a minister to three emperors—an official who stays in power under different regimes;a time-server
❍ 我们这里就数这个～打吆啊。(草明《原动力》25) We’ve only the time-server here who gives the orders.
三朝元老sān cháo yuán lǎo
过去指历任三个皇帝或三个朝代的大臣，现多泛指几个历史时期都参与的人。the founding members of many dynasty, minister to three emperors