Seeing the time, Xia Zheng's eyes twinkled as he clutched his stomach and said to the Old Emperor, "In anticipation of your palace banquet, I didn't eat anything at lunchtime. Now I'm so hungry, my stomach is sticking to my back. I won't accompany you for this wretched tea anymore; I'm off to find something to eat at the banquet."
"Off you go, and don't bother me here," the Old Emperor said, waving his fists as if shooing away a fly, as though he wished never to lay eyes on this fellow again.
When a banquet was held in the palace, there were time constraints for entry. Once the time arrived, the palace gates would be closed, only reopening after the banquet concluded. Except under special circumstances, the gates were not to be opened during this period.
