Fifty-one Taishang (11700 plus more)

  In the tenth year of Han, the seventy-year-old Taishang Huang gradually became ill and Emperor Gao was worried about his old father, so he moved him to Linyuan Palace.

  Emperor Taishang Liu Ang was born in Feng County, lived a mundane life, married and had children, and did not stand out from others in any way. However, he became famous throughout the land in his old age because he had a son who became an emperor.

  In the sixth month of summer, Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang brought his son to the Han Palace in Luoyang to serve his ailing father. The imperial physicians of the Han Palace sent over countless precious and rare medicines like flowing water, and for a time, the Han Palace in Luoyang was as bustling as the gates of the great Han dynasty.

  Even the best medicine can cure diseases but cannot reverse aging.

  That day, Liu Ying pushed open the curtain and came in to see her grandfather. The maid attending at the bedside of the emperor reported in a low voice, "The Supreme Emperor is still sleeping."

  "These days, Taishang's sleeping time has been getting longer and longer." Her voice was soft and anxious with worry.

  "Uh-huh." Liu Ying responded softly, indicating that he understood. He stood in front of his grandfather's bed, gazing at his grandfather's aged face, wrapped in a beautiful brocade quilt, with only a skeleton left under the loose and wrinkled skin.

  He didn't know how long he had sat there, but Liu Ang slowly came to and saw the figure kneeling in front of him. He murmured vaguely, "Yingzi..."

  "Grandson is here." He hastily replied, stretching out his hand to grasp his grandfather's thin hand.

  The dizziness faded away, and Liu Ang's line of sight cleared up. "Go and invite your father, the Emperor."

  Liu Bang entered the room, rubbing his hands and smiling, "Father's complexion is quite good today, it seems he has recovered greatly."

  Liu Ang sat up with a smile and said, "It's just a flash in the pan."

  Speechless for a moment.

  "Ah Jie," Liu Ang called out his son's nickname, looking at him with narrowed eyes, "When you were young, I thought you were too mischievous and unruly, never staying at home, making your mother and me worry about you all the time. But she couldn't have imagined that you would achieve such great things. Ha ha ha, my old Liu family has actually produced an emperor."

  Liu Bang also smiled, "Great kindness from parents, a child dare not forget for a single day."

  Liu Ang's gaze swept across the magnificent bedroom, finally falling on a young man in white clothes standing outside with his sleeves rolled up. "Father is just an ordinary person, how many people are there in the Han Dynasty, and the Xiongnu are still fighting, these national affairs, Father doesn't care about them, nor can he control them. But as for the Liu family's household matters, I think Father should still listen to my opinion."

  Liu Bang smiled and withdrew his hand, "Please speak, Father."

  "After you ascended the throne, you enfeoffed the entire Liu clan. Your elder brother was your biological older brother, although he died early, his bloodline still remains. Your sister-in-law is counting on you, how can you not give him an account?"

  "My father said," Liu Bang smiled and rolled up his sleeves, "I was just thinking that Ah Xin is still young. Since my father has spoken, I will make him a marquis tomorrow."

  Why just a marquis and not a king? Liu Ang wanted to ask his son, but thinking of the discord between Sanzi and his stepmother in the past, he sighed and closed his mouth. "Besides, when I was in the Chu camp that year, your daughter-in-law, although also a prisoner, served me with great care. If it weren't for her, this old bones would have been buried in the Chu camp long ago. For the sake of this kindness, you can't mistreat them mother and son."

  "Father," Liu Bang shifted uncomfortably, saying affectionately, "This time you've come, have you seen Ruyi? Ruyi is already ten years old, clever and lovely."

  Liu Ang was displeased in his heart and said, "You only have that ten-year-old child in your mind, but do you still remember your first wife's son? I've watched Ying'er grow up, she has a good temperament and is filial. What are you dissatisfied with? You're biased towards that young child whose character hasn't been established yet."

  "Father, Ying'er and Ruyi are generally your grandsons," Liu Bang pointed out sharply, "it's just that you've always been close to Ying'er, which is a bit biased."

  Liu Ang's face turned red with laughter, "I'm biased, aren't you too?" He said solemnly, "Ying'er and Ruyi, aren't they also your sons?"

  "Ying'er's gentle and weak nature would be no hindrance if he were a local official or a farmer, but if he were an emperor, I fear he would not be able to control his subordinates."

  "What's the point of being gentle and weak?" Liu Ang said nonchalantly, "Just practice a few times on the battlefield, and you'll be fine."

  Liu Bang raised his eyebrows and remained silent.

  After all, he is his own son, and his son is closer to him than his grandson. Liu Ang's heart softened again as he thought of the chubby and handsome child he had seen a few days ago, who was smiling and calling him "Grandpa" with a sweet voice. He let out a sigh of resignation.

  Forget it, forget it, forget it.

  What Aji said was also right, generally it's one's own grandson, after all who becomes the crown prince, what does it have to do with oneself? "Whatever," he said with his eyes closed, suddenly turning serious, "Aji, you must promise me one thing." His voice was extremely solemn.

  Liu Bang hastily smiled and said, "Father, you have given orders, how dare I disobey?"

  He took another look at the youth's profile outside the palace, then shifted his gaze away. "Ying'er, he is indeed a good child; no matter what, as his father, you must ensure his safety."

  Don't let him suffer unjust harm.

  "That's it." Liu Bang raised an eyebrow. "Look at what you're saying, Father. After all, he is still my son. How can I bear to treat him like that?"

  On September 9th of autumn in the seventh month, the Taishang Emperor passed away at Linyang Palace, aged 70.

  The Emperor's years were no longer light, and he suffered the pain of losing his father. Every day, he wore mourning clothes and cried bitterly in front of the coffin. Many people advised him to stop, but he couldn't. His eyebrows and eyes seemed to have aged ten years overnight. Only when his young son, Youyi, was by his side could he slightly ease up.

  On the twelfth day, amnesty was granted to prisoners in Yongyang. In front of the spirit, Luyi County was changed to Xinfeng and Taishang Huang was buried in Xinfeng. For many years, Taishang Hou had been thinking about her hometown, now she could be buried in Xinfeng City, which also fulfilled a wish in disguise.

  Liu Xin, the only son of Liu Chang's elder brother, was made Marquis of Jieyang. As his father had died early, Liu Xin succeeded to his grandfather's title and observed a three-year mourning period for him.

  The Crown Prince's wife, Chen Hu, changed into mourning clothes, the coarse hemp fabric had a raw earthy smell that made her, who was used to silk and gauze, feel very uncomfortable. But looking at the young man kneeling in front of the late emperor's spirit tablet, wearing a plain white hemp robe, she felt that no matter how great the hardship, it wasn't worth mentioning. —— He stood silently in front of his grandfather's spirit tablet, his face pale and tired, his expression wan, even though he didn't say a word, deep down, his respect and love for his grandfather was not one bit less than his father's.

  "Crown Prince." Chen Hu brought a bowl of clear water and food in front of Liu Ying and persuaded, "You eat something."

  Liu Ying was stunned for a moment before regaining his composure, glanced at his wife and said, "Take it back, I don't want to eat." His voice was dull and lifeless.

  Chen Hu's eyes suddenly turned red, "If this continues, you won't be able to hold on either."

  Liu Ying let out a sigh, picked up a rice cake, put it in her mouth, chewed for a few bites, and mechanically swallowed. Smiling, "It's better now."

  "Uncle is very sad." She suddenly heard a childish girl's voice beside her. Zhang Yan, wearing a mourning dress, walked up to her with his hands behind his back. Since the Taishang Emperor was Zhang Yan's great-grandfather, Zhang Yan wore a small mourning dress, which was made of coarser hemp fabric than the finer and whiter one, but it made her look even more lovely and innocent.

  She looked in the direction of the young man with herself.

  "Hmm." Chen Hu nodded, "He's been silent like this, I wanted to advise him, but he just smiled and said it was nothing."

  "My aunt said," Zhang Yan sighed, "when they were young, their grandfather would hold them in his arms and give them osmanthus sugar to eat. Their uncle must have thought of the old times."

  Chen Hu's sorrow was heartfelt, she loved that gentle youth, but when the youth suffered alone, she didn't know how to comfort him.

  Zhang Yan ran to Lu Yuan's side and pulled at his mourning clothes, "Mother, can I borrow a person from you?"

  "Huh?" Lu Yuan bent down and asked in surprise, "A Yan, what are you going to do?"

  "She smiled and said, 'I want him to buy some things for me.'"

  "Go to the Sun family's house in Xinfeng City, and buy a few river lanterns for me." Zhang Yan instructed the little servant named Changsheng, "Hmm, no matter how much it costs, what's most important is that you have to hurry up and bring them back to me quickly."

  "Ah." Changsheng replied, lifting his head with a smile, "So it's going to Luyi. The young lady calls it by its new name, but I'm just a lowly person who couldn't react in time."

  On the second day, she woke up at half past Chen, "Ah," Zhang Yan sighed while washing her face and grasped her own hand, "Every time I fall asleep again, how can you sleep so much?"

  "Are all little kids lazy?" Lianhua smiled and combed her hair, saying, "When you grow up, it will be fine naturally. — Ah, miss, the things you told Changsheng to buy have been delivered."

  Alright, I admit it, I also can't wait for Liu Bang's shoes to hurry up and die.

  PK countdown two and a half days.