Recaps

Luo Shi destroyed the Xiongnu Royal Court but died after returning, while Liu Xun's attempt to replace Liu He triggered a struggle that brought Liu She to the throne. Luo Qing later returned home, where discussions turned to Han's worsening economic problems and the completed histories.

• Sima Qian learned the horrors of Yin Shang's human sacrifices from Luo Bai and Luo Qing and began leading the Luo Clan's scholars in compiling his history.
• Liu Xun authorized war against the Xiongnu, and Luo Shi led the Western Regions forces to the Royal Court and killed the Chanyu.
• Luo Shi collapsed after learning of his wife's death, dictated a final appeal for his soldiers and subjects, and received posthumous honors from Liu Xun.
• Liu Xun reorganized the Western Regions and signaled his intention to replace Crown Prince Liu He with Liu She despite opposition from ministers.
• Liu He seized control of the palace during Liu Xun's illness, but Huo Guang rallied troops with Luo Qing and Liu Xiang and broke through the palace defenses.
• Liu He died from an abdominal wound, and Liu Xun named Liu She Crown Prince and appointed regents before dying.
• Liu She ascended the throne, and Huo Guang and the coup's participants purged Liu He's faction and ordered his adult sons killed.
• Luo Qing returned to Zhao City, where his family proposed his marriage to Luo Ling and he discussed monopoly reforms, the risks of Luo Clan regency, and the Grand Historian's completed annals with Luo Bai.

Luo Yi became Grand Chancellor and launched reforms to curb powerful gentry and ease the people’s suffering. After Liu Yang, Liu Yun, and Luo Yi died, the new emperor rejected reform, and Wang Mang arrived in Chang'an resolved to pursue change.

• Luo Qing presented Sima Qian’s Han chapters to the Son of Heaven and ministers, and the court praised their truthful record of the Han sage kings.
• Liu She strengthened the court, mourned Huo Guang’s death, and honored him first among twelve ministers in the Kirin Pavilion.
• Floods and famine devastated Guanzhong during Liu Yang’s reign, while inadequate relief and force against displaced people drove survivors into banditry.
• Luo Yi became Grand Chancellor and warned Liu Yang that overspending and powerful interests were harming the state and its people.
• Luo Yi launched reforms, punishing corrupt officials and powerful gentry families, while Liu Yang publicly declared that Luo and Liu shared All Under Heaven.
• Luo Yi investigated a palace conspiracy against Liu Yang and Long Qing, but Long Qing died, followed by Liu Yang and then Liu Yun, who had tried to continue the reforms.
• Luo Yi resigned and died after the new emperor rejected reform, while scholars continued calling for change.
• Wang Mang traveled to Chang'an, sought the Wang Clan’s support, and apologized to the emperor for his past behavior.

Wang Mang rose to power and launched sweeping reforms that sparked rebellion, while Luo Qi and Liu Xiu shaped the war that ended with Liu Xiu founding a new Han Dynasty. Later, Luo Chuan defended persecuted scholars against the emperor, leaving the Luo Clan loyal to a court increasingly weakened by eunuchs and local gentry.

• Wang Mang gained high office and gathered scholars around his campaign for moral renewal, while resolving to remove opponents who resisted him.
• Wang Mang rose to Grand Marshal and Great General, arranged Zhao Feiyan’s rise in the palace, and began reforms centered on land, frugality, and abolishing slavery.
• Cui Yi exploited the reforms in Eastern Sea Commandery, provoking revolt, and the King of Eastern Sea’s army killed him and captured Tan County.
• The Lords King allied against Wang Mang as the rebellion spread, while Liu Xiu raised the Han Restoration Army and won support through victories across the eastern provinces.
• Liu Xiu defeated the court’s forces and marched on Chang'an, where Luo Qi defended the capital before negotiating an end to the war and Liu Xiu’s succession.
• After Chen Fan’s killing, the emperor imprisoned and executed scholars, but Luo Chuan defied him by demanding that scholars be allowed to serve the realm.
• The emperor punished Luo Chuan and barred the scholars from office, while Luo Chuan remained loyal to Great Han and the court continued selling high offices as exploitation worsened.

Zhang Jue’s uprising shattered Great Han’s Mandate of Heaven after he sacrificed himself and his Sacred Mark to empower Luo Xiao. As rival forces gathered around Xingyang, Luo Xiao prepared to defeat the feudal lords one by one, while the Luo Clan’s leaders considered their place in the struggle.

• Zhang Jue founded the Way of Great Peace, then launched a rebellion against the Han Court despite Luo Xiao’s warnings that the dynasty’s Mandate of Heaven remained intact.
• After Tang Zhou exposed the uprising, Zhang Jue ordered simultaneous provincial revolts, but Han forces routed Taiping armies and Huangfu Song was recalled to suppress them.
• Zhang Jue led his soldiers across the Great River, where the Taiping Army suffered heavy losses before its cries to live stirred Luo Xiao’s heart.
• Wounded, Zhang Jue gave Luo Xiao his power and sacrificed the Luo Clan Sacred Mark, allowing Luo Xiao to shatter Great Han’s Mandate of Heaven with the people’s hearts.
• Luo Xiao outmaneuvered Huangfu Song’s forces, then reorganized the Taiping Army as the court lifted the Partisan Prohibition and provincial leaders raised troops.
• Dong Zhuo accepted Jia Xu’s counsel to build his forces and avoid rushing to Luoyang, while Jia Xu chose to enter Luo Kong’s service as the Marquis of Unshuang marched east.
• Luo Kong, Cao Cao, and Gongsun Zan raised or led forces to aid the Han, while Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei became sworn brothers after fighting Yan’s army.
• Ji Zhao revealed to Luo Zhang that the original Zhang Jue was dead and that Luo Xiao had taken his place, then ordered the Luo Clan’s sons to make their mark as armies converged on Xingyang.
• Luo Xiao secured the Taiping Army’s loyalty around Xingyang and planned to defeat the approaching feudal lords one by one.