As Arun's immortal dynasty solidified its power across northern India, the distant Tang dynasty grappled with relentless internal upheaval during Li Shimin's reign. Behind the glittering court and grand reforms, a brutal family rivalry tore at the heart of China.Li Shimin, a brilliant and ruthless military leader, secured his place as emperor only by assassinating his older brother Li Jiancheng—the rightful crown prince—and his youngest brother Li Yuanji in the infamous Xuanwu Gate coup of 626 CE. This violent seizure of power shocked the realm, fracturing the imperial family and stirring deep unease within the court.Yet hardships only intensified. Under Li Shimin's rule, northern China suffered crippling famines. Floods and locusts ravaged the harvest; famine spread across communities already destabilized by power struggles. The emperor, aware of his moral duty, took symbolic actions—offering sacrifices, postponing grand ceremonies, and distributing grain—to soothe a restless populace and reaffirm his sacred mandate.News of these famines and palace intrigues reached Arun's court in Delhi. His advisors debated the Tang's fragility, seeing opportunity in China's internal chaos. Arun, with uncounted lifetimes of diplomacy, crafted subtle overtures—gifts, scholars, and emissaries—to leverage the Tang's instability for India's strategic advantage, while maintaining a facade of friendship. His command blocks monitored the swift movement of envoys, aiding complex negotiations across vast distances.The Tang dynasty's volatile court—a stage of usurping sons and starving subjects—contrasted sharply with Arun's immortal, unyielding rule. Yet it reminded Arun that even empires built on power and magic faced the fragile nature of human ambition and divine favor.
