The Emperor's Chat Group on the Sky Screen

The sky screen appeared. On the left was a fixed Imperial Reputation Ranking, on the right a live People’s Support Ranking, and between them was a chat group where everyone used their real names. First Emperor Ying Zheng read through the rankings and found only two people surnamed Ying: one at the very top, and the other at the very bottom. Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, looked at Liu Heng’s surprisingly high ranking and contemplated life. Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, couldn’t find Crown Prince Liu Ju, so he summoned the Imperial Physician to examine him. Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu, couldn’t find Crown Prince Liu Jiang either. Frowning deeply, he wondered if his future self would repeat Emperor Wu’s mistakes. Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, couldn’t find his crown prince either, but he did spot three-year-old Li Zhi. Wu Zetian looked at Li Longji’s wildly different rankings on the two lists, unable to make sense of them. Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, stared at the pile of Zhao clan members with dismally low reputation rankings, his face dark as a storm cloud. Emperor Taizu of Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang, was about to appoint Zhu Yunwen as Crown Prince when the rankings on the sky screen gave him pause. Emperor Chengzu of Ming, Zhu Di, saw Zhu Qizhen’s ranking and flew into a rage. Qin Nian looked at the chat group on her phone and marveled that rich people really knew how to have fun. They’d actually paid people to play emperors, and her basic character profile was “an arrogant, domineering emperor who seized the throne through rebellion”? Today’s topic: Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che. A parallel-universe story, not a historical one. The sky screen can be seen by everyone. Even the illiterate can “understand” the writing on it. Every era that sees the sky screen will branch off from its original timeline and form a new parallel universe. This is a history-ranking story based on as much historical research as possible, but with a strong subjective slant. It also rewrites some of history’s unresolved regrets. This is not a pure comedy, and the main plot is not about Qin Nian outwitting emperors to maintain a perfect disguise. Qin Nian thinks of herself as a wage worker. Just as getting an emperor’s role in a murder-mystery game doesn’t make you believe you’re really an emperor, she doesn’t think the chat group members are real emperors. The emperors won’t doubt Qin Nian’s identity. Her professionalism, always answering questions and actively joining in, will be seen as brazen, overconfident, and extremely arrogant. Real emperors can’t lie. Lies will remain in the input box, and the sky screen will identify them as lies. Their subjects can see the lies, but they won’t appear in the chat window visible to all the dynasties. Coming soon: Returning to Qin. Rebel against Hu Hai, and become the second Qin emperor herself. The next book is coming soon. If you’re interested, visit the author’s page for the synopsis. Content warnings (an extensive list with major spoilers is in the author’s note for Chapter One. Read as needed): Not friendly toward Confucianism, Zhao Guangyi, Li Xian, Zhu Yunwen, or Zhu Qizhen. Read with caution. Favors Qin Shi Huang, Emperor Wu of Han, and Emperor Taizong of Tang, but discusses both their merits and faults. Read with caution. Favors Xiang Yu and Han Xin, and will protect them. Read with caution. No tolerance for antagonism or extreme sexism. Theme: Learning brings rewards.