Zhu Di Exterminated My Entire Clan, and Old Zhu Begged Me Through Tears Not to Die

After Zhu Di ascends the throne, he actually orders me, Sima An, to falsify the history books and sing his praises!

I laugh.

Other historians wield their brushes. I stake my life on mine!

"Want me to write a false history? I'll write in the history books: [The Yan rebel murdered his sovereign]."

"Want to exterminate my ten clans? I'll write in the history books: [The emperor disliked the history, so he furiously exterminated An's ten clans]."

"Don't want anyone from the Sima family in your service? No problem. Every official in court is one of my avatars!"

Zhu Qizhen wants to whitewash the Tumu Crisis? The Coup at the Gate? The wrongful execution of Yu Qian?

Zhu Houcong wants to posthumously make his father an emperor? Whitewash his obsession with cultivating immortality? Make a fortune through rampant extortion?

Zhu Houzhao wants to whitewash his debauchery and indulgence in food, drink, and play?

Zhu Zhanji wants to whitewash burning Zhu Gaoxu to death?

Zhu Yijun wants to whitewash his thirty years of skipping court? The succession crisis?

Zhu Youjian wants to whitewash it all by claiming he was not at fault, blaming natural disasters, the Donglin Faction, the military commanders, and everyone else?

For all of the above,

I, Sima An, swear I will not change a single word!

History is my bones, the brush my blade. Better to shatter like jade than survive like a roof tile!

And in the real world, I'm still young and already worth hundreds of millions, living a life of effortless luxury!

Many years later, a CCTV reporter interviews him: "Mr. Sima An, our viewers want me to ask: when will your next video, with a budget of hundreds of millions, come out?"

[Hongwu Sky Screen]

Zhu Yuanzhang: "You rebellious son, Fourth! The historian wrote the truth in every line. Why did you kill him? You've disgraced me!"

[Yongle Sky Screen]

Zhu Di: "Zhu Zhanji! That's your imperial uncle! How could you do that? And you deliberately left it out of the records!"

[…]

[In Zhu Di's Dream]

Zhu Di: "Father, I was wrong. Please spare me!"

Zhu Yuanzhang: "Wrong? If I don't break your legs today, I'm no Zhu! Don't run!"