Chapter 195

【Act I: A Lonely Official at the End of the Yuan, Sober in a Chaotic World】

The scene shifts to the Zhishun era of the Yuan Dynasty.

In Qingtian, Zhejiang, the young Liu Ji was exceptionally intelligent, able to "read ten lines at a glance and never forget them for life," especially studying astronomy, military strategy, and divination; the villagers regarded him as a genius.

He passed the imperial examination at twenty-three and entered the officialdom of the late Yuan.

The scene shows him as a local official, cracking down on powerful clans, rectifying administration, clearing up accumulated cases, and observing everything with clarity; the people called him "Blue Sky."

However, the Yuan Dynasty's mansion was about to collapse, and the rotten wood was hard to support.

The more seriously he worked, the more out of place he appeared in the surrounding corrupt and muddled officialdom.

Superiors ostracized him, colleagues mocked him, and powerful clans hated him.

Liu Ji submitted memorials to remonstrate directly several times, painfully detailing the ills of the time, but they all sank like stones into the sea.

In the scene, Liu Ji sits under a lamp late at night, looking at his memorials that were destined never to reach the emperor, and looks out the window at the dark night sky filled with faint smoke of war, letting out a heavy sigh.

"The Heavenly Dao is vast, how can one ask it? Human affairs are muddled, how can one save them?"

He saw clearly the incurable corruption of this dynasty and its inevitable fate of destruction.

【Act II: Hanging Up the Cap and Returning, The Hibernating Dragon of Qingtian】

Disheartened, Liu Ji resigned in anger and returned to his hometown in Qingtian, living in seclusion in the Nantian Mountains.

He was not truly retreating, but "living in seclusion to seek his ambition."

Every day he read and wrote, observed the stars, and deduced the state of the world.

Anti-Yuan forces were rising everywhere; Zhang Shicheng, Fang Guozhen, and even Chen Youliang later all sent people to invite him with heavy gifts.

In the scene, lobbyists fill his door, promising high official positions and generous salaries.

Liu Ji either closed his door and refused to see them or politely declined.

He commented on the heroes to his friends: "Zhang Shicheng is just a dog guarding a house; Chen Youliang is a rebellious jackal and wolf; Fang Guozhen has the nature of a pirate. None of them are lords who can restore order."

He was waiting, waiting for the true lord who could end the chaos and create peace.

"A good sword is not easily unsheathed; once unsheathed, it must slay demons, eliminate evil, and stabilize the mountains and rivers."

【Act III: The Ritual of Three Visits, A Gathering of Wind and Clouds】

In 1360 AD, Zhu Yuanzhang had already captured Jiqing (Nanjing), renamed it Yingtian Prefecture, proclaimed himself Duke of Wu, and was widely recruiting talent.

Hearing that there was a "Crouching Dragon" Liu Bowen in eastern Zhejiang, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the manager Sun Yan to carry heavy gifts and a personal letter to invite him repeatedly.

The scene shows:

The first time, Sun Yan was turned away;

The second time, Liu Ji claimed illness and did not come out;

The third time, Sun Yan knelt at the door for a long time, presenting a personal letter from Zhu Yuanzhang, who used earnest words and referred to himself as "this little one," stating directly: "The world is in chaos, the people are suffering, and I look up to you, sir, like dry seedlings looking for rain," and painfully detailing his ambition to save the people from fire and water.

Liu Ji was finally moved. He unfolded Zhu Yuanzhang's letter and asked Sun Yan many details about Zhu Yuanzhang's character, military management, and policy implementation.

Finally, he looked up at the stars for a long time and slowly said: "This is truly my lord."

He packed his bags and followed Sun Yan to Jinling.

"Zhu Yuanzhang's sincerity and potential moved this hibernating 'Dragon of Qingtian'."

【Act IV: The Strategy at Longwan, A Stunning Debut】

Not long after Liu Ji arrived in Yingtian, the test came.

Chen Youliang, wielding a massive naval force after annexing Xu Shouhui, sailed down the river, heading straight for Yingtian, banners blocking the sun, claiming six hundred thousand (actually two or three hundred thousand).

Zhu Yuanzhang gathered his civil and military officials to discuss, and everyone was afraid.

Some advocated surrender, some advocated abandoning Yingtian to avoid the enemy's edge, and some even advocated offering the city and paying tribute; it was a mess.

Zhu Yuanzhang's face was gloomy as he looked at the newly arrived Liu Ji.

Liu Ji remained silent until the noise died down, then he extended two fingers and tapped lightly on the map in front of him—the location was exactly Longwan (northwest of modern Nanjing).

"My lord, do not worry."

Liu Ji spoke, his voice calm, yet it suppressed all the noise.

"In the Heavenly Dao, those who strike later win. I have observed the stars; Venus is invading the Wings and Chariot constellations, indicating military disaster in the southeast, but the General Star remains in the Wu sector."

"Chen Youliang is an arrogant soldier coming from afar; although his momentum is great, his actions must be rash. The place where he abandons his boats to land must be Longwan."

"I will wait for the exhausted with ease, laying an ambush with elite troops at Jiangshan (Zhongshan) and the side of Shihuishan, luring his vanguard deep, and we can defeat him in one battle."

He not only predicted Chen Youliang's main attack direction but also proposed a complete ambush plan.

A general questioned: "Would Chen Youliang be so obedient?"

Liu Ji said lightly: "He relies on his many troops and looks down on us as newly surrendered and unstable; he will surely be greedy for merit and advance rashly. This is his path to death."

Zhu Yuanzhang slapped the table and decided: "We shall follow the gentleman's plan!"

The scene switches to the Longwan battlefield:

Chen Youliang's army indeed scrambled to land at Longwan, the vanguard advancing recklessly.

The ambushing troops of Chang Yuchun, Feng Sheng, and others suddenly killed their way out, and Zhu Yuanzhang personally led the main force to attack from both sides.

It was low tide, Chen Youliang's giant ships ran aground and could not move; the land army was in chaos, slaughtered until corpses littered the field, and the river water was dyed red.

Chen Youliang fled back in a small boat in a sorry state.

The great victory at Longwan shattered Chen Youliang's attempt to annex Zhu Yuanzhang in one stroke and stabilized Zhu Yuanzhang's foundation.

Liu Ji's name instantly resounded throughout the entire army.

In the scene, Zhu Yuanzhang held Liu Ji's hand and laughed loudly: "Sir is truly my Zhang Zifang!"

【Act V: The Strategic Outline, Chen First, Then Zhang】

After the Battle of Longwan, Zhu Yuanzhang's power grew greatly, but the situation of standing against the two major groups of Chen Youliang and Zhang Shicheng remained unchanged.

Who to fight first?

Most generals advocated fighting the weaker Zhang Shicheng first, because "pick the soft persimmon."

Liu Ji again stood against the crowd. At the military meeting, he pointed at the map and analyzed thoroughly:

"Chen Youliang occupies the upper reaches, his title is illegitimate, his nature is arrogant, and he borders us; he thinks of annexing us every day, so he is the heart-and-belly threat."

"Zhang Shicheng is just a captive guarding his home; his vessel is small and he lacks long-term strategy, only wanting to preserve his wealth in Jiangdong, so he is not worth worrying about."

"In the current situation, if we attack Zhang Shicheng first, Chen Youliang will surely come with his whole country to attack, and we will be attacked from front and back."

"If we attack Chen Youliang first, Zhang Shicheng is short-sighted and will surely watch the outcome, not daring to move lightly. Once Chen is destroyed, the grand trend of the world will be set, and Zhang Shicheng can be pacified with a single proclamation."

This is the famous strategic outline of "Chen first, then Zhang, then pacify the Central Plains from the north."

Zhu Yuanzhang deeply agreed and set this as the national policy.

In the following years, Zhu Yuanzhang concentrated all his strength to compete with Chen Youliang, experiencing the life-and-death battle of Lake Poyang, finally killing Chen Youliang and annexing his territory.

Turning back to deal with Zhang Shicheng, it was indeed as easy as taking something out of a bag.

Liu Ji's strategy grasped the main contradiction and avoided the predicament of fighting on two fronts, which can be called one of the most critical decisions on Zhu Yuanzhang's path to unification.

【Act VI: The Blueprint for Northern Expedition, Striking Straight at the Yellow Dragon】

After pacifying Jiangnan, Zhu Yuanzhang aimed to unify the world, but there were many opinions on how to launch a northern expedition against the Mongol Yuan.

Some advocated taking Dadu (Beijing) directly, some advocated pacifying Shandong first to cut off its arms.

Liu Ji again displayed his grand vision, offering a three-step strategy for the northern expedition.

"..."

"This is the strategy of 'cutting off its wings, digging out its heart, and striking straight at the nest'."

"The Yuan court's center of gravity is in the north, and our army has just pacified Jiangnan, so we need to fight steadily and strike steadily, gradually weakening them, and not engage in reckless fighting or rapid advancement."

Zhu Yuanzhang adopted this and ordered Xu Da and Chang Yuchun to launch the northern expedition according to this strategy.

The Ming army was like a bamboo being split, first pacifying Shandong, then taking Henan, breaking through Tongguan, and controlling the northwest.

Finally, they gathered and marched north, capturing Dadu in one stroke; Emperor Shun of Yuan fled north, and the Yuan Dynasty's rule in the Central Plains was declared at an end.

Liu Ji's northern expedition strategy was step-by-step, ensuring victory, minimizing military risks, and fully reflecting his steadiness and thoroughness as a "statesman."

【Act VII: Founding the Dynasty, Are the Birds Gone and the Bows Hidden?】

The Ming Dynasty was established, and Liu Ji was appointed as Censor-in-Chief, concurrently serving as the Grand Historian, participating in the formulation of the "Ming Code" and perfecting the ritual and music systems to rectify the court.

He enforced the law strictly, not avoiding the powerful, and even once insisted on severe punishment because a confidant of Li Shanchang broke the law, thus creating a grudge with Li Shanchang.

The scene shows Liu Ji speaking eloquently in the court, denouncing the arrogance and lawlessness of certain meritorious officials and veterans.

However, after the founding of the dynasty, the emperor's mindset and the situation of the meritorious officials often became subtle.

Liu Ji's personality was upright and he hated evil, offending a large group of Huaixi nobles led by Chancellor Hu Weiyong (a fellow villager and successor of Li Shanchang).

Hu Weiyong and others constantly slandered Liu Ji in front of Zhu Yuanzhang, falsely accusing him of having the "appearance of an emperor," having "kingly energy" in the Yang area of Qingtian, and wanting to plot a tomb site to establish himself, etc.

In his later years, Zhu Yuanzhang became increasingly suspicious and gradually grew wary and distant from this "divine strategist."

【Act VIII: Dying in Sorrow and Anger, A Star Falls】

In 1375 AD, Liu Ji caught a cold and never recovered.

At this time, the imperial physician sent by Hu Weiyong diagnosed him and prescribed a medicine.

After Liu Ji took the medicine, his condition worsened, his abdomen swelling like a stone.

He understood in his heart, but he was powerless to turn the tide.

Before he died, he sealed the books on astronomy and military strategy he had written and gave them to his eldest son, Liu Lian, instructing: "Do not let future generations study them."

He also said to his second son, Liu Jing: "In governance, leniency and severity are like a cycle. The current task is to cultivate virtue and reduce punishment to pray for heaven's eternal life. Important strategic locations should be connected in influence with the capital."

After speaking, he passed away at the age of sixty-five.

A generation of imperial teachers and founding fathers ultimately failed to escape the tragic shadow of "when the birds are gone, the good bow is hidden," passing away in sorrow and anger amidst the clouds of suspected poisoning.

The final scene is a lonely grave in the Qingtian Mountains, contrasting with the magnificent palace in Yingtian.

Yet the laws and systems Liu Ji formulated during his lifetime had already deeply integrated into the bloodline of this newborn empire.