Even after the banquet ended, Tokyo remained brightly lit.

During the grand court assembly, the entire city was under martial law. Although there was no curfew, the Imperial Guards could be seen on every street.

The Imperial City Guard was also assigned to guard the city for twelve hours a day.

Many officials left after drinking the imperial wine at the court assembly, and the nightlife was just beginning.

The prosperity of Tokyo goes without saying.

These officials don't usually experience this in their local areas.

Since I only come once a year, I should take the time to explore properly.

Some officials couldn't help but remark that Tokyo really does change every year.

The high-rise building that was under construction last year now stands tall among pavilions and towers, like a sharp sword pointing straight to the sky.

Some officials remarked that when they came last year, there were no streetlights on this road, but this year there are rows of straight stone lamps, and the lamps inside have been filled with oil.

Moreover, there are many more snack shops now, and even in the coldest weather, people's pursuit of delicious food remains undiminished.

What I saw most often was a group of people wearing blue uniforms, riding horses, with a large box on their backs, the contents of which were unknown.

I learned that it was a delivery team set up in the city by a new business called "Elema" under Huaxing Business Group.

They specialize in delivering food.

In other words, in Tokyo, one could simply call out without leaving home, and someone nearby would come to the house to record the desired food, then ride a fast horse to deliver it, and the food would be delivered to one's hands within half an hour.

In addition, Lin's Soap has launched new products, and a group of pretty young ladies were lining up to buy them.

It's said to have a jasmine scent, and it's currently very popular in Tokyo.

Lin's Soap Shop has been thriving in the Song Dynasty in recent years, with branches in many prefectures and even small counties. It is a truly powerful business in the Song Dynasty.

Lin Shaotang, the owner of the trading company, ranked 30th on the wealth list.

The latest model is only available in Tokyo. Some officials were repeatedly told by their wives before they left that they must buy the latest Lin's soap, or they should not come back.

Zhao Chen's carriage stopped at the entrance of the Kang Prince's residence.

"Uncle Kang".

Zhao Chen walked to the door of the private room in the villa and bowed to Zhao Gou, who was already sitting inside waiting for him.

"Please sit down."

On the table were an incense burner, a finely crafted sword, and a superbly made musket.

This is a short musket, with gemstones inlaid on the side.

"This was given to me by Ling Zhen. He said it was a prototype of the sixth-generation musket, a commemorative edition. His Majesty has one, and I have one here. I usually only like to write and paint flowers and plants, and I'm not interested in these things. It would be a waste for me to keep it here, so I might as well give it to you."

Zhao Chen was slightly taken aback: "Uncle Kang, this..."

"Now that you are the King of Liao, consider this a congratulatory gift for you."

"Thank you, Uncle Wang."

“Brother Chen, you are now the Prince of Liao. You must be more careful in your words and actions. You must not show your dejection in the main hall again. If someone with ulterior motives uses this as an excuse to make trouble in front of His Majesty, it will be detrimental to you.”

Zhao Chen was startled, realizing the seriousness of the situation. He had been granted the title of King of Liao, yet he appeared extremely dejected, which was indeed a dangerous act.

"I see."

Zhao Gou smiled gently and said, "The Emperor Emeritus misses you very much."

"I also miss the Emperor Emeritus very much. I haven't seen him for several years. How is he doing?"

"It's alright, but you can't see him right now."

Zhao Chen fell silent; he knew why he couldn't see Zhao Ji.

The emperor and the retired emperor were irreconcilable enemies, and the retired emperor was placed under house arrest for more than ten years.

The scene of being severely reprimanded during the last incident involving the royal family is still vivid in my mind.

"Come on, have a drink! This is liquor imported from Europe. Locals call it whiskey. It comes from a remote island nation."

"Europe? What kind of place is that?"

"It's understandable that you don't know. Over the years, I've been in charge of the Maritime Trade Office and have a good understanding of foreign trade. Further west in the Western Regions, there is another world called the continent of Europe. His Majesty named it. It's a rather poor and chaotic place where people place their hopes on God. His Majesty said that the Great Qin Kingdom migrated to the Western Regions from there."

Zhao Chen was completely confused, but couldn't help but exclaim, "The outside world is really vast!"

Zhao Chen picked up his wine cup, but Zhao Gou said, "Don't drink yet."

"how?"

"Adding an ice cube first will make it taste even better."

"Uncle Kang, where did you find out all this?"

"The official told me that there were only two bottles of this wine. He had one bottle, he treated me to a cup, and then gave me the other bottle."

Looking at the dark yellow liquid, Zhao Chen hesitated for a moment, then drank it all in one gulp. The bitter taste instantly made him change color.

"Haha, it seems you're not used to it."

"Uncle Kang, it's alright, the taste is good, give me another cup."

So the two started drinking, and before long, Zhao Chen was quite tipsy.

Then he started complaining.

“Uncle Kang, you don’t know how hard I’ve suffered in the South China Sea. Sometimes I can’t understand why my father is so heartless! I’m not convinced, but I have made contributions in the South China Sea and in Xianzhou. I have worked diligently for the past few years!”

"Brother Chen, you've had too much to drink, stop now."

"Uncle Wang, I'm not drunk, I'm just heartbroken!"

At this point, Zhao Chen suddenly raised his voice.

Zhao Gou hurriedly went out and ordered the people outside to clear everyone around the elegant garden away. He also told the steward that no one should be seen if they requested an audience.

When he returned, Zhao Chen was still drinking.

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