Volume One, Chapter Seven: Gaining the Divine Wisdom and Brilliant Strategy of Liu Bowen

Xia Jingtian had not paid much attention to the conversation at first, but when he heard Zhu Yuanzhang mention that he had actually sent men to dig up Liu Bowen’s coffin, his interest was immediately piqued.

"What! You actually had Liu Bowen’s coffin dug up? Could it be that you knew he had faked his death seven years ago?" Empress Ma asked, her face full of bewilderment.

"I didn't know anything about him faking his death. Back then, when Liu Bowen passed away from illness, I heard that the burial site he chose was nestled against the mountains and near the water—an absolutely superb location. It was said that the descendants of those buried there might produce emperors. So, I ordered Mao Xiang to dig him up from that spot and rebury him elsewhere. Mao Xiang discovered that the coffin was quite peculiar; the head of the coffin was much longer than others. This signified a desire to rise above the common herd. Consequently, Mao Xiang had his men take a saw and cut off the head of the coffin. Inside, they found a copy of the *Great Ming Code*, and when they opened it, they saw six characters: 'Those who open the coffin and see the corpse shall die.' Because of that, they didn't open the coffin itself. If they had opened it back then, perhaps they would have discovered that it was empty," Zhu Yuanzhang explained.

"Chongba, oh, Chongba! How could you do such a heart-wrenching thing? Even though Liu Bowen didn't spend as much time with you as Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, or Li Shanzhang, he was a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations in the previous dynasty. You went to great lengths to invite him to serve as your strategist. After the founding of the Great Ming, when it came to rewarding merits, it wouldn't have been excessive to enfeoff him as a Duke, yet you only made him the Count of Chengyi. Think of how much he accomplished while serving as the Censor-in-Chief and Grand Historian—he even drafted the *Great Ming Code*. When Hu Weiyong was plotting against him, I was the one who told him to leave the capital. He had been back in his hometown for three years, yet you still couldn't put your mind at ease. You sent Hu Weiyong to deliver medicine to him, forcing him to fake his death just to escape that disaster. And yet, I never imagined that you would dig up his coffin just because of some geomancy. Thank goodness Liu Bowen wasn't inside, or you would have committed an act that would have enraged both heaven and man," Empress Ma said angrily.

Sigh! Zhu Yuanzhang drew a deep breath and remained silent.

Xia Jingtian heard every word of their conversation. He marveled to himself that Liu Bowen was truly a genius; he had actually anticipated that his faked death might be exposed. At the same time, he felt a sense of wariness—this Zhu Yuanzhang was a fickle and mercurial man. Even Liu Bowen, who had helped him conquer the world, had his coffin pried open after death. They say serving a monarch is like sleeping with a tiger, and Zhu Yuanzhang was a notoriously fierce and ruthless emperor in history; he must never be offended.

Xia Jingtian stepped out of the ward and headed to the restroom on the first floor. By now, Liu Bowen had been in the steam room for a full fifteen minutes. He was drenched in sweat, his skin flushed red like a cooked shrimp.

"Master Liu, the time is up. You can come out now."

Xia Jingtian opened the steam room door and helped Liu Bowen out.

"This steam room is truly remarkable. I have perspired so much, yet I feel quite comfortable," Liu Bowen remarked.

By now, the cold and flu granules were already taking effect. Xia Jingtian handed him a clean white bathrobe. "You must maintain your body temperature. We are going to begin the cupping therapy next."

Xia Jingtian led Liu Bowen to the second-floor ward, opening the windows first to ensure ventilation. He had Liu Bowen lie on the hospital bed and began the cupping. Using the flash-fire method, Xia Jingtian held an alcohol-soaked cotton ball, ignited it, and quickly inserted it into a glass jar, then swiftly placed the jar onto the Dazhui, Feishu, and Fengmen acupoints.

Just then, Liu Ruolan entered the ward and found the glass jars suctioned onto her father’s back quite peculiar. "Divine Doctor Xia, why are you drying clothes here? I washed my father’s clothes earlier, but I didn't know where to hang them," she asked curiously.

"We don't need to air-dry clothes here after washing them. We just use a dryer. Bring the clothes over," Xia Jingtian said. He led Liu Ruolan to the balcony and showed her how to use the dryer.

"You put the clothes inside this thing, and it spins them dry?" she asked in wonder.

"Yes, this is a high-speed dryer. It can dry clothes in fifteen minutes—a quarter of an hour," he explained.

"That’s truly amazing. Everything you have here is so strange," she said, delighted. As a person from the Ming Dynasty, everything in the clinic filled her with curiosity.

Xia Jingtian retrieved a sterilized hospital gown from the cabinet. "This is a sanitized gown. Put this on Master Liu later." He returned to the ward, removed the glass jars, and checked on Liu Bowen’s condition.

"Doctor Xia, these jars you use are crystal clear. What are they made of?" Liu Bowen asked.

"They are made of glass, the same material as the windows. Glass jars provide a good seal and allow me to see what's happening inside. They’ve drawn out quite a bit of dampness. You mustn't bathe for a day and a night after cupping. Put on this sterilized gown now," Xia Jingtian instructed.

Liu Bowen put on the dry gown and immediately felt refreshed. Xia Jingtian then prepared a ginger soup boiled with red dates and brown sugar to help expel the cold from his body. Under Xia Jingtian’s series of treatments, after three days, Liu Bowen’s complexion became rosy, and his cough had ceased.

"Divine Doctor Xia, your medical skills are truly extraordinary. I’ve actually stopped coughing," Liu Bowen exclaimed.

"Master Liu’s physical constitution is better than I expected. Two or three more days of consolidation and you’ll be nearly recovered," Xia Jingtian said with a smile.

"Divine Doctor Xia, if His Majesty comes to inquire about my condition again, please keep it a secret for me," Liu Bowen requested.

Zhu Yuanzhang hadn't visited in the past few days, but Zhu Biao had come to check on Zhu Xiongying. He had been shocked to see that Liu Bowen, whom he thought had been dead for seven years, was alive and staying in the clinic for treatment.

Suddenly, the Space-Time Divine Doctor System appeared before Xia Jingtian.

[Congratulations, Host Xia Jingtian. You have treated Liu Bowen’s cold and gained 5,000 points of merit and the 'God-like Foresight' ability.]

Host: Xia Jingtian
Merit Points: 19,600

Upon gaining Liu Bowen’s ability of "God-like Foresight," Xia Jingtian’s intelligence soared, and he quickly understood Liu Bowen’s intentions.

"Master Liu, are you afraid that the Hongwu Emperor will find out you are nearly recovered and force you to return to the imperial court?" Xia Jingtian asked curiously.

"Divine Doctor Xia guessed correctly. Now that the Great Ming has no Chancellor, the Emperor handles all state affairs personally, assisted by the Crown Prince. If he finds out I am alive and recovering, he will likely force me to return to court. I am already seventy-two; I am truly old, and I no longer wish to concern myself with court affairs," Liu Bowen sighed.

Just then, Zhu Yuanzhang walked in from outside.

"Master Liu is not old at all. My eldest son and I are simply too busy with state affairs; come back and help me," Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile, though his eyes looked unkind as he cast a warning glance at Xia Jingtian.

Xia Jingtian was stunned, wondering when Zhu Yuanzhang had arrived and how much of his conversation with Liu Bowen he had overheard. It was a clear warning not to interfere in the affairs between him and Liu Bowen!