Late autumn is approaching, and the sun is no longer able to penetrate the thick dark gray clouds. The flowers withered, and the trees, which were not flourishing, became more and more depressed, stretching out their bare branches and standing gloomily. The golden temple was overshadowed, and the vermilion railing supported the cornices, lonely and starved towards the endless sky. The brass bell rang occasionally and then returned to silence, except for the autumn cicada still chirping like a dying struggle, as if mourning that its short years were coming to an end.

Ma Xiuying came to the Huagai Hall with a heavy heart, which was originally a place for Zhu Yuanzhang to rest and practice etiquette when he went to Fengtian Palace, but now it has become a place for her to persuade Liu Ji.

Although it is a partial hall, the royal majesty should not be neglected. The main hall was cleaned spotlessly, the ground paved with white marble shone with the light of Wenze, and the crane and tiger furnace displayed in front of the hall all rose with curling cigarettes, and surrounded the temple. In the center of the hall, a small platform two meters high is placed on a gold lacquer carved dragon throne. In the middle of the pedestal, the golden dragon caisson is hung upside down with a round ball Xuanyuan mirror, and on both sides stands the golden pillars of the dragon with teeth and claws. These carvings are all lifelike and vivid, but unfortunately even if they are realistic, they are just emotionless dead objects.

Ma Xiuying sat under the dragon chair, set up a beautiful screen in front of her, and finally heard the announcement and hurried footsteps of the palace people after she looked at the double dragon play bead pattern painted on the top of the gilded treasure countless times.

"The old minister is late, and he asks the queen to forgive her sins. Liu Ji's voice was heard through the screen, and he couldn't really hear it.

"Taishi is busy with political affairs, what is the crime? Although Ma Xiuying can't see the scene outside, she can also imagine that the palace is full of palace people, and her and Liu Ji's words and deeds will be recorded and presented to Zhu Yuanzhang for reference, so she can't speak freely like she asked Liu Ji to come out of the office before, and can only talk in a decent manner.

Soon someone brought a chair, and Liu Ji sat down and asked: "The ministers rushed to the Huagai Hall after the court, I don't know what the queen has summoned me?"

"I heard that Taishi wants to resign from the government and return to his hometown?" Ma Xiuying doesn't like to go around in circles, and she has always respected Liu Ji, and she feels that it is very rude to talk to Liu Ji and knock on the side and take a roundabout turn.

Liu Ji's reply did not hesitate, "The minister does have this intention. The minister is old and sick and unbearable, and he has the heart to govern. ”

"Bachelor Zhu Zhishi has already made the emperor like a broken arm, if Taishi asks for resignation again, won't it make the emperor break his wings even more. The world is decided, and all kinds of waste are waiting to be rebuilt, and the emperor still needs the assistance of Taishi. ”

"The minister is old, although he wants to continue to share the emperor's worries, but he can't do it, so it is better to let the virtuous be better than other capable ministers. ”

"Taishi's clever and strategic planning is not comparable to other courtiers. ”

"There are talents in the country, and the old ministers have retired, and the abilities of other courtiers will naturally appear. ”

Ma Xiuying bitterly dissuaded, and Liu Ji insisted on resigning. The two fought with each other, always holding their own opinions.

In desperation, Ma Xiuying brought up the old matter again, "Taishi can remember the advice of the palace to invite Taishi to come out?"

Although he couldn't see Ma Xiuying, Liu Ji still stood up and saluted, "The minister doesn't dare to forget it for a day." The queen mother once said that she had the ability but did not do it, and it was not the husband's work to watch coldly, and it was thanks to the queen's mother that the minister's ambition was realized, and the minister is still grateful. ”

"Could it be that Taishi is now going to be a cold sider, just seeking self-preservation?"

"This ......"

"This palace knows Taishi's concerns, but the court is an eventful time, and it is really inseparable from a virtuous minister like Taishi who is dedicated to the country. Because the conversation between the two is recorded, Ma Xiuying can't say it explicitly, and can only hint at the situation in the court with "eventful autumn" and "virtuous minister".

Sure enough, when Liu Ji heard this, his tone was not as decisive as before, and he hesitated slightly: "The minister is frightened, the minister is ashamed, and he has failed to serve the country wholeheartedly." ”

Ma Xiuying's sigh came from behind the screen, "I'm ashamed that this palace invited Taishi to come out, but I didn't expect it to make Taishi panic today." This palace knows that Taishi does not care about power, nor is he greedy for glory, he only hopes that the world is peaceful, the four seas are quiet, the ministers are harmonious, and the people are happy. This palace implores Taishi to remember the common people in the world, and not to resign easily. ”

Liu Ji was very moved, and he didn't expect that his Liu Ji's confidant turned out to be a woman in the harem. But he understands that he is reluctant to be reluctant to see the glory and wealth in front of him, but he is afraid that the final outcome will not end well, it is better to retire early like Zhu Sheng and be alone. After all, he said: "The emperor is wise and powerful, and he will make the people of the world happy......"

"Even if the emperor is wise and powerful, he only has the power of one person, and he still needs the assistance of a virtuous minister like Taishi. If Taishi really wants to resign, can he postpone it for a few more years, and when the country is prosperous and the people are strong, even if Taishi does not resign, the palace will persuade the emperor to let Taishi live for a long time. ”

Speaking of which, Liu Ji understood that Ma Xiuying gave him a promise in disguise, promising that he would be safe in the future and would not end up like Han Xin. He knew that Ma Xiuying would do what he said, so he no longer hesitated at the moment, and said solemnly: "The queen's holy message, the minister dare not disobey." ”

"The emperor is high on the throne and cannot see all the details of the world. Taishi and the ministers are scattered everywhere, and they should strive to be like the emperor's eyes and ears to help the emperor increase his knowledge. ”

"This is the duty of the minister, although the minister has no great wisdom, he still has the heart to serve the country, he must be self-denial and discipline, bow and do his best. ”

"This palace doesn't dare to talk about court affairs, but I ask Taishi to bother. ”

waved Liu Ji away, Ma Xiuying ordered someone to remove the screen, and the long-term sitting posture made her legs numb, and she felt a little top-heavy when she stood up suddenly. The people of the palace stepped forward to help, and Ma Xiuying retreated from them and slowly walked out of the Huagai Palace.

"Master, it's windy outside. Xun Ying, who was waiting outside the hall, put on a cloak for Ma Xiuying, and took the opportunity to ask: "The master can say that Liu Taishi is moving, and the slave maid is expressionless when he sees him come out, and I don't know what the scene is inside, so I am in a hurry." ”

Ma Xiuying did not reply positively, and sighed leisurely: "I don't know if it was wrong to keep him, this person is upright, if he was born under Tang Taizong, maybe he is another Wei Zheng." ”

These days, Xunying has read a lot of history books to Ma Xiuying, and is a little familiar with historical chronicles and yearbooks, and said with a smile: "With Liu Taishi by the emperor's side, the emperor will definitely be as virtuous as Tang Taizong." ”

"I hope so. Ma Xiuying no longer dwelled on this topic, in all fairness, she felt a little ashamed of Liu Ji, Liu Ji wanted to get out of this quagmire of intrigue, but she used righteousness to keep Liu Ji and make him fall into it.

In fact, both of them knew that Zhu Yuanzhang's determination to suppress the heroes had never given up, and their efforts had only temporarily eased the monarchs and ministers, and the actual contradictions could not be eliminated at all. But what can I do, one for the sake of the husband and the other for the country, they all threw themselves into this battle without hesitation, guarding the people they wanted to protect with their meager strength, and protecting everything they wanted to protect.