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

"Civil officials govern the country, eunuchs govern the officials!"

Zhu Dijun's voice, like a final death knell, drew a bloody end to that era of intellectual integrity.

Before the celestial canopy, countless scholars across the myriad realms were ashen-faced.

They could not imagine how dark an era would be if eunuchs held the power of life and death over officials.

However, many people, especially emperors, heard a chilling and resolute feeling in those eight words!

This is Zhu Jianshen declaring war on the entire civil service group in the most extreme way!

Use the "rootless people" you despise the most to break your spine!

After a brief silence, the chat in the "Modern Live Room" exploded.

"Holy crap! The eunuch official! Emperor Xianzong has completely gone mad!"

"Crazy? I think he's awake! Trying to reason with a bunch of beasts who would harm a three-year-old is what's truly insane!"

"I support it! To deal with thugs, you have to use methods even more thuggish than them! These hypocritical scoundrels should be dealt with by eunuchs!"

["I get it about the Western Depot! Wang Zhi is about to make his appearance! The sharpest and darkest blade in the Emperor's hand is about to be drawn!"]

Faced with the excited reactions in the live stream, Zhu Dijun slowly shook his head.

His expression was more solemn than ever before.

"My family, do you really think that the emperor's enemies are only in the court?"

"Do you think that what broke Zhu Jianshen was merely the death of a prince?"

"No."

"The real hell is much deeper than you can imagine."

As he spoke, Judy Jun tapped his finger lightly.

Above the sky, the scene changed.

Several clear portraits of people appear side by side.

Leading the group was none other than the dignified Empress Dowager Zhou.

Following closely behind was Empress Wu, who had already been deposed and whose face was filled with resentment.

Then, there was the current empress, Empress Wang, who had no expression on her face.

Below them was a handsome child with delicate features, next to whom was labeled with two characters—Zhu Youcheng.

Finally, the portraits of Zhu Jianshen and Wan Zhen'er were placed separately on one side.

This bizarre combination instilled a strong sense of unease in everyone.

"Alright, everyone."

Zhu Dijun's voice sounded as if it came from an ice cellar.

"Next, we will talk about the famous Ming Emperor Xiaozong, Zhu Youcheng, who is praised by countless people as a wise ruler throughout the ages."

"Zhu Jianshen's third son."

"A...perfect tool meticulously prepared by the civil official group in collusion with the imperial harem for their future power grab after Zhu Jianshen's death!"

boom!

This sentence is more shocking than any of the previous ones!

A future emperor is actually a "tool" prepared by his subjects for the current emperor?

How is that possible!

"As we mentioned before, Zhu Jianshen's two sons both died suddenly before the eleventh year of the Chenghua era."

"Then, a miracle happened."

Just when Zhu Jianshen was feeling disheartened and thought he might have no descendants, one day a eunuch came and told him.

"Your Majesty, you have another son in the harem!"

Zhu Dijun's tone was full of sarcasm.

"This son is Zhu Youcheng."

According to the revised version of the History of Ming by Man Qing, after Zhu Youcheng was born, his birth mother, Lady Ji, fearing persecution from Consort Wan, entrusted him to the deposed Empress Wu, who secretly raised him in the gloomy West Palace (Cold Palace) for six years!

"Until one day, Zhu Jianshen lamented that he was nearly thirty and had no children. Only then did the eunuch Zhang Min risk his life to tell him the truth. Zhu Jianshen was overjoyed and immediately brought the six-year-old child back to the palace and made him the crown prince!"

"Isn't it a deeply moving, almost legendary story?"

Zhu Dijun laughed, his laughter filled with disdain.

"Family members, let's put everything else aside for now. I just have one question for you."

"What abilities or resources did a deposed empress, a criminal banished to the cold palace, possess to secretly raise a prince for six long years within the palace walls, under the watchful eyes of countless people?!"

"She can't even feed herself! How does she feed a crying baby? With the northwest wind?!"

This question, like a sharp knife, instantly pierced through the warm and tender exterior of the story!

Yes!

What is the Cold Palace? It's hell!

A deposed empress who has lost power, who can be bullied by eunuchs and palace maids at will, how could she possibly raise a prince?!

"Therefore, this story, at its core, is a complete and utter lie!"

Judy's voice was resolute!

"The deposed Empress Wu had absolutely no ability! She was merely a scapegoat pushed to the forefront!"

"There are only two people who truly have the ability and the motivation to plan all of this!"

His finger pressed heavily on the two portraits!

"The Emperor's biological mother—Empress Dowager Zhou!"

"And, the Emperor's current principal wife—Empress Wang!"

The Chenghua Era.

Zhu Jianshen's pupils suddenly contracted, and his blood seemed to freeze instantly!

He stared intently at the two faces on the sky: one was his mother, whom he respected most in name, and the other was his wife, whom he was closest to in law.

A chill emanating from the depths of my soul surged up wildly!

"The second loophole: Zhu Youcheng's biological mother's identity!"

Zhu Dijun didn't stop there, continuing to drop bombshells!

"The Ming Dynasty Veritable Records only mention that his mother was from the Ji family; that's all!"

"Family members, can you believe it? The biological mother of a future emperor, the future empress dowager, has a completely blank background and origins in official history!"

"Is this normal?!"

"There's only one possibility: her identity was deliberately erased, or rather... altered!"

Zhu Dijun pulled out a tattered rubbing of an ancient book.

Fortunately, there is an inconspicuous record in another historical book called Guo Que.

"The Ji family originated from Hezhou, Guangxi. Their father was Fu Bin, the Vice Commander-in-Chief of the Central Army!"

"In other words, Zhu Youcheng's biological mother's surname wasn't Ji at all; her surname was Fu!"

"How did the daughter of a high-ranking military commander become a palace maid of unknown origin, Lady Ji?"

"Because a mother with a powerful background is difficult to control! A mother who is powerless and vulnerable, and could even 'die of illness' at any time, is exactly what some people need!"

Zhu Dijun's voice grew colder and colder.

"So, family members, a shocking case involving a hidden prince and a falsified mother's surname has come to light!"

Historically, this kind of cunning scheme, like substituting one thing for another, is called—

"Kide Honri!"

These four words were like a black lightning bolt, cleaving through everyone's thoughts!

They finally understood!

This is not a story about protecting a prince!

This is a deadly trap set from the moment the prince was born, a trap aimed at the imperial power!

The Hongwu Era.

"You bastard!!!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that he trembled all over and pointed at Empress Dowager Zhou on the sky, cursing loudly!

"Our Zhu family's daughter-in-law dares to plot against our Zhu family's empire! These traitors!"

"And those civil officials! It must have been them who came up with this terrible idea behind the scenes!"

"Biao'er! Remember this! From now on, when the princes of the Ming Dynasty choose their consorts, they are not allowed to choose women from these official families! They have too many wicked intentions!"

Yongle Time and Space.

Zhu Di's face was ashen.

He thought of his Empress Xu, who was so virtuous and kind.

Then look at your great-granddaughter-in-law, she's worlds apart from me!

He didn't speak, but the ministers who knew him well knew that the Yongle Emperor's murderous intent was boiling over.

"So, what is the truth?"

Above the sky, Zhu Dijun's voice was like a judge's final verdict.

"The truth is that Zhu Youcheng is indeed Zhu Jianshen's biological son."

In the fifth year of the Chenghua reign, Zhu Jianshen had a casual affair with a palace maid named Fu.

"But this news was completely suppressed by Empress Dowager Zhou and Empress Wang working together!"

"They will not allow a prince, chosen by the emperor himself and beyond their control, to be born!"

"However, Ms. Fu's belly grew bigger day by day."

"They couldn't bring themselves to have an abortion, so a more vicious and long-term plan was born."

"Zhu Youcheng was born in the sixth year of the Chenghua reign."

"He didn't die; instead, Empress Dowager Zhou and Empress Wang secretly hid him in the name of the deposed Empress Wu!"

"They're waiting!"

"And then, one by one, Zhu Jianshen's other sons died 'accidentally'!"

"Wait until Zhu Jianshen is completely desperate!"

"Then, at the most opportune moment, present this 'lost and found' prince to Zhu Jianshen!"

"Tell him this is a gift from heaven!"

"And this child, who grew up under their control, who was indoctrinated with their ideology from a young age, will be whose puppet once they ascend to the throne?"

"And in whose hands will power in this country return?"

Zhu Dijun has finished speaking.

The entire universe was deathly silent.

Everyone felt a chill run from the soles of their feet straight up to the top of their heads!

This... is truly a blow to the heart!