Chapter 196

【Heavenly Screen General Review: "Generous and ambitious, firm and resourceful. Learned to be an imperial teacher, talented enough to be called a king's assistant."】

【He was learned in both heaven and man, able to observe the stars to predict good and bad fortune, and observe geography to determine offense and defense, but this was not his core.

His greatest talent lay in transforming profound knowledge into practical and feasible strategies for stabilizing the nation.】

【He was a strategist who drew a clear blueprint for Zhu Yuanzhang from fragmentation to unification;

He was a doer whose strategies at critical moments often turned the tide.】

【"Zhuge Liang divides the world into three, Liu Bowen unifies the empire."

The folk comparison might be simple, but it points out his core achievement—

Helping Zhu Yuanzhang complete the great cause of unifying the world, which was a more difficult and grander goal than helping Liu Bei divide the world into three.】

【His later years were a typical tragedy of the game between ancient meritorious officials and imperial power, adding a touch of sorrowful fatalism to his legendary life.】

【Sixth Place on the List of the Ten Great Strategists of History—Liu Ji, Review Completed!】

【Heavenly Dao Blessing: Twenty-six years of lifespan added! Enjoying ninety-one years of life, blessed with health and longevity, enjoying his later years, far from slander and framing, sorrow and pain, able to have a good end!】

(Note: Liu Ji's greatest regret was being slandered and alienated in his later years, dying in sorrow and anger, and being suspected of poisoning. The Heavenly Dao blessing points directly to his core shortcomings, increasing his lifespan to old age, ensuring his peace and health, keeping him away from court infighting and poisoning, allowing his wisdom and life to be fulfilled.)

Ming Dynasty space, Yingtian Prefecture, the square in front of the Fengtian Hall.

Around the eighth year of Hongwu (1375 AD).

The heavenly screen hung high, and the moment the list appeared, the entire square in front of the Fengtian Hall was so quiet that a needle could be heard dropping.

All the civil and military officials, nobles and generals, including Zhu Yuanzhang on the dragon throne, Empress Ma beside him, and Crown Prince Zhu Biao below, all looked up, staring fixedly at the two large characters "Liu Ji" on the golden list, and the detailed life review that followed, which was chillingly thorough.

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression could be called spectacular.

At first, it was undisguised excitement and pride, his chest heaving, his beard slightly curled.

When he saw familiar past events like "The Strategy at Longwan," "Chen First, Then Zhang," and "The Blueprint for Northern Expedition" presented one by one by the heavenly screen,

Especially when he heard his own words from back then, "This is truly my Zifang" and "Sir is truly my Zhang Zifang," being "live-streamed,"

He couldn't help but grin, slapping the armrest of his throne heavily, his voice loud, carrying incomparable relief and nostalgia:

"Good! Good! Bowen is on the list, it is well-deserved!"

"Sixth place? Hahaha, in my opinion, he should be ranked even higher!"

He looked around, his gaze sweeping over Li Shanchang, Hu Weiyong, and others.

"If it weren't for Bowen's strategy back then, whether I could be sitting here would be a matter of debate!"

"Back at Lake Poyang, when Chen Youliang's big ship crashed over, I was also drumming in my heart. It was Bowen who pulled me onto another ship; just after I left, the original ship was smashed!"

"This life-saving grace, this merit of settling the strategy, I, Old Zhu, will remember for a lifetime!"

He said this with genuine emotion, and many old officials who started with him, such as Xu Da and Tang He, also nodded one after another, showing emotion.

In those rugged years, Liu Bowen's contribution was obvious to all.

However, as the review continued,

Seeing the description of Liu Ji's later years—offending the powerful due to his uprightness, being slandered and framed, being alienated by himself, and finally "dying in sorrow and anger" and "suspected of being poisoned"—

The smile on Zhu Yuanzhang's face gradually stiffened, and his eyes became complex.

Especially when seeing Liu Ji's instructions to his son before he died, and the comment "when the birds are gone, the good bow is hidden,"

Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened completely, and the veins on the back of his hand gripping the armrest slightly protruded.

He couldn't help but recall that in recent years, Hu Weiyong and others had indeed said many bad things about Liu Ji in his ears, such as "arrogant," "having kingly energy," "forming a clique"...

He himself seemed to have felt a bit... impatient because Liu Ji often spoke directly and restrained the nobles.

Could it be that Bowen's illness... was really related to Weiyong?

Or was his own subconscious alienation and suspicion also one of the reasons that forced him to death?

A mixture of guilt, annoyance, and lingering fear surged into Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.

He turned his head sharply, his gaze like a knife, shooting toward Hu Weiyong, who was standing in the front row of the civil officials!

At this moment, Hu Weiyong was already pale, sweating like rain, his legs soft, almost unable to stand.

The heavenly screen not only stated Liu Ji's merits clearly.

It also exposed his—Hu Weiyong's—slander and sending of the imperial physician (implying poisoning), these extremely secretive deeds that might not have even been implemented (or were being implemented),

Nakedly exposed in the light of day, exposed before the emperor, empress, crown prince, all the civil and military officials, and even the people of the world!

This was simply skinning him alive and pulling his tendons; it was going to cost him his life!

"Hu Weiyong!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was not high, but it was cold and bone-chilling, carrying suppressed anger.

"Subject... subject is here!"

Hu Weiyong fell to his knees with a thud, knocking his head against the ground, his whole body shaking like a leaf in the autumn wind.

"What the heavenly screen said, that you framed Liu Bowen, is this true?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang said every word, as if squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Subject... subject is wronged! Subject is loyal to Your Majesty and respects Minister Liu; I have absolutely no intention of framing him!"

"This must be the heavenly screen... the heavenly screen has a misunderstanding, or a villain is framing me, Your Majesty!"

Hu Weiyong was terrified out of his wits, only able to kowtow desperately and cry out for injustice.

"Misunderstanding? Framing?"

Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, about to erupt.

Just at this moment, the blue-green light pillar of the Heavenly Dao blessing crashed down!

Its target was clear, landing exactly on Liu Bowen.

He had not attended court for a long time due to "illness," but today, because of the heavenly screen anomaly, he was specially permitted to enter the palace to observe the ceremony, standing at the end of the noble ranks.

As the light pillar entered his body, Liu Ji's whole body shook, feeling a warm, majestic, and life-filled force instantly wash over his entire body,

And the illness, chest tightness, and depression that had lingered for days melted away rapidly like snow under the sun.

His pale complexion turned rosy at a speed visible to the naked eye, his hunched back straightened, and his cloudy eyes became clear and sharp again, as if he had suddenly become twenty years younger.

The "illness" that had troubled him for so long and left the imperial physicians helpless was gone!

Not only was the illness gone, but the protective power of the Heavenly Dao blessing regarding "far from slander and framing" and "able to have a good end" also quietly took effect.

Liu Ji felt the heavy stone of "fear and worry" that had been pressing on his heart suddenly disappear, and he felt unprecedentedly relaxed and clear.

He took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and under the gaze of everyone, walked with steady steps to the front of the imperial steps, performing the grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows to Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Old subject Liu Ji, kowtows to thank Your Majesty for your heavenly grace! And even more thanks for the generous gift of the Heavenly Dao!"

Liu Ji's voice was full of energy, no longer weak at all.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at this old partner who was refreshed, as if he had returned to the time when he offered strategies at Lake Poyang, and his heart was filled with mixed feelings.

Guilt, joy, relief, alertness... various emotions intertwined.

He hurriedly stood up, actually walking down the imperial steps himself, and supported Liu Ji with both hands.

"Bowen! Get up quickly! It is I... it is I who have neglected you all these years!"

Zhu Yuanzhang held Liu Ji's hand and shook it hard, his tone sincere.

"The heavenly screen's warning allowed me to see clearly who is loyal and who is treacherous, and it also reminded me not to forget old merits!"

"From now on, Bowen is still my pillar of state, the teacher of the Crown Prince! Whoever dares to frame loyal officials and alienate sovereign and subject again, I will surely execute them without mercy!"

As he spoke, his sharp gaze swept over Hu Weiyong, who was slumped on the ground, and Li Shanchang and others, whose faces had turned pale.

"Hu Weiyong, framing a high official, his heart is punishable! Throw him into the imperial prison and interrogate him strictly! Investigate all his accomplices clearly!"

"Your Majesty is wise!" the officials shouted.

The clean-stream civil officials who supported Liu Ji, such as Song Lian, showed joy.

The Huaixi nobles were silent as cicadas in winter, knowing that a purge against the Hu faction was likely about to begin.

Empress Ma also stepped forward and said warmly to Liu Ji: "Mr. Liu has suffered."

"Now that the injustice has been cleared and you have received the Heavenly Dao blessing, this is truly a great joy. I hope you will take care of your health and continue to assist His Majesty and Biao'er."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao was even more excited, bowing deeply to Liu Ji,

"Student congratulates you, sir! Your health, sir, is the great fortune of the nation!"

Liu Ji looked at the scene before him, his heart filled with emotion.

The Heavenly Dao list not only cleared his name and granted him health and longevity, but also used the emperor's hand to severely strike the treacherous, reversing his tragic fate in his later years.

This reward was more precious than any gold, silver, or jewelry.

He bowed deeply again toward the direction of the heavenly screen to express his gratitude.