Experimental Steam Engine; Li Shimin Releases the Prisoners

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As they worked and chatted, the group quickly assembled a small steam engine. Next, they connected the steam engine to a boiler. The enormous boiler looked mismatched with the tiny steam engine, but since this was only a prototype, they spared no effort to save costs. Without precision machinery, all the valves and switches were painstakingly crafted by hand. As a result, when the steam release valve was opened, steam leaked from many places. However, the boiler was large enough that the steam leakage was inconsequential.

Soon, the steam engine began to run under the power of the steam. The engine, about the size of a small tea table, puffed out steam while thundering back and forth. Seeing this, Yan Lide and the others were startled and quickly moved aside. Only Li Zhi himself approached the steam engine to observe where improvements were needed. Yan Lide hurriedly cautioned, “Master, be careful. This device looks somewhat dangerous.” He quickly followed Li Zhi, and the others crowded around as well. After all, with Li Zhi’s status, if anything happened to him, no one else would be spared.

Their worries proved unfounded. Though the steam engine leaked steam everywhere, it ran smoothly. The group watched in amazement as Li Zhi adjusted the engine’s speed. With his movements, the piston in the cylinder moved back and forth at varying speeds, and the connecting rod drove the crankshaft in continuous motion. Li Zhi pointed to the crankshaft and said, “Everyone, look. Once we develop a few more machines connected here, they can replace human labor to complete work.”

Curiosity sparked among the group. They quickly associated the steam engine’s function with that of a waterwheel. Soon, lively discussions about the potential uses of the steam engine erupted. Li Zhi watched with a smile. If these people developed an interest in machinery, he could gradually teach them the mechanical knowledge he had mastered. Although many advanced concepts required a solid foundation in mathematics, with perseverance, they could learn quickly.

After some time, Li Zhi interrupted their chatter and asked them to find ways to improve all the leaking parts. He assigned this as their task—to enhance their technical skills through improving these components. Just as Li Zhi had come out of his official duties, Zhang Anan escorted him into the palace.

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Upon arriving at the Taiji Hall, Li Zhi discovered that several ministers were embroiled in a heated argument. He noted that quite a few were present. Besides Fang Xuanling, Wang Gui, Li Jing, and Wei Zheng, the six ministers of the departments, as well as Li Chengqian and Li Tai, were there. The noisy crowd all turned their heads to look at Li Zhi as he entered. Before he could speak, Emperor Taizong said, “Zhinu, you’ve arrived just in time. Come and help your father judge this matter.”

Li Zhi was taken aback and asked, “Father, I am not yet aware of what has happened. How should I judge the situation?” Emperor Taizong replied, “Let me explain it to you in detail.” He then recounted the cause of the dispute. Since it was the end of the year, he wished to personally review all death penalty cases near the capital from the past year. This had been his consistent practice for the past two years, aiming to remind the Court of Judicial Review and other agencies to be extremely cautious when sentencing death.

That day, he reviewed more than thirty cases and found no wrongful convictions. Normally, this would have ended the matter. However, unexpectedly, Fang Xuanling and others reported breaches in the banks of the Yellow River, the Wei River, and the Bian River. Although casualties were few, combined with the earlier droughts, it had been a year of calamities.

Emperor Taizong then considered visiting the prison to offer condolences to the condemned and release them to reunite with their families. His idea was to make a gentleman’s agreement with these prisoners: release them now, allow reunion with their loved ones, and require them to return for execution after the start of the next autumn. He hoped this might alleviate some disasters for the Tang Dynasty.

However, his decision sparked heated debate among the ministers. What was worse, the emperor seemed determined to proceed. Seeing that he lacked majority support, he summoned his three sons involved in governance—Li Chengqian, Li Tai, and Li Zhi—to bolster his position.

Truthfully, Li Zhi also thought his father’s plan was reckless. After all, the Tang Dynasty was not like the modern world with surveillance cameras everywhere, nor were there police stations requiring prisoners out on bail to report daily. The era was full of wilderness and mountains, and if these prisoners fled into deep mountains, they might never be found again.

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Yet the reckless one was his own father. No matter how unreliable the plan seemed, he had to support it. As soon as Emperor Taizong finished explaining, Li Zhi promptly said, “Son agrees that Father is not wrong.” The moment he spoke, he felt several disdainful glances fixed on him. He realized he had declared his support too hastily, plainly appearing to flatter the emperor.

Still, he didn’t mind. As a young prince, no one could hold him accountable. Hearing Li Zhi’s endorsement, Emperor Taizong laughed heartily and said, “Now that most people support me, this matter shall be settled.” His words drew several rolling eyes from the opposing ministers. “You count your own sons as a majority?” they seemed to say.

But no one cared to argue further. The emperor had even sacrificed his pride for this to happen; opposing him now would only bring trouble upon themselves. Yet these ministers were truly insidious. Soon after Emperor Taizong made his agreement with the prisoners in the Court of Judicial Review’s prison, all death row inmates across the Tang territory were released. The final tally was three hundred and ninety people.

When Emperor Taizong heard this, he bitterly smiled, knowing it was a ploy by the ministers. They clearly did not believe his plan would compel the prisoners to honor their agreement and return willingly for execution. He already felt as if he had lifted a stone only to drop it on his own foot. If most of the prisoners failed to return, his reputation would be utterly ruined.

Nevertheless, the common people responded positively to the event. They saw it as a demonstration of the emperor’s broad-mindedness and extraordinary resolve.