In 1682, the ten-year-old Peter ascended the Russian throne. However, it was not until August 1689, when the conspiracy by Princess Sophia to launch a palace coup was crushed, that Peter truly seized power. During his reign, Tsar Peter vigorously implemented numerous reforms in the political, economic, and cultural aspects of the Russian state, making significant contributions and guiding Russia onto a path of rapid development. Therefore, he became known as "Peter the Great," and Engels also referred to Peter as a "true great man."

At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, Emperor Shundi was incompetent and tyrannical. He spent all day indulging in pleasure and neglected all matters of state. He refused to heed the advice of his virtuous chancellor, Toqto'a, and instead had him killed. As a result, bandits and rebels surged like bees, uprisings followed one after another, and people across the land rose in revolt. At this time, a hero named Zhu Yuanzhang emerged in Haozhou (present-day Fengyang, Anhui). Zhu Yuanzhang came from a background as a shepherd boy and had served as a monk at Huangjue Temple at the age of 17. In the twelfth year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty (1352 AD), he joined the rebel army led by Guo Zixing in Haozhou.

In the afternoon of the twenty-third day of the eighth month, in the thirteenth year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1736 AD), Qing Emperor Yongzheng discussed state affairs with Zhuangqin Wang Yunlu, Guoqin Wang Yunli, Grand Secretaries Ertai and Zhang Tingyu, inside the imperial palace. The meeting lasted from noon until early evening, a full two hours. During the discussion, the Emperor sternly reprimanded Ertai over the unresolved Miao tribal unrest, setting a strict deadline for him to settle the matter properly. Back at home, Ertai, deeply unsettled by the Emperor's scolding, found himself chewing his food at dinner without tasting anything. After supper, he paced alone in the back garden, unable to devise a perfect strategy to pacify the Miao. Once in bed, he tossed and turned until finally falling into a deep sleep around midnight.

Alexander the Great is one of Europe's most renowned historical figures. The number of cities named "Alexandria" scattered across the world map attests to Alexander's immense influence and reveals the vast territories conquered by his army. Setting out from the mountainous kingdom of Macedonia in northern Greece, he first occupied Greece, then invaded Asia, conquered Egypt, swept through Persia, captured the so-called "King of Kings," the Persian Emperor, and finally crossed the Hindu Kush mountains, pushing all the way to the Indus River Valley. On this vast expanse of land, he established an unprecedented empire stretching from Greece and Macedonia in the west to the Indus River in the east, from the First Cataract of the Nile in the south to the Jaxartes River in the north, with its capital at Babylon. Alexander's achievements have had a more profound impact on the development of Western civilization than those of any other European in history. Napoleon once commented on him: "Alexander was the greatest military genius in history." Caesar said: "Alexander, still under thirty, had already pacified Greece, advanced into the interior of Asia and Africa, subjugated nearly a hundred kingdoms, captured tens of thousands of cities, and created a vast empire spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa—truly a king of the world." So, one cannot help but wonder: what exceptional qualities did Alexander himself possess?

Alexander the Great is the most renowned historical figure in Europe. Just look at how many cities named Alexandria are on the world map, and you will immediately grasp the extent of Alexander's might and realize how many lands his vast army once conquered. Starting from the mountainous kingdom of Macedon in northern Greece, he first seized Greece, then invaded Asia, occupied Egypt, advanced deep into Persia, captured the so-called "King of Kings," the Persian Emperor, alive, and finally crossed the Hindu Kush mountains, pushing all the way to the Indus River valley. He established an unprecedentedly vast empire across vast territories, stretching from Greece and Macedon in the west to the Indus River valley in the east, from the First Cataract of the Nile River in the south to the Jaxartes River in the north, with its capital in Babylon. Alexander the Great's achievements have had a deeper impact on the development of Western civilization than any other European in history. Napoleon once evaluated him: "Alexander is the greatest military genius in history." Caesar said: "Alexander, under the age of thirty, had already pacified Greece, marched into the interior of Asia and Africa, subdued nearly a hundred states, captured tens of thousands of cities, and founded a vast empire spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa, truly deserving the title of 'King of the World.'" Then, one cannot help but ask: What exactly made Alexander himself so exceptionally outstanding?

Helen, the wife of Menelaus, king of the ancient Greek city of Sparta, was abducted by Paris, prince of Troy. This incident enraged all the Greeks, and the Greek army, led by Menelaus's brother, King Agamemnon, prepared to launch an expedition to Troy to reclaim the beautiful Helen. Odysseus was king of Ithaca, one of the Greek city-states. Unwilling to get involved in this war, he feigned madness. He drove pigs, horses, cattle, and sheep onto the sandy beach, yoked them to plows, and tilled the barren land, then scattered salt as seed. Needless to say, such farming would yield no results.

Yu the Great was the founding emperor of the Xia Dynasty, which lasted for over 400 years. The last emperor of the Xia Dynasty was Jie of Xia, a tyrant infamous in history.

In 91 BC, the "Wugu Affair" (a witchcraft conspiracy) plotted by the ruthless official Jiang Chong and the scheming Li family closed in on the 45-year-old Crown Prince Liu Ju. Gentle and broad-minded by nature, and unskilled in political intrigue and power struggles, Liu Ju was soon driven to a dead end and committed suicide in August of that year (This shows that honest men are unsuited for politics.) Liu Ju's two sons died alongside their father. Liu Ju's mother, Empress Wei Zifu, died even earlier than her descendants, passing away with resentment on the Gengyin day of the seventh month.

For Zhao Ji, becoming the nation's supreme leader was indeed an unexpected windfall. His father (Emperor Shenzong of Song) had passed away, and his half-brother Zhao Xu ascended the throne (Emperor Zhezong of Song). Although this imperial brother had a short life, dying at the age of 25, the imperial crown seemed to have no chance of falling upon Zhao Ji's head.