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

In the sky, Zhu Houwei's pale face gradually faded away.

Zhu Dijun's voice carried a chilling undertone that sent shivers down one's spine.

"Family members, if this happened to an ordinary person, their life would probably be ruined, and they would only be able to shrink into a corner and wallow in self-pity."

"But Zhu Youcheng did not."

"He finally realized that on this chessboard called the Ming Dynasty, he was not the player, but merely a mascot used by the civil service to decorate the facade."

"If he continues to be this 'benevolent ruler,' his next child, and the child after that, will still inexplicably 'die young.'"

He had no choice.

"He had to go crazy, he had to be ruthless, he had to become the person he used to hate the most—his father, Zhu Jianshen."

Zhu Dijun's fingers flew across the keyboard, and a line of large characters appeared on the screen.

AI-generated video: [The desperate counterattack of the Hongzhi era].

"Since the civil service is using 'ancestral rules' to pressure me, then I will use 'fatherly law' to punish you!"

"Chu Yu-cheng has started to copy homework on a large scale."

"His first step was to completely shut down all formal channels of communication, both internal and external."

"He no longer held frequent lectures on the classics, nor did he listen to the long-winded speeches of those civil officials."

"He locked himself in the Qianqing Palace, ostensibly to cultivate Taoism, but in reality, he used the eunuchs to establish an independent decision-making circle."

"He's waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity to plunge a knife into the heart of the civil service."

In the tenth year of the Hongzhi reign, the opportunity finally arrived.

Urgent reports from the northwestern border were flying into the capital like snowflakes.

The Tatar prince once again led tens of thousands of cavalry, sweeping through dozens of villages and towns on the northwestern frontier as if they were nothing.

In the imperial court, the civil officials began their usual clichés: appease, defend, and reinforce the city walls.

Zhu Youcheng sat on the dragon throne, coldly observing the group of performing artists below.

He suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but it instantly silenced the noisy hall.

"I intend to appoint a General Commander in the Northwest to oversee all military affairs in the Northwest and command the troops of the three towns of Yansui, Ningxia, and Gansu-Liangzhou."

Upon hearing this, Grand Secretary Liu Jian and Minister of War Ma Wensheng exchanged a glance, alarm bells ringing in their hearts.

This tactic...it's all too familiar!

That's exactly what the Chenghua Emperor did in order to seize control of the military!

"Your Majesty, there are already three garrison commanders in the Northwest. If we were to establish another commander-in-chief, it would likely lead to overlapping authority and be a waste of resources and manpower!" Ma Wensheng was the first to object.

His upright and dignified face was filled with the spirit of "serving the country and the people".

Zhu Youcheng ignored him and simply uttered three words: "Wang Yue".

These two words were like a bombshell, exploding loudly in the hall.

Earl of Weining, King Yue.

It was a legend in the Ming Dynasty's military circles, and a nightmare for the civil service.

He was once Wang Zhi’s most loyal partner and a core general of the “Emperor’s Party” during the Chenghua reign.

He is one of the representative figures who transformed from a civil official into a nobleman.

In the eyes of civil officials, Wang Yue was a "remnant of treacherous officials" and the culprit who disrupted the balance between civil and military affairs.

"No! Absolutely not!" Liu Jian's voice changed.

"Wang Yue is too old and morally flawed; how can he shoulder such a heavy responsibility?"

"Your Majesty, we suggest that one of the seven generals recommended by the Ministry of Personnel, either the Marquis of Baoding, the Commander-in-Chief, or..."

Liu Jian rattled off seven names in one breath.

Without exception, all seven of these people were "obedient children" cultivated by the civil service.

Zhu Youcheng looked at the list and sneered inwardly.

If it were the fifth year of the Hongzhi reign, he might have compromised.

But now, having just lost his eldest son, his heart is as hard as stone.

"My mind is made up."

Zhu Youcheng stood up, his eyes blazing as he stared intently at Ma Wensheng.

"Minister of Personnel Tu Yong, what do you think?"

Tu Yong, the "Imperial Party" official who was forced into the position by Zhu Youcheng, stepped forward without hesitation.

"In my opinion, Wang Yue is mature, prudent, and commands respect in the Northwest; he is truly the only suitable candidate!"

"I have placed Wang Yue's name at the top of the recommended list!"

Liu Jian and Ma Wensheng were stunned.

They never expected that Zhu Youcheng, who was always so timid and submissive, would actually break off all pretense of civility at the grand court assembly.

"Your Majesty! Wang Yue is a former subordinate of Wang Zhi. This action goes against the late Emperor's intention to restore order!"

Ma Wensheng knelt on the ground, shouting hoarsely.

Zhu Youcheng looked down at him, a strange smile playing on his lips.

That was his father Zhu Jianshen's signature cold laugh.

"To set things right?"

"I am now restoring order!"

"By imperial decree, Wang Yue is promoted to Junior Guardian, Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, and given overall command of the military affairs of the three northwestern garrisons. He is also granted the Imperial Sword and is authorized to act as he sees fit!"

"Anyone who speaks further will be considered a traitor!"

At this moment, Zhu Youcheng was no longer the gentle and refined "benevolent ruler".

He was a lone wolf who finally bared his fangs after his cubs were taken away.

Above the sky, the scene suddenly turned grim.

Amidst the swirling yellow sand, a large flag embroidered with the character "王" (king) flutters in the wind.

Zhu Dijun's voice became more impassioned.

"Family members, listen carefully!"

"This is the most brilliant comeback Zhu Youcheng has ever fought in his life!"

"Wang Yue, this veteran general who was over seventy years old, burst into tears the moment he received the imperial decree."

He knew the emperor was waiting for him, the Ming Dynasty was waiting for him, and his colleagues who had died from the spittle of civil officials were also waiting for him!

A certain parallel spacetime.

Wang Zhi looked at the old general in the sky, whose temples were gray but who was still riding a horse and wielding a sword, and his eyes reddened.

"Old Wang...you finally got what you've been waiting for."

Wang Zhi turned to look at Zhu Jianshen and found that the emperor was already in tears.

"Okay...okay!"

Zhu Jianshen patted the dragon throne, his voice choked with emotion.

"My son, my general!"

"Kill! Kill them all!"

"Let those pedantic scholars see who truly rules this land!"

In the sky, the AI-generated war scenes were extremely brutal.

July of the eleventh year of the Hongzhi reign.

At the foot of Helan Mountain, the Tatar prince's tens of thousands of cavalry were preparing to return laden with spoils.

They didn't take the Ming Dynasty's border troops seriously at all.

In their minds, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty was a coward and the generals of the Ming Dynasty were incompetent.

However, this time, they ran into a brick wall.

Wang Yue adopted an extremely bold tactic—a long-distance raid and a nighttime ambush!

He personally led several thousand elite cavalry, braving the bitter cold, hiding by day and moving by night, to launch a surprise attack on the Tatar camp.

"kill!"

The shouts of battle shattered the night sky of Northwest China.

In the scene, Wang Yue takes the lead, his long sword drawing blood-red arcs in the moonlight.

The Tatar army was thrown into chaos, and the young prince fled in disarray.

In this battle, the Ming border army beheaded over a thousand enemies, captured tens of thousands of horses and livestock, and recovered hundreds of miles of lost territory.

This was the momentous victory at Helan Mountain that shocked the nation!

In the modern live streaming room, the barrage of comments surged like a tide.

"Holy crap! This is amazing! This is what a war god of the Ming Dynasty should be like!"

"Wang Yue is awesome! At seventy years old, he can still lead the charge; his combat effectiveness is off the charts!"

"Zhu Youcheng's counterattack was so satisfying! He slapped Ma Wensheng right across the face!"

"See? Even without civil officials interfering, the Ming army can still fight!"

Judy Jun looked at the boiling barrage of comments and sneered:

"Family members, the significance of this great victory goes far beyond killing over a thousand enemies."

"Its greatest significance lies in the fact that Zhu Youcheng, through Wang Yue, formally wrested military power back from Ma Wensheng of the Ministry of War!"

"After Wang Yue took office, he not only became the governor of Gansu and Liangzhou, but also took over Yansui and Ningxia."

"This means that the most elite border defense force in the north of the Ming Dynasty has returned to the emperor's hands!"

"Zhu Youcheng finally has a knife!"

The Hongwu Era.

Zhu Yuanzhang let out a long breath, and his previously tense shoulders finally relaxed.

"At least we didn't disgrace our ancestors."

"Although it's a bit late and the price is a bit high, at least we've learned the principle that only with military power can there be imperial power."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Biao beside him with a complicated expression.

"Biao'er, did you see that?"

"An emperor who cannot even retain military power cannot even protect his own son."

Yongle Time and Space.

Zhu Di gulped down a mouthful of strong liquor and laughed loudly:

"happy!"

"That old rascal Wang Yue has some of my former charisma!"

"Zhu Youcheng, although his body is a bit worn out, his brain isn't completely damaged. He even had a stroke earlier, but he feels better now."

"With this border army, let's see if those pedantic scholars still dare to yell at him!"

However, Judy Jun's expression on the sky did not become more relaxed.

He looked at Zhu Youcheng's face on the screen, which was flushed with excitement, and sighed softly.

"Family members, don't be too happy yet."

Do you think the civil service will admit defeat so easily?

"No, they're just lying in wait, waiting for the next opportunity to hunt."

"Although Zhu Youcheng regained military power, the civil official group did not admit defeat. What happened next was a familiar tactic—the civil official group joined forces with the empress dowager to murder the emperor!"