Chapter 9: To Truly Admire Greatness, Look to the Present!

Great Ming.

Zhu Yuanzhang gazed at the brilliance and strife of the various dynasties displayed on the celestial screen, his heart filled with profound emotion. He turned to look at Zhu Biao and said earnestly, "Biao'er, look at the rise and fall of these dynasties on the screen; each has its own path. If our Great Ming is to enjoy long-lasting peace and stability, we must learn from these lessons and make the people our foundation."

Zhu Biao replied respectfully, "I understand, Father. I shall certainly take history as a mirror and not fail the trust you have placed in me."

The elder Zhu nodded and then spoke to Zhu Biao with great solemnity, "Biao'er, remember what I said on the screen. Commanders and generals can be eliminated... but the Great Ming empire must never fall. In the future, do not be overly benevolent!"

Zhu Biao disagreed with his father on this point, so he chose not to argue, deciding to handle such matters later once he ascended the throne. A man in his position must attend to his duties, and for now, it was his father, Zhu Yuanzhang, who called the shots in the Great Ming.

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, realizing his eldest son hadn't fully taken it to heart, and quickly changed the subject. "Come, let us go see your eldest son and your mother together!" With that, Zhu Yuanzhang led Zhu Biao with long strides toward the Eastern Palace.

Currently, his eldest grandson was critically ill, and his own wife had not been in good health, yet she still insisted on caring for the boy. The elder Zhu was terrified that his wife might contract smallpox. The pressure on him was immense, and the imperial court was gripped by anxiety. Zhu Biao followed his father, hoping only that the celestial screen held a method to save his son from smallpox and restore his mother's health.

...

Great Qing.

The Qianlong Emperor’s expression was extremely unsightly. Why was there no mention of him on the screen? He was the "Perfect Emperor," after all!

Heshen, seeing the Emperor’s foul mood, quickly smiled apologetically. "Your Majesty, perhaps the screen has not yet reached the time to showcase your brilliant and martial glory. Your literary and martial achievements are unparalleled in history, far surpassing the emperors shown on this screen so far."

Qianlong let out a cold snort. "Hmph, that Qin Shi Huang was merely a tyrant; Emperor Wu of Han was a warmonger; and Zhu Yuanzhang was nothing but a butcher. How could they possibly be mentioned in the same breath as me?"

Heshen nodded repeatedly, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. You pacified the Jinchuan regions and consolidated the southwestern frontiers; you compiled the 'Siku Quanshu' to preserve cultural classics. You are truly a sage-king the likes of which history has never seen. This screen is surely blind for failing to display your great achievements in time."

Hearing Heshen’s flattery, Qianlong’s expression softened slightly. Just then, the screen flashed with light, as if new content was about to be revealed! Qianlong’s eyes lit up immediately, and he stared intently, expecting his own glorious deeds to appear.

At this moment, a narration sounded from the screen!

"Throughout the millennia, which words have touched your heart? Is it the First Emperor of Qin’s conquest of the six states, bringing the world under the Qin? Or Emperor Wu of Han’s 'The enemy may go, so may I'? Or perhaps the sounds of the Great Tang’s golden age and the unyielding backbone of the Great Ming?"

...

Across various planes of existence, people were lost in deep thought over the questions posed by the screen. Which words could truly move their hearts?

At that moment, the images on the screen changed violently, like a burning flame, with a fiery red sun and fiery red characters leaping before their eyes! Accompanying this change, a grand and majestic voice surged forth like a tidal wave.

"Alas, the First Emperor of Qin and Emperor Wu of Han lacked literary grace; the founders of Tang and Song were slightly wanting in poetic flair..."

This voice seemed to transcend the boundaries of time and space, shaking the soul of every listener.

Beneath the screen, in the palace of the Great Qin, Qin Shi Huang squinted slightly, staring at the characters on the screen. His face was as steady as a mountain, making it difficult to glimpse his true inner thoughts. However, just when everyone expected him to remain silent, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, tracing an imperceptible arc.

Then, he spoke in a calm and dignified tone, "Literary grace and poetic flair—though I may not excel at them, as for this world, I have already grasped it in the palm of my hand!" His voice resonated like a great bell, echoing through the grand hall for a long time. The officials in the hall, infected by the First Emperor’s dominance, became fervent, shouting, "Long live the Great Qin! Long live Your Majesty!"

Great Han.

Emperor Wu of Han crossed his arms, his brows furrowed, as if pondering the hidden meaning. After a long while, he spoke slowly, "Is this how future generations judge me? It hits the nail on the head! I am indeed not very skilled in literary matters."

Great Tang.

Li Er sat in the imperial study, looking at the evaluation of him on the screen. *Slightly wanting in poetic flair!* He was quite puzzled by what this meant. "Poetic flair? Could it be that I am not 'flair-y' enough?" Meanwhile, the ministers outside the palace had varied expressions; some were lost in thought, while others nodded slightly.

Great Song.

Zhao Kuangyin was also confused as to what "lacking poetic flair" meant in his case. He could understand why it was said of Li Shimin—after all, the Great Tang was chaotic enough. Compared to Li Zhi marrying his stepmother, or Li Longji marrying his daughter-in-law, Li Er playing with his sister-in-law was indeed not "flair-y" enough. The standard was already set low! But they shouldn't drag him into this—he was a faithful man!

...

Great Ming.

Zhu Yuanzhang stroked his chin, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes as he muttered, "These words have a certain spirit." Zhu Biao chimed in from the side, "Father, this statement is concise and the critique is precise."

...

Great Qing.

The expression Qianlong had worn, expecting to see his own glorious deeds, froze instantly, and his face turned ghastly. His lips trembled slightly, his eyes filled with anger and resentment. Seeing this, Heshen was so frightened he dared not even breathe, keeping his head lowered, his body trembling slightly.

...

At this moment, people across all planes were shocked by this evaluation and began to re-examine these ancient emperors.

On the screen:

"For truly great figures, look to the present day!"

As the voice fell, the images switched continuously, and a majestic, domineering musical score began to play! In the scene, a man stood under the scorching sun in a rice paddy, inspecting the stalks of grain. The sun hanging in the sky made one feel the stifling heat.

Following this, a voice that was solemn, majestic, yet filled with compassion and peace suddenly rang out across the world!

"I have one wish: to see my people rise like dragons, and for my people to never suffer from hunger again!"

This voice resonated through heaven and earth, intimate and compassionate, reaching every corner of the dynasties and piercing straight into their hearts. Whether they were commoners or emperors and generals, all could hear these clear words and the absolute confidence within them. It sounded as if they were stating a fact!

The commoners of the various dynasties, seeing the words "May there be no more people dying of hunger in the world" on the screen, could not help but be skeptical! Is it true... is it really true that future generations have no one dying of hunger? What kind of golden age is this?

The commoners of every dynasty looked at the future with longing; in their era, dying of hunger was the norm! The so-called "golden age" was merely having a bite to eat; as for being full, they dared not dream of it. If it were during times of war, the people lived in a living hell. No matter who won or lost, the ones who always suffered were the commoners!

Hearing the words, "I have one wish: to see my people rise like dragons, and for my people to never suffer from hunger again!"—how intimate was this? The countless commoners of all dynasties stared wide-eyed at the figure in the rice paddy on the screen!

The emperors of all dynasties were equally shocked. Was this what the future meant by "look to the present day"? If someone could truly solve the people’s food problem, such a merit would be enough to be canonized as a saint, to have temples built, and to receive incense and offerings for ten thousand generations.

Great Qin.

Ying Zheng looked at the figure in the golden rice paddy on the screen and could not help but stand up from his dragon throne. A flash of disbelief crossed his eyes. He whispered to himself involuntarily, "Is this... is it truly possible for everyone to rise like dragons and for no one to die of hunger?"

"Can such a grand wish really be achieved?"

After much thought, he still found it impossible! Even though he, Ying Zheng, had destroyed the six states and unified the world, even though he was the supreme emperor, he dared not lightly boast that all the people of Great Qin would have enough to eat, let alone have everyone rise like dragons. Both seemed like fantasies or delusions to him.

However... somehow, looking at the figure in the rice paddy, Ying Zheng felt a part of him couldn't help but believe it was true. Perhaps... perhaps... in the future, it really could be possible... for everyone to rise like dragons, and for everyone to be well-fed...