Chapter 120: Who Is More Suitable?

"I am at my wit's end. I have done everything in my power, yet I lack the means to strike back at the noble clans, nor can I stabilize the prices. If Your Highness has a plan, please issue your orders... I shall serve as your errand boy!"

Zhangsun Wuji’s tone had turned unexpectedly deferential.

Li Zhi found this amusing and replied, "Very well, you shall run my errands then!"

"Ahem!"

"Don't look so disgruntled. Not just anyone is qualified to run errands for me! My accepting you is a testament to your capability. Why don't you ask around and see when I have ever been this gracious to my subordinates?"

"Yes!"

Zhangsun Wuji felt utterly wretched. He was a pillar of the imperial court and the head of the civil officials; suddenly, his authority was gone, and he was reduced to following the orders of a four-year-old child. Who could he complain to? He had tried to reason with Li Shimin, only to be scolded roundly for his trouble.

Very well, then. He would keep his head down and see exactly what skills this Li Zhi possessed to dare boast that he could topple the noble clans. Even if Li Shimin believed it, he certainly did not. Only when the facts were laid before his eyes would he be forced to concede.

"Lord Zhangsun, I have a task for you. You must handle it with the utmost urgency!"

"Please, Your Highness, give your orders!"

Li Zhi walked calmly to the seat of honor, took a sip of tea, and gestured for Zhangsun Wuji to prepare his brush and paper. "The most pressing issue right now is the livelihood of the people. We cannot delay a moment, or a catastrophe will surely follow."

"Immediately issue a command to all local governments. From this moment on, have them tally and report all government-owned fields under their jurisdiction, and mobilize the populace to cultivate them! Tell them they are to wait for the imperial court to provide the seeds."

"Seventy percent of the national treasury's funds are to be divided and sent to all regions to purchase grain. All grain within each county must be centralized and distributed by the local government according to the head count."

"Excluding military requirements, ninety percent of the grain held by the Ministry of Revenue is to be used for famine relief."

"The Ministry of Justice is to audit all long-standing cases; any noble clan found involved in criminal activities shall be severely punished, and their lands shall be confiscated as government property."

...

In his haste, Li Zhi could not think of a better plan. Even if these measures could not fully check the power of the noble clans, they would at least save the people. Once the hybrid rice and sweet potatoes from Hongnong County matured and their cultivation area expanded, everything would become much easier.

"That is all I can think of for now. Go and carry them out at once!"

"Will these really be effective?" Zhangsun Wuji had recorded every order, but he felt no confidence.

"How will you know if you don't try?"

"Little Highness, these matters cannot be treated as mere experiments. If something should go wrong..."

"Enough!" Li Zhi interrupted impatiently. "I do not want to hear your grand theories! I am the one in charge; you are merely the errand boy. Just act according to my instructions and stop worrying about the rest!"

"Uh..."

"Very well!" Zhangsun Wuji agreed. If something went wrong, Li Zhi would be the one to take the fall. He really didn't need to worry about it.

"Give me a few of the Secretariat's tokens."

"What does Your Highness need the tokens for?"

"In the future, when I have matters to attend to, I will send someone with these tokens. Seeing the token is the same as seeing me; they must be obeyed in all things! I will state this clearly in advance: if you do not follow their orders and something goes wrong, you will be held responsible!"

"I would not dare!" Zhangsun Wuji was no fool. If Li Zhi wanted to play with fire, there was no reason for him to get burned in the process. Since Li Shimin had entrusted him with this responsibility, he would follow his lead. Zhangsun Wuji was curious to see how a four-year-old child intended to turn the world upside down.

"Your Highness, please take them." He handed over five tokens.

Li Zhi accepted them all.

...

At the Capital Chamber of Commerce, Li Zhi returned in high spirits, laughing as if he had stumbled upon a fortune.

"Your Highness, what is this?" Luo Tong asked with a chuckle, though he looked utterly baffled. "What good news have you encountered to make you laugh like this?"

"Take a guess, ha-ha..."

"How can I guess if Your Highness won't say anything?" Luo Tong rolled his eyes, then suddenly considered a possibility. "Could it be that the Emperor has handed the matter of dealing with the noble clans over to you?"

"Oh?" Li Zhi was startled. "How did you know?" He had not mentioned this to anyone. Luo Tong’s ability to guess it was quite impressive.

"What! The Emperor really handed it to you?"

"You still don't believe me? Look at this!" Li Zhi produced the imperial decree and displayed it to Luo Tong on the spot. It granted him full authority over all matters regarding the noble clans, and even Zhangsun Wuji was ordered to obey him.

"My goodness!" Luo Tong was stunned, filled with newfound admiration. In ancient times, there were those who became officials at seven and ministers at nine, but Li Zhi was only four and already held immense power. It was truly beyond anything in history!

"Your Highness, now that you hold such power, what do you intend to do?" Luo Tong asked excitedly as he put the decree away.

"I have already given the directives to Zhangsun Wuji, and he is responsible for carrying them out. I have nothing to do for the moment. However... I must think carefully about how to deal with the noble clans." This was a grave matter; even Li Zhi did not have absolute certainty.

"You must take charge of the Chamber of Commerce, as I may not have the time," Li Zhi said, preparing to delegate the burden.

Luo Tong looked troubled. "The affairs of the Chamber are far-reaching. I was never good at business, so how can I manage it properly? If you really hand it to me, I fear I will ruin it. It would be better to find someone else to take over, while I continue to protect you—that is where I am most useful."

"Indeed!" Luo Tong was not suited for commerce. However, the Capital Chamber of Commerce was Li Zhi’s lifeblood. If he handed it to others, he would not be at ease. He knew that defeating the noble clans relied entirely on the financial strength of the Chamber; there was no room for error.

"It seems I must go to the palace again and ask the Emperor for someone! Otherwise, with our current group, it will be hard to handle such complex matters. I refuse to believe that among all the civil and military officials, there isn't a single person worth trusting."

Li Zhi mentally sifted through the names in his mind. Cheng Yaojin, Li Ji, Yuchi Jingde... Wei Zheng, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Kong Yingda... These were all trustworthy men! But upon closer reflection, none of them were suitable.

"Your Highness, I have thought of someone. He would certainly be able to manage the Chamber well!" Luo Tong suddenly said.

"Who?"

"Li Ji!"

"I already thought of him, but he is not suitable!"

"Why?"

Li Zhi replied, "Li Ji is our dynasty's greatest strategist and general, commanding two hundred thousand troops in Luoyang. How can I summon him back? If something were to happen to the army, how would I answer for it?"

"I believe the army will be fine. It is you who is in danger! If you cannot control the noble clans, the people will starve—is that not a major crisis? Li Ji is proficient in both civil and military arts, and he is prudent; he would certainly manage the Chamber well."

"Furthermore..."

"Furthermore what?" Li Zhi snapped. "Speak your mind; don't stutter!"

Luo Tong said, "Furthermore, managing the Chamber is no easy task. Neither I nor the three Cheng brothers are suited for it. The Chamber is still small now, and our contacts with merchants are not yet complex, so we can manage. But in the future, when we are locked in a struggle of wits and strength with the noble clans, how can we succeed without strategy?"

"Li Ji is full of ingenious schemes on the battlefield and is a master of strategy. If he isn't the one to handle this, who is?"