Chapter 132: Li Shi

Wei Renshi stood outside the palace hall, the freezing wind cutting like a knife. Even wrapped in animal furs, he couldn't help but shiver, his hands and feet aching from the cold.

The guards outside the hall were likely even colder. Their armor was like blocks of ice in the winter air, yet they were worse off than Wei Renshi. At least he could shiver, rub his hands, stomp his feet, or tuck his hands into his sleeves for warmth, but they had to stand perfectly still.

As Wei Renshi studied them, the guards were also observing him. Being within the inner sanctum of the palace, they had naturally heard of the twelve-year-old prodigy who had been granted a title. Although they didn't recognize him, anyone appearing in such a place at this time could only be him.

From inside the hall came the occasional sound of what resembled an argument, sometimes buzzing with a chaotic, market-like murmur. Often, a sharp voice would ring out to restore order, and the hall would fall silent again. This pattern repeated itself; Wei Renshi listened from outside, finding it amusing more than once. The guards, however, were long accustomed to such scenes and remained expressionless.

Wei Renshi stood outside for a long time, cold and drowsy, tempted to simply sit on a nearby stone platform. But he held back; if he were reported for "improper conduct before the palace," it wouldn't be worth the trouble.

He waited and waited until the sky was fully bright, when suddenly a powerful voice echoed from within: "Summon the newly appointed Baron of Weinan, Wei Renshi, to the hall for an audience!"

The final syllable was drawn out long. Once the sound faded, a nearby guard pushed open the palace doors, letting Wei Renshi enter.

It was truly a palace of the imperial court; the threshold was incredibly high. That was Wei Renshi’s first thought upon entering the hall after traveling back over twelve hundred years. The design was truly inhumane; he felt as if he were having to climb over it!

The civil and military officials were lined up on both sides, arranged by rank from highest to lowest, stretching from the interior toward the outside. At this moment, the eyes of all the court officials were fixed upon Wei Renshi.

Following the instructions Scholar Zhang had given him the day before, Wei Renshi walked briskly to the center of the hall, stopped, bowed, and declared, "Your subject, the newly appointed Baron of Weinan, Wei Renshi, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

"Hmm... rise," a slightly aged voice came from above, followed by a chuckle. "To think it really is just a little child!"

Several people in the court quickly echoed with laughter, though none spoke aloud. Only then did Wei Renshi stand straight and look up.

Sitting above was a slightly stout old man, half-reclining on the dragon throne. This was Li Shi, the eleventh emperor of the Great Tang, posthumously known as Emperor Dezong. He was a classic example of someone who held a winning hand but played it into ruin.

In the early part of his reign, Li Shi considered himself strong and clear-headed, insisting on trusting his civil and military officials and strictly forbidding eunuchs from interfering in politics. He appointed Yang Yan as chancellor, abolished the tax system of rent, labor, and cloth, and implemented the "Two-Tax Law," which brought a sense of restoration. Later, however, he employed treacherous sycophants like Lu Qi, and the political situation deteriorated. In the fourth year of the Jianzhong era, the Jingyuan Mutiny broke out; Li Shi fled to Fengtian and only managed to quell the rebellion by relying on generals like Li Sheng.

In the latter part of his reign, Li Shi appointed eunuchs as commanders of the imperial guards and imposed various new taxes on items like building frames and tea across the country, causing deep resentment among the people. He also appeased the regional warlords, allowing their power to grow steadily.

During his reign, he formed alliances with the Uyghurs and Nanzhao to strike at the Tibetans, successfully reversing the strategic disadvantage and creating a favorable external environment for the subsequent "Yuanhe Restoration." However, this also entrenched the separatist power of the warlords, making the situation difficult to rectify, and allowed the eunuchs to seize power—the two root causes of the dynasty's subsequent turmoil.

In his early years, Li Shi understood the value of stability and had great ambition for restoration upon his ascension. However, many of his measures proved ineffective due to the deep-seated problems of the Tang Empire following the An Lushan Rebellion. Even those that showed initial success came at a heavy price. Compounded by a character flaw—a tendency to give up in despair at the slightest setback—his ambitions withered once his reforms faced obstacles. Li Shi’s life was filled with contradictions and tragedy, both in character and action.

Wei Renshi looked at him, and the Emperor stared back at Wei Renshi.

After a long moment, Li Shi asked, "Tell me, where did you come up with the method of building dams to silt up land, or the method for improving barren fields? And where did you get the idea to nail horseshoes onto hooves? And that method of rotting meat to toss into the enemy's water supply? You are, after all, only a twelve-year-old child."

"In reply to Your Majesty," Wei Renshi answered, "as a child, I enjoyed playing with mud and sand by the river, digging trenches and channels to divert the water. Sometimes, the water would slowly dry up, leaving silt behind. Sometimes, when a few children dug pits, the water would flow from one pit to the next; once enough had flowed, it would stop. After the water dried, silt remained in each pit. Broadly speaking, that was the prototype for building dams to silt up land. As for the horseshoes: humans wear shoes to prevent wear and injury, so why shouldn't horses? A horse’s hoof bears great force; since wooden shoes aren't sturdy enough, why not try iron? That is how the horseshoe came to be. And as for the last method, everyone knows that rotten meat is unfit to eat."

"If it is so simple, why has no one else thought of it until now, and why did it have to be you?" Li Shi asked again.

"Many things in this world are indeed simple; all that is missing is the 'thought' itself," Wei Renshi replied. "Once thought of, there is nothing special about it."

Li Shi seemed to drift off, as if remembering something. After a long time, he said, "That is true. Just a 'thought'—it sounds easy, yet most of the time, it remains 'unthought of'..."

Li Shi’s spirit did not seem high; he looked weary. He also did not seem to pay much attention to Wei Renshi. The court audience and these few words felt like a mere formality; after all, new title-holders had to pay their respects to offer thanks for the imperial grace, and the Emperor had to demonstrate his affinity toward the nobility.

Wei Renshi looked toward the front of the officials. The first person in line stood solemnly, possessing an air of integrity, yet he appeared sickly. Judging by his attire and his frail appearance, this must be Li Song.

On the throne, Li Shi no longer had the interest to ask Wei Renshi anything more. He said, "You are young and accomplished, offering policies for damming and improving barren land while still a boy. I granted you the title in Weinan because I saw those two policies working well there. Once you arrive in Weinan, you must pay close attention to these matters. In the future, you should always strive to repay the state and contribute to the imperial court."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Wei Renshi knew this marked the end of the audience, so he bowed once more and replied.

Li Shi braced himself to sit upright, scanned the crowd below, and said, "Do the ministers have any other matters to report? If not, let the court be dismissed."

Wei Renshi had held pessimistic views about Li Shi’s governance, and seeing him today, he found his suspicions confirmed.

After the court was dismissed, the officials dispersed. Wei Renshi walked out of the hall, waited a moment, and saw Liu Yuxi walking toward him.