How did you, a prisoner on death row, become an important weapon of the country? Yecheng Gao Weiming

Chapter 1088 Sister, let’s make a bet?

Before Liu Bowen came in, he saw that Zhu Yuanzhang was going to meet with ministers in the court, most likely to discuss state affairs.

Empress Ma felt she was avoiding suspicion and was about to leave with her grandson Zhu Xiongying.

But Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly had a mischievous idea.

he said suddenly.

"Hey, sister, don't go!"

"Ok?"

Empress Ma turned around and asked in confusion: "Zhu Chongba, don't you hate the harem interfering in government affairs? Why are you stopping me when I take the initiative to avoid suspicion?"

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said, "Hey, Liu Ji is old now, and he doesn't hold any important position. What can happen to him? It's just a personal matter at most."

"Also, I would like to make a bet with you through Liu Ji. Do you dare to bet?"

"bet?"

Queen Ma immediately became interested: "What's the bet?"

At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a little embarrassed and rubbed his hands and laughed dryly.

"I've recently fallen in love with a beauty and want to promote her to a concubine. Aren't you in charge of the harem? Let's make a bet. If I lose, the matter is over. If I win, the beauty..."

Before she could finish her words, Empress Ma was already furious.

I rub!

Zhu Chongba, are you waiting for me here?

I asked you to meet Marquis Chengyi, but you deliberately asked for some benefits and wanted to promote a beauty to a concubine?

Although Empress Ma was generous and basically didn't care about Zhu Yuanzhang's taking concubines into the harem, she gritted her teeth and sneered at this moment.

"Haha, sure! Old Zhu! Do you think I'm afraid of you? Tell me, what's the bet?"

Zhu Yuanzhang became even happier when he saw that his wife actually agreed.

He smiled and said, "Okay, okay! Sister, isn't Liu Bowen famous for his divination and face reading?"

"When he comes, let's ask him to guess something out of thin air! If he guesses wrong, we win, and you make Concubine Wang one of the concubines in the harem."

"If he guesses right, you win! And I promise you something!"

Upon hearing this, Queen Ma couldn't help but spit.

"Cunning guy!"

"You think Liu Bowen is an old immortal, and you asked him to guess something. If he could guess it out of thin air, would he have ended up like this today?"

Zhu Yuanzhang said in a low voice: "Do you want to gamble?"

Queen Ma actually nodded slightly.

"Bet! I bet with you, so what if I lose? It's just that there is one more sister in the harem! It's just..."

Having said this, Queen Ma also lengthened her voice.

"But if you lose, you have to promise me one thing."

"what's up?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's heart skipped a beat and he prayed secretly that it was not something difficult to accomplish.

Unexpectedly, Queen Ma looked serious.

"Give Liu Ji, the Earl of Sincerity... a good end!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned for a moment and nodded heavily.

"Okay, I promise you."

that's it.

Empress Ma did not leave either. She asked the wet nurse to take her grandson Zhu Xiongying away, and she sat quietly beside Zhu Yuanzhang.

……

After a while, Liu Ji and Liu Bowen also came in, supported by the young eunuch.

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't think anything of it, but Empress Ma's expression changed.

Lord Sincerity!

How did you become like this?

She hadn't seen him for several years, and seeing him again at this moment seemed like a lifetime ago.

But Liu Ji, Liu Bowen, is already sixty-five years old this year, with white hair and wrinkles all over his face.

His legs were lame, his hands were shaking, and he was supported by someone as he walked tremblingly, a perfect example of what it means to be in old age.

If it weren't for his still bright old eyes, Queen Ma would have thought she had recognized the wrong person.

This was completely different from her impression of Liu Bowen.

Thinking back to those days!

The other party was wearing a feather fan and a royal turban, looking so heroic.

If compared with Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang of the Three Kingdoms, judging from appearance alone, he is really not inferior.

But now...

Queen Ma sighed secretly.

Time is really unforgiving, and it is also fate.

The former number one military advisor of the Ming Dynasty eventually fell into this state.

In this state, if Liu Ji was asked to guess something, it would be strange if he could guess it right.

"Your old minister... Liu Ji, I pay my respects to the Emperor and the Empress..."

Liu Bowen walked closer and saw that Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma were both there. He broke free from the eunuchs who were supporting him and was about to kneel down.

After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, perhaps it was because Zhu Yuanzhang had kowtowed too much in the past.

He attached more importance to the imperial majesty than the monarchs of the Tang and Song dynasties, and stipulated that everyone must kowtow when meeting the emperor, regardless of age.

So even though Liu Bowen was old and dying, he had to abide by the etiquette.

When Empress Ma saw the other party staggering, she was really afraid that he would be knocked to death, so she couldn't bear it and was about to speak.

Zhu Yuanzhang on the side frowned and waved his hand.

"Forget it! Someone, give Earl Chengyi a seat!"

When Liu Bowen saw that he was exempted from kneeling, he looked grateful and quickly sat on the soft stool brought by the eunuch.

However, he did not dare to sit down, but instead rested his butt slightly on the stool for leverage, ready to stand up again at any time.

At the same time, he took out the towel from his arms and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

I don’t know if it was because I had exerted so much strength just walking in, or because I was weak but I was sweating all over.

Liu Bowen wiped it for a long time before forcing a smile and said, "Your Majesty, please bear with me. I am in poor health and have an old illness. I am not polite in front of Your Majesty..."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned again.

You are the Chief Censor, who was responsible for impeaching the words and deeds of all civil and military officials, but you yourself are in such a mess. It is really disgraceful.

However, seeing that the other person looked like he was about to die, I couldn't bear to say anything.

"Liu Ji..."

After a moment of silence, Zhu Yuanzhang spoke.

"A few days ago, I heard that you were ill, so I sent Right Prime Minister Hu Weiyong to visit you with the imperial physician. Why didn't Hu Weiyong go?"

At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang became slightly annoyed.

After all, he is an old minister of the founding of the country. Even if he dislikes Liu Bowen, he still has to do the superficial work.

After hearing that Liu Bowen was seriously ill a few days ago, he specially ordered the right prime minister Hu Weiyong to bring the imperial physician to treat him.

It is worthy of your status, Liu Ji, for the prime minister of the current dynasty to visit you in person.

how?

Hu Weiyong thinks that what I say is bullshit?

Unexpectedly, after asking this question, Liu Bowen stared at Zhu Yuanzhang for a long time, as if he could not see any other expression on the other's face.

The old man smiled bitterly.

"Here they come! Your Majesty, Prime Minister Hu has brought the imperial physician here. The imperial physician examined me and said that I had caught a cold in my early years, and the cold had penetrated into my bones, damaging my body's vitality. He prescribed a lot of medicine and told me to take care of myself slowly. But after taking the medicine, I felt my abdomen swell like a rock, and it has been getting more painful these past two days..."

Zhu Yuanzhang's complexion looked a little better then, but when he heard that Liu Ji's condition became worse after taking the medicine, he couldn't help but speak.

"Healing is always a gradual process. It doesn't matter if you take it for a few more days..."

Unexpectedly, Liu Bowen did not finish his words and continued: "I naturally know this, but Prime Minister Hu also brought me a gift."

"Gift?"

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but feel curious.

Li Shanchang, Hu Weiyong, and Liu Bowen just couldn't stand each other.

The two men wished they could strangle Liu Ji to death.

Can Hu Weiyong bring you a gift?

Seeing that the emperor seemed unaware, Liu Bowen's eyes turned red.

He clasped his hands and said, "Prime Minister Hu ordered his men to leave two dates and a ball of silk, saying that it was a token of the court's appreciation, so that this old minister can have a good rest..."

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, his face changed and his brows slowly furrowed.

Queen Ma standing by suddenly clenched her teeth and looked furious.

Why?

Just because Hu Weiyong is fucking useless!

Asking you to bring the imperial physician to visit Liu Ji is an expression of the emperor's concern for his old minister.

What the fuck did you leave behind?

Two dates and a ball of silk?

Anyone who is not a fool can immediately guess the hidden meaning.

Date (early) Date (early) Silkworm (miserable) death (of silk)?

This is too vicious!

In particular, Hu Weiyong came to visit with the emperor's decree.

This would easily make Liu Bowen, his family, and even the people of the world think!