Zhu Yuanzhang's cold words were full of murderous intent, and the ministers were shocked, and Liao Yongzhong, who was kneeling, and Liu Ji, who was standing next to him, changed their faces drastically.

How could Liu Ji let Liao Yongzhong bear the punishment alone, and hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down and said: "It is all the fault of Weichen to ask the prince to forgive General Liao, and it was Weichen who arranged for General Liao to do this." Weichen thought that as soon as Han Lin'er died, the prince would no longer need to call the 'dragon and phoenix' year name, and he should build his own country name. If the prince wants to punish him, he will punish Weichen, which has nothing to do with General Liao. ”

Li Shanchang finally seized the opportunity of Liu Ji's mistake, and immediately stepped forward and said: "Liu Taishi is bold and reckless, thinking about his intentions without authorization, and colluding with the generals to kill Han Lin'er by such despicable means, and trapping the prince in injustice. Now he is still threatening the prince with his body, which is really an unforgivable sin! Please ask the prince to order them to be dealt with. ”

Hu Weiyong and others immediately seconded the proposal and asked Zhu Yuanzhang to execute Liu Ji and Liao Yongzhong.

The officials who were good friends with Liu Ji did not agree, and they came forward to plead for mercy. This one said that Liu Ji was loyal, and the other said that Liu Ji was just confused for a while, and begged Zhu Yuanzhang to see Liu Ji's past merits and forgive him once.

The generals also pleaded for Liao Yongzhong, and some people even asked Zhu Yuanzhang to spare Liao Yongzhong for the sake of Liao Yong's unyielding death.

Several parties quarreled in the court, Zhu Yuanzhang was dizzy when he heard it, and angrily announced that Liu Ji and Liao Yongzhong would be imprisoned first, and he would discuss the crime again in the future.

After retiring from the court, Li Shanchang immediately gathered his henchmen and prepared to jointly write a letter, asking Zhu Yuanzhang to severely punish Liu Ji and Liao Yongzhong.

He was bent on killing Liu Ji, and even Liao Yongzhong was dragged into the water. However, the generals have always been in a group, if it is only Liu Ji who has an accident, the military generals group may still just be a cold bystander, which involves Liao Yongzhong, the generals cannot stand by and watch, and protecting Liu Ji is equivalent to protecting Liao Yongzhong. So the generals all stood on Liu Ji's side.

The military general sent Tang He as a representative to discuss with Yuan Xing, Song Lian and others how to exempt Liu Ji from punishment. Several people thought about it, and they all thought of Ma Xiuying. Ma Xiuying has always respected Liu Ji and definitely can't bear to see him suffer.

So Yuan Xing quietly found Ma Xiuying to intercede for Liu Ji under the pretext of visiting several nephews.

After listening to the ins and outs of this matter, Ma Xiuying said: "You go back first, I will try my best to persuade the prince." But you have to tell Mr. Liu that next time you can't make up your mind for the prince in private, after all, he is a courtier, how can he override the lord. ”

Xun Ying said worriedly: "The prince does not allow you to interfere in the government affairs, you intercede for Mr. Liu, will it make him unhappy." ”

"Even if the prince is unhappy, I must protect Mr. Liu, although he makes his own decisions, he is all for the sake of the prince. Ma Xiuying didn't tell Xunying that she also had Liu Ji's idea back then, but she didn't put it into action. Liu Ji did what she didn't dare to do, and she was grateful to Liu Ji from the bottom of her heart. If Liu Ji is planning for himself, then he can be described as despicable and dirty, but Liu Ji is bearing the sin for Zhu Yuanzhang, and this righteousness cannot be disrespected.

In the evening, when Ma Xiuying saw Zhu Yuanzhang, she knelt down and said, "The concubine is guilty, please forgive the prince." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, "You don't recuperate well, what are you tossing around?" Get up first." ”

Ma Xiuying bowed her head, "Mr. Liu was persuaded by me, and now he has committed a crime, and I, the recommender, are also guilty." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang's face sank, and he said unhappily: "Who talked too much in front of you?"

Ma Xiuying avoided answering, "Please forgive Mr. Liu, otherwise you will be punished with the concubine." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at him angrily, and Ma Xiuying actually threatened him for a courtier.

"Ahem...... "Hard can't be soft, Ma Xiuying covered her chest and coughed hard, her voice was like a torn scarf.

Zhu Yuanzhang's heart ached, and he hurriedly went to help her, and said softly: "You get up first and then talk about it, the ground is cold, and your body can't stand it." Well, can't you take good care of yourself?"

Ma Xiuying stood up and said contentedly: "I thought that the starling brother was going to let me kneel all the time." ”

"Hmph, don't call the prince anymore?"

"The prince is calling outsiders, starling is my husband, I don't want to be so angry with you in private. Ma Xiuying smiled gently: "I will always remember that starling parrots are a couple." ”

"You, you. Thinking of the years when the two had shared weal and woe, Zhu Yuanzhang's tone softened, and a smile appeared on his face.

Ma Xiuying tilted her head and smiled: "A wise man must make a mistake in a thousand thoughts, I always thought that Mr. Liu was a saint, but it turns out that he also makes mistakes." Now I'm relieved. ”

"What are you relieved of?" Zhu Yuanzhang was aroused.

"It turns out that Mr. Liu is just an ordinary mortal, he is only a little smarter than ordinary people. Ma Xiuying stretched out her little thumb and gestured: "But it's far worse than the starling, otherwise how could he be a minister, and the starling is a king." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded approvingly.

"But what Mr. Liu really shouldn't have done this time, even if he was thinking about starling, he shouldn't have let Liao Yongzhong kill Han Lin'er without authorization. ”

"If I wanted Han Lin'er to die, I wouldn't have rescued him or killed him in the chaos. Now I have sent for him and let him die on the way. People in the world would not think that it was Liu Ji who instructed it, but would only say that it was instructed by me. You say Liu Ji is not hateful to do this?"

"Damn, it's so stupid for him to make starlings on suspicion of murder. Ma Xiuying echoed indignantly. If he had stayed in his previous life, Liu Ji would have committed the crimes of homicide, instigation, and framing.

Zhu Yuanzhang glared at her dissatisfied, "Then you still plead for him?"

"I don't think Mr. Liu should have figured out what you meant and committed the following crimes. But his intention is to help you get rid of the restraints, and his purpose is not for himself, but for you, which is precisely the manifestation of his loyalty. If those who are loyal to you are punished, what will the other courtiers think, and will they dare to be loyal to you wholeheartedly and desperately?"

"So Liu Ji is still doing the right thing?"

"No, no, the merits and demerits are compensated, you can spare him and General Liao. Mr. Liu is old, and his prison is cold, and he can't afford to be held for too long. ”

After listening to Ma Xiuying's reason, Zhu Yuanzhang was silent, and after a while, he ordered someone to send Liu Ji and Liao Yongzhong out, and punished the two for Han Lin'er's funeral.

When Li Shanchang and the others heard the news, they gritted their teeth in anger.

Tang He, Song Lian and others took Liu Ji and Liao Yongzhong out of prison and went to the restaurant to celebrate.

Within a few days, Zhu Yuanzhang removed the dragon and phoenix year name, changed it to the first year of Wu, set up the Zongmiao Sheji, built the palace, established the music law, and stipulated the imperial examination.

Although the matter is over, Zhu Yuanzhang still has a pimple in his heart, and he is extremely uneasy about the two. He knew in his heart that Liu Ji and Liao Yongzhong's move was for his good, but he didn't like someone to make decisions without his consent, because it was a silent provocation to the superiors. With this precedent, who can guarantee that the two won't do it a second time?

So Liu Ji, who wholeheartedly assisted Zhu Yuanzhang, inadvertently made a big mistake of overstepping his authority, which left a shadow in Zhu Yuanzhang's heart, so that when Li Shanchang and Hu Weiyong joined forces to attack Liu Ji, Zhu Yuanzhang turned a blind eye.

Similarly, in the later wars, Zhu Yuanzhang never let Liao Yongzhong alone in the army, but let him fight with Tang He, Xu Da or other generals as his deputy. Even though Liao Yongzhong made great contributions, Zhu Yuanzhang highly appreciated it, and even gave him the evaluation of "Fu Yi Liao Er" in "Pingshu Wen", and also gave a lot of gold, silver and jewelry rewards, but did not give him a greater official title.