June 16

The Emperor gazed on the long possession from his throne in Changan. It's the day of the Eternal Blue Sky again and tribute was being collected from all over the empire, exotic woods from palestine, wool from the British Isles, polished furniture from Gaul and gems from Turkestan. Not all tribute are in commodities, some are in blood. Several cities within China itself were sacked after their inhabitants attacked the convoys hoping to claim some booty for themselves.

The Emperor is extremely happy today, not because the tributes are exceptionally rich this year. The fact is that for once, some of the "gifts" weren't tribute at all but truly gifts. Sincere friends have remembered the time of the Eternal Blue Sky and sent tokens of appreciation from distant lands. A slight smile appeared on the Emperor's face.

It's good to have friends.