A live-streamed Chinese language lesson under the sky—the ancients were taken aback.

"But other dynasties could learn from these systems. What truly gave the early Tang Dynasty that irreplaceable spirit was Li Shimin's identity as the 'Heavenly Khan'."

The scene shifts to the Chang'an Imperial Palace, where a grand banquet is being held.

The dancers spun rapidly, performing the Hu Xuan dance.

The camera zooms out, revealing that the banquet was attended not only by Han Chinese officials, but also by Turkic leaders, Tibetan envoys, merchants from various Western Regions countries, and monks.

Li Shimin sat on the throne, holding a wine cup and smiling.

In the fourth year of the Zhenguan era, the Tang army defeated the Eastern Turks and captured the Khagan, Jieli. Leaders of various ethnic minorities in the northwest gathered in Chang'an and jointly bestowed upon Li Shimin an unprecedented title: Heavenly Khagan.

What does this mean? It means that he was not only the emperor of the Han people, but also the leader jointly elected by the entire East Asian continent's grasslands and agricultural world.

His authority transcended the Great Wall, and from then on, the true security of the Silk Road was guaranteed, as the tribes along the route submitted to the same Great Khan.

That scene of all nations paying tribute was not empty propaganda, but a real international order.

The title "Heavenly Khan" carries more weight than any posthumous title or temple name.

[Emperor Taizong of Tang: I am not only the Son of Heaven of the Han people, but also the Heavenly Khan of the grasslands]

[It wasn't through military force that they subdued him, but through genuine acceptance after being defeated. After being captured, Jieli Khan wasn't executed, but instead was settled in Chang'an to live out his days.]

……

"Go and see those unearthed Tang Dynasty figurines of foreigners, and look at the foreign honor guards with deep-set eyes and high noses in the murals."

It wasn't the servility of the conquered, but rather a gaze filled with novelty, reverence, and a sense of participation.

When they came to Chang'an, they could become officials, do business, or join the army.

The Tang Dynasty gave them a stage, an identity, and the possibility of "you too can become a Tang person".

This system of Heavenly Khans represents the pinnacle of the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty.

It stems from peace forged in battle, but even more so from a cultural confidence that transcends bloodline and ethnicity.

Li Shimin and his ministers genuinely believed that their own civilization was the best, but at the same time, they also genuinely welcomed and appreciated everything from foreign lands: fine horses, spices, music, dance, and Buddhism.

This dignified and self-reliant attitude, this willingness to serve others, is the ultimate expression of the self-confidence of the Tang Dynasty.

In Chang'an, there were Persians serving as officials, Koreans in the military, and Turks doing business. Openness was not just a slogan; it was a daily reality.

I saw some data showing that during its peak, Chang'an had over 100,000 foreign residents, accounting for nearly one-tenth of the city's population.

……

The scene shifts to the golden wheat fields of the Guanzhong Plain, where caravans travel in an endless stream along the newly built official road, their camel bells jingling and their horses' hooves clattering.

He seemed to want to say more, but his voice was filled with admiration.

"In the fourth year of Zhenguan, the whole country had a great harvest, and those who had been scattered all returned to their hometowns. A bushel of rice cost no more than three or four coins. Only twenty-nine people were sentenced to death throughout the year. From the east to the sea and from the south to the Five Ridges, doors were left unlocked and travelers did not need to carry provisions, but obtained them along the way."

"A peck of rice costs three or four coins. In a whole year, the total number of people sentenced to death nationwide is less than thirty. When traveling long distances, there is no need to bring your own dry food, because the people along the way will take the initiative to offer their own food to strangers passing by."

A country that was once littered with bones during the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty transformed itself into a place where doors were left unlocked at night and lost items were not picked up on the road in just four years.

This was the Zhenguan era of Emperor Taizong of Tang.

The prosperity of the Zhenguan era did not require short-term political achievements gained through the exploitation of the people, nor did it require the false military exploits built through reckless military campaigns.

[I'm pointing this out to you two, those two warmongering emperors, Qin Shi Huang and Han Wudi.]

Erfeng doesn't need to be guilty in the present moment.

[The perfect all-rounder, the model of a wise ruler, haha, except for Xuanwu Gate Incident]

……

Ying Zheng, Liu Che, and Li Shimin all pretended not to see it.

Ying Zheng remained calm and continued with his own affairs. After learning that the Qin Dynasty would end with only two emperors, nothing could harm him anymore.

Liu Che? Liu Che thought the posthumous title of "Wu" was very good. "Wu" means to quell chaos and disorder, which was what he wanted.

Li Shimin remained silent. Tianmu praised him to the skies, but could he please stop mentioning Xuanwu Gate every time?

The image gradually darkens, eventually settling on an ancient portrait of Li Shimin.

The portrait was not the standard portrait of emperors commonly seen in later generations, but a portrait of the Heavenly Khan restored from the Dunhuang murals. He was wearing a Han crown, with Western Region brocade draped over his shoulders, holding a Han jade tablet in one hand and resting his other hand on the hilt of a Turkic sword.

"So, why was the Tang Dynasty so confident and flamboyant at the beginning?"

Because it stands atop the blood-soaked ruins of ethnic integration, it is inherently imbued with the wildness of mixed heritage.

Because it had a leader who proved himself unmatched in the war of unification and instilled that victor's confidence into the very bones of the nation.

Because it has designed a system that can accommodate different opinions and attract talents from all over the world.

Furthermore, it was once the center of order in the entire known world.

That kind of spirit is a unique brilliance of a civilization in its ascendant stage.

It believes that every challenge is an opportunity, and every stranger has the potential to become a friend.

It dares to open its doors because it firmly believes that its country is vast and wonderful enough.

The Tang Dynasty, this gift, was bestowed upon the Chinese nation by Li Shimin and his era of heroes.

The background music on the sky screen has changed to a somber tone.

"Alright, having discussed the Tang Dynasty's confidence and arrogance, let's return to our initial question: Why did the glorious Tang Dynasty collapse so tragically midway through its reign?"

The unspoken words drifted away in the music.

Simply put, the higher you stand, the harder you fall.

The glory of the Tang Dynasty was as dazzling as its light, and the shadows it cast were as deep and long.

Glory is never free; when it is bestowed, a price is already secretly marked.

The same applies to the honor of the Heavenly Khan.