The Legend of the Beggar Emperor: A Gathering of the People

Following Zhu Dijun's footsteps, the camera pans past the solemn and majestic Sacred Way, revealing the imposing silhouette of the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, which appears even more majestic and profound against the backdrop of evergreen pines and cypresses.

In stark contrast to the desolate scene in front of Sun Quan's tomb just moments before, this place was bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder.

As Zhu Dijun's camera panned across the area, he saw that the road leading to the mausoleum was crowded with men and women, young and old.

Most of them held a bouquet of white chrysanthemums in their hands, their faces filled with heartfelt reverence.

"Family members, did you see that?"

Zhu Dijun slowed his pace, a hint of pride in his voice.

"Even after more than 600 years, people still come to pay homage to our ancestors in an endless stream."

He walked up to a stall selling incense and candles. The stall owner, a friendly middle-aged man, greeted him warmly when he saw Zhu Dijun's live-streaming equipment: "Hey, young man, here to promote our Hongwu Emperor again?"

"Yes, uncle, business is good." Judy Jun replied with a smile.

"Absolutely!" the uncle said proudly, handing over three incense sticks deftly. "Especially lately, for some reason, the number of young people coming to worship Emperor Hongwu has increased several times over! Everyone says he's a great emperor of all time, a true man of our Han people!"

The uncle's words were clearly transmitted to every time and space through the sky.

The Ming Dynasty, Hongwu Hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang's face, which exuded authority even without anger, held a complex expression.

He looked at the sky and saw his descendants, who were more than six hundred years removed from him. Their faces were unfamiliar, yet they carried such sincere respect.

An indescribable warmth flowed quietly through his weathered and steadfast heart.

What we did... will be remembered by future generations?

Crown Prince Zhu Biao and Prince Yan Zhu Di, along with other princes, all had tears in their eyes, feeling a great sense of honor!

This is the achievement of my father! This is the glory of the Ming Dynasty!

However, where there are fans, there are also haters.

Just then, a discordant voice cut in from the side.

"Tch, just a tyrant, what's there to worship? A ruthless killer, a perpetrator of literary inquisitions, a sinner in history!"

A bespectacled, seemingly refined young man pursed his lips and spoke with disdain.

He was surrounded by several companions, all with expressions of superiority, as if they were the only ones who were sober while everyone else was drunk.

"Exactly, just like Qin Shi Huang, he was a feudal, autocratic tyrant, a remnant of history!"

Upon hearing this, the tourists queuing around immediately cast angry glances at him.

The incense seller was furious, slamming his fist on the table: "Hey! Young man, how dare you talk like that? If it weren't for Emperor Hongwu driving out the barbarians and restoring China, would you be standing here comfortably making sarcastic remarks?"

"Is history something you can just judge as you please? How many books have you even read?"

The young man's face flushed red from the crowd's criticism, but he still stubbornly held his head up:

"I...I'm just having an academic discussion! History should be viewed from multiple perspectives! We don't deny his achievements, but his brutality cannot be whitewashed!"

Zhu Dijun laughed as he watched these "history inventors" jumping around.

He didn't refute them directly, but instead pointed the camera at them and slowly opened his mouth. His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly resounded throughout eternity.

"Family members, do you see this? This is the poor person I mentioned before, who has been brainwashed and crippled by certain 'Confucian ideas' and a ulterior motive in historical interpretation."

"They always like to stand on the moral high ground and use modern standards to criticize an ancient person from six hundred years ago."

"They say that Emperor Taizu Gao was cruel and that he killed people like flies."

A cold smile curled at the corners of Zhu Dijun's mouth.

"But they will never tell you who exactly the founding emperor killed!"

"And they will never tell you what a living hell this land was like before the founding emperor ascended the throne!"

"tyrant?"

Zhu Dijun let out a sneer. He turned around and faced the majestic Xiaoling Mausoleum. His voice suddenly rose, like a great bell, resounding through the sky!

"Today, I will tell you, and I will tell everyone in the Eternal Timeline!"

"Who exactly is this 'tyrant' you all speak of?!"

"Qin Shi Huang, born a prince and inheriting the throne, had the entire Qin Dynasty as his backing!"

"Emperor Gaozu of Han, born a village head, was a commoner, but still a minor official within the system!"

"Emperor Guangwu of Han was a member of the Han imperial family, a born member of the royal nobility!"

"Emperor Taizong of Tang was the core of the Guanzhong aristocracy, the second son of the Li clan!"

"They were born to stand at the pinnacle of their era, possessing resources and connections that are unattainable for ordinary people!"

Every word Judi Jun uttered was like a heavy hammer blow to the hearts of all the emperors.

Qin Shi Huang, Liu Bang, Liu Xiu, Li Shimin... these founding emperors, although they also experienced countless hardships, are all true in what Zhu Dijun said! Their starting point was far beyond that of ordinary people.

"but!"

Zhu Dijun suddenly turned around, staring intently at the camera, and said, word by word:

"Our Great Ming Dynasty's founding emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang!"

"He had no illustrious family background, no noble blood, and didn't even have a peaceful childhood!"

"When the world was in chaos and heroes rose up everywhere, he was not a prince, not a general, not an official, not even... a free man!"

"He was just... an orphan, destitute, who begged for food by kowtowing to others..."

Zhu Dijun took a deep breath, used all his strength, and roared out those two words that were enough to overturn the worldviews of countless people!

"beggar!"

boom!!!

These two words, like a thunderclap from the heavens, exploded in the minds of all people across all times and spaces!

beggar?!!

The Great Tang Dynasty, Taiji Hall.

Li Shimin suddenly stood up from the dragon throne, his face filled with disbelief and horror!

"What? A beggar...a beggar?!"

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui stared wide-eyed, nearly dropping their official tablets.

A beggar...became the founding emperor?!

How...how is this possible?!

The Great Han Dynasty, Weiyang Palace.

Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, suddenly contracted his pupils, and his knuckles turned white from gripping his sword so tightly.

"A beggar...becoming an emperor?"

He fought his way through life and considered himself a man of great talent and ambition, but he could not imagine how a beggar from the lowest rung of society could rise step by step to the position of the emperor!

This is no longer a legend, this is a myth!

The Qin Dynasty, Xianyang Palace.

For the first time, a violent change appeared on Ying Zheng's usually calm and composed face.

"To seize the world from the guise of a beggar..." he murmured to himself, his eyes blazing with an unprecedented light. "This man... his experiences surpass even my unification of the six kingdoms, making him... truly unprecedented!"

Song, Yuan, Qing... all eras, all emperors, generals, literati, and scholars, were speechless at this moment.

Their minds went blank, with only the four words "Beggar Emperor" echoing wildly in their ears!

Those few "haters" who were just shouting were now completely dumbfounded.

Their mouths were agape, their faces were deathly pale, and they couldn't utter a single word.

All the historical materials they had read about Zhu Yuanzhang's "cruelty" seemed so pale, powerless, and ridiculous in the face of the words "beggar emperor"!

Looking into the camera lens at the pairs of eyes filled with utter shock, Zhu Dijun knew that he had successfully captured everyone's hearts.

"Now, do you still think he was just a simple 'tyrant'?"

His voice carried a hint of pity and a hint of reverence.

"How much do you... truly understand about what a person who has climbed up from the deepest depths of hell has seen, experienced, and hated?"

"Next, let's go back to that era... when even living was a luxury."

"Let's go back to our ancestors' childhood and see for ourselves!"

"What exactly does that hell on earth look like?!"