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

Under the vast sky, in the Forbidden City during the thirteenth year of the Chenghua reign, a biting wind howled.

The newly established Western Depot, like a monster lurking in the darkness, moved silently, yet made the air in the entire capital heavy.

Everyone knew that the emperor had sharpened a knife.

But who will be the first sacrifice to be cut down by this sword?

Above the sky, Judy Jun's expression held a hint of amusement.

"Family members, when a new knife is made, its edge must always be tested."

"Our Emperor Xianzong granted Wang Zhi supreme power, and Wang Zhi will never disappoint his master."

"He's like the hungriest hound; he only needs a target, a name, and he'll pounce and tear it to shreds!"

"Soon, the name came to us on its own."

The scene shifts, and on the map of the Ming Dynasty, a dot is rapidly magnified.

Fujian!

In the thirteenth year of the Chenghua reign (1449), Yang Ye, the Deputy Commander of Jianning Guard in Fujian, and his father, Yang Tai, the former Deputy Commander, were denounced!

Zhu Dijun's voice turned cold.

"Their crimes are too numerous to list!"

"They embezzled military funds, disregarded human life, acted tyrannically in local areas, and even committed heinous acts such as 'burning coffins to kill,' which are abhorrent to both gods and men!"

"Family members, do you think this is just a simple case of corrupt officials?"

"No!"

Zhu Dijun's finger pressed heavily on Yang Ye's name.

"This Yang Ye's great-grandfather was Yang Rong, one of the 'Three Yangs,' a veteran official who served four emperors—Yongle, Hongxi, Xuande, and Zhengtong—and served as the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet!"

boom!

These words caused an uproar throughout all of time and space!

It's the "Three Yangs" again!

It's this again, a political symbol that has represented the pinnacle of power for the civil service since the time of Zhu Qizhen!

Yongle Time and Space.

Zhu Di's eyes instantly turned dangerous.

Yang Rong, whom he personally promoted, became a traitor who preyed on military households and embezzled military funds in the country ruled by his descendants.

"Great! Excellent!"

Zhu Di's anger caused the temperature in the entire hall to drop by three degrees.

"Family members, the best is yet to come!"

Zhu Dijun sneered:

"This Yang Ye, after being impeached by Feng Jun, the Vice Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Fujian, not only showed no fear, but instead swaggered into the capital with a huge sum of silver!"

"What is he going to do?"

"bribery!"

"He wants to use his uncle, Yang Shiwei, an official in the capital and a principal officer in the Ministry of War, and his brother-in-law, Dong Xu, a principal officer in the Ministry of Rites, to suppress this case!"

"In their view, this is no big deal at all!"

"What's the big deal about killing a few military households and embezzling some military pay? My ancestor was Yang Rong! We are the scholar-official class! We are the rulers of this empire!"

"Laws? Those are for governing you commoners!"

These words, like sharp blades, deeply pierced the hearts of countless people across the myriad realms!

Just then, an unexpected person appeared in the sky.

Wei Ying, a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!

"This Wei Ying is a smart man," Zhu Dijun commented. "He keenly sensed that the political landscape in the capital was about to change. Rather than lingering in the quagmire of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he figured it was better to find a more powerful patron!"

"Therefore, he secretly reported every single detail of Yang Ye's bribery activities in the capital to the newly established Western Depot!"

"It's been delivered to Wang Zhi's desk!"

The Chenghua Era.

Inside the main hall of the West Factory.

Looking at the secret report in his hand, Wang Zhi slowly revealed a chilling smile on his effeminate face.

He knew the emperor was waiting.

The whole world is watching.

Let's see how he sets off the West Depot with his first fire!

"Someone come here!"

Wang Zhi's voice was sharp and cold.

"Pass on my orders!"

"Without going through the Ministry of War, without going through the Ministry of Justice, without going through the Censorate!"

"Western Depot captains, move out immediately!"

"Bring Yang Ye, Yang Tai, Yang Shiwei, Dong Xu, and all those involved in the case back to our side!"

"Alive!"

At this moment, Wang Zhi did not even bother to ask the emperor for permission.

Because he knew that the emperor's authorization to him was to make him a war machine capable of crushing all rules!

The capital was shaken that day!

Countless people witnessed a group of men dressed in black with cold faces, from the Western Depot, rushing into the residence of Yang Shiwei, the head of the Ministry of War, like wolves and tigers!

No documents were presented, and no shouting was paid any attention.

Those who resist will have their arms and legs broken on the spot!

The person who tried to stop him was kicked to the ground!

From Yang Ye, to Wang Yingkui, the Ministry of Justice official who was bribed while investigating the case, and then to Gao Chong, a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard...

A vast net cast by the Western Depot was cast, and within just a few hours, all targets were captured!

The Western Depot Prison.

This place is darker and damper than the prisons of the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The air was filled with a foul stench of blood mixed with mold.

Yang Ye was tightly bound to the rack, yet he continued to shout wildly.

"Do you know who I am?! I am a descendant of Yang Wenmin! You bunch of eunuchs, if you dare to lay a finger on me, I'll make sure you die a horrible death!"

Wang Zhi slowly walked up to him, still wearing that smile on his face.

"Young Master Yang, don't be in a hurry."

"Our family has prepared something nice for you."

He clapped his hands.

Two burly captains carried in a specially made instrument of torture.

It was a long, narrow wooden plank covered with sharp iron nails.

"This is called playing the pipa."

Wang Zhi's voice was as soft as a lover's murmur.

"In a moment, the captains will pin you down here, and then, like playing a pipa, they'll pluck you back and forth on your body."

"Don't worry, they're very skilled; they won't kill you right away."

"It will only break your bones inch by inch, and peel your flesh away piece by piece."

"Our family is very interested to see just how strong-willed Yang Wenmin's great-grandson really is."

The arrogance on Yang Ye's face vanished instantly, replaced by boundless fear.

"No...no...I'm innocent! I've been framed!"

Wang Zhi laughed.

"Bring it up!"

A heart-wrenching scream instantly echoed throughout the entire prison!

The sound was not human; it was like the wailing of a demon from hell!

The audience from all realms watching from the sky felt their scalps tingle!

In just half an hour.

When Yang Ye was dragged in front of Wang Zhi again, he had become a pile of mud.

"I'll tell you... I'll tell you everything..."

He not only confessed to all the crimes, but also made wild accusations in his boundless agony.

"The money... I've entrusted all my money to my uncle Yang Shiwei's house..."

That's enough.

A glint of satisfaction flashed in Wang Zhi's eyes.

What he wanted was this "climbing and biting"!

Soon, Yang Shiwei's entire family, including his wife and children, were all thrown into the West Depot prison!

The case, like a snowball, grew bigger and bigger!

Physician Wu Qing, Yue Zhang, Zhang Tinggang, Liu Fu, and even the Grand Secretary, Huang Ci, the eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Chen Zusheng, and hundreds of other officials were implicated!

Not only that, Wang Zhi also brought hundreds of Yang Rong's descendants, men, women, children and children, from Fujian to the capital, where they were all confiscated, executed, and their families were wiped out by Wang Zhi!

The entire officialdom of the capital was turned upside down by this sudden storm!

Everyone was scared!

For the first time, they discovered that in the face of this newly formed monster, their proud identities, backers, and rules had all become worthless!

The Hongwu Era.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Wang Zhi's methods on the sky and, instead of being disgusted, showed a hint of approval.

"This is the method we have to use to deal with these corrupt officials!"

"Being too lenient will only embolden them!"

"This little eunuch is a fine knife!"

In the Hongwu or Yongle eras, Yang Rong, after witnessing his family being wiped out by a eunuch, was so enraged that he coughed up blood and died on the spot!

However, just as the power of the Western Depot reached its peak...

The civil service's counterattack has finally arrived!

May of the thirteenth year of the Chenghua reign.

Grand Secretary Shang Lu, together with Minister of War Xiang Zhong, Minister of Revenue Li Min, and other important court officials, jointly submitted a memorial!

The memorial was filled with venomous words, denouncing Wang Zhi for "abusing his power, harming the innocent, and framing ministers," and listing all the "lawless" acts committed by the Western Depot since its establishment!

In an instant, the court and the public were in turmoil!

The entire civil service group, united as never before, turned their attention to Wang Zhi and the Western Depot!

Inside the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Jianshen stared at the memorial jointly signed by all the officials, remaining silent for a long time.

He knew he had stirred up a hornet's nest.

He underestimated the energy that this interest group, which had lasted for thousands of years, could unleash in a life-or-death situation.

Finally, he picked up his vermilion brush and slowly wrote down an imperial edict.

[Imperial Edict: The Western Investigation Bureau is hereby abolished.]

Above the sky, Judy Jun looked at the imperial edict and shook his head.

"Family members, did you see that?"

"Even the emperor has to temporarily back down in the face of absolute collective power."

"Wang Zhi has been sent back to the Imperial Horse Stables."

"The Western Depot, this terrifying institution that existed for only five months, has been dismantled."

"The civil officials celebrated their victory, thinking they had won another triumph."

"but……"

A mysterious smile appeared on Zhu Dijun's lips.

"They're celebrating too soon."

"Because they simply don't understand."

"When a tiger tastes blood for the first time..."

"How could it possibly go back to gnawing on those dry, hard bones?"

"An even bigger storm is yet to come."