Zhu Yuanzhang was worried about his failure in attacking the city, but unexpectedly Liu Bowen said: Let's play chess first.

Let me start with a story.

It is said that one winter in the 1980s, the weather was extremely cold. A worker in Nanjing who worked the night shift came home from get off work. There are snowflakes in the sky, and the north wind makes people shiver. The worker was walking on the path home, careful step by step. Because the weather was cold and the ground was covered with ice, if he was not careful, his legs would fall into the air and his clothes would be stained.

The whole street was deserted. The workers took two steps and met a man walking towards them. This man was in ragged clothes and carried a pole on his shoulder. He was also a night walker. The workers said in their hearts that it is very pitiful that there are people wandering like this in such weather! When the two were about to meet each other, the old man opposite said: "Sir, please stay."

The worker stopped and hesitated: "What can I do for you?"

< p> After finishing speaking, the worker looked at the man opposite him, and saw that he had gray hair, a white beard, and a majestic face. It can be seen that this person is not an ordinary homeless person. This man's words were neither humble nor arrogant, and his eyes shone with wisdom. Looking at the pole he picked up, he saw a roll of quilt on one end and a chicken on the other.

The old man smiled and said: "I picked two things on the pole, but I can only keep one. Please help me see, should I keep the quilt or the chicken?"

The worker did not think about it and replied casually: "It's freezing cold, so of course I'll leave the blanket on."

After hearing this, the old man's face changed drastically, and his pain was hard to express in words. The old man ran away wildly, shouting: "This armor is in vain."

The worker was confused and thought this man was very strange, so he hurried home.

The next day, the worker told the matter to his neighbor, who was an old man who had some knowledge of yin and yang.

The old man said: "The one you met is Liu Bowen, he came to ask for a seal."

Legend has it that Liu Bowen asked Zhu Wuzhang for a seal once, but Zhu Chongba was in a bad mood that day. No, I said casually, you are a hard worker. Liu Ji understands the laws of yin and yang, has perfect merits, and can ascend to heaven. But the emperor's words were golden, so a hundred years later, Liu Ji was neither an immortal nor a ghost. He refines gods and transforms into emptiness, and appears in Nanjing once every sixty years to ask for a title. If someone says: "You are Liu Ji." After hundreds of years of practice, he will be able to achieve positive results and be reincarnated as a human being.

The old man said: "You said to stay in bed. Liu Ji has to practice for another sixty years before he can come again to ask for the title."

Once the news came out, it spread throughout half of Nanjing. It has become a strange story that is talked about in the streets.

Of course this story is fabricated. This also shows Liu Bowen's status in the hearts of the people, and he is often regarded as a legendary figure. It is said that he is well versed in Yin and Yang Bagua, specializes in Feng Shui divination, can call the wind and rain, predicts events like a god, knows astronomy and geography, is full of strategies, and has repeatedly accomplished extraordinary feats.

Liu Bowen was the founding advisor of the Ming Dynasty, so he was naturally very talented. Zhu Wuzhang called him Zhang Liang of the Ming Dynasty. There is a popular saying among the people: "There is Zhuge Kongming above, and Liu Jibowen below." It can be seen that his reputation is so great. Today I will tell the story of Liu Ji.

Liu Ji, courtesy name Bowen, was born in Qingtian County, Zhejiang Province in the fourth year of Wuzhi reign of Yuan Dynasty (1311).

His father, Liu Yao, had mediocre qualifications and was a county school teacher in Suichang County. Looking at his ancestors, Liu Ji's great-grandfather Liu Hao was unusual. It was his great-grandfather who established the Liu family's reputation in Qingtian. It is said that Liu Hao was not only proficient in astronomy, calendar, yin and yang, medical divination, etc., he also served as the Hanlin Secretary in the Southern Song Dynasty and was a famous local Confucian. It seems that his ancestors were virtuous, and in terms of Feng Shui, the princes, generals and prime ministers were indeed of good character. According to the Feng Shui Sutra, the beauty of the appearance must reflect the beauty and evil of the mountains and rivers. Therefore, the saint Zhongni Kong was born in Songyue. A land of good fortune and longevity, with many people... In short, the Feng Shui of Wuyang Village, where the Liu family is located, is acceptable. , Liu Jizu De is okay. Liu Ji's father himself was not very capable, so just like today's parents, he pinned his hopes on the next generation.

His father was a good teacher. He taught Liu Ji how to read and write since he was a child, and he also told stories about sages. He was enlightened earlier, and he was from a scholarly family after all. The little guy is very talented, he can learn how to teach, and he can draw inferences from other cases. He is also well-read, and gradually his father is not as knowledgeable as his son.

In the first year of Taiding (1324), Liu Ji left Qingtian County to study in various prefectures. This learning environment is good, with knowledgeable teachers, classmates of similar ages, and endless books. This trip to the city really broadened Liu Ji's horizons.

At the beginning of school, the teacher taught the students the "Spring and Autumn Classic". This book is cryptic, concise and profound. The teacher knows that this book is not easy to teach, so he only teaches students to hold the book and read it, with a little explanation. But Liu Ji could not only recite it fluently after reading it silently twice, but he could also put forward different opinions on the teacher's explanation and express views that no one had ever seen before. The teacher was shocked and secretly praised: "I have been teaching for more than ten years. This is the first time I have met such a student. This boy will be a very special person in the future!"

Liu Ji studied here for three years and learned After learning the orthodox Confucian classics, his knowledge was profound and his progress was rapid. In the end, the teacher had nothing to teach him.

When he was seventeen years old, before he had time to seize the tail of his youth, Liu Ji left his private school and came to Shimen Academy to study under Zheng Fuchu. Shimen Academy is located at the foothills of Shimen Mountain, 70 miles west of Qingtian County. This academy was built in the third year of Tang Tianbao and is a Taoist religious resort. There are two peaks on the two walls facing each other like a door, surrounded by cliffs and forming a deep cave.

In the north of the cave are majestic pavilions, dense pine forests and dense bamboo trees. In the southeast of the cave, there is a ten-foot waterfall. Shimen Cave is quiet and deep, warm in winter and cool in summer. It is indeed a good place for lectures and practice.

Zheng Fuchu was born in Yushan County, Jiangxi Province. He was a Jinshi in the Yanyou year of the Yuan Dynasty. He once entered an official position and was framed. He was dismissed and later lectured at Shimen Academy. This person is a learned man who is "proficient in Yiluo studies and highly valued in the world".

Liu Ji admired his talents and learning, so he joined his disciples. Following this famous teacher, Liu Ji studied various schools of thought, and was especially interested in astronomy, geography, art of war, and algorithms, and he always studied and pondered. Teacher Zheng was surprised by the understanding of this student surnamed Liu. Not only did he have an excellent memory, but he also easily mastered various unfathomable and mysterious cultures.

Once Liu Yao came to visit his son, Zheng Fuchu said to him: "Your ancestors must have accumulated kindness, and your son will definitely assist the emperor in the future."

Liu Yao was happy in his heart. But he said humbly: "Thank you, sir. The dog is stupid and stubborn. I need more guidance from you."

When he was studying in Fu Xue, Liu Ji mainly read Confucian classics for scientific examinations. Now he is studying astronomy, geography, and the art of war. The algorithm shows that Liu Ji has lofty ambitions, not just fame.

There is a more magical legend among the people. It is in this Shimen Cave that Liu Ji obtained a heavenly book. The name of the book is "Tai Gong's Art of War", also known as "Six Tao". This book is the art of war part of the famous Huang Lao Taoist classic "Tai Gong" from the ancient pre-Qin period of China. It is the originator of military strategy books. The process of getting the book was even more magical.

One day, Liu Ji hung the food on the branches at the entrance of the stone gate. After reciting it, he suddenly felt hungry. When he came out to get it, the food was gone. The next day, it was the same. Liu Ji was very surprised, so he hid at the entrance of the cave and observed secretly, who took his food?

Finally the "thief" was caught. It turned out to be a white ape, and this white ape could actually speak human language.

Liu Bowen said: "You stole my things and you have to return them to me."

Bai Yuan said: "I have nothing to return, but I have an old book. I wonder if you can Do you like it?"

Liu Bowen heard that there was a book to read, so he said: "That's fine, you can compensate me for the food."

The white ape looked at Liu Bowen and said: "My master asked me to give this book to a man named Liu Bowen, and you must return it to me after reading it." Liu Bowen was shocked and said: "I am Liu Bowen, who is your master?"

Bai Yuan replied: "My master is Zhang Zifang's master Huang Shigong. He has two heavenly books. One of them was given to Zhang Liang. This one asked me to wait here for you to come and give it to you. Sure enough, you came, I'm going to get the book now."

The white ape climbed up the stone wall along a yellow vine and took out a book from the crack in the wall. Bai Yuan slid down the yellow vine and handed the book to Liu Bowen. Liu Bowen opened the book with trembling hands and saw that it was "Tai Gong's Art of War".

Liu Bowen turned the pages and read, obsessed with it, forgetting time and heaven and earth, and half a while passed unknowingly. Liu Bowen suddenly thought of the white ape, which had long since disappeared.

Liu Bowen obtained the Book of Heaven, studied it day and night, and finally became a master. After he became a national master, he respected the white ape as the "Prime Minister in White Clothes" and built a temple for it. However, folklore cannot be trusted. Because of the belief in the existence of this heavenly book, after Liu Ji's death, there were still people searching for the whereabouts of this book.

The academic tycoon Liu Ji took part in the provincial examination in the third year of Zhishun (1332) and achieved Chinese style in one fell swoop. The next year, he went to Beijing to take part in the joint examination and won the Jinshi by finishing second among the top three. Liu Ji was honored in his hometown, and the villagers were happy for him. He was a rare talent here. When the father saw that his son had the ability to honor his ancestors, he might even surpass his great-grandfather in the future.

Those who do well in school may not necessarily adapt well to society and the university. Liu Ji began his official career with ups and downs.

His career as an official began as a small county magistrate. Liu Ji was talented, ambitious, and upright, and managed the local area in an orderly manner. However, Liu Ji was not afraid of violence and enforced the law impartially, which offended many powerful people. At that time, in the late Yuan Dynasty, the government colluded with the powerful and bribery became common. Liu Ji was an anomaly. His corrupt colleagues attacked him and ruined his reputation. Soon Liu Ji was demoted to an official position. Liu Ji resolutely resigned and returned to his hometown in Qingtian to study behind closed doors.

Less than three years after he returned home, the imperial court appointed him again and promoted him to the deputy promotion position of Jiangsu and Zhejiang Confucianism and the provincial examiner. Shortly after taking office, he wrote a letter to expose the negligence of a supervisory censor, but he was retaliated against. His superiors also reprimanded him for meddling in other people's affairs and making untrue statements. Liu Ji resigned bravely again. First, he lived in seclusion as a disciple in Jiangsu Province, and later lived in Lin'an, Zhejiang Province, where he indulged himself in the West Lake every day. However, during his three years in Hangzhou, his husband gave birth to two babies for him.

In the 14th century and 1950s, China was already in chaos. Heroes were rising up, the drama was turbulent, and uprisings were emerging one after another in various places. The imperial court was deeply disturbed and ordered all places to take strict precautions. However, the country is extremely corrupt, the government is full of bugs, and there are not many capable people. At that time, Fang Guozhen was very powerful in the coastal areas of Zhejiang, and the Zhejiang provincial authorities were deeply worried. The leaders of the government heard that a Confucian scholar named Liu Ji was knowledgeable about astronomy and geography. He also knew how to lead troops in battles and set up battle formations. In the twelfth year of Zhizheng (1352), Liu Ji was appointed again. This time Liu Ji became the capital of the Marshal's Mansion in eastern Zhejiang.

At this time, Liu Ji was still mentally loyal to the imperial court and wanted to do something good. He arrived in Taizhou and prepared a plan to deal with Fang Guozhen. Liu Ji is a hawk, taking the lead in the battle, and does not agree with the opponent Guozhen's recruitment. Liu Ji used the strategy of disintegration to suppress Fang Guozhen, which hit the spot.

Fang Guozhen was panicked and hurriedly sent people to secretly give gifts to Liu Ji, hoping that he would give up the plan of hunting in the nest and use the method of summoning him leniently. Liu Ji disagreed. Fang Guozhen made another plan, and asked people to go directly to the capital by sea, bribe the important officials in the court, and quickly opened up the relationship. The imperial court agreed to recruit Fang Guozhen, and also awarded him an official position in Huizhou Road Zhizhong. At the same time, he criticized Liu Jichao's arrest plan, which harmed the imperial court's good life.

Liu Ji was dismissed from office and was detained in Shaoxing Prefecture. This time undoubtedly made him lose confidence in the government at that time. From then on, he was unrestrained, leaving early and returning late, traveling in Shaoxing and composing poems and lyrics. He compared himself to Qu Yuan and Jia Yi.

He wrote: "The top is blocked but not clear, the bottom is greedy but not chaste; power cannot be controlled, and plans cannot be independent; the desire to advance has no steps, and the desire to retreat has no way. Road; loyalty is deep but not white, heart is wavering but not solid." It can be seen that he has despaired of the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty.

Fang Guozhen pretended to recruit people, but in fact he developed his own strength. At this time, peasant uprisings spread across the country. In the fifteenth year of Zhengzheng (1355), Guo Zixing died, and the rebel army he led was controlled by Zhu Yuanzhang, whom he valued. He conquered the city and captured the town, gathered a large number of brave soldiers, and his team continued to grow. In the second year (1366), he captured Jiqing, designated it as a new capital, and changed its name to Yingtian.

Zhu Wuzhang himself was not only resourceful and good at organizing, he was also willing to recruit talents and valued intellectuals. His think tank gave him advice to ban massacres, calm people's hearts, and take advantage of the sky. A macro strategy has also been formed: build walls high, accumulate grain widely, and slowly become king. In order to consolidate the new political power, wherever he went, he first visited local celebrities and asked them to serve in official positions to add strength to his great cause of the world.

In this year, Fang Guozhen led the Zhejiang mountain people to revolt again. In desperation, Zhejiang Province asked Liu Ji to come out. The medicine cured the disease, and as soon as Liu Ji came out of the mountain, he took care of Fang Guozhen. Because of his meritorious service in the suppression, Zhejiang Province promoted him to Privy Council Judge and Governor of Liangzhong. However, when he reported it to the imperial court, the people in power excluded the Han people, using the excuse that Liu Ji had only served as deputy Confucian scholar, and based on his seniority, he could only be transferred to the Chief Judge's Office. Real power and military power.

At this time, Liu Ji was already disheartened. Facing the portrait of Yuan Shizu, he sighed: "It's not that I don't want to contribute to the country and share the emperor's worries. There is really no way out!" In the eighteenth year of Zhengzheng (1358), Liu Ji resigned and returned home for the third time, and retired to Qingtian.

It’s not that Liu Ji, who has no talent, hasn’t thought about his own way out. A good bird chooses a tree to roost in, and a good minister chooses his master to serve. Liu Ji is such a smart person, he naturally understands this truth.

When he resigned for the first time, Liu Ji and a few friends were drinking and carousing by the West Lake when they suddenly saw a strange cloud rising. Liu Ji, who was already a little drunk, said: "This is the spirit of the emperor. In ten years, I will go to assist him."

Liu Ji has been secretly observing the increase or decrease in the power of the heroes, Fang Guozhen, Zhang Shicheng He looked down upon it. He has been making choices, and he feels that among the heroes at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, only Zhu Yuanzhang is the only one who has great talent and great strategy and can achieve great things.

Liu Ji was unemployed. He was frustrated in the corrupt Yuan Dynasty. He was well aware of the government's shortcomings and social contradictions, and he had good strategies and policies for governing the world. During his spare time, he wrote the handed down book "Yu Ion". Of course, it is said that the Shaobing Song and "Drip Tianmui" were also written by Liu Ji, but this has not yet been determined.

When Zhu Yuanzhang captured Chuzhou, he heard that a famous scholar named Liu Ji lived in seclusion at home in Wuyang, Qingtian County, so he sent someone with a lot of money to hire him. Liu Ji declined.

After some time, Zhu Yuanzhang sent Sun Yan, a famous scholar from Jiangnan and the general manager of Chuzhou Road, to invite him. Tao An and Song Lian, both famous scholars at that time, also wrote letters to persuade him. Liu Ji thought to himself that he had almost set the stage and knew Zhu Yuanzhang's sincerity. Zhuge Kongming, who did not dare to leave the mountain after "three visits", decided to leave the mountain.

In 1360, Liu Ji left Qingtian and arrived at Yingtian. Zhu Yuanzhang personally summoned him and said to Liu Ji: "I am asking you to come out of the mountain for the sake of the people of the world. I have wronged you!" Liu Ji naturally apologized and said: "I am a waste man in the mountains. I am appreciated by my superiors. How dare I feel wronged?" "Two words."

Zhu Yuanzhang asked Liu Ji about his plan to destroy the Yuan Dynasty, rejuvenate the country, and unify Yunei. Liu Ji immediately presented the eighteen policies on current affairs that he had thought about for a long time. Zhu Wuzhang was overjoyed when he heard about it, and regretted that it was too late to meet him. Zhu Yuanzhang treated Liu Ji as a guest and arranged for Liu Ji to stay with him and participate in secrets.

Zhu Yuanzhang had two powerful enemies at that time, one was Chen Youliang and the other was Zhang Shicheng. Chen Youliang made a secret appointment with Zhang Shicheng to attack Zhu Yuanzhang from both sides. Zhu Yuanzhang was worried about this and asked Liu Ji for advice.

Liu Ji asked Zhu Yuanzhang: "Sir, what do you think?"

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Comparing the two, Chen Youliang is ambitious and wants to annex us. His The army fights extremely bravely. Zhang Shicheng lives in Suzhou and occupies a prosperous land with sufficient food and grass. However, he is conservative and lacks wildness. I want to avoid Chen Youliang's attack and attack Zhang Shicheng first, and then attack Chen Youliang."

After hearing this, Ji smiled slightly and said: "If we are against Zhang Shicheng and Chen Youliang comes to attack, what should we do?" Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned after hearing this, and then he understood that this plan was not good. Attacked from the east and west, surrounded from both sides, they will surely be annihilated.

"I am willing to listen to your wishes, sir." Zhu Yuanzhang said.

Liu Ji said: "Chen Youliang was born as a fisherman and is used to living in the wind and waves. He has great ambitions and high desires, and is prone to taking risks. Zhang Shicheng, on the other hand, is a private salt dealer who cares about everything and has more worries. He is suspicious, so he is conservative.

The two of them are like a hungry wolf and a sheep with abundant water and lush grass. If a superior is in desperate situation, should he deal with the wolf first or the sheep? "

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang felt that it made sense and said: "What you said is absolutely true. If you capture Zhang Shicheng first, Chen Youliang will definitely attack, and our army will be attacked from both sides." Attacking Chen Youliang first, Zhang Shicheng had no ambitions and focused on preserving his own territory. He hesitated and did not worry. "

Liu Ji then said: "The superiors must concentrate their efforts to get rid of Chen Youliang. Zhang Shicheng will be alone and can be determined in one fell swoop. Then go north to the Central Plains, and your career will be successful. "

After Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, Long Yan was overjoyed and said: "Sir, you are well-deserved for your miraculous calculations! ”

In May, Chen Youliang captured Taiping, an important town outside Yingtian, and captured and killed Zhu Yuanzhang’s adopted son Zhu Wenxun and the guard Hua Yun. He proclaimed himself emperor in Taiping, mobilized warships, and headed eastward along the river. Facing the fierce enemy, Zhu Yuanzhang's generals felt that the situation was critical.

Zhu Yuanzhang convened an enlarged meeting of the Military Committee. Some of the generals advocated a decisive battle, and some advocated a decisive battle. Abandoning the city and occupying Zhongshan, some people advocate surrendering the city first and then considering the long term. Only Liu Bowen remained silent and could not make up his mind. , quietly asked Liu Ji: "What's your opinion on the current situation, sir?" "

Liu Ji said: "When two armies confront each other, they must first beat drums to boost their momentum. The brave one will win when they meet on a narrow road. The ancients and sages warned our generation that if we make great efforts at one go, we will be exhausted again and again. Chen Youliang is our biggest opponent. He is arrogant and menacing. If we are timid before fighting, we will definitely lose. We cannot let him succeed. We must first destroy his pride. "

Liu Ji's words strengthened Zhu Yuanzhang's confidence in fighting, and he asked: "What should I do now, sir? "

Liu Ji said angrily: "Behead all those who advocate surrender and escape! To show determination and determination to resist. This is also the way of a superior emperor. Compassion does not lead troops, but decisive tactics can save the entire group and provide livelihood for the world. It must be done vigorously and resolutely. "

Zhu Yuanzhang did not expect Liu Ji to be such a skillful person, and was secretly amazed.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked again: "Everything can be done according to Sir's plan, but currently there is a strong enemy ahead, can there be any A good strategy to defeat the enemy? "

Liu Ji replied: "As the saying goes, the one who moves first wins. Although Chen Youliang has arrogant soldiers and strong generals, they have marched thousands of miles to invade. They are both tired and unjust. We wait for work at ease and attack later. When the enemy goes deep, I will ambush them and we will win! "

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, half of the heavy burden in his heart was lifted. Zhu Yuanzhang adopted Liu Ji's strategy.

Liu Ji said to Zhu Yuanzhang: "This battle is of great significance and will gain prestige. Defeat the enemy and achieve the goal of becoming king in one fell swoop! ”

When Chen Youliang came to invade, Zhu Yuanzhang cleverly used surprise troops and defeated Chen Youliang’s attack. He not only won the victory in defending Yingtian, but also regained Taiping and consolidated the base area.

In 1361, Chen Youliang captured Anqing again. Zhu Yuanzhang was furious and personally led an army to conquer Chen Youliang in an attempt to recapture Anqing. However, he was unable to conquer Anqing for a long time.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked sad and could do nothing in the camp.

Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang's mood had calmed down a little, Liu Ji said to Zhu Yuanzhang: "Master, don't be anxious! How about playing a game of chess with me? "

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't know what he meant. At this moment, he was still in the mood to play chess. Because he respected Liu Ji, he couldn't get angry, so he said: "Okay! I've been bothered by the battle lately, so I'll just relax and play another game with you today. ”

Liu Ji has superb chess skills and has few opponents. Today, he played against Zhu Yuanzhang, and it was hard to tell the outcome. Zhu Yuanzhang knew that Liu Ji was superb at chess, and he was very defensive, and the general was surrounded by water. Unexpectedly, Liu Ji had There was a flaw. There was a horse between Zhu Yuanzhang's chariot and Liu Ji's chariot. Liu Ji suddenly moved his horse and made a useless move. The rook was exposed and was eaten by Zhu Yuanzhang's chariot. Zhu Yuanzhang said proudly: "Sir, you were careless. Lost a car! "

Liu Ji laughed silently and fired his cannon to capture the bishop. Zhu Yuanzhang saw that the bishop's rook had been transferred to capture the piece. This time, Zhu Yuanzhang's checkmate was directly killed without any solution.

Liu Ji then prostrated himself and said: "I came up with a plan, don't be offended! "

Zhu Yuanzhang was embarrassed and could not get angry. Hearing Liu Ji's words, he hurriedly said: "Sir, what's your clever idea?" "

Liu Jidao: "In ancient times, there were besieging Wei and begging Zhao, which shows that the solution often lies elsewhere. In the chess game, abandoning the rook and taking the general is to take the opponent by surprise. Now that Chen Youliang is heavily stationed in Anqing, his hometown in Jiangzhou will inevitably be empty. We withdrew the troops attacking Anqing, attacked Jiangzhou by surprise, and destroyed their old lair. "

Zhu Yuanzhang was enlightened and said: "Sir, you have the talent of Kong Ming! "

Zhu Yuanzhang acted according to his plan. As expected, Chen Youliang was unprepared and was caught off guard. He had to take his family and flee to Wuchang. Jiangzhou fell in one fell swoop. Chen Youliang was defeated and fled to Wuchang, which greatly affected his power in Jiangxi. Affected by this, many people surrendered to Zhu Yuanzhang, and soon the whole of Jiangxi became Zhu Yuanzhang's sphere of influence.

There are also some magical legends to prove Liu Bowen's magical plan.

Liu Ji's mother died of illness. , Ding You was at home. However, when Zhu Yuanzhang encountered a major military matter, he still sent a special envoy to inquire, and Liu Ji analyzed everything according to the circumstances.

Soon, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned him back to the camp. When passing by Jiande, Zhang Shicheng happened to attack. The guard general Li Wenzhong was about to fight bravely, but Liu Ji stopped him and said: "The enemy soldiers will retreat in three days. If they retreat, they can be captured as much as possible!"

Three days later, Liu Ji climbed up to the city to look into the distance. , and then said: "The enemy soldiers have retreated." However, when everyone saw the strong barriers on the opposite side, the densely stacked flags, and the constant sound of war drums, they did not dare to advance lightly.

Liu Ji shouted: "Don't hesitate, march quickly!"

Everyone dared to attack. When the troops arrived, they found that there was only one empty camp left. They are all old, weak and disabled soldiers. Liu Ji ordered his troops to continue the pursuit until they reached Dongyang, where they captured many of Zhang Shicheng's men.

Another time, Zhu Yuanzhang and Chen Youliang fought in Poyang Lake. Zhu Yuanzhang stood on the flagship to supervise the battle, while Liu Ji stood by. Suddenly, Liu Ji shouted: "Sir, please change ships quickly."

Zhu Yuanzhang hurriedly jumped onto the ship next to him. Before he could sit down, he only heard a "boom" and the flagship was already on board. Shattered by artillery fire.

Zhu Yuanzhang was shocked and sighed, Liu Bowen is a true god!

When Chen Youliang saw that the flagship was destroyed, he thought that Zhu Yuanzhang had sailed to the west, and he was very happy.

Soon, they found Zhu Yuanzhang sitting on another boat, safe and sound. Chen Youliang and his men were shocked and panicked. The two sides held a stalemate for several days, and Liu Bowen watched the sky at night and suggested moving his army to the mouth of the lake to suppress it, and win on the day when gold and wood are in conflict. When the battle was at its fiercest, Chen Youliang was hit by a stray arrow and died. The Ming army was greatly strengthened, but Chen's army was leaderless and collapsed. This battle eliminated the biggest opponent and cleared the way for Zhu Yuanzhang's Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang was stubborn on several occasions and refused to listen to Liu Ji's plans, resulting in all mistakes. Zhu Yuanzhang said frankly: "I almost lost my country if I didn't listen to my husband's words."

In 1367, Zhu Yuanzhang captured Suzhou and Zhang Shicheng hanged himself. In 1368, Xu Da conquered Dadu and destroyed the Yuan Dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor in Yingtian, changed Yuan Dynasty to Hongwu, and established the Ming Dynasty.

In 1367, Liu Ji was appointed as Taishi Ling and formulated the "Wushen Datong Calendar".

Coincidentally, the Taibai Venus appeared in Ziweiyuan, and all the ministers were uneasy, fearing a bloody disaster. Liu Ji said to Zhu Yuanzhang in private: "The superior can issue an edict to punish oneself in order to comply with God's will." Zhu Yuanzhang did so, and everyone felt at ease.

When there was a severe drought, Liu Ji said to Zhu Yuanzhang: "The emperor must show the virtue of living well, respect the gods above, and calm the people's hearts below."

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Sir, please speak ."

Liu Ji said: "Give amnesty to the world, and legislate to stop indiscriminate killing."

Zhu Yuanzhang agreed with Liu Ji's suggestion, let Liu Ji be rehabilitated and imprisoned, and legislate for customs. Just after giving instructions, it started to rain. Zhu Yuanzhang was secretly surprised.

One night, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly dreamed of a person with blood on his head and covering his head with soil. When he woke up from the dream, Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to kill a group of prisoners in response to what he saw in his dream.

Liu Ji analyzed that if there is blood on the head, it means the crowd; if Fu Yitu gets the crowd, he also gets the soil, which should be three. Zhu Yuanzhang asked for a three-day suspension of imprisonment, and Zhu Yuanzhang complied, and soon came the good news that Haining had surrendered. Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed and soon worshiped Liu Ji as Yushi Zhongcheng.

Liu Ji believed that the Song and Yuan Dynasties lost the world because of their leniency and indulgence, so it was time to straighten out discipline and establish the dignity of the court. He acted impartially and showed no mercy, offending many heroes and elders. Sometimes he even offends Long Yan. Zhu Yuanzhang had always wanted to build a central capital. Liu Ji wrote a letter saying: "Although Fengyang is scattered around, it is an imperial hometown, not a place to build a capital."

Liu Ji offended Li Shanchang, and Li Shanchang sued him several times. His condition. Once Li Shanchang was condemned by Zhu Yuanzhang for his negligence. The censor took the opportunity to impeach Li Shanchang and wanted to remove Li Shanchang from the post of Prime Minister Zuo. However, Liu Ji stood up to defend Li Shanchang, saying that Li Shanchang was an old man who could reconcile the generals and was a factor of stability and could not be removed. When Zhu Yuanzhang saw that Liu Ji had enough energy to support a boat regardless of his past grievances, he said, "You can serve as prime minister on his behalf."

Liu Ji declined and said that replacing the pillars of the building must be beams. If small wood is used instead, the building will collapse.

In November of the third year of Hongwu (1370), Zhu Yuanzhang awarded Liu Jicheng the title of "Chengyi Bo".

Liu Ji is familiar with history books. Doesn’t he know the principle of "when the birds are gone, the good bows are hidden; when the cunning rabbits die, the lackeys are cooked". He knew that he had offended many people, so he wanted to retreat from the rapids and return to his hometown to live a comfortable pastoral life to avoid unexpected disasters. Liu Ji wrote many times asking to retire and return to his hometown. The following year, the emperor finally allowed him to return to his hometown for retirement.

After Liu Ji returned to Qingtian, he still contacted the emperor and asked about his daily life.

Zhu Yuanzhang often consulted Liu Ji when he had something to do. He once wrote a letter asking about the sky: "Today there are many elephants, the sky has been ringing for eight years, and there are one, two, three, or two sunspots in one day." , I don’t know when the disaster will come?”

Liu Ji replied, after the frost and snow, there must be a sunny spring. This means that when a new country is just established, it should be a little more lenient, provide benefits to the people, and achieve great governance in the world.

Liu Bowen lived in seclusion in the countryside, drinking, playing chess, reading and reciting poems every day. He did not interact with the government, nor did he talk about merits and demerits.

The tree wants to be quiet, but the wind does not stop. The big tree attracts the wind! Therefore, even if a person is famous, he cannot be as stable as he wants.

In the sixth year of Hongwu, Hu Weiyong became prime minister. He was resentful that Liu Ji did not recommend him, so he secretly sent local officials to write to the court, saying that he had occupied a royal place in his hometown as his cemetery. , with evil intentions.

Zhu Yuanzhang was most afraid of others usurping the throne. When he was angry, he ordered Liu Ji's salary to be removed and prepared to investigate and deal with it strictly.

In order to avoid being beheaded, Liu Ji and his eldest son Liu Lian rushed to the capital to apologize. Liu Ji was afraid of being framed again, so he simply settled in the capital to avoid lying. He did not want to accumulate worries in the capital and become ill.

In March of the eighth year of Hongwu (1375), Liu Bowen became seriously ill and was sent back to his hometown. He stayed there for one month and then passed away at the age of sixty-five.

Before Liu Ji died, he said to his second son Liu Jing: "I know that my destiny has arrived, and I have already written a secret memorial. Now because Hu Weiyong is in power, I cannot present it. After Hu Weiyong's fall, the emperor You will definitely miss me. If you ask me, I will send you a suicide note." The second son responded with tears.

Shortly after Liu Bowen ascended to heaven, the Hu Weiyong case occurred. Zhu Yuanzhang really remembered Liu Ji, summoned Liu Jing to Beijing to see him, and asked Liu Ji what he could say before he died. Liu Jing told the truth and presented his father's suicide note. Zhu Yuanzhang read it and wrote on it: "Throughout the annals of history, dynasties have been iterated, and it is necessary to observe the current situation. Today's task is to cultivate virtue and save punishment. Praying to God for eternal life..."

Zhu Yuanzhang burst into tears and expressed regret, saying: "My father is a loyal minister, and I will not forget the emperor and the country until his death. I want to announce his merits to the world. Your Majesty handles things clearly, and I will also be a wise king to live up to his good reputation."

In the 23rd year of Hongwu (1390), Zhu Yuanzhang issued an imperial edict, ordering Liu Ji's descendants to inherit the title of "Sincerity Count". In the ninth year of Zhengde (1514), he was given the posthumous title Wencheng as a gift to the Grand Master.

Of course there is an ending that corresponds to folklore. "History of the Ming Dynasty" records: "(Liu Bowen) arrived home and was very ill. He taught Zilian with the "Tianshi Book" and said: 'It is urgent to do this, and I don't want future generations to learn from it.'" In other words, before Liu Bowen died of a serious illness, he He took out a book called "Astronomical Book" and gave it to his son Liu Lian, asking Liu Lian to hand it over to Zhu Yuanzhang immediately without stopping for a moment. He also told Liu Lian that future generations of the Liu family must not read this book or serve as officials.

It can be seen that Liu Ji looked at the ups and downs of his life and realized that the road in the world will eventually lead to the pastoral. He was also heartbroken by the political conspiracy.