A poor scholar enters the cabinet
No sooner had the dust settled from the autumn hunt than Wu Zetian summoned the top ten scholars on the list of successful candidates in this year's imperial examination to the Zichen Palace.
Li Xian sat on a specially made high chair, looking curiously at the young people dressed in blue robes.
"Do you all know," Wu Zetian said, pushing a canal transport annual report onto the table, "why the new Calculations Department has been established?"
The leading scholar from a poor family, Di Renjie, bowed and replied, "To seek truth and be pragmatic, so that the court may know the hardships of the common people."
(Inner monologue: This kid has potential!)
Li Zhi, carrying Li Xian, approached and casually flipped through the Ministry of Personnel's performance evaluation register: "Tell me, if you were sent to Bingzhou, what would be your primary task?"
"Take a thorough survey of the land." Di Renjie said without hesitation, "Bingzhou has many fiefdoms held by nobles, and more than half of them are hidden land. If land taxes are unfair, the people will be unsettled."
Wu Zetian and Li Zhi exchanged an approving glance.
At this moment, Li Xian suddenly reached out and accurately grabbed the abacus bag worn by Di Renjie at his waist.
"Even you, Chi Lang, know the importance of arithmetic?" Li Zhi chuckled, then handed his son over. "Then let Di Qing teach you your first lesson."
(Inner monologue: This image, once it gets out, is more effective than any official appointment decree!)
Three days later, at the grand court session, when Wu Zetian proposed to promote Di Renjie to the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, she was met with fierce opposition from powerful and influential families.
"How can a mere twenty-year-old brat be in charge of criminal justice!"
Wu Zetian remained calm and ordered ten boxes of documents to be brought in: "These are land deeds and records compiled by Di Renjie when he assisted with the land survey in Bingzhou. You may take a look."
When they saw that their own hidden fields had been thoroughly investigated, the old ministers were speechless.
Li Zhi spoke up at the opportune moment: "I recall that a certain minister boasted last year that his family only had a hundred acres of land granted to him?"
When the court session ended, Wu Zetian specially arranged for her wet nurse to hold Li Xian and wait outside the palace.
The officials who passed by had different expressions when they saw the abacus toy in the Third Prince's hand.
"Your Majesty's move is brilliant," the newly appointed Vice Minister of Personnel whispered. "These days, who doesn't know that arithmetic is crucial to one's career?"
Wu Zetian smiled but remained silent, thinking to herself: (Key positions must be held by those from humble backgrounds!)
While reviewing memorials that day, she asked Li Hong to try handling simple criminal cases.
The ten-year-old crown prince frowned: "In this case in Bingzhou, there were clearly witnesses, so why was the verdict so vague?"
"Because the judge's surname is Cui," Wu Meiniang pointed out, "and the plaintiff comes from a poor family."
Li Hong seemed to understand something, and picked up his pen to annotate the case file: "Order Di Renjie to re-examine the case."
(Inner monologue: It's time to plant the seeds of checks and balances.)
On a rainy autumn night, Wu Zetian proofread the newly printed "Criminal Cases" under the lamp.
Li Zhi carried the sleeping Li Xian in and chuckled upon seeing the scene: "How many Di Renjies is Meiniang trying to cultivate?"
"How many we can cultivate depends on how many opportunities His Majesty gives us." She rose and removed the cloaks from the father and son. "Chilang learned a new word today—fairness."
Looking at the pile of recommendation letters from poor families on his desk, Li Zhi suddenly said, "Tomorrow I will establish a Council of State Affairs, specifically for selecting scholars from humble backgrounds."
The rain pattered outside the window. Wu Meiniang gazed at her sleeping infant in the cradle, as if she could see a small spark from a humble family quietly igniting a wildfire in this autumn night.
——
[Mini-drama: Amidst the Sound of Abacuses]
(Night Watch Records of Zichen Palace)
The Third Prince has recently become very fond of using an abacus.
Tonight, His Majesty is reviewing memorials, the Empress is looking at case files, and the Third Prince is busy calculating nearby.
(Upon closer listening, it turned out to be a problem from the "Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art".)
Most interestingly, whenever His Majesty had doubts about the tax figures, the Third Prince would promptly provide the correct answer.
"Chi Lang," His Majesty shook his head with a smile, "could you perhaps be the reincarnation of the Minister of Revenue?"
The Empress replied, "This is how a peaceful and prosperous era should be."
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