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In the spring of the twenty-eighth year of the prosperous era, the Central Plains ushered in the most bustling day in hundreds of years.

Since last autumn, the inns in the capital have been constantly busy.

One delegation after another poured in from all directions.

Some people took trains, some took boats, some rode camels, and some rode horse-drawn carriages.

They wore all sorts of clothes, spoke all sorts of words, and carried all sorts of gifts.

The post station area in the south of the city originally had only three courtyards, but now it has been expanded to twelve.

Every courtyard was filled with people, piled high with gift boxes, the stables were teeming with horses and camels from all over the world, and strange smells wafted from the kitchens…

There was roasted lamb, curry, fried fish, and stewed meat, all mixed together. It smelled a bit strange, but nobody minded.

The people on the street were already used to it.

"Another group? Where are they from?"

"They say they came from Europe, and their name is Frankish."

"Europa? Where is that?"

"To the west, a very, very far place. Even farther than the Abbasid Caliphate. I've heard that the people there have blond hair and blue eyes, and they look different from us."

"Blonde hair? Wouldn't that make you a monster?"

"What monster? It's a human being too. I heard the king over there even sent a duke."

The envoys from Europe, setting foot on the land of the Great Zhou for the first time, were overwhelmed with wonder.

Duke Charles of the Frankish Kingdom, in his fifties, had a full head of blond hair and a long beard.

He stood on the train platform, looking at the train that had just come to a stop, his mouth agape, wide enough to fit a fist.

"This...this is the legendary train?"

The accompanying official from the Court of State Ceremonial of the Great Zhou Dynasty nodded with a smile: "Indeed. Your Excellency, please get in the carriage! Next stop, the capital."

Duke Charles boarded the train and headed towards the capital.

Upon arriving in Beijing, he changed cars again. The car drove smoothly on the cement road, so smoothly that he could hardly believe it.

He leaned out the car window and looked out at the neat fields, the factories with smoke billowing from them, and the people dressed in clean clothes.

"The Celestial Empire...this is the Celestial Empire..."

Abdullah, the Emir of Baghdad, who came from the Abbasid Caliphate, was wearing a white robe and a golden headband.

This was his second time here, but every time he came, he felt like he was ignorant.

“It’s taller, bigger, and more prosperous now,” Abdullah said to his entourage. “When I came here last time, this street wasn’t this wide. That building wasn’t this tall either. It’s only been a few years, and it’s changed again.”

The attendant asked, "Emir, how did the Great Zhou change so quickly?"

Abdullah shook his head: "I don't know. But they have an academy of sciences, a ministry of industry, railways, and telegraphs. We don't have any of these things. That's why they are fast and we are slow."

The Javanese king Suro, who came from Southeast Asia, was dressed in brightly colored clothes and wore strings of jewels.

He was the most excited because he had seen so many unimaginable things along the way.

“Those ships are a hundred times bigger than ours!” Su Luo shouted from the ship. “Those cannons can shoot five miles away with one shot!”

After disembarking from the ship and boarding the train, Su Luo exclaimed again, "This train is much faster than a horse! It only takes two days to get from the seaside to the capital! Back home, it takes two months!"

Upon entering the capital, Su Luo was utterly dumbfounded. "These streets are wider than our royal palace square! These buildings are taller than our Buddhist pagodas! These people outnumber the entire population of our country!"

The capital city was brightly decorated and bustling with activity.

The shops lining both sides of the street displayed their most beautiful signs.

The silk vendors hung up colorful silks; the porcelain vendors displayed exquisite bottles and jars; the tea vendors displayed tea canisters, opening the lids to let the aroma of tea waft out; the snack vendors set up stoves, making and selling snacks on the spot, filling the streets with their delicious fragrance.

The teahouses and taverns were filled with guests from all over the country.

There were Han Chinese in long robes, Khitans in fur robes, Arabs with headscarves, Southeast Asians with bare chests, and Europeans with blond hair and blue eyes.

They sat together, gesturing as they spoke, none of them understanding each other, but all of them were laughing.

Long queues formed in front of the snack stalls.

A European pointed to something in the pot and asked, "What is this?"

The stall owner gestured: "Dumplings, pork and cabbage filling."

Europeans couldn't understand the language, but they smelled the aroma and bought a few.

I took a bite, and it was so hot I gasped for breath, but I couldn't bear to spit it out. I chewed it a bit, swallowed it, and my eyes lit up.

"Delicious! Give me ten more!"

The envoys from various countries strolled in groups of three or five on the street.

Shopping, watching the excitement, eating snacks—everything is new and exciting.

Someone pointed to a tall building in the distance and asked, "What's that?"

The person next to him replied, "That's the State Guesthouse of the Court of State Ceremonies, specially for entertaining distinguished guests like you who have come from afar."

How tall is that building?

"Seventh floor. From the highest point, you can see the entire capital city."

The envoys craned their necks, their necks aching, "Seven stories... where we're from, two stories is considered high."

Someone asked, "Can we go up and take a look?"

"Yes. Once you're settled, someone will take you there."

……

On the third day of the third month of the twenty-eighth year of the prosperous era, a grand court assembly was held.

The square in front of Chongyuan Hall was filled with people.

The heads of state and envoys of various countries were arranged neatly according to where they came from.

Although the Great Zhou Dynasty had established prefectures and counties in many places, it would still select some nobles and elders as symbolic representatives in order to maintain local stability.

The one at the very front is from Europe, dressed in brightly colored clothes, with blonde hair and blue eyes, making them stand out.

In the middle is the Arab, wearing a white robe and a golden headband.

Behind them were people from Southeast Asia, dressed in brightly colored clothes and with dark skin.

Behind them were people from Northeast Asia, dressed in simple robes and behaving with great respect.

On both sides of the square stood the civil and military officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

He was dressed in court robes, wearing an official hat, and had a solemn expression.

Standing at the very front was Li Fang, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, followed by the Ministers and Vice Ministers of the Six Ministries, and then officials from various departments and ministries—a dense, dark mass.

On the high platform in front of the palace, there was a huge dragon throne.

The dragon throne is made of rosewood, carved with nine golden dragons, and covered with a bright yellow cushion that glitters in the sunlight.

At the exact hour of Chen (7-9 AM), drums and music resounded.

A eunuch's high-pitched voice rang out: "His Majesty has arrived!"

Su Ning, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, slowly walked onto the high platform.

Empress Lin and her concubines followed behind her.

They wore gorgeous gowns and exquisite jewelry, walking with grace and poise.

Suning walked to the dragon throne and sat down.

His gaze swept over the people in the audience.

Blonde, black-haired, fair-skinned, yellow-skinned, dark-skinned.

Some were wearing robes, some were wearing headscarves, some were wearing hats, and some were shirtless.

From Europe to Southeast Asia, from the Arab world to Northeast Asia, from grasslands to islands.

They've all come.

"Announce the rulers and envoys of all nations to come before us—"

The first to step forward was the representative of Europe.

Duke Charles of the Frankish Kingdom, in his fifties, had a full head of blond hair and a long beard.

He walked to the front of the stage, knelt on one knee, placed his right hand on his chest, bowed his head, and said in broken Chinese: "Duke Charles of the Frankish Kingdom, on behalf of my King, pays the highest respect to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Zhou. May the Great Zhou and the Frankish Kingdom be forever united in friendship."

Su Ning nodded. "I appreciate the Frankish King's kindness. I've heard that your place is quite far from the Great Zhou?"

Duke Charles looked up: “Your Majesty, it’s very far. It used to take more than a year to get there.”

Suning laughed, "Now that we have trains and ships, it only takes a month to arrive."

Duke Charles was stunned. "A train? Can it get to our place?"

“Not now,” Su Ning said, “but one day, it will.”

Duke Charles stepped aside, still pondering those words...

Someday, it will happen.

He naturally understood the meaning of those words; it simply meant that the Great Zhou Dynasty had become interested in the heart of Europe.

Next up is the representative from the Arab world.

Baghdad Emir Abdullah, wearing a white robe and a gold headband.

He stepped forward, knelt on both knees, and touched his forehead to the ground. "Abdullah, Emir of Baghdad, has come to pay homage to His Majesty on the orders of His Highness the Prince of Qin of the Great Zhou Dynasty. May His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty live ten thousand years!"

Su Ning laughed, "You know how to behave in your boss's territory. Get up! How's the Prince of Qin doing over there?" Abdullah stood up and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, His Highness the Prince of Qin is wise and powerful, and he has governed Baghdad very well. The people all admire him."

Su Ning nodded. "That kid has always been steady and reliable. Sending him over there is the right thing to do."

Abdullah stepped aside.

Next up were representatives from Southeast Asia.

King Suro of Java, with a beaming smile, was dressed in brightly colored clothes and adorned with jewels.

He walked to the front of the stage, prostrated himself on the ground, and kowtowed three times, "King Suro of Java pays his respects to His Majesty the Emperor of Great Zhou! Long live His Majesty! Long live Great Zhou!"

He banged his head so hard that his forehead turned red.

Those nearby couldn't help but chuckle.

"Haha..." Su Ning laughed too, "Get up! Doesn't your head hurt from hitting it so hard?"

Su Luo got up and grinned sheepishly, "It doesn't hurt! It's a blessing to kowtow to His Majesty!"

Suning asked, "What are some local specialties from Java?"

Su Luo quickly replied, "Your Majesty, there are spices, pearls, ivory, rhinoceros horn, gold, silver, and copper."

Su Ning nodded. "Alright. Do more business with Da Zhou in the future. You can buy any silk, porcelain, tea, or daily necessities from Da Zhou you like."

Su Luo nodded repeatedly, "Definitely, definitely!"

Next up are representatives from Northeast Asia.

Lady Kim of Silla, dressed in a plain robe, behaved with utmost respect.

He stepped to the front of the stage and bowed deeply. "The Kim clan of Silla, on the orders of His Highness the King of Han of the Great Zhou, have come to pay homage to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty the Emperor of the Great Zhou enjoy good health and longevity."

Su Ning nodded. "Things are going well with Lao Ba. Get up! How's things going with Silla lately?"

Lady Kim replied, “Your Majesty, all is well. His Highness the King of Han has governed Silla very well, and the people live in peace and prosperity.”

Su Ning nodded. "Okay. Tell him to do a good job and not slack off."

Then there's the representative from Japan.

A middle-aged man in a kimono walked to the front of the stage, knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Fujiwara no Saneyori, the Grand Minister of State of Japan, has come to pay homage to Your Majesty on the orders of His Highness the King of Song of the Great Zhou. May Your Majesty the Emperor of the Great Zhou live ten thousand years!"

Su Ning looked at him and asked, "How are King Song and King Lu doing over there? How are the people of Fusang faring?"

Fujiwara no Saneyoshi quickly replied, "Your Majesty, His Highness Prince Song and His Highness Prince Lu are wise and powerful, and they have governed Japan very well. Those who disobeyed have all been dealt with by His Highness. Now, everyone in Japan submits to His Highness. The people are living in peace and prosperity, and the Iwami Silver Mine is currently being developed."

Suning nodded. "Hmm, not bad."

Then came representatives from Mongolia, Khwarazm, the Khazars Khanate, England, India, Tibet, and...

One after another, they walked for a full two hours.

The sun rises directly overhead from the east and then slowly begins to set in the west.

Su Ning remained seated on the dragon throne, never moving.

The people in the audience looked at him with increasing awe.

This man in his fifties had ruled for nearly thirty years, yet his eyes remained as bright as ever.

He sat there, exuding an imposing aura that made people afraid to look him in the eye.

Finally, the last envoy withdrew.

The eunuch's high-pitched voice rang out again: "The ceremony is complete—"

In the square, everyone knelt down in unison: "Long live His Majesty the Emperor of Great Zhou!"

The shouts were deafening and echoed for a long time.

Su Ning stood up and glanced at the people. "Get up, all of you."

Everyone stood up.

Su Ning looked at them and slowly said, "I am very pleased that you have come from afar. From now on, the Great Zhou and all your countries are one family. As family, we don't need to speak like strangers. If you have difficulties, speak up. If you have benefits, share them together."

"Remember, the Great Zhou will not bully you, nor will it allow others to bully you. But there is one rule—the rules of the Great Zhou are the rules. Those who obey will be rewarded. Those who disobey will become enemies of the Great Zhou."

Everyone bowed in unison, saying, "We will obey Your Majesty's teachings."

……

That evening, a banquet was held at the palace to entertain the heads of state and envoys from various countries.

The banquet was held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, with more than 300 tables set up.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony was brightly lit, with more than 300 tables set up to the brim.

Every table was laden with dishes... there was roast duck, whole roast lamb, steamed fish, roast chicken, stewed duck, stir-fried vegetables, snacks, and fruit.

Those dukes from Europe were eating authentic Chinese food for the first time.

He didn't know how to use chopsticks, so he awkwardly scooped with a spoon.

Their eyes lit up as they tasted it, "What...what is this?"

"Roast Duck."

"Delicious! So delicious! We've never had anything this good back home!"

Those emirs from the Arab world were somewhat averse to alcohol.

But the people of Da Zhou did not try to dissuade them, and instead prepared the finest tea for them.

They drank tea and ate food, praising it highly, saying, "This tea is much better than the tea we have back home."

"This dish tastes much better than the dishes we have back home."

Those kings from Southeast Asia were the most uninhibited.

They ate meat with gusto, drank wine with gusto, and laughed like a bunch of children, shouting, "Come on, let's have a drink! Let's have a drink!"

"Drink! Drink!"

The envoys from Northeast Asia were the most reserved.

They were very careful in every move, afraid of being impolite.

But as they drank, they loosened up.

The banquet was filled with singing, dancing, laughter, and joy.

The musicians played music, and the dancers performed, their songs melodious and their dances graceful.

The dukes from Europe, seeing such a dance for the first time, were completely mesmerized.

Su Ning sat in the main seat, looking at those people.

Li Fang leaned closer and whispered, "Your Majesty, these people should be more obedient from now on."

Su Ning shook his head. "Obey them? They only obey because they can't win. Once they can win, will they still obey?"

Li Fang was taken aback for a moment, "Then Your Majesty means..."

“We must ensure they can never be defeated,” Su Ning said. “We’ll build railways to their doorsteps, telegraph lines to their cities, and station troops from the Great Zhou right next to them, controlling strategic locations. Their children will grow up reading Great Zhou books, speaking Great Zhou language, and using Great Zhou money.”

"One generation, two generations, three generations, let them integrate into Confucian culture."

"By then, even if they wanted to fight, they wouldn't be able to."

Li Fang nodded. "Your Majesty is wise."

The banquet lasted until late at night.

Those kings and envoys, drunk and staggering, had to be helped back to their lodgings.

Walking on the streets of the capital, they looked up at the brightly lit buildings, the wide and smooth streets, and the peaceful and serene people.

Someone murmured, "The Celestial Empire...this is the Celestial Empire..."

Someone asked, "When will our area become like this?"

No one can answer that.

Duke Charles stood at the window of the inn, gazing at the distant palace.

The palace was brightly lit, like a city that never sleeps.

I think of the man sitting on the dragon throne at today's grand court assembly.

He was over fifty years old, but his eyes shone like stars.

Duke Charles suddenly remembered what that man had said...

"Someday, it will."

In the spring of the twenty-eighth year of the prosperous era, the Great Zhou Dynasty truly achieved the goal of all nations paying tribute.

From then on, those distant countries no longer dared to underestimate this vast empire in the East.

Their children will learn the language and culture of the Great Zhou.

Their merchants will use the currency of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Their outstanding talents will kneel before the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

One generation, two generations, three generations...

Until they forget who they once were.

Confucianism has influenced the Central Plains for a thousand years, and it will take another thousand years to influence the whole world.

...(End of this chapter)