Sky Curtain: The Overlord Charges into Battle, Shocking Emperors of All Dynasties

What are you feeling?

Xin Qiji lowered his head and looked at his calloused hands.

These hands once drew bows and tamed wild horses.

Now, dark spots are gradually appearing, and the skin is sagging.

In the end, all his martial arts skills and ambitions were ultimately useless.

The frontier kept retreating southward, a situation that later generations ridiculed, and perhaps other dynasties would have ridiculed as well.

But this is a disgrace!!!

Xin Qiji clenched his fist tightly, as if to crush his resentment and anger.

But after a moment, he gave a self-deprecating laugh, as if resigned to his fate, and slowly released his hand.

Having accomplished the affairs of the king and the realm, he won fame both before and after his death.

Poor thing... white hair growing out!

During the Zhenguan period,

"Weeping for Zhaoling!!!"

"A loyal heart has nowhere to turn, weeping at Zhaoling!"

"They must have suffered an immense injustice to come to my grave to weep and lament!"

A few tears welled up in Li Shimin's eyes; sorrow filled his entire being.

He was moved by what the people of the Song Dynasty did when they were desperate.

The people of the Song Dynasty in later generations were descendants of the people of the Tang Dynasty.

Perhaps his descendants are among them.

The ministers in the court suppressed their anger; before this, except during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period,

When have ordinary people ever suffered such injustice?

The key issue is that the alien races are like weeds on the prairie; you can't kill them all, and they'll always come back soon after you drive them away.

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For over a thousand years, no dynasty has ever completely resolved the problem of foreign tribes on the frontier.

Even the Northern Wei dynasty established by the Xianbei was the same.

"Kill them! These alien races should all be killed!!"

"That's right, only the dead aliens are good aliens!!"

Generals like Yuchi Jingde and Cheng Yaojin raised their heads and shouted, exuding a strong killing intent.

Seeing his ministers' demeanor and thinking of the fate of ordinary people in later generations, Li Shimin...

He had some doubts about the policies he had implemented for so long.

Should I not have been so kind to people of other races?

Just like the Japanese pirates who harassed the Ming Dynasty, the Japanese envoys to Tang China learned about Tang Dynasty technology, systems, and so on.

Their ambitions would inevitably grow even larger, giving rise to thoughts of invading the Tang Dynasty.

And Tibet...

Li Shimin hesitated.

In the eighth year of the Zhenguan era, the Tibetan Empire sent envoys to propose marriage, but he refused.

As a result, Tibet actually sent troops to attack Tuyuhun and Songzhou, hoping to force the Tang Dynasty to marry a princess.

Now that Tibet has been defeated, they have sent Gar Tongtsen Yulsung to apologize and seek a marriage alliance.

Li Shimin originally intended to find a woman from the imperial clan, bestow upon her the title of princess, and marry her to Songtsen Gampo.

This will ensure the stability of the northwestern frontier.

Moreover, Li Shimin planned to provide a generous dowry, including artisans, seeds, and books, to demonstrate the strength and grandeur of the Tang Dynasty.

But now, Li Shimin couldn't help but feel uneasy.

If Tibet were allowed to develop, would it later invade the Tang Dynasty?

Future generations will blame him for allowing Tibet to prosper.

The culture, technology, and lifestyle of the Song Dynasty were so advanced that even the emperors were very kind and benevolent towards their people.

On the day a new emperor ascends the throne, common people are allowed to flock to his former residence as a prince, stroll around, and take items to share in the joy; this custom is called "sweeping the pavilion."

This kind of thing would have been unthinkable in previous dynasties; it would have certainly resulted in execution.

The emperor was very benevolent towards the people, establishing a comprehensive famine relief system and social security system. The flourishing commerce of the Song Dynasty fostered a prosperous urban life.

During the Song Dynasty, there were no curfews, no restrictions on neighborhoods and markets, and Kaifeng even saw the emergence of services like food delivery and takeout.

Just like the Qingming Scroll we see today, such a magnificent scene of prosperity could not be depicted by mere imagination without seeing it with one's own eyes.

A long scroll slowly unfolds against the sky; it is none other than "Along the River During the Qingming Festival".

A pale yellow scroll unfolds, first showing the outskirts of the city, with willow branches sprouting buds, winding field ridges, and a constant stream of pedestrians.

The porters brandished their whips, and the merchants, carrying their loads, strolled slowly towards the city.

As the Bian River extended, the scenery of Tokyo City came into view.

The image flickered and blurred, and the yellow scroll before everyone's eyes gradually became real, displaying colors that were normally visible to the naked eye.

The people and livestock that were originally frozen in the scene began to move.

On the Rainbow Bridge, people leaned on the railing and gazed into the distance. The wind rustled the willow branches, carrying their laughter into the city.

Laborers bustled back and forth at the riverbank docks, while roadside vendors set up stalls selling food and miscellaneous items, wisps of steam rising into the air.

Shops lined the street one after another, including restaurants, pharmacies, and pawnshops.

The streets were teeming with people, children chased and played, and drivers shouted to make way for pedestrians.

The entertainment district outside the city was already surrounded by crowds of people, packed tightly together. The crowd stood in one place, enjoying the energetic performances of the acrobats inside, with cheers and laughter erupting from within.

As night fell, the colorful archway in front of the restaurant fell silent under the darkness. The gardenia lanterns under the eaves lit up, their glow illuminating the space above and below.

The night market was packed with people, and the lights and firelight illuminated Kaifeng as if it were daytime.

Near the palace gates of the imperial city, a crack appeared in the gate, and a young eunuch slipped out, paused briefly at the steaming food stalls on either side of the gate, and soon returned to the palace carrying the food.

A vibrant, bustling atmosphere of everyday life washes over you.

The ancients who gazed upon the celestial canopy were inevitably somewhat mesmerized.

This is somewhat different from Chang'an during the Tang Dynasty.

Chang'an was the capital of the empire at its peak, a magnificent and solemn city where all nations paid tribute. Everything was orderly and efficient, and it fell silent with the setting sun.

The impression Kaifeng gave to the ancients was of a bustling, vibrant city, alive day and night, where every ordinary person participated.

"I never imagined that the lives of ordinary people in the Song Dynasty were so colorful."

"I really want to try all the food and drinks in the picture and see what they taste like!"

"Eat, eat, eat! All you ever think about is eating!!!"

"You don't want to eat?"

"Um...I want to!"

People from all over time were filled with envy. Life in Kaifeng, apart from what they saw in later generations, was the life they most wanted to experience.

Even Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, was considered somewhat inferior to that of the Song Dynasty in their minds.

It's not that Chang'an was bad, but in the eyes of the common people, Chang'an was ultimately a bit too rigid and rule-bound.

They were just ordinary country folk; how would they know so many rules?

The grandeur of a great nation and the tribute from all nations certainly excite and inspire them, but afterwards they still have to focus on their daily necessities.

Think about what to eat tonight, and how to spend tomorrow?

For ordinary people in ancient times, the problem of food was the biggest problem they faced.

The emperor and his ministers, gazing at Kaifeng in the sky, were filled with a mixture of admiration and surprise.

They hadn't expected that while the Song Dynasty was so weak in military and foreign military prowess, it was far ahead in culture, taxation, and the lives of its people.

"Kaifeng in the Song Dynasty was truly prosperous. Tianmu has always said that the Song Dynasty was rich, but I wondered how rich it could be."

"I never expected it to be like this!"

Liu Che was filled with envy; he wished his Chang'an could be like that.

The scenes within Kaifeng city, in the eyes of the emperor and his ministers, represented more than just the lives of ordinary people.

In their eyes, this prosperous life reflected more of the economic strength of the Song Dynasty.

Liu Che thought that if his Chang'an were like Kaifeng, he could collect many more taxes each year.

Why is he still worried about not having money?