If you traveled back to ancient times, while others ate Guanyin clay, you would actually have giant

The fire pot, like a flying phoenix, trails a long tail of flame as it streaks across the dark night sky.

As the music reached its climax, sparks suddenly flew out from all around, exploding and scattering in all directions.

"Is this a metal fireworks display?"

"so amazing."

"It's incredible."

You can vaguely see the surroundings. Two men are working together. One throws a red-hot ore into the air, while the other hits it hard with a thick wooden board. The ore then flies around like a sky full of stars.

The Empress, who had remained unmoved all night, could no longer contain her excitement.

"beautiful."

Four words were enough to make the emperor beside him extremely happy.

The entire performance lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and everyone was still not satisfied.

"It's gone?"

"It seems like they're watching."

Women, in particular, enjoy this type of visual performance even more.

"Humph, it's just a small trick."

Seeing Zhou Wu's outstanding performance, Song Zhongji was clearly jealous, while Li Zheng's eyes were filled with malice.

He had prepared a valuable gift in hopes of earning praise from his father and mother, but to his surprise, his gift paled in comparison to the dazzling array of gifts from the other delegations.

Zhou Wu's performance earned him praise from his father and mother, which filled him with resentment towards Zhou Wu.

"Hey, how come it's gone?"

As the fire-breathing and iron-sparkling performances came to an end, the Empress gradually regained her composure. Upon seeing this, Li Tiancheng spoke with a hint of reproach.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please look at the sky."

"The sky? It's pitch black, there's nothing there."

The sky was pitch black, and there was indeed nothing there. No one knew what Zhou Wu was up to.

Just as everyone was questioning, a loud bang suddenly came from the dark sky, followed by two, three, and so on.

Then, colorful fireworks exploded in the sky, stunning the entire capital.

Fortunately, the soldiers Zhou Wu had arranged in advance were maintaining order on the streets of the capital, which prevented some accidents from happening.

At the birthday banquet, everyone was so shocked that they were speechless.

"What...what...what is this...divine magic?"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, these are fireworks. Setting off fireworks is a way to pray for Your Majesty and Your Majesty, and for the Great Dragon Empire."

"Good good."

The usually composed Empress uttered three "good"s in a row, clearly indicating that Zhou Wu's success today pleased her, and naturally, His Majesty was pleased as well.

On the streets of the capital.

"Is this a miracle?"

"The gods have appeared."

The people knelt down in droves, but fortunately, soldiers persuaded and explained that these were fireworks set off to pray for the Empress's well-being, and that they were created by human hands, not by ghosts or gods.

Tonight is destined to be a day that will be recorded in history.

Foreign envoys, upon seeing this, had even more to think about.

"Has the Great Dragon Empire reached this point?"

"Have they really mastered immortal techniques?"

"Divine intervention?"

In ancient times, people would associate anything they encountered with ghosts or monsters. However, since they were foreigners, Zhou Wu didn't arrange for anyone to explain it to them; it was better to scare them a little.

The fireworks display lasted for a full half hour, a period later referred to as the descent of the gods.

Although many people know it was done by human hands, they prefer to believe that it was a divine intervention to protect the Great Dragon Empire.

. . . . . . . . .

The Fourth Prince's Mansion.

"I don't believe it, I don't believe it. Zhou Wu must have mastered the power of ghosts and gods, he must have."

Li Zheng thought of Zhou Wu, whom he had repeatedly provoked, who actually controlled terrifying and mysterious ghostly power. In his eyes, wasn't he just an ant?

Thinking of this, Li Zheng suddenly couldn't catch his breath and went mad. He kept apologizing to everyone he saw in the mansion and kneeling down to beg for forgiveness.

The servants summoned the imperial physician, but after examination, the physician couldn't pinpoint the cause, only saying that the person had been excessively frightened and needed to be recuperated.

On the second day after the Empress's birthday, it was rumored that the Fourth Prince was seriously ill, but the specific illness remained unknown.

The only thing everyone knew was that the Fourth Prince was recuperating in seclusion and refused to see any outsiders.

Zhou Wu was the biggest contributor to the entire birthday banquet, and the Crown Prince also benefited from it because he was in charge of the banquet with Zhou Wu.

Not only did Li Tiancheng praise Zhou Wu highly, but even the Empress, who was usually not good at expressing herself, praised Zhou Wu to everyone she met.

As a result, Zhou Wu, who originally planned to leave after the birthday banquet, became a target for courtship by high-ranking officials and dignitaries in the capital because of his outstanding performance at the banquet.

Often, Zhou Wu was powerless to do anything about it and could only struggle to cope.

That day, Zhou Wu had just come out of the palace when he met Duke Lu Da of Lu at the palace gate.

"Oh, isn't this Lord Zhou? Lord Zhou has been quite busy lately!"

Hearing that sarcastic voice, Zhou Wu knew that he couldn't escape today.

"Brother, what are you saying? Today I'm hosting. Come to my house, and we'll drink until we drop."

Lu Da had promised to treat the other party to a drink. He was the kind of person who couldn't remember important matters, but he would never forget a drinking party.

"That's more like it. Send someone to fetch the eldest brother."

"Yes, yes, yes, I'll send someone to fetch him right away, don't worry, brother."

Lu Da nodded in satisfaction.

The Duke of Gu's Mansion.

During the Empress's birthday banquet, officials in the capital were unusually cautious and busy. Now that it was finally over, Gu Xinyuan was preparing to rest at home for a few days, but his plans were ruined.

"Who did you say your husband was with?"

"My master was intercepted by the Duke of Lu on his way back to the mansion, and he asked me to invite the Duke of Gu to have a drink together."

“Tell them I’m sick.”

Although Gu Xinyuan and Lu Da are good brothers, that's all they do, except when it comes to drinking.

"promise."

"and many more."

"What are your orders, Duke?"

"Oh well, so be it. I'm going now."

I originally wanted to feign illness to avoid it, but then I thought that Lu Da would definitely use this as an excuse to harass me later, so I decided to end it quickly rather than suffer for a long time.

Zhou House.

"Brother, why are you so late? Zhou Wu said we can't start the feast if you don't come. You'll have to punish yourself by drinking three bowls of rice first."

When Gu Xinyuan arrived, Lu Da and Zhou Wu were already seated, and the table was full of dishes. Hearing that he was to be punished with three bowls of rice, Gu Xinyuan was thinking that he might as well accept the punishment, but when he saw that there was actually Niu Lan Shan (a type of herbal tea) on the table.

"And this?"

"Brother, you're joking. We're all here with Zhou Wu now, who would still drink that fermented rice water?"

Although Lu Da has made some money from seaweed, his wife controls all the money. He can drink Niu Lan Shan occasionally, but she won't allow him to drink it with every meal, since it's not cheap.

So when Lu Da arrived at Zhou Wu's house today, he acted as if it were New Year's Day, and directly overstepped his bounds by having Zhou Wu's servants bring up several jars of Niu Lan Shan (a type of herbal tea), which startled Zhou Wu.

This is legitimate baijiu (Chinese white liquor), not a fermented rice drink.

“My dear brother, let’s change our cups. Good wine should be savored.”

"Yes, yes, brother is right."

At this point, Zhou Wu didn't care about seniority anymore. Calling him "elder brother" wouldn't hurt, and it would also bring them closer. He hoped that Lu Da would consider their brotherly bond and exchange the cup for a smaller one.