[Server Chat Log]
[stargazing_carp]: The Tang Dynasty provides undeniable proof that living conditions had drastically improved. Every military commander seems to be a late bloomer who simply refused to die. Look at the twenty-four founding fathers in the Lingyan Pavilion. Their average age was sixty-five! Are you kidding me? Compare that to the Han Dynasty where legendary generals dropped dead in their twenties and thirties from random illnesses. The Tang Dynasty finally reached normal human life expectancy.
The civil officials and military generals of the Li Tang era enjoyed universally long lives. Ironically, the only people with defective genetics were Emperor Li Shimin's direct descendants. They were just like the Cao family from the Three Kingdoms.
[night_owl_scribbler]: @stargazing_carp Not a fair comparison. The Cao family genetics were completely ruined by Lady Bian. The Li family genetics were actually optimized and upgraded by Wu Zetian. Let us look at the numbers. Emperor Li Yuan lived to 69. Li Shimin died at 51. Li Zhi died at 56. Wu Zetian lived to a staggering 82. Li Longji made it to 77. The problem started in 660. Li Zhi developed the same severe dampness disease that plagued his father. His condition deteriorated rapidly, which forced him to hand the reins of government over to Wu Zetian. If Li Zhi had possessed a healthy body, the trajectory of the Tang Dynasty would have been radically different.
[dynasty_brewer]: @night_owl_scribbler Wait, so you are telling me Wu Zetian's genes were better than the entire Li bloodline? That is... actually hilarious. Imagine being the founder of a dynasty and your daughter-in-law has better genetics than you.
[night_owl_scribbler]: @dynasty_brewer That is exactly what I am saying. She outlived everyone. And her kids? Longevity and good looks. The woman was basically the ultimate genetic upgrade. The real tragedy is Li Zhi. If he had not gotten sick, the entire Tang trajectory changes. No Wu Zetian takeover. No brutal purges. The dynasty would have been completely different.
[mooncake_crumbs]: Speaking of genetics, Li Longji was famously handsome in his youth. You really have to envy Wu Zetian's bloodline. She gave her descendants longevity and stunning good looks. Imagine if Emperor Xuanzong and Emperor Gaozong swapped lifespans. If Li Zhi lived a bit longer and Li Longji died a bit earlier, history would have been vastly improved.
[rusty_scabbard]: @mooncake_crumbs If only it worked that way. Li Zhi's fatal flaw was growing up deep inside the imperial palace. He lacked grand strategic vision. His most glaring mistake was fighting a grueling, thirteen-year war of attrition against Goguryeo in the east, while completely ignoring the Tibetan Empire rising like a cancer in the west. He was a master of internal political manipulation but blind to the geopolitical chessboard. He goes down in history as the ultimate black-bellied, scheming emperor. If we evaluate Gaozong's overall competence, he was decent. He just needed a stronger physical constitution. His systematic dismantling of the powerful aristocratic clans was a masterstroke of political engineering.
[chilly_morning_mist]: Chronic illness absolutely destroys a person's mental health. That is a medical fact. Li Zhi's health collapsed in 660. By 661, he was having manic episodes, screaming that he wanted to personally lead the vanguard to conquer Goguryeo just like his father. Thank the heavens his ministers stopped him. If Li Zhi actually marched on Goguryeo in his condition, the enemy commanders would have laughed themselves to death. They would have bragged that three successive emperors of the Central Plains failed to break their walls! It does not matter in the end. Goguryeo was eventually crushed and assimilated into the Chinese cultural sphere. Let us focus our attention on the island nation across the sea, my friends.
[tang_fanatic_99]: @chilly_morning_mist Wait, three emperors? Who were the three? I only remember Li Shimin and Li Zhi.
[history_hoarder]: @tang_fanatic_99 Emperor Yang of Sui also tried and failed. That is three. Sui Yangdi, Taizong, and Gaozong. All three threw armies at Goguryeo and got nowhere. Well, until Gaozong finally broke them.
[chilly_morning_mist]: @tang_fanatic_99 Exactly. Three generations of emperors. Sui Yangdi lost everything. Taizong pulled back. Gaozong... well, he eventually won, but it took thirteen years and almost bankrupted the empire. If he had marched in person while sick, it would have been a disaster.
[bean_sprout_king]: Honestly, the Tang military was so stacked it is ridiculous. Even with a sick emperor and a declining army, they still crushed Goguryeo. Meanwhile, the Song Dynasty could not even handle the Khitan. Talk about a downgrade.
[tang_fanatic_99]: @bean_sprout_king Do not even start with the Song. I will cry.
[bean_sprout_king]: Too late. I am already crying.
[chilly_morning_mist]: Alright, enough about the Song. Let us focus on the island nation across the sea. That is where the real fun begins.]
---
Inside the Ganlu Pavilion, Du Ruhui carefully finished copying the final sentence from the Light Screen. He then stepped forward holding a small, ornate wooden box he had prepared earlier. He placed it squarely beneath the glowing light. He waited until the physical object slowly dissolved into nothingness, transported across time and space, before returning to his seat.
Emperor Li Shimin was currently fuming. He glared at the scrolling text detailing the future Song Emperor's critique of his legacy.
"I refused to perform the Fengshan sacrifices at Mount Tai because I did not want to drain the treasury!" Li Shimin snapped. "How can anyone accuse me of chasing hollow vanity?"
His anger vanished the moment he read the next line. The future netizens collectively mocked the Song ruler with the derogatory title of Wanyan Gou. Li Shimin let out a breath he had not realized he was holding.
"The critiques of a delusional, incompetent coward are not worth a single moment of my anger," the Emperor declared, waving his hand dismissively.
He had initially wondered who this bold critic was. Realizing it was the famously pathetic sovereign constantly ridiculed by future generations put everything into perspective.
Li Shimin vaguely recalled the previous broadcasts mentioning a man named Zhao Gou. The Light Screen had casually noted that Liu Shan of the Shu Han was a vastly superior monarch to Emperor Yizong of Tang, and Yizong was somehow still vastly superior to this Wanyan Gou. That specific ranking told Li Shimin everything he needed to know about the man's character.
The Emperor came to a simple conclusion. Giving this pathetic future king a second thought would be a massive insult to his own status as the Sovereign of the Ages.
Li Shimin shifted his attention to the more pleasant statistics. Reading that the heroes of the Lingyan Pavilion enjoyed an average lifespan of over sixty years filled his heart with warmth.
"My beloved ministers spent their entire youths bleeding on the battlefield to lay the foundation of this empire," Li Shimin said. "It is only right that they live long enough to enjoy the peace they forged."
He walked down from the dais and grasped Qin Qiong's calloused hand.
"Shubao, you must prioritize your recovery. Once your body is fully healed, I still need you to ride across the Western Regions and trample the plains of Liaodong. You must not let these hidden injuries fester."
Qin Qiong let out a booming laugh. The laughter quickly devolved into a rough, rattling cough. He pounded his chest a few times to clear his lungs before offering a warm smile.
"Your Majesty, I am already fifty-eight years old this year," the veteran general replied, his voice raspy but full of spirit. "Even without the miraculous medical arts of Sun Yaowang, I am fully confident that I will outlive you."
Qin Qiong patted the back of the Emperor's hand.
"I beg Your Majesty to take better care of your own health."
Li Shimin could only offer a thin smile. He could not even remember the last time he was allowed to taste the rich, savory fat of roasted mutton.
He thought about the Light Screen again. The broadcast explicitly mentioned that his heir would suffer from the exact same crippling illness. He also thought of his beloved Empress Zhangsun. Sun Yaowang was currently managing her delicate constitution, but whether she could survive past the tenth year of the Zhenguan era remained unknown.
Li Shimin looked at the elderly doctor standing in the corner of the pavilion.
Why bother with the bureaucratic headache of relocating the Imperial Medical Bureau next to the prison? He should just aggressively expand the medical academy right now. If the empire needed to heavily emphasize mathematics to unlock the secrets of science, they absolutely needed to pour equal resources into the study of medicine.
One question gnawed at him. Was it scientifically possible to invent a specific pill that would allow him to eat roasted meat and sweet sugar without triggering a crippling flare-up of his joint pain?
If the future generations could systematically improve the design of a wooden beacon tower, surely they applied the same relentless logic to the synthesis of medicine.
Sun Yaowang noticed the Emperor staring at him. The elderly doctor stroked his long white beard, assuming the Emperor was simply worried about the Duke of Eguo's lungs.
"The Duke needs rest," Sun Yaowang said. "No physical or mental exhaustion. If he rests for half a year, his condition will stabilize."
Qin Qiong bowed his head. "Thank you, Yaowang."
Li Shimin merely offered a sly grin. He fully intended to corner Sun Yaowang later in private to discuss his dietary requirements.
---
Hundreds of years later, inside the lavish imperial gardens of Bianjing, Zhao Kuangyi stared up at the Light Screen. His expression was unreadable.
"Brother, how long exactly have you been observing this?"
When the Light Screen first appeared, Kuangyi assumed it was a celestial immortal reciting historical poetry. But as the broadcast displayed the intricate mechanical blueprints of the Tang beacon towers, his certainty wavered. The voice was deeply analytical.
More importantly, when the broadcast discussed the evolution of military crossbows, it repeatedly referenced the Song Dynasty. Kuangyi had a sharp ear for nuance, and he caught a subtle undercurrent of mockery whenever their era was mentioned.
When the scrolling text finally mentioned the names Zhao Gou and Qin Hui, a theory crystallized in Kuangyi's mind.
Was this voice speaking from the distant future? The man named Zhao Gou belonged to the Song Dynasty. The minister named Qin Hui addressed this Zhao Gou as 'Your Majesty'. Piecing the clues together, Kuangyi realized the Light Screen was openly mocking the future descendants of their newly founded empire.
Emperor Zhao Kuangyin flushed slightly with embarrassment. His dark complexion masked the color on his cheeks. He was not a fool. He knew the title 'Wanyan Gou' was dripping with venom.
"The Light Screen has bestowed its blessings upon us several times before," Kuangyin replied, his voice steady.
"Then I must offer my sincere congratulations, Brother."
Zhao Kuangyi kept his face entirely blank, ignoring the humiliating critique of the future Song ruler.
A cold thought took root. His older brother's future descendants were pathetic failures. If the Light Screen openly expressed disgust toward Kuangyin's bloodline, did that not imply a divine mandate for a change in leadership?
Kuangyi felt his pulse quicken. He quickly bowed his head before his brother could see his face.
"I will help you achieve your ambitions, Brother. We will not fail the mandate."
Zhao Kuangyin laughed warmly and clapped a heavy hand onto his younger brother's shoulder.
[Lightscreen]
["Come, come! Let us observe the strange artifacts of the previous dynasties."
Just a quick update for everyone. I will be leaving Sichuan in a few days. This multi-month trip has been absolutely incredible, and I am fully satisfied. Today, we stick to our classic routine with a fresh unboxing.
I will not bore you with a heavy historical lecture for these two items. Both artifacts are literal icons of their respective dynasties. They are instantly recognizable.
Behold! Please enjoy the absolute pinnacle of Han Dynasty iron smelting: the eight-sided, jade-fitted Han Sword. Right beside it, we have the gold standard of ancient currency, a design so flawless it was copied for thirteen hundred years: the Kaiyuan Tongbao.]
The Light Screen displayed several high-definition close-up shots.
The first image showed a magnificent straight sword resting beside its scabbard. The steel blade gleamed with a cold, frosty light. The guard was carved from pure, translucent jade. The grip was wrapped in coarse hemp and dark leather, designed for a firm, slip-resistant hold.
The pommel was also crafted from solid jade, engraved with geometric patterns and a central lanyard hole.
The wooden scabbard was painted in rich crimson lacquer with swirling, abstract motifs. A rectangular jade slide was mounted near the top for attaching to a leather sword belt. The tip was capped with a triangular wedge of polished jade.
The second artifact consisted of ten round gold coins with a square hole in the center. The metal caught the light beautifully. Four elegant characters were stamped on the face of each coin: Kaiyuan Tongbao.
[Server Chat Log]
[SwordOfNoReturn]: Here is a fun piece of historical trivia for you. The Kaiyuan Tongbao was actually minted by Emperor Li Yuan during the founding years of the Tang Dynasty. Emperor Li Shimin used these exact coins during his legendary Zhenguan era. The coins have absolutely nothing to do with Emperor Xuanzong's later Kaiyuan era.
I will add an even more obscure piece of trivia. There is no such thing as a Zhenguan Tongbao coin in ancient Chinese history. However, there is a 'Zhenguan Precious Coin'. It was minted centuries later by Emperor Li Qianshun of the Western Xia Dynasty. The coin features the Tangut script of the Western Xia, making it incredibly difficult for standard historians to read.
Speaking of the Western Xia, their royal lineage actually traces directly back to the early Tang Dynasty. During General Li Jing's campaign against the Tuyuhun Kingdom, a Tang general named Li Daoyan launched a surprise attack against the Dangxiang tribes. The tribal leader, Tuoba Chici, surrendered to the Tang and was personally granted the imperial Li surname by Taizong.
Later, after the An Lushan Rebellion, General Guo Ziyi recommended relocating the entire Dangxiang population to Xiazhou. Because of this relocation, they became known as the Pingxia tribe.
[XiazhouSwordsman]: I understand now. The true orthodox successor to the Tang Dynasty is the Western Xia! They took their national title from Xiazhou, and their rulers carried the surname granted by Li Shimin himself!
[GoldenPalms]: Forget the history lesson. I only care about how much that golden Kaiyuan coin is worth!
[OldCollectorCrane]: Honestly? It is a priceless national treasure. The gold Kaiyuan was fundamentally different from the gold Wu Zhu coins of previous eras. These gold coins were never used in public circulation. They were exclusively minted as special commendation medals, handed out personally by the Emperor to reward highly decorated officials.
The only recorded instance of these coins being distributed en masse occurred during the first year of Emperor Xuanzong's Kaiyuan era. He stood atop the Chengtian Gate and threw handfuls of golden coins into the crowd below to celebrate his reign.
Only officials holding the third rank or higher were legally permitted to scramble for the gold. Currently, there are only about thirty authentic gold Kaiyuan coins known to exist in the world.
If the host actually has ten real ones in his possession... he is going to spend the rest of his life eating prison food.
[GateWatcher]: Wait a minute. Are there modern characters etched into the blade of that Han Sword?
I zoomed in on the image. The engraving on the steel reads 'Wen Mang'. That is literally the host's name! And it is written in modern script, not ancient seal script. Someone is mocking him. They sent him a Han Dynasty sword with his own name carved into it.
The sword itself is beautiful. I will praise the craftsman for the jade fittings. The hilt and scabbard are historically accurate. But that engraving? That is a personal attack.
[SpringAutumnJade]: Just to add some context, this is exactly what a high-end Han Dynasty commander's sword looked like. The Han culture inherited a deep spiritual reverence for jade from the Spring and Autumn period. The true value of a prestige weapon was not the steel, but the quality of the jade ornaments bolted to it.
It is highly unlikely that anyone makes a truly authentic eight-sided Han sword nowadays. The ancient hundred-refined steel folding process is incredibly tedious, and the structural failure rate during forging is massive.
For small, modern workshops trying to sell replicas on livestreams, it is infinitely cheaper and faster to use modern co-fusion techniques or just buy industrial steel bars and grind them into shape.
When we look at the metallurgical history of our ancestors, the Han Dynasty truly stands as the undisputed pioneer. During their era, the hundred-refined steel method reached its peak, and they simultaneously invented the co-fusion technique and the puddling process.
The co-fusion method, which involves melting cast iron over wrought iron to balance the carbon content, remained the standard practice all the way until the Qing Dynasty. The puddling process, where molten pig iron is constantly stirred in a specialized furnace to burn off impurities, was still actively used in our country after the modern republic was founded.
[DesertWindBlade]: I remember reading that the evolution of the co-fusion process was directly linked to climate change. During the Song Dynasty, the capital city experienced brutally cold winters. The massive population completely depleted the surrounding forests, causing a severe charcoal shortage. To survive, the state aggressively expanded coal mining operations for public heating. That sudden abundance of raw coal directly fueled a massive industrial leap in iron smelting technology.
It is fascinating. The technological legacy of ancient China is basically an unbroken relay race spanning thousands of years. Many brilliant techniques were invented ahead of their time, but they were limited by the environmental constraints of their era. They sat quietly in the dark until the perfect historical conditions allowed them to truly shine.]
Meanwhile, in the Chengdu office, Liu Bei squinted at the words on the Light Screen.
"Stone coal..." he paused. "No, the future generations call it simply coal."
He pushed aside the minor linguistic correction. His mood was soaring.
"We are truly fortunate that Kongming was so incredibly stubborn," Liu Bei said, looking around the rustic office. "Thanks to him, our faction will not have to worry about heating fuel for the foreseeable future."
The winters in the southern provinces of Jingzhou and Yizhou were certainly cold, but they lacked the bone-chilling frost of the northern plains. Even after learning about coal from previous broadcasts, the provincial administration had lacked the motivation to invest heavily in mining operations.
It was only through Zhuge Liang's relentless insistence that the state treasury finally funded a massive coal mining facility in the mountains south of Jiangzhou.
Now the mines were producing vast quantities of fuel. Coal had seamlessly integrated itself into the Shu Han economy.
Just a few days prior, Liu Bei had received a report from Xu Shu in Jingzhou. The administrator Jiang Wan had capitalized on a market dip before the recent war, purchasing dozens of cargo ships filled with cheap coal briquettes.
He had distributed the stockpile across the northern commanderies of Jingzhou, ensuring that thousands of displaced refugees would survive the approaching winter in warm shelters.
"The Jiangzhou mines run smoothly because of Cheng Ji's tireless work," Zhuge Liang replied, deflecting the praise with a wave of his feather fan. "I dare not claim the credit."
Zhuge Liang's mind was not on heating homes. His eyes fixed on a single technical phrase displayed on the screen.
"Melting cast iron over wrought iron to balance the carbon content," Zhuge Liang said. "This co-fusion process... this is the secret to mass-producing military-grade steel."