Chapter 003: Big and small scoundrels
After entering the hall, Empress Lu looked around alone. There was not a single palace maid in the hall and the wind was cold. Although the Pepper Room had the function of keeping warm, for some reason, the hall was surprisingly cold. Empress Lu said nothing and prepared to change clothes.
"Mother~~~~"
A burst of crying broke the solemn atmosphere in the hall, and a little thing started crying and screaming.
Empress Lu was stunned. The main hall of the Pepper House was very large, with four inner rooms. The sound came from the innermost room.
When Empress Lu walked into the small room, Liu Chang was lying on the couch, his eyes blurred with tears, looking very aggrieved.
"What's wrong with you?"
"I was hit by someone on my way to school. The doctor said I need to recuperate for two... six months."
"Which doctor said that?"
"Uh... that imperial physician with a beard."
Empress Lu stared at him coldly. Under Empress Lu's gaze, Liu Chang could not help but shrink his head into the felt and whispered, "You have to believe me, mother."
"What trouble have you gotten yourself into? Your father asked me to send someone to take you to Xuanshi Palace."
"ah?"
Liu Chang finally stopped pretending. He sat up suddenly and asked, "Go see father?"
"Mom, can I not go? I'm injured, I need to recover before I go, right?"
"no."
"Mother~~"
Liu Chang jumped off the couch and rushed towards Lu Hou. Lu Hou was almost knocked over by this little thing. She finally caught the little thing and saw Liu Chang looking at her eagerly.
Empress Lu reached out her hand to wipe his snot, stared at him coldly, and asked, "What trouble have you caused again?"
"I didn't go to school... I bumped into someone... I spat on someone the day before yesterday... the day before yesterday..."
"Okay, no need to say more... that's enough."
"Wow, mother, I don't dare go alone! Can you bear to see me beaten half to death?"
Seeing Liu Chang crying and wiping his tears and snot all over himself, Empress Lu glared at him with a hint of disdain, then stood up helplessly and said, "Let's go, I'll take you to find your father."
Liu Chang held Empress Lu's hand and skipped towards the Xuanshi Hall.
In the entire palace, his mother treated him the best.
Liu Chang was not interested in history, so he was unable to find anything useful from his memory.
In this era, he only knew about Liu Bang, Fan Kuai, Zhang Liang, Xiao He, and Han Xin. He knew these people because he remembered the Hongmen Banquet in middle school. He only remembered Fan Kuai eating meat and drinking wine, and Liu Bang running away.
He did know about the Reign of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing and Emperor Wu of Han, but he couldn't remember the names of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing. Emperor Wu should be called Liu Che, but he should be much younger than himself.
As for the famous Empress Lü in history, he didn't know much. It seemed that she had been in power for a period of time and had killed princes. His memory was vague and he only knew a little about her.
This could perhaps be seen as a failed time travel and possession. The native Liu Chang gained some vague future and the ability to do things, but everything else, such as his deep feelings for his mother, his fear of his father, his hatred for learning, his desire for beef... remained the same as before, without any change.
Oh, by the way, Liu Chang loves to eat meat, especially beef. He cannot live without meat. Sometimes when Liu Bang held a family banquet within the royal family, this guy would eat a lot. He would even steal some and hide it in his sleeves and take it back to eat. He was beaten by Liu Bang for this.
Liu Chang didn't know why. Although Liu Bang obviously liked to eat meat, he rarely ate beef. Unless there were big events, he only ate pork and mutton. A Confucian scholar once advised Liu Bang that pork was eaten by lowly people, and it was against etiquette for Liu Bang, as an emperor, to eat pork.
So Liu Bang ordered this Confucian scholar to raise pigs for the rest of his life.
And Empress Lu knew that Liu Chang liked to eat beef, so she would bring him some beef whenever she had the chance.
Liu Chang had followed Empress Lu since he was a child and was raised by her. He was the most favored among many princes. Other princes trembled in front of Empress Lu, but only Liu Chang dared to make a scene in front of her. Not only did he dare to make a scene, he also dared to wipe his snot on her.
Empress Lu herself did not expect that she would have to return to the Xuanshi Hall so soon.
When Liu Bang saw her this time, he was indeed a little surprised.
Why did you send him here in person?
Empress Lu took the little guy's hand, pushed him in front of Liu Bang, sat aside, and looked at them calmly.
Liu Chang was of course afraid of the famous Emperor Gaozu of Han in history. To be honest, he had not met his father very many times since he was born. His mother was by his side every day, but as for his father... he could only see him once every three or four months.
Most of the time Liu Chang saw his father, it was when he was being beaten.
When Liu Bang beat the children, he was really cruel. He treated the children as if they were Qin soldiers. No, he didn't even beat the Qin soldiers that cruelly.
Standing in front of Liu Bang, Liu Chang's little face turned pale. He looked helplessly at his mother beside him, hoping that she could take him back.
Liu Bang held the bamboo slips in his hand and glanced at Liu Chang from time to time. Although he didn't say anything, he felt a strong sense of oppression.
"Tell me...what good things did you do today?"
Liu Chang blinked his eyes and said cunningly: "I was hit by someone on the way to class."
"Does the Han Dynasty's Imperial Censor have nothing better to do than to come and play with a little kid like you?"
"He left in a hurry and didn't see me. I was in so much pain that I went back to rest..."
"Ah."
Liu Bang slowly put down the bamboo slips, squinted his eyes and asked: "Then let me ask you, did you spit on Mao Gong's face the day before yesterday?"
Hearing Liu Bang's words, Empress Lu narrowed her eyes, and her expression was exactly the same as Liu Bang's. She asked softly, "Oh? There is also this matter?"
Liu Bang said angrily, "Yes! I specially asked a great sage to teach this boy, but he actually spit on his face? How can a disciple insult his teacher like this?!"
Liu Chang said hurriedly: "He was the first to say that Mozi was a beast without a king or father!!"
"Then Xunzi and Mencius also scolded Mozi. Do you want to dig up their graves?"
Liu Chang puffed up his face and was very angry, but he couldn't say anything.
"You are going too far! Young people should respect the elderly. This is what I have always told you. Besides, he taught you knowledge and is your teacher!"
This time it was Empress Lu who spoke.
"Yeah, how could you do this to a great scholar?!"
Liu Bang spoke up and echoed.
The relationship between the two old couples, who had not had any common topics for a long time, had almost reached a freezing point. However, thanks to Liu Chang's unremitting efforts, they were able to get in sync with each other, which was rare. They finally reached a consensus and began to criticize each other one by one. Their cooperation was very wonderful.
Liu Chang was stunned. He shouted, "Mom, you are my mother, how can you speak for him?!"
Liu Bang shouted, "She is still my wife, why can't she speak for me? I have known her for decades, how long has she known you?"
"I'm telling you, elder. You're young, so we didn't scold you for misbehaving on weekdays, but we won't spoil you forever! Look at your brothers. Which one of them is like you?"
Empress Lu frowned and her tone became increasingly cold.
"Yes, if you dare to make trouble again, I won't be the only one to beat you up. I will do it together with your mother to let you know what it means to be a loving parent!"
The two cursed for a long time. Liu Chang lowered his head, crossed two fingers together, and kept fiddling with them.
Liu Bang and Lu Hou looked at each other, and Liu Bang suddenly blinked.
"Since you don't want to study, forget it. Just don't study with those people for the time being..."
When Liu Bang said this, Liu Chang suddenly raised his head and asked, "Really?"
"Of course it's true. Don't follow those great people to study in the future."
At that moment, Liu Chang cried for joy. He did not expect that this day would come so soon. He could finally say goodbye to those dry and difficult to understand articles and no longer have to listen to those people chanting. He excitedly rushed into Liu Bang's arms, ready to give a big kiss to this good emperor who cared about the people.
Liu Bang hugged him and said, "But such a good talent cannot be wasted. From now on, you can study with your brothers."
Liu Bang's smiling face once again told Liu Chang a fact: your father is still your father.
Liu Chang's smile froze on the spot, and his lips, which were originally about to kiss Liu Bang, suddenly began to tremble. If he spit now, would he be beheaded?
Just like that, Liu Chang left the Xuanshi Hall with a sad face. The young Liu Chang silently swore in his heart: One day when I have power in my hands, I will kill all the test-takers in the world.
After sending away his disobedient youngest son, Liu Bang could no longer hold back and laughed out loud.
Although there was no smile on Empress Lu's face, it was not as cold as before, "The emperor of the Han Dynasty is plotting against a little kid."
"Why? Shouldn't I?"
"Should."
"Actually, this kid is very smart, but unfortunately his mind is not on studying... However, we have to pay more attention to him in the future, otherwise, with his personality, he will definitely cause big trouble when both of us are gone."
"yes."
Liu Bang suddenly sighed, shook his head, and asked, "Do you know why I suddenly want to change the crown prince?"
Empress Lu's face suddenly turned cold and she said nothing.
"It's not that I no longer like Ying, it's because I love him too much... You also know that a weak person cannot be a good emperor. Look at the people in the country, each of them has different intentions. On the surface, they are extremely respectful to me, but secretly they are training soldiers and preparing food and grass... What do they want to do?"
"If one day I am no longer here, will Ying be able to control them? If the crown prince is not replaced, then I can only clear those obstacles for him..."
Liu Bang was a little excited when he spoke, his eyes were red, and he almost cried. He reached out and grabbed Empress Lu's hand, staring into her eyes, "I really don't want to fight with them... Can you understand me?"
Empress Lu frowned but did not pull her hand away, as if she was thinking about something.
Liu Bang remained sad until the prime minister came to report to him.
The gangsters in Pei County are no longer the same gangsters as before, but Xiao He is still the same as before, thrifty and easy-going. These are Xiao He's two biggest labels. He always has a smile on his face. This smile is very natural and emanates from the bottom of his heart, which makes Xiao He have an outstanding affinity.
Liu Bang liked to discuss troublesome matters with Xiao He, because no matter what difficulties they encountered, Xiao He's smile could always give others great confidence. As long as Xiao He kept smiling, everything would be fine.
Xiao He had many friends, and everyone trusted and respected him.
Xiao He was indeed not young anymore. As he grew older, his face became more kind and his smile became more touching.
"Your Majesty seems to be worried?"
"Alas, Zhou Chang just came over and made a big scene."
Liu Bang raised his head, looked at Xiao He with a melancholy expression, and asked, "Do you know why I suddenly want to change the crown prince?"
Xiao He was stunned and did not say anything. In the temple, Xiao He was one of the few ministers who did not get involved in this matter. As the prime minister, he did not speak out in the prince turmoil, did not support Liu Ying, nor did he support Liu Ruyi. He just quietly became a spectator.
Liu Bang said solemnly: "It's not that I no longer love the prince, it's because I have some concerns. The power of the Lu family is growing stronger and stronger. I am old, and the prince dare not disobey his mother in the slightest. Many ministers in the court are in collusion with the Lu family... Even my Liu Hou is willing to give her advice..."
Liu Bang asked sadly: "What should I do?"
Xiao He replied calmly: "Your Majesty, don't worry. Although the prince is young, he has the spirit of a wise ruler. Moreover, the prince is young and strong..."
