Chapter Three: Generous Rewards
“Your Majesty, how do you have time to visit me now? At this hour… shouldn’t you be in the imperial study reviewing memorials?” the Empress asked.
“I can review the memorials any time; I simply couldn’t wait and wanted to see Zhi’er!” the Emperor replied eagerly.
The Empress covered her mouth with a smile. “Your Majesty, are you sure that’s the real reason? Only a few days ago, you said Zhi’er lacked manly vigor and would never amount to much.”
“That was then,” Li Shimin laughed, “but now… I’ve realized that what he lacks least is manly vigor!”
…
“Where is Zhi’er? Why hasn’t he come out to greet me?”
“He’s probably already asleep.”
They entered the room.
Li Shimin’s eyes widened. There lay Li Zhi, lounging on his bed, thoroughly engrossed in reading the Records of the Grand Historian!
“Zhi’er hasn’t even started school—he can’t recognize characters yet. Could he possibly understand that book?”
“I wouldn’t know,” the Empress replied.
Li Shimin grew suspicious.
Someone must have given Li Zhi this idea, telling him to pretend to be studious in order to win imperial favor. But—Li Zhi was only three! Who would believe he was actually reading?
Li Shimin huffed, his annoyance obvious. “Unbelievable!”
“Your Majesty, did I upset you?” the Empress asked in alarm.
“No,” he replied, shaking his head gently.
He didn’t believe the Empress would do such a thing, nor was there any need for her to. In the inner palace, she already held supreme authority, and her eldest son, Li Chengqian, was the Crown Prince. Why would she need Li Zhi to stand out?
“Father, weren’t you going to give me a present?” Li Zhi set aside the Records and clambered to his feet.
“Never mind the present for now—I want to test you with a few questions.”
“Go ahead!” Li Zhi appeared completely unfazed.
As a former executive at a multinational corporation in the 21st century, he had studied ancient history thoroughly; whatever Li Shimin asked, he was confident he could answer.
“Ding! Mischievous Child System: New task—within a quarter of an hour, you must shave off Li Shimin’s beard! Complete the task to receive a reward: Three Hundred Tang Poems…”
The sudden system prompt delighted Li Zhi. Though he was a university student, he’d forgotten most of the Tang dynasty’s poetry. With the Three Hundred Tang Poems as a reward, he could compose poems with ease from then on.
As for Li Bai and Du Fu…
Even their grandfathers hadn’t been born yet.
It wouldn’t be a problem to use their verses in advance.
“Ahem!” Li Zhi raised his head. “Father, I have a small request—may I ask for your permission?”
“Speak,” Li Shimin said.
“If I answer your questions correctly, could you… give me your beard as a gift? You may not know this, Father, but I love your beard. I want to make it into a protective charm.”
As soon as Li Zhi finished speaking, Li Shimin’s mouth twitched.
“Zhi’er, your body, your hair—all are gifts from your parents. How can you make such a request?” the Empress reproached him.
“It doesn’t matter,” Li Shimin replied after some thought. He was convinced Li Zhi wouldn’t be able to answer his questions. So what harm in agreeing?
“It’s settled,” Li Zhi rejoiced inwardly.
He had been worrying about how to shave Li Shimin’s beard—who could have imagined Li Shimin would agree so easily? The reward was practically in the bag!
“Father, please ask your questions!” Li Zhi was eager.
“Very well,” Li Shimin said. “Since you’re reading the Records of the Grand Historian, I’ll test you on some historical anecdotes. First, from what era does the story of ‘Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao’ originate?”
“The Warring States period, nine hundred and ten years ago. Qin asked Zhao to borrow the He Shi jade, and Lin Xiangru…” Li Zhi answered fluently.
He didn’t hesitate for a second, and his eyes brimmed with confidence, as if victory was assured.
Li Shimin was stunned.
The Empress, too, stared in amazement. “Zhi’er, how do you know such things?”
“Mother often reads, and I pick things up without realizing,” Li Zhi made up a casual lie. It sounded far-fetched, but not impossible. Some are born prodigies, able to learn without a teacher and remember everything at a glance.
Who could say Li Zhi wasn’t a genius?
Li Shimin exhaled deeply, his excitement hard to contain.
“System reminder: You have half a quarter of an hour remaining to complete your task…”
“Father, could you hurry up?” Li Zhi urged.
“Listen carefully,” Li Shimin said solemnly. “I’ll ask you another—‘To sacrifice one’s life for the nation’—where does this phrase come from?”
He was certain Li Zhi wouldn’t know. It was too common, found in almost every era.
It was a favorite saying of soldiers on the frontier.
“Guanyinbi, do you know the origin of this phrase?” Li Shimin turned with a smile to the Empress.
“This…” She had read widely, but couldn’t recall its source.
Relieved, Li Shimin laughed. “Zhi’er, you can’t answer this one, can you?”
“Father, you rejoice too soon. ‘To sacrifice one’s life for the nation, to face death as if returning home’ is from a poem by Cao Zhi at the end of the Han dynasty. This is my favorite period of history—how could you stump me?”
Li Shimin was dumbfounded.
“How can this be? Even your mother can’t recall the source, and yet you can answer?”
Then suddenly, surprise and joy filled him. “A genius! Truly a genius!”
“No more talk—time to shave your beard!” Li Zhi pulled out a dagger and, with a swipe under Li Shimin’s chin, a large tuft of beard fell away.
“Ah!” The Empress’s face turned pale and she cried out.
Li Shimin clutched his chin, half laughing, half exasperated. “Only you would dare cut my beard. Anyone else would be beheaded or exiled three thousand miles!”
Li Zhi pretended not to hear.
He had completed the task and obtained the Three Hundred Tang Poems!
“Attend me!” Li Shimin called.
A eunuch entered, bowing. “Your Majesty, what are your orders?”
Li Zhi’s heart skipped a beat. Was Li Shimin about to lose his temper and punish him?
“I have a decree to announce!”
Guided by the Empress, Li Zhi knelt at the front.
“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: My ninth son, Li Zhi, is endowed with rare genius and extraordinary intelligence, to my great satisfaction. Today, I confer upon him the title of Prince of Jin, as encouragement. Let this be known!”
“Your son accepts the decree and thanks Your Majesty for your grace!” Li Zhi received the imperial edict with both hands and slowly stood.
He recalled that, in history, Li Zhi was indeed granted the title Prince of Jin in the fifth year of the Zhenguan era.
“Zhi’er, your wisdom surpasses the greatest scholars of all dynasties—I’ve never seen the like. You must study diligently and become a pillar of the state.”
“Rest assured, Father. I will do my best,” Li Zhi said solemnly.
Yet inwardly he thought, “That depends on the system’s mood. If the system wants me to be a mischief-maker, I can hardly go against it. The punishments would be unbearable!”
Of course, when he completed his tasks, the system’s rewards were incredibly generous.