Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 297 Emperor Gaozu Returns Home
Liu Bang was walking alone on the road to Pei County.

Before this, he had already been to Fengyi——

Because many people there were moved to Xinfeng to accompany the retired Emperor Liu Yan, the place was far less lively than Liu Bang remembered.

Liu Bang also pointed to the land that his father had cultivated for decades and said:
"When the Emperor was alive, he often blamed me for not working, and worried that I would have no wealth and a hard life in the future."

"How does the Emperor know that Your Majesty is carrying the Mandate of Heaven?" the accompanying ministers asked flatteringly.

For this,

Liu Bang just smiled, put his hands behind his back and stared at the field that had lost its owner.

Now,
Even if he wanted to hear people scolding him, he couldn't.

Afterwards, the carriage continued on its journey and arrived at the neighboring Pei County.

Liu Bang's feelings for Pei County became even deeper.

If Fengyi is the place where he was born and grew up,
Pei County was the place where Liu Bang lived through his troubled years.

This was the place Liu Bang came to when he went out alone for the first time.

It is also the main reason that helped him seize the Mandate of Heaven.

Can anyone think of,

How could a small county like Pei produce so many wise and capable ministers and generals, and most of them follow him?
"Pei County has also changed..."

Liu Bang pointed at the streets of Pei County, saying what shop this was and what that looked like in the past.

Then, he put his arm around Crown Prince Liu Ying's shoulders and said to his growing eldest son:
"My boy, remember this: your father has been here for decades. When you become an emperor in the future, you must not forget your roots!"

"The elders and fellow villagers here are all your elders and relatives!"

Liu Ying looked around and nodded seriously.

Liu Bang laughed twice and pushed his son away again.

He drew out his sword, drew a horizontal line on the ground, told others not to follow him, and said he wanted to walk alone on the streets of Pei County.

The ministers were worried that the emperor would be in danger.

But Liu Bang said, "You have lived in Pei County since childhood, so you are familiar with everything. How could there be any problem?"

"Don't follow me!"

The old emperor held up his sword, pointed at his ministers and the prince, said this, then turned around and ran down the street.

His movements were more agile than his age.

After making sure that no one was following him, Liu Laosan put his hands behind his back, hummed the popular tune in Fengpei, and walked and stopped along the road he was familiar with.

Just like Fengyi,
After a long time,
So many people and things have changed.

“Surabaya Tavern…”

Liu Bang stopped in front of a building covered in dust and spider webs. He raised his head, squinted his eyes, and stared at the dilapidated shop.

The shop sign had long since fallen off, and many of the building materials had been removed, presumably to have been turned into firewood.

The house was shabby and there was a lot of moss in front of the door.

But Liu Bang still remembered its name.

Because this was the shop where Cao sold wine in the past.

The woman who bore him his firstborn son,

The woman who never despised Liu Laosan for being idle and was willing to live with him and let him use her body and drinks for free,
Many years ago,
She ran her own small business in this place and helped Liu Laosan entertain his friends many times.

When you are full of food and drink,

Liu Bang would nap on Cao's bed, and soon he would hear Cao's voice urging him to marry her home.

"Liu Ji!"

"When will you marry me!"

"I don't even want your money, but I'm willing to pay for a tavern!"

"Do you still want a wife in this life?"

When he pushed open the rotten door and walked into the building, Liu Laosan seemed to hear Cao's voice again.

He stood at the place where he used to drink, looked around, and finally hugged the sword in his arms with a nostalgic smile on his face.

In the darkness, another voice asked him:
"Liu Laosan, Liu Laosan, you are a very busy man now!"

"Are your friends still around?"

"Are your relatives still around?"

"Will you regret leaving your abundant and carefree life to embrace your destiny?"

Of course I don’t regret it!

A real man, born into this world, should accomplish something great!
Thinking so, Liu Bang finally couldn't help but burst into laughter in the deserted old tavern.

immediately,

He turned and left,

He walked out of the old house that had once held many of his past life experiences.

Cao,

And those friends who used to sit with him and talk about everything.
They were all left behind by Liu Ji.

Liu Bang reappeared in the sunlight outside the tavern.

In the rippling sunshine,

Lu Zhi walked over under the swaying shade of the trees.

Liu Bang pointed his sword at her and asked the same question he had asked when he suddenly saw his wife while hiding in Mangdang Mountain: "What are you doing here?"

Lu Zhi also made the same response as before -

She rolled her eyes at her older husband, ran her hands through her wind-blown hair, and said bluntly, "Of course I came to see you!"

"How can I feel at ease if you come out alone?"

"Oh!"

Liu Bang then sheathed his sword, beckoned to Lü Zhi, and called her to come to him, "Come!"

"Please sit with me for a while!"

The most distinguished couple of the Han Dynasty sat on the ground in front of a shabby tavern.

Their backs were shrouded in shadows,

But her face welcomes the bright sunshine.

The couple, who were no longer young, were both silent, and no one knew what was in their minds.

Lü Zhi knew,

This place was Cao's restaurant back then.

This is the place where Liu Bang had sex and made love with other women. Even now, Liu Laosan stopped here, perhaps because he was missing the woman he abandoned.

But that's okay,
She doesn't care.

Liu Bang also knew that

The reason why Lu Zhi came to see him was not necessarily because of him as a person, but because she was more interested in the Emperor of Han.

But that's okay,
He doesn't care either.

The closest and most distant relatives are the true couple!
And as the couple cuddled together in the sun and in the shadow,
A group of children came running over laughing.

In this era of transition from youth to adulthood,

What Han Emperor?
What is the country and the people?
What rules and regulations?
None of them can restrain a group of children who want to play.

They showed the greatest respect to the emperor.

Just leave those bustling streets and run to this dilapidated and desolate side to play.

The leader of the children rushed forward holding a wooden sword.

The other kids kept making “oh oh oh” sounds and jumped behind him.

Liu Bang watched this scene with a smile, and then he noticed that the child king was wearing a very familiar bamboo crown on his head.

So he suddenly raised his hand and called out to the child, "Child King!"

"Child King!"

"Can you show me the bamboo crown on your head?"

The child came over and said to the old man sitting on the ground rudely, "Who are you and why are you looking at my bamboo crown?"

Liu Bang smiled and said, "Because this bamboo crown looks very similar to the one I made before!"

Liu Laosan has had a dissolute personality since childhood and likes beautiful clothes and hats.

However, due to financial constraints, she could only satisfy herself by handcrafting, and she created many new styles of crowns.

right now,

He could not have imagined that a hat he made would be worn on the head of a little child, who looked so proud and resembled his former style.

Of course,
Liu Laosan thought of his past.

But the child wouldn't give it to him.

"Nonsense, I picked up this bamboo crown from the ground. It was almost rotten at the time. It took me a long time to fix it!"

"How could I be deceived by a white-haired old man like you with just one sentence!"

The other kids chimed in, “Right!”

"The king's bamboo crown is not for everyone to see!"

"Don't be rude!"

When Lu Zhi heard the children's laughter and words, she suddenly felt unhappy.

She introduced Liu Bang's identity, "He is the emperor of the Han Dynasty. How can you claim to be king in front of him?"

"Ah, just a kid!"

Liu Bang stopped Lu Zhi from scolding him and said nonchalantly, "Children's words are innocent, let them be!"

The child king was not frightened by Lü Zhi, and raised his hand and said, "Is the emperor very majestic?"

"Then I will be the emperor someday!"

Liu Bang was so amused that he burst into laughter.

He said to Lü Zhi, "It seems that this 'Son of Heaven' is a really good thing. Everyone wants to be one!"

then,

He took out the sword from his arms and said to the child, "Child King!"

"Excuse me, can I exchange this sword for this bamboo crown?"

"This is a priceless sword!"

Liu Bang deliberately pulled out the sword a little to show off its brilliance and sharpness in front of the child.

The child was really attracted.

He exclaimed in surprise, and immediately threw away the wooden sword in his hand, and even made a pinky promise with Liu Bang, "You are not allowed to regret it!"

"Whoever regrets will be a puppy!"

Liu Bang stretched out his hand with a smile, hooked his fingers with the child, and made an oath.

The child took the sword and lowered his head towards Liu Bang, "Here!"

then,

Liu Bang took off the bamboo crown on his head, held it in his hand and looked at it carefully.

The bamboo crown bears traces of time, but the child's restoration has given it a new look.

"so good!"

Liu Bang smiled faintly at Zhu Guan.

His laughter mixed with the children's laughter, bringing a sudden gust of wind.

Liu Bang asked Lu Zhi to help him put on the bamboo crown, then he stood up and went to meet his ministers.

The prodigal son of Pei County,

In the end, he still has to return to his existing position, waiting for his legendary fate and the end.

Three days later,
After drinking and feasting with his fellow villagers and singing as he walked, the Han emperor set out again for Chang'an.

Not long after returning to Chang'an,

The emperor soon fell ill.

Under the care of the Taihang doctors, he managed to hold on until Liu Ying came of age.

then,

He collapsed during the crowning ceremony of the crown prince and never woke up again.

When Liu Bang was dying, he said to his wife, children and ministers who were crying around him, "What's the pity?"

"I have been entrusted by heaven to this day, so how can I refuse the life span set for me by heaven?"

"Don't be sad for me, and don't blame the doctors who take care of me."

"According to the old rules of the Emperor, give them some money and let them leave!"

After all,

Liu Bang closed his eyes, his face showing no trace of pain from his injury, only calmness.

(End of this chapter)