My father Zhao Kuangyin

On the Imperial Street of Tokyo, the autumn wind rustled, and at dusk, the red decorations of the Prime Minister's residence fluttered in the breeze.

The so-called "evening ceremony" refers to the ceremony taking place at dusk. Before the sun sets and the grass and trees begin to sway, Zhao Dezhao had to stay in the mansion and entertain the guests with his servants and servants.

Since the eldest prince has become unmarried, the Emperor had to make a trip to the ancestral temple this morning to inform the ancestors.

Not only the Emperor, but also the Emperor's third brother Guangyi, the Emperor's sisters Princess Yan, Princess Zhaoqing (eldest daughter), Princess Yanqing (second daughter), Princess Yongqing (third daughter), the Emperor's consort, the righteous brothers who were still in office, and even the retired Minister of Revenue Liu Xigu and his entourage, etc.

How can it be described that the Prime Minister's residence was so crowded with seats that the corridors were almost overflowing with guests, comparable to the annual grand court assembly on New Year's Day.

Of course, not just anyone could attend Zhao Erlang's wedding; it required at least a fifth-rank official or higher, someone whose name the emperor would remember and acknowledge.

Amidst the joyous revelry of the guests and the busy work of the servants and officials, Zhao Dezhao, standing at the gate of the mansion, couldn't help but frequently gaze up at the sky while welcoming the guests.

The fourth brother, Defang, walked quietly towards them, carrying a pair of colorful phoenix teapots.

"Brother, look at the vibrant colors! Auntie is so generous."

Zhao Dezhao didn't reply. He moved closer and asked curiously, "It's an auspicious day for marriage, why aren't you happy, brother?"

"You'll understand when you get to my age."

Zhao Dezhao made a nonsensical joke, glanced at the colorful phoenix pot, then looked at the boxes of rare treasures being stuffed into the granary, and sighed again.

"I thought the prince's betrothal gifts were already a lot of money, but I never expected that the gifts from the officials would be even more, especially from my father, aunts and sisters, who couldn't even put down their gifts."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Defang felt a pang of jealousy, but it quickly dissipated.

"If you like it, take it after you've checked it."

"Is what my brother said true?"

"really."

"Thank you, brother!"

Watching the fourth brother leave, Zhao Dezhao sighed inwardly.

Brother when there's trouble, elder brother when there's no trouble. He's still a young man with his hair tied up, and you can't criticize his character at all.

Of course, he was not happy about the wedding ceremony, because as dusk approached, Lei Jun made no move, which made people uneasy.

"Ah Lang."

Mi Jifeng took a break from his busy schedule and stepped forward to say softly, "My lord, you've seen everything carefully."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Dezhao glanced at the seat of honor in the inner courtyard and said with absolute certainty, "They can't keep an eye on them."

Mi Jifeng paused, then fell silent.

Although the matter was somewhat absurd and he didn't know the whole story, he still felt it was far-fetched.

Why must we fight for this today when we can't fight for it now?

Upon closer reflection, aside from Zhao Pu, Prefect Zhao must be the one most wary of Erlang, as it concerns the heir apparent and the successor to the throne—a matter of vying for the throne...

Compared to the throne, what is the blood ties between uncle and nephew?

Let alone the conflict between uncle and nephew, since ancient times, there have been countless instances of regicide, patricide, and fratricide.

In comparison, it's been relatively restrained.

As he pondered this, Mi Jifeng was extremely grateful that the Emperor was still in his prime; otherwise, the Song Dynasty's foundation might have been destroyed in a struggle between the two generations.

"Although the garrison has been replaced by the Imperial Guard, you shouldn't be idle, especially my brothers-in-law. Don't look down on them or neglect them."

"Here you are."

The eldest sister's husband, Wang Chengyan, needs no introduction; the second sister's husband, Shi Baoji, is the son of Shi Shouxin; and the third sister's husband, Wei Xianxin, is the son of Wei Renpu, the minister entrusted with the care of the young emperor by the Guo family.

The first two were my fathers who made great contributions to the founding of the Song Dynasty, and the latter was my father who was a prime minister. In the Song Dynasty, where half of the officials from the Later Zhou Dynasty have continued to this day, they still have a strong political foundation.

In addition, many civil and military officials, such as Cao Bin, Pan Mei, Mi Xin, Chu Zhaofu, and Lü Yuqing, occupied the main hall, sitting on the left side opposite the relatives on the right, drinking and chatting with the emperor, creating a very joyful atmosphere.

Frankly speaking, it is a rare sight to gather both meritorious officials and members of the royal family, as well as a group of younger generations.

Of course, today's main characters include the Emperor, Prefect Zhao, and Grand Secretary Zhao, and finally, it's his turn to speak about this gentleman with a double meaning.

Honestly, if it weren't for Lei Youlin's affair, tonight would have been the perfect time for him to secure investment from clients.

As the master of ceremonies began to arrange the hall, the emperor, his face flushed, was invited into the hall after a round of drinks.

"My lord, His Majesty has entered the court."

"Um."

Zhao Dezhao also went with the official in charge of rites.

During the wedding ceremony, as the son was about to depart, the father performed the ritual in the main hall.

The ritual, which can also be considered a toasting ceremony, is something the old father is most skilled at, so he is especially happy today and is breaking his vow of abstinence from alcohol in the name of his second son.

After the master of ceremonies arranged the seats, the father and son entered one after the other.

Today, the father and son look quite alike, both wearing red-collared robes and turbans.

After Zhao Kuangyin took his seat, he faced south and smiled as he looked towards the doorway.

When children get married, especially the husband, the adults in the family are usually pleased, and even officials are not immune to this custom.

Not to mention myself, when Emperor Xuanzu arranged the marriage between the Emperor and Empress He, he probably looked just as happy.

Starting a family and establishing a career should be a constraint in the blood of the Chinese people. For ordinary people, once they achieve this, it is as if they have broken free of their shackles and fulfilled their wishes.

When Zhao Dezhao entered the hall, the master of ceremonies poured wine into a cup and handed it to Zhao Kuangyin.

After accepting the wine, Zhao Dezhao bowed twice, and Zhao Kuangyin immediately offered him more wine.

After the tedious formalities were completed, the sky grew a little darker.

At that time, the father and son stood quietly in front of the hall.

"As you wished, I had a long talk with Qi Wuhao, which led to this auspicious union today."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Dezhao pursed his lips, not daring to ask what was on his mind.

Was this really something you orchestrated, Grandpa?

"Once you start a family, the first thing you should do is have children so that the Song dynasty can have more descendants."

This is both casual advice and a performance indicator.

The saying "many children, many blessings" didn't apply to Zhao Kuangyin, unlike Emperor Taizu of Song, who was nearly sixty and still had young children...

"Father, if I have too many children, where in the Song Dynasty will I receive an imperial edict?"

This statement was also quite sarcastic, not for any particular reason, but simply because his fiancée already held the title of Lady of Korea, while he did not yet possess a royal title…

Given such circumstances, how could Zhao Dezhao not secretly rebel?

Zhao Kuangyin understood the implication, smiled slightly, and said.

"The world is not yet at peace. If I send this letter and that letter, outsiders will think that I have unified the world and am treating my relatives well."

A lady's title and a peerage are not the same thing; a title is not as good as a real peerage.

The seven kings of Han, the eight kings of Jin, the Liu Song dynasty of the Southern Dynasties, the Qi-Liang transition of the Xiao family, and the Qin king who forced his father to kill his brother in the early Tang dynasty—all these have led to numerous instances of dynastic chaos within the imperial clans throughout the centuries.

Shouldn't we learn a lesson from history?

Naturally, Emperor Zhao learned from this, but the later Han emperor, Emperor Taizu, bestowed titles and honors upon them without any restraint...

This is enough to prove that history teaches no lessons; things will remain the same as before.

The wheels of war roll on, the tide of the world is unstoppable, and no one can halt this torrent of iron horses.

At the gate, Zhao Kuangyin watched quietly as his eldest son boarded the elephant-drawn carriage and drove towards the Grand Tutor's residence in the procession of ceremonial guards on both sides.