year, an imperial edict stripped Shi Heng of all his official positions and titles, ordering him to "return home to live."

It was ostensibly a residence, but in reality, it was house arrest.

The once all-powerful Duke Zhongguo has been reduced to a prisoner who can't even leave his own house.

Zhu Dijun's voice echoed softly.

"Family members, do you think Zhu Qizhen will give up now, out of consideration for past relationships, and spare his life?"

"No."

"A king's revenge is never as simple as killing a person; it's about erasing his name, his power, and every trace of his existence from this world!"

"Although Shi Heng and his nephew have fallen, they have entrenched themselves in the court and the country for eight years, and their cronies are everywhere in the military. This network must be completely torn apart!"

"And to tear this net apart, a sufficiently weighty charge is needed!"

"A crime that can shut everyone up!"

February of the fourth year of the Tianshun reign.

Confined to his home and already feeling utterly hopeless, Shi Heng died suddenly in despair and terror.

The official explanation is that he died of illness.

But everyone knew he had to die.

His death, however, was precisely the prelude to the final reckoning!

The day after Shi Heng's death, Lu Gao, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, immediately submitted a memorial!

It is claimed that during the search of Shi Biao's residence by imperial decree, several privately kept dragon robes and a large number of prohibited weapons were found in a secret room!

rebellion!

These two words, like a thunderclap, exploded in the sky above the Tianshun Dynasty!

The proof is like a mountain!

This time, no one dared to say a word in defense of the Shi family!

Zhu Qizhen was immediately "enraged" and ordered a thorough investigation into the case!

A massive purge centered on the "Shi Heng and Shi Biao treason case" has officially begun!

Thousands of Shi's cronies were arrested and imprisoned one by one. All the generals in the Beijing Garrison and the Nine Garrisons who had connections with the Shi family were either dismissed from their posts, exiled, or executed!

That giant net that once shrouded the Ming military was torn to shreds by Zhu Qizhen in the most ruthless way!

As for Shi Biao, the "principal offender," he was sentenced to death by a thousand cuts, and his entire family, regardless of age, was beheaded!

Above the sky, Judy Jun's voice brought this revenge drama, which had lasted for nearly four years, to a final close.

Interestingly, this incident was also recorded in the files of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Just after Shi Heng was placed under house arrest and Shi Biao was imprisoned, the remaining trusted servants of the Shi family, knowing that the situation was hopeless, secretly contacted their cronies in the Beijing garrison and attempted to launch a small-scale mutiny to break into the prison and rescue the prisoners."

"However, their conspiracy was under the close surveillance of the Embroidered Uniform Guard from the very beginning."

"This confession ultimately became one of the most irrefutable pieces of evidence in Shi Heng's treason case."

Zhu Dijun looked at the camera and slowly said:

"So, family members, do you understand now?"

"From beginning to end, everything was under Zhu Qizhen's control."

"He was like the most skilled hunter, laying a trap and then quietly watching his prey walk into it step by step, watching it struggle and roar, and finally, in the most elegant, yet cruel, way, tightening the noose."

"Thus, of the three giants who seized power, Xu Youzhen was exiled and Shi Heng's clan was wiped out."

"Zhu Qizhen finally swept all those who had ever threatened his imperial power, whether old enemies or new contributors, into the dustbin of history."

"His fourth strike since his return has landed."

"Well then, family members..."

A meaningful smile appeared on Zhu Dijun's lips.

"Who do you think he'll strike with his fifth blow?"

"The one who helped him bring down Shi Heng, the last 'hero of the coup'..."

"The Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Cao Jixiang?"

"By the way, family members, you will later see in history books that the eunuch Cao Jixiang attempted a rebellion and wanted to ascend the throne. But let me ask you this: how could a eunuch become emperor? One of the important reasons why Zhu Qiyu was forced to resign was that he had no heir. You might as well guess who wrote this bizarre history?"