Parenting Tips and the Art of Managing Ministers
With the canal transport case settled, the "illustrious reputation" of the rattle drum resounded throughout Chang'an.
The greatest contributor to this case—Princess Taiping—is now facing a new challenge in her life: growing teeth.
Inside the guesthouse, little Taiping cried her heart out, her drool soaking her bib embroidered with a golden phoenix, her little face turning bright red.
Wu Meiniang held her and paced back and forth in the palace, softly humming an off-key tune—upon closer listening, it turned out to be the melody of a lullaby from later generations, only the lyrics had been replaced with a passage from "Chen Gui".
(OS: Anyway, she won't understand, so it's always good to instill some management ideas first.)
When Li Zhi returned from court, he saw his wife and daughters in this state.
He took his daughter and skillfully let her lean on his shoulder, gently patting her back with his large hand: "My little princess has suffered again today."
“Absolutely,” Wu Meiniang rubbed her aching arms, “It’s more tiring than reviewing ten memorials. Your Majesty, don’t you think raising children is the same principle as managing officials?”
Li Zhi raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What brilliant idea does the Empress have?"
Wu Meiniang picked up the report on the progress of the new canal transport law that Di Renjie had just delivered from the table beside her and said with a smile, "Look, Di Huaiying's report, doesn't it sound like Taiping crying when she's hungry? You have to respond in time, otherwise the louder the 'crying,' the more trouble you'll cause. People like the Duke of Zhao are like Taiping growing teeth, it's an internal 'inflammation,' it hurts terribly, but if you treat it well, it can actually make her stronger. As for those local officials who outwardly comply but inwardly defy you, they're like someone who has caught a cold, they need strong medicine to make them sweat it out."
Li Zhi couldn't help but chuckle: "According to the Empress, the Grand Tutors are like a 'baby care encyclopedia,' while the remonstrating officials are like nagging wet nurses?"
"Your Majesty is wise!" Wu Meiniang smiled to herself. "The core principle is just one thing: use both kindness and severity, and be clear about rewards and punishments. When Taiping cries and wants to be held and comforted, that's 'kindness'; but if she grabs things randomly, you have to gently pat her little hand, that's 'severance'. The same applies to your ministers. Di Renjie is effective in solving cases and should be rewarded; the Duke of Zhao is corrupt and should be punished. It's simple and clear."
(OS: I'm a genius for using KPIs to evaluate parenting!)
As they were chatting and laughing, the wet nurse brought over a specially made, chilled teething stick.
Taiping grabbed it and eagerly stuffed it into his mouth, crunching loudly. His crying gradually subsided, leaving only satisfied humming.
Looking at his daughter's quiet face, Li Zhi pondered, "What the Empress says makes a lot of sense. It seems that the way of being a ruler and the way of being a parent do indeed have something in common."
He paused, looked at Wu Meiniang, his gaze gentle, "Meiniang, with you by my side, I always feel that even the most difficult situation can be made clear."
Wu Meiniang felt a warmth in her heart and was about to speak when she saw Shangguan Wan'er carrying a secret report and walking in quickly, her expression slightly solemn.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, an urgent report from Jiannan Circuit."
Li Zhi took the secret report, quickly glanced through it, and his brows gradually furrowed: "The Tibetans are harassing the border again, robbing caravans, and injuring several border residents."
Wu Zetian leaned closer to take a look and sneered, "After Songtsen Gampo passed away, does this new Zanpu, Mangsong Mangzan, think that our Great Tang has no one to rely on?"
Her mind raced, combining fragments of history she had read with her knowledge of modern geopolitics. "They're testing us. If we react weakly, the next step might not be as simple as just robbing caravans."
Li Zhi nodded: "I also think so. We must retaliate to intimidate them. However..."
He rubbed his temples. Although his illness had subsided, he still felt slightly unwell after thinking about things for a while.
Upon seeing this, Wu Meiniang immediately said, "Your Majesty need not worry too much. Perhaps we can take a two-pronged approach to this matter."
How to adopt a two-pronged approach?
"Firstly, order the garrison of Jiannan Circuit to strengthen patrols and resolutely strike back against any invading enemy, demonstrating the might of our Great Tang! This is 'might.' Secondly,"
A sly glint flashed in her eyes. "I've heard that the Tibetan nobles have recently developed a fondness for Tang Dynasty tea, silk, and porcelain. We can use this as an opportunity to have the government organize caravans to strengthen the 'tea-horse trade' with Tibet, but we should regulate key supplies. This way, while they enjoy the benefits of Tang Dynasty products, they will also feel the disadvantages of being controlled by Tang. Economic means are sometimes more effective than weapons. This is 'favor,' or rather, 'benefit.'"
(OS: Trade war? Our ancestors already knew how to do that! It can also boost domestic demand and help achieve GDP growth targets.)
Li Zhi's eyes gleamed with admiration: "What a brilliant 'combination of kindness and severity' strategy! The Empress's plan is exactly what I wanted! It can demonstrate our strength while avoiding large-scale military operations that would burden the people and waste resources."
He became more and more excited as he spoke, "We can also order people to gather intelligence on Tibet, understand its internal tribal conflicts, and perhaps divide and weaken it..."
The emperor and empress discussed the border issue in hushed tones, sometimes arguing, sometimes nodding in tacit agreement.
Taiping, who was being held aside by her wet nurse to play, seemed to sense the atmosphere of her parents talking about serious matters and was unusually well-behaved.
She hugged her beloved canal boat model, took a bite of her teething stick, and made two "ah ah" sounds, as if she were also expressing her "profound insights".
On a corner of the table, the small wooden mallet that she received during her first birthday celebration and was subsequently forgotten lay quietly.
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a small shadow on the gavel, as if foreshadowing its future resounding strike to adjudicate turmoil across a wider realm.
——
[Mini-Theater: A New Look at the Imperial Court]
1.
At a court meeting discussing how to deal with Tibet, when some senior officials advocated for appeasement, Emperor Gaozong simply remarked, "Do you gentlemen perhaps want Princess Taiping's rattle-drum to be used on the border?"
The peacemakers immediately shut up.
The power of the princess's "magical artifact" has deeply impressed people.
2.
Wu Zetian's strategy of "regulating the mutual trade" was named the "New Appeasement Strategy," and the specific regulations were jointly formulated by the Ministry of Revenue and the Maritime Trade Office.
Di Renjie also served as the legal reviewer, ensuring that there were no loopholes to exploit.
3.
Deeply inspired, Crown Prince Hong submitted a policy essay to his parents entitled "On the Commonalities between the Management of Officials in the Eastern Palace and the Education of Younger Brothers," which was full of classical references. Li Wei (Wu Zetian) exclaimed that the competition should start from childhood.
4.
The Second Prince Xian said he is researching how to add "automatic alarm" devices to the border beacon towers, inspired by the fact that when his sister cries, the entire residence can hear it.
5.
The sales of rattle drums in Chang'an City remained high, and versions made of various luxurious materials such as Phoebe zhennan wood and Hetian jade were developed, becoming a new type of "paperweight" on the desks of noble families, euphemistically called "a tool for alertness".
(It seems that Princess Taiping's unintentional actions are profoundly influencing the political landscape and fashion trends of the Tang Dynasty in a wondrous way.)
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