Dahan first prince

Chapter 26 An old thing that doesn't know what to do?
"Your Majesty is here~"

"All officials welcome~"

Accompanied by a long chorus of dumb words, the Changxin Hall of Changle Palace finally welcomed the arrival of Emperor Liu Bang.

"I salute Your Majesty~"

"I only hope that Your Majesty will live forever and live forever~"

All the officials in the hall saluted again, and Liu Bang's voice finally appeared at the gate of the hall.

"Ah."

Seeing Liu Bang walk into the hall, he didn't see any intention of bowing his hands in return. He was greeted by all the officials and courtiers in the hall, walked straight from the door of the hall, and sat down on the imperial couch at the top.

"Let's all sit down."

After giving another lukewarm order, Liu Bang straightened up and looked at the people in the hall when the courtiers and officials took their seats on the east and west sides of the hall.

Unlike courtiers of later generations who stood up to listen to the hadith, or kneeled and prostrated, the court meetings of the Han Dynasty still retained a large part of the etiquette of the Warring States Period.

Take the Changxin Hall at this time as an example. The emperor Liu Bang sat facing south and sat on the head.

On the banquet laid on the east and west sides, all the officials and princes sat facing each other. In front of everyone, there was a short table three feet long and two feet wide.

In ordinary times, there are usually a few rolls of bamboo slips on the low table, either recording the contents of the courtiers' reports, or blank bamboo slips prepared for the officials to record the contents of the court meeting.

As for the empress Lu Zhi and the crown prince Liu Ying, they were on both sides of Liu Bang, a little lower, and they also sat facing south, facing the center of the hall.

Glancing sinisterly at Lu Zhi in the front right, Liu Bang was about to look towards the center of the hall, when he caught a glimpse of the front left from the corner of his eye, behind Liu Ying who was kneeling on the banquet, there seemed to be a few more elderly figures?
"Ok?"

Subconsciously let out a low voice of doubt, Liu Bang turned sideways involuntarily, and looked at the old men with a slightly stiff expression.

"I don't know how many...?"

Before Liu Bang could figure out how to ask the question, the four old men all turned around, bowed their hands solemnly, and bowed deeply to Liu Bang.

"Min Tang Bing, Cui Guang, Wu Shi, Zhou Shu, I respectfully bow to Your Majesty."

Hoarsely speaking the words of respect, the four old men put down their sticks and made a gesture to kneel down.

"hiss!!!"

When Liu Bang was stretching out his hand to help, in the huge Changxin Hall, the officials and meritorious officials couldn't help but gasp!
"Dongyuan Gong Tang Bing, Xiahuang Gong Cui Guang, Qili Ji Wu Shi, Lu (lù) Li Mr. Zhou Shu..."

"Shangshan Sihao!!!!!!"

Just hearing the names of the four people, all the officials in the palace stretched their necks involuntarily, wanting to see the face of the reclusive celebrity for themselves!
On the imperial steps, Liu Bang got up from the imperial couch with a stiff face, and pulled the four old men up before their knees touched the ground.

"Don't do it, don't do it!"

After the four old men straightened up hesitantly, Liu Bang adjusted his hat and bowed his hands.

"The four gentlemen are well-known far and wide, and they are approaching old age. I think I am the king of the world, and I can't afford the ceremony of kneeling and worshiping you..."

After speaking, Liu Bang forced himself to suppress his awkward mood, and bowed his hands to the four old men to express his respect.

Seeing that the emperor Liu Bang was like this, the people in the hall naturally had no reason to continue to sit still, so they couldn't help getting up one after another, and bowed to the four old men under the imperial steps.

"You are a latecomer, and I would like to bow to you gentlemen!"

In a short while, hundreds of Gonghou courtiers suddenly bowed in the huge Changxin Hall.

Seeing this, Liu Ying herself got up from the banquet and stepped aside humbly.

And at an angle that no one noticed, Emperor Liu Bang lowered his head a little, looked at the four dove sticks that were picked up from the ground again by the four old men, and his complexion darkened visibly with the naked eye.

——In today's Han Dynasty, the dove stick means the three elders of the village, the elders who are highly respected and can lead the people to do good!
And the four dove sticks in front of me were bestowed by Liu Bang himself...

"Old stuff that doesn't know what is good or bad!!!"

Gritting his teeth in his heart and scolding, Liu Bang also managed to put on a mild smile and signaled the four old men to sit down.

After Liu Bang sat back on the imperial couch, all the officials in the hall looked around for a while, and then knelt down on their respective seats.

But among the courtiers of the hundred officials, especially the courtiers of the teacher, except for Xiao He and a few old officials who could keep calm, the rest all showed a reverence that couldn't be concealed!

Looking at all this, Liu Bang's mood, which was not considered beautiful, suddenly became even worse...

"The four gentlemen don't eat Qin Su, and live in seclusion in Shangshan. Their virtuous names spread far and wide, and they are respected by people all over the world."

"I was ordered by the heavens to conquer the violent Qin Dynasty on behalf of the heavens, and then punish the violent kings such as Xiang Yu and Zang Tu in order to establish Han Zuo. It has been five years."

Seemingly speaking casually, Liu Bang's eyes suddenly narrowed, and he looked meaningfully to the front left, the four old men sitting on both sides of Liu Ying.

"However, I have repeatedly sent the ministers of the court to invite the four gentlemen to help me secure and support the people."

"I don't know why you gentlemen have repeatedly rejected my invitation?"

"Could it be that the millet of the Han Dynasty is not as sweet as the millet of the Qin Dynasty?"

As he said that, Liu Bang cast his eyes on Liu Ying who had just returned to the banquet, and looked at the four old men with a faint smile again.

"Now, why do you gentlemen go out of the mountain to become officials, so as to help the prince?"

"Could it be that my emperor is not as wise as the prince?"

"Or maybe I think that I am the Son of Heaven, but I am not enough to replace the herdsmen of Heaven and secure the peace of the world?!"

In the end, Liu Bang's tone has been raised unconsciously, and will reach the level of 'roaring'.

Realizing this, Liu Bang's expression froze for a moment, and he couldn't help but quickly returned to the previous indifferent expression of talking and laughing.

"Gentlemen, don't worry too much. I'm just curious, so I ask this question."

"If you are unwilling to answer, I will not force you."

After saying that, Liu Bang turned around slowly, and looked meaningfully at the courtiers and officials in the palace who still had reverence on their faces.

Hearing Liu Bang's series of venomous questions, Liu Ying couldn't help feeling anxious!
Just as he was about to defend his background, he saw a mild coughing sound not far away.

"Cough cough cough..."

Following the prestige, Lu Zhi lowered his head indifferently, and while wiping the corners of his mouth, stared sideways in Liu Ying's direction!

"Whoo~"

"Don't talk, don't open your mouth!"

"No matter what Liu Bang said, he didn't answer..."

Secretly calming down her anxious mood, Liu Ying quietly turned around, facing the courtiers and officials, her expression was dull and she was stunned.

Seeing this, Lu Zhi couldn't help heaving a sigh of relief in secret, and looked at the four old men pointingly, and followed Liu Ying's example, sitting under the side of the imperial couch, and installed clay statues.

At this moment, the four old men finally came to their senses, looked at each other for a while, and then they were born in Cui Guangzhan, who is known as Huang Shigong, and tremblingly cupped their hands.

"Your Majesty's words are not good enough."

"Your Majesty has repeatedly conscripted the people to become officials, and the people are sincere and fearful."

As he spoke, Cui Guang tremblingly raised his hand again, pointing to his nose and mouth.

"Ranchen and others are old, and can't speak perfectly..."

"Hang, chi, chi, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha..."

In the middle of speaking, Huangshi Gong Cui Guang suddenly stopped talking and coughed violently.

(End of this chapter)