Chapter Summaries

The emperors and viewers debated whether a late-Ming commander could field a hundred thousand cavalry, and the heavenly screen explained the costs and limits of maintaining such an army. It then introduced Northern Liang’s Great Snow Dragon Cavalry, describing its commander, equipment, and versatility.

• Liu Bang praised the prospect of a later descendant restoring the Great Han, while Zhu Yuanzhang and other Ming emperors questioned whether a hundred thousand cavalrymen could remain loyal or be sustained.
• Viewers explained that late-Ming forces were depleted by desertion, corruption, poor equipment, and unpaid wages, and that the Manchu Qing relied on surrendered Ming troops as well as their Eight Banners forces.
• Comments explained that horses and supplies made large cavalry forces prohibitively expensive, and argued that thirty thousand Great Snow Dragon Cavalrymen—or even ten thousand—could defeat the Manchu Qing.
• The heavenly screen introduced the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry as Xu Xiao’s ten-thousand-man personal army among Northern Liang’s forces, commanded by Yuan Zuozong.
• The screen described the cavalry’s three elite horses per rider, armor for both men and horses, flexible heavy and light formations, and fine Liang sabers, crossbows, and arrows.

The heavenly screen recounted Dong Zhuo’s rise from a hardworking youth and celebrated frontier commander to the ruler who seized the Han capital and plunged the realm into chaos. As the lords gathered to punish him, Dong Zhuo still carried Xiang Yu’s saber, but he was no longer the wandering hero he had once been.

• A heavenly-screen discussion of Northern Liang’s Great Snow Dragon Cavalry left the ancients uncertain whether it was real or fictional.
• Dong Zhuo found Xiang Yu’s patterned saber while working in a field, then gained Qiang allies’ support after hosting them at a feast.
• Dong Zhuo built a military reputation on the frontier, shared his rewards with his soldiers, and repeatedly suffered setbacks from court intrigues and eunuchs.
• After He Jin invited him to the capital, Dong Zhuo entered Luoyang, seized control, deposed the young emperor, poisoned him and the empress dowager, and moved the capital to Chang’an.
• The lords of the realm marched against Dong Zhuo, who still carried Xiang Yu’s saber but had become far removed from his former heroic self.

The Heavenly screen explained that early Western Han emperors were shaped by hardship, while later sheltered rulers declined, and praised Emperor Wen Liu Heng as a benevolent pioneer of a golden age. Liu Bang and Lü Zhi learned that Liu Heng would become emperor, while Liu Heng himself saw posterity honor his rule and frugality.

• Commenters debated Dong Zhuo’s ambition, his death at Lü Bu’s hands, and gossip about his relationship with Empress Dowager He, angering Emperor Ling of Han and Cao Cao.
• The Heavenly screen argued that the early Western Han emperors’ hardships forged capable rulers, while later emperors raised in luxury lacked the same qualities.
• Liu Bang and Lü Zhi reacted with surprise when the screen identified Liu Heng as Emperor Wen, and Liu Bang approved of the idea that hardship could strengthen heirs.
• The screen praised Liu Heng’s benevolent rule, thrift, low agricultural taxes, and care for the people, while Li Shimin expressed admiration for him.
• Emperor Jing Liu Qi worried that rebels who spared Liu Heng’s tomb might still disturb his own, while Liu Heng was moved by the praise of his reign.

A heavenly screen compared how emperors with the temple name Taizong came to power, arguing that most had not inherited the throne through normal succession. Li Shimin took comfort in being among the more legitimate Taizong emperors, while the screen clarified that Zhu Di was originally called Taizong before the Jiajing Emperor changed his temple name to Chengzu.

• The heavenly screen explained that Liu Heng became Emperor Wen of Han through ministers’ support after the Disturbance of the Lü Clan, rather than as Liu Bang’s designated successor.
• The screen listed other Taizong emperors who gained power through ministers, coups, civil war, or disputed successions, including Sun Xiu, Sima Yu, Fu Deng, and Li Shimin.
• Li Shimin insisted that Li Yuan had passed the throne to him, while Zhao Guangyi and Hong Taiji rejected claims that their accessions were improper.
• The screen argued that early dynasties were unstable and that Taizong emperors often seized power before imperial authority and succession customs had settled.
• The screen clarified that Zhu Di’s temple name had been Taizong until Zhu Houcong changed it to Chengzu.

Later generations debated Zhu Di’s merits against Li Shimin’s, while the emperors reacted to their judgments. The heavenly screen then listed famous generals removed from the Martial Temple by Emperor Taizu of Song, ending with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

• Zhu Di, Zhu Yuanzhang, and Zhu Biao reacted to comments comparing Zhu Di with Li Shimin and questioning Zhu Di’s claim to the title Taizong.
• Zhao Guangyi took comfort from a comment praising his civil governance, while Li Shimin was pleased and Li Yuan felt slighted by comparisons between their sons.
• Zhu Di protested that he was Taizong, not Chengzu, after later generations praised his achievements and favored his Chengzu title.
• The heavenly screen named Bai Qi, Wu Qi, Sun Bin, and Lian Po among the generals removed from the Martial Temple, prompting anger and surprise from rulers and generals across the dynasties.
• The screen continued with Han Xin, Peng Yue, Zhou Yafu, Duan Jiming, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, and viewers were especially shocked that Guan Yu and Zhang Fei had been removed.

The chapter criticized Zhao Kuangyin for removing many famous generals from the Martial Temple, then introduced Song Taizong Zhao Guangyi and the suspicions surrounding his rise to the throne. It left Zhao Guangyi’s account of the Golden Coffer Oath and his succession presented, while the circumstances of Zhao Kuangyin’s death remained disputed.

• The account listed generals removed from the Martial Temple and explained that Zhao Kuangyin judged them by flaws in loyalty, conduct, or political behavior.
• Later commentators condemned Zhao Kuangyin’s removals as inconsistent and argued that the Martial Temple should honor military ability rather than an emperor’s preferences.
• A later-era title card introduced Zhao Guangyi with a long list of mocking epithets, prompting historical figures to react to his reputation.
• The account described Zhao Guangyi as suspected of killing his elder brother Zhao Kuangyin, poisoning relatives and a rival ruler, fleeing battle in a donkey cart, and forcibly taking Li Yu’s wife.
• The account recounted that Zhao Kuangyin summoned Zhao Guangyi on the night of October 19, 976, before dying amid the Candle Shadows and Axe Sounds rumors.
• Zhao Guangyi claimed the Golden Coffer Oath entitled him to succeed Zhao Kuangyin, and he ascended the throne after a eunuch summoned him instead of Zhao Kuangyin’s son Zhao Defang.

The chapter recounted Zhao Guangyi’s alleged crimes, his disastrous campaigns against Liao, and the deaths of Zhao Kuangyin’s sons and brother. It left the emperors and generals of other dynasties condemning him for destroying the Song’s founding army and wasting the military strength Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin had built.

• Zhao Kuangyin and Ying Zheng questioned the Oath of the Golden Coffer, while the account accused Zhao Guangyi of poisoning Zhao Kuangyin and abusing Empress Zhou the Younger.
• The account said Zhao Guangyi defeated Northern Han, then lost the battle at Gaoliang River and fled in a donkey cart, earning mocking titles such as Chariot God of Gaoliang River.
• Zhao Guangyi blamed Zhao Dezhao for the defeat, and Zhao Dezhao later died by suicide; Zhao Defang and Zhao Tingmei also died, leaving no rivals under the Oath of the Golden Coffer.
• The account described Zhao Guangyi’s later disastrous campaigns against Liao, including his remote command of the army, and other dynasties’ leaders mocked Great Song’s military weakness.
• Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin lamented that Zhao Guangyi had squandered the elite troops they had built, while the founding emperors agreed that he had thrown away the Song army.

The heavenly screen criticized Emperor Zhenzong of Song for paying the Liao State an indemnity after victory, then holding fengshan sacrifices at Mount Tai and diminishing the ceremony’s prestige. Gao Shengyang read the divided reactions to historical videos and considered how portraying emperors through extreme praise or blame could earn Emotion Points.

• The heavenly screen recounted how Emperor Zhenzong of Song accepted the Treaty of Chanyuan after the Song army killed Xiao Talin, securing peace with the Liao State while paying an indemnity.
• Historical figures condemned Emperor Zhenzong of Song for holding fengshan sacrifices at Mount Tai, and later commentary said his actions made the ceremony worthless to future emperors.
• The heavenly screen said Emperor Zhenzong of Song bribed his own chancellor to carry out the ceremony, while Zhu Yuanzhang and several other rulers agreed that Mount Tai had lost its prestige.
• The heavenly screen criticized Zhao Heng’s legacy but also blamed Zhao Guangyi, Zhao Kuangyin, and Shi Jingtang for the Song Dynasty’s military weakness and lost chance to recover Yan and Yun.
• Gao Shengyang read arguments about historical emperors and reflected that extreme praise or criticism in videos could help him earn Emotion Points.

The sky screen explained why the Qing Eastern Tombs were repeatedly plundered while the Qing Western Tombs were relatively safer. The Qing emperors learned that most Eastern Tombs were robbed and that Guangxu’s was the only Western Tomb to be dug up.

• The sky screen revealed that Sun Dianying abandoned Kangxi’s waterlogged Jingling and robbed Qianlong’s Yuling and Cixi’s Ding Eastern Tombs instead.
• After Japan’s defeat in 1945, Wang Shaoyi and descendants of tomb guards looted Cixi’s tomb again, then robbed Xianfeng’s, Ci’an’s, Tongzhi’s, and Kangxi’s tombs.
• The sky screen described Jingling’s destruction, including the scattered remains of Kangxi and his consorts, and said Shunzhi’s Xiaoling was the only Eastern Tomb left intact.
• The sky screen attributed the Eastern Tombs’ repeated plundering to their location and the wealth of the emperors buried there, while the remote Western Tombs held comparatively poor emperors.
• The Qing emperors reacted with grief and anger, and Guangxu learned that his tomb was the only Western Tomb to be robbed.

Ancient viewers watched a video explaining Logia Devil Fruits from One Piece and debated their powers, rarity, and resemblance to supernatural arts. They were especially astonished that Akainu and Aokiji’s battle permanently changed Punk Hazard’s climate, while their reactions to Wa and the later world remained unresolved.

• Cixi read comments about her robbed tomb and the state of her corpse, while viewers from the Ming and Qing periods reacted to talk of zombies.
• Ancient viewers learned the term “rescue excavation” after comments explained why Kangxi had not been recovered from the water.
• The video introduced Logia Devil Fruits, their elementalization, and Smoker’s Smoke-Smoke Fruit, prompting viewers to compare the ability to divine powers and Zuo Ruotong’s transformation into qi.
• The video explained Logia users’ vulnerability to Haki, their potential, and their rarity, while ancient viewers speculated about Devil Fruit powers and Conqueror’s Haki.
• The video showed Akainu and Aokiji’s battle turning Punk Hazard into an island of ice and fire, shocking viewers with its permanent climate change.
• Ancient viewers discussed the great height of the fictional admirals and a claim that Wa women sought children with taller men.