The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 165 Is This Place Fun?
Leaving the Zen hall, he headed straight ahead to Shaozhuyuan, where Tong Guan and others were waiting.

Then he left the Daxiangguo Temple, got on the carriage and returned to the palace.

Zhao Ti pondered secretly in the car. The old monk's words were not credible, but it was not easy to force him to answer. The surname should be true. After all, he had the certificate of ordination and became the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple. The authenticity of the hometown information on the certificate was strictly verified. He would check the surname Jiao to see if there were any famous figures in the government and the world after the founding of the dynasty.

In the blink of an eye it was New Year's Eve. The city of Tokyo was decorated with lights and even the trees were covered in red and green. The doors of all the shops and the 72 main stores were decorated with brightly coloured silks inside and out to celebrate the coming of the new year.

The sound of firecrackers has never stopped since dawn, and the city is filled with a festive atmosphere.

The Prince of Yan's mansion was naturally bustling with activity. In the morning, rewards were given out from the palace, and then many officials from the court and the men of the cavalry and infantry division came to present gifts.

Originally, the Cavalry and Infantry Department was fine, and the court officials should have avoided suspicion, but Zhao Ti accepted it all. There was nothing to avoid. If he returned it all, it would be like he was trying to hide his guilt.

Among them, the most valuable gift was from Cai Jing, who asked his eldest son Cai You to deliver it to his mansion. It contained both calligraphy and paintings, all of which were works of great masters throughout history.

At noon, Zhao Ti distributed red envelopes to everyone in the mansion. In the evening, a banquet was held, firecrackers were set off, and the New Year's Eve was celebrated in a lively manner.

In a blink of an eye, it was the first day of the new year. He went to the palace to pay New Year's greetings to Concubine Xing, then went to Zhao Xu's place, and then returned home.

A few days later, Zhao Ti attended the grand court meeting. After a full day, all the ceremonials and state affairs were completed, and they began to discuss the reception of the Liao envoys.

The Liao Kingdom listed the types and quantities of additional goods in the letter. The ministers had discussed this long ago. They were not special items and had nothing to do with military equipment. They were just rare and valuable. Song and Liao had not traded these in recent years.

However, Yelu Hongji attached great importance to these things. On the one hand, they were like treasures to Liao. On the other hand, although the Song Dynasty did not care much about them, it showed an attitude of attaching great importance to them, so it sent an envoy to negotiate.

Zhao Ti had seen the personnel of the Liao Kingdom's delegation in the letter before. Yelu Yanxi was the head of the delegation, Zhang Mengqian, the Minister of Rites facing south, was the deputy head of the delegation, and there was another deputy head of the delegation named Xiao Xuanji, who was the Grand Historian of the Liao Kingdom's Astronomical Bureau.

The Liao Dynasty's Sitianjian was a department responsible for observing astronomy, monitoring wind, clouds, rain and snow, and making astrological predictions. It had little power, but its duties were noble. Although court officials wondered why such an official was sent on the mission, since there were no fixed officials in the diplomatic mission, no one investigated it in detail.

In addition to these people, Zhao Ti couldn't help but smile when he saw Yelu Nanxian was also on the list of delegation members.

The delegation consisted of nearly two hundred people, more than the previous envoys from the Song Dynasty.

At this moment, the court generally agreed with what was proposed in the letter from the Liao Kingdom, but they split into two factions and began to argue over what conditions to put forward.

Most of the court officials, led by Zhang Dun, suggested asking for more horses directly. After all, for the Song Dynasty, only war horses were truly useful. Everything else was almost dispensable and could be replaced or obtained from other countries.

The other faction was headed by Cai Bian. They felt that since they had just received more than a hundred war horses from the Liao Kingdom, if they immediately asked for a trade again, the other party might become suspicious and reject them directly. It would be better to ask for other things and talk about the war horses next time, and take it slowly.

Zhang Dun said that it is wise to strike while the iron is hot, and while Yelu Hongji is hot-headed and greedy at the moment, he should ask for more and let the other party get used to it, so that he can open the door to formally trade war horses in the future.

Zhao Xu was at the top and it was difficult to make a decision. Both of them had their reasons. Finally, he looked at Zhao Ti and asked, "What do you think, King Yan?"

Zhao Ti glanced at the ministers on both sides and said thoughtfully: "Your Majesty, I think what you said is all right, but it is best to meet the delegation first and make a decision based on the other party's situation and attitude."

Zhao Xu nodded: "It should be so. There is no rush for the conditions. Let's talk about it after seeing the other party."

Then he appointed the candidates to receive the delegation. Since Zhao Ti had been in full charge of this matter during his last mission, he was naturally put in charge of the negotiations. Zhao Ti was actually unwilling to take this task. It was the first month of the year and he wanted to enjoy himself at home. Who would be willing to negotiate with the Liao Kingdom?

Negotiating with Liao was different from negotiating with Western Xia. After all, Western Xia had always been considered an enemy country. Although Liao was very dirty in private, it still had to maintain a decent appearance, so it was more difficult to negotiate with them.

However, seeing that Zhao Xu had made up his mind, he had no choice but to say, "Sir, please arrange a deputy for me. I am not strong enough on my own."

Zhao Xu smiled and said, "Then let's ask the Minister of Personnel General Xu to assist the Prince of Yan."

Upon hearing this, General Xu came out from the class to receive the order, and nodded and smiled at Zhao Ti.

Xu Jiang was the top scorer in the imperial examination in the eighth year of Jiayou. He was talented, calm and responsible. Zhang Dun was aggressive and once requested to dig up the tomb of Sima Guang, the leader of the Yuanyou party. Xu Jiang thought it was not possible at the time and persuaded Zhao Xu to give up the idea by citing classics.

Under the prime minister, the Ministry of Rites is the head of the six ministries, which has always been a potential prime minister position. The Ministry of Personnel is also higher than the other four ministries and has always been known as the "Heavenly Official" of the Ministry of Personnel. Part of the meaning of this "Heavenly Official" is that the emperor's direct descendants. People who are not the emperor's confidants will not sit on this position.

Zhao Ti felt relieved when he saw General Xu. At worst, he could just push all the problems onto the other party. The other party was more than capable of negotiating with the Liao Kingdom. He couldn't go with the delegation every day to talk about this and that.

After the court was adjourned, a few days passed, and on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, a delegation from the Liao Kingdom entered the city.

According to etiquette, he needed to go to greet them, but Zhao Ti did not go in person. Instead, he asked General Xu to take a group of officials from the Honglu Temple to go outside the city. He sat on the second floor of the Jinfeng Tower on Zhuque Street and watched.

Although the people were also angry at the Liao envoys, there had been no war for nearly a hundred years, so they were not as angry as they were towards Western Xia. They just pointed and whispered from a distance.

Zhao Ti was watching from the upstairs and saw only Yelu Yanxi among the envoys riding a tall horse, dressed in traditional Khitan robes, looking around curiously, with shock and surprise in his eyes.

Zhao Ti couldn't help but smile when he saw this. Take a good look at it. Take all the things in this world and bring them back to the capital. I guess you won't be able to wait until the Jurchens start an uprising in the future, and your Liao will be finished in advance. Next to Yelu Yanxi was Princess Cheng'an, Yelu Nanxian, also known as Yuan Xiaoxian. She didn't look surprised by the prosperity of Tokyo. She just looked at the welcoming team of General Xu and others in front of her, revealing a little disappointment.

Zhao Ti didn't know how long she had stayed in the capital before, but since she was able to command the Liao Kingdom's spies stationed in Tokyo, she was obviously quite familiar with Tokyo. He didn't know why she looked disappointed at this moment.

Just behind the two of them, a man in his forties or fifties, with phoenix eyes and a black beard, was sitting on a black horse. He had no expression on his face.

This person's clothing was slightly different from the traditional Khitan attire. He had a colorful ribbon tied around his waist and had a cold temperament. At first glance, he seemed particularly strange and different from the others.

Zhao Ti guessed that it was Xiao Xuanji, the chief astronomer of the Liao Kingdom's Astronomical Bureau.

After the founding of the Liao Dynasty, in addition to Han surnames, the Khitan people only retained two surnames, namely Yelu and Xiao.

Among them, the Yelu of the royal family is called the legitimate Yelu, and the Yelu who has nothing to do with the royal family is called the concubine Yelu. The same is true for the Xiao. Those who are related to the royal family are the Xiao of the royal family, and those who are not are the concubine Xiao.

In the evening, Zhao Ti held a banquet at the Honglu Temple to entertain the Liao envoys.

At this time, music sounded, and Zhao Ti sat behind the desk, looking at the envoys below.

Although Yelu Yanxi held his head high, his eyes were obviously not enough. He looked around. The Banquet Hall of the Honglu Temple was magnificently decorated, but it was not the best in Tokyo, but it was much better than those halls in the Liao Imperial Palace.

Moreover, the sounds played by the musicians were far beyond the reach of the Liao court musicians. Not only were their skills far superior, but the Liao dynasty also did not have instruments with such exquisite timbre.

As for the singing and dancing in front, Yelu Yanxi was stunned. What kind of unique dance was there in the Liao Dynasty palace? How could it compare with the Jiaofang in Tokyo?

Zhao Ti smiled slightly at this moment, raised his glass, looked at Yelu Yanxi and said, "How does the emperor feel about this, grandson?"

Yelu Yanxi held the cup with both hands and said loudly, "Good, very good."

Zhao Ti asked, "Is the emperor's grandson happy?"

Yelu Yanxi said: "Happy, extremely happy."

Zhao Ti drank the wine in the cup in one gulp and said with a smile: "Since you are happy here, why don't you stay a little longer? The discussion is not important. I will take you to various places. There are many fun places in Tokyo. If you like it, why don't you go back and build a similar place."

Yelu Yanxi drank the wine with his head tilted back, his face flushed as he nodded, "Then I'll have to trouble the King of Yan."

Yuan Xiaoxian looked over at this time. She was also wearing a Khitan dress, which seemed a bit heavy, but her pupils were bright and charming, and her little face showed joy and anger at the same time, which was very moving.

Zhao Ti put down his wine glass and said, "I didn't expect Princess Cheng An to come this time."

Yuan Xiaoxian looked around with her clear eyes: "King Yan, where are you going to take your brother to have fun? I guess I know a place that's close to home."

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "Does the princess want to go there too? I have a good place for you to visit. There is a military prison under my company. There are many new and interesting things inside. Would you like to take a look?"

Yuan Xiaoxian looked at him for a few breaths, then smiled and said, "Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival, there will be a lantern festival in Tokyo, would the King of Yan be willing to take us to see the lanterns?"

Zhao Ti smiled upon hearing this and was about to refuse when Yelu Yanxi said, "Okay, although Shangjing also has lantern festivals, they are always crude and shabby. I heard that the Lantern Festival in Tokyo is the best in the world. Could the Prince of Yan take us to see it?"

Zhao Ti thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Of course, I will take you to the Lantern Festival tomorrow night."

Yelu Yanxi filled his own cup and said happily, "Very good, very good."

Then they continued drinking. Zhao Ti had been secretly paying attention to Xiao Xuanji from the Imperial Observatory, but he saw that the other party was sitting upright and meticulously, and there was nothing strange about drinking and eating, but the feeling of being out of place was more obvious than when he observed him from the Golden Wind Tower.

The next day, the court was closed and the Liao envoys were unable to meet Zhao Xu. Zhao Ti asked General Xu to accompany them to test the other party's attitude regarding the letter, and then took Tong Guan out at night and went straight to Duting Posthouse.

A moment later, Yelu Yanxi, Yuan Xiaoxian, Xiao Xuanji, Zhang Mengqian and others came out, bringing with them five or six guards.

There are several lantern markets in Tokyo. The largest ones in the inner city are the lantern market beside the Zhouqiao Bianhe River and the Zhuque Street Lantern Festival. The largest one in the outer city is the Taixue Lantern Market beside the Caihe River.

This time when I went to Zhouqiao, I could see from afar that under the night sky, colorful silks were fluttering in the wind and lanterns of various shapes were hanging high. Red like fire, pink like clouds, and blue like the sea, decorating the area around Zhouqiao like a dream.

There were huge crowds of people along the Bian River, some admiring lanterns and guessing riddles, some setting off fireworks by the river, there were endless cheers, vendors hawking their wares, children making noises, and tourists chatting and having fun. It was ten times more lively than during the day.

Zhao Ti walked in with a few people. Yelu Yanxi was dazzled. In excitement, he couldn't help guessing a few riddles. He actually got a lantern right and couldn't help dancing with joy.

At this moment, the Chang'e Flying to the Moon Lantern on a lantern stall in front of him attracted his attention. He saw a lot of people gathered in front of the stall. There was a little girl standing in front of the stall with her hands behind her back, chanting something loudly.

(End of this chapter)