Counseling Wang Gui

Li Tai’s behavior had deeply wounded Wang Gui’s heart, and Dai Zhou’s voluntary resignation had filled him with a profound sense of guilt. Consequently, although Wang Gui was fortunate enough to remain at the center of the imperial court, he remained in low spirits. Under these circumstances, Wang Gui eventually fell gravely ill a few days later.

Terrified, Li Shimin hurriedly summoned Sun Simiao and Li Zhi to attend to him. However, to cure a sickness of the heart, one requires medicine for the heart. Thus, with a tacit understanding, Li Zhi and Sun Simiao collaborated: Sun Simiao took charge of prescribing and preparing the medicine, while Li Zhi took it upon himself to counsel Wang Gui.

Upon entering Wang Gui’s home, Li Zhi found it extremely humble, lacking even a proper family shrine. Yet, even in such straits, Wang Gui continued to support his widowed sister-in-law’s family, treating his niece and nephew no differently than his own children. This further deepened Li Zhi’s admiration for the man, and he soon devised a way to comfort him. He introduced Wang Gui’s nephews to Pei Mingli, instructing him to take them under his wing and teach them the ways of trade. Simultaneously, he spent his days taking Wang Gui’s second son, Wang Jingzhi, to various high-end establishments for entertainment. Furthermore, he gifted Wang Gui’s sister-in-law and his wife and children many expensive garments and pieces of jewelry, leaving each of them overjoyed.

Witnessing this from his sickbed, Wang Gui hurriedly tried to stop him. He said to Li Zhi, "Your Highness, I am a high-ranking minister of the court. For you to act in such a manner will surely invite criticism. Would that not put me in an impossible position?"

Wang Gui had always maintained his integrity, never daring to accept favors from others. He was reluctant to ask for help, fearing that by incurring a debt of gratitude, he might be exploited. Li Zhi smiled and replied, "I understand what you are thinking, Minister. But even if you are aloof and upright, why must you deliberately distance yourself from your colleagues?"

Li Zhi then twisted the knife, adding, "You are on good terms with Minister Fang and others, yet this incident has left your friends in a difficult spot. Why is that?"

Wang Gui opened his mouth, intending to argue that the status of Fang Xuanling and the others was too high for them to speak out easily, but he immediately grasped Li Zhi’s true meaning: he lacked a political base of his own willing to speak up for him. At this thought, he sighed and fell silent.

Li Zhi continued, "You may be able to keep your hands clean, but why do you not consider the needs of your family?"

Wang Gui replied, "If I can preserve my reputation for integrity throughout my life, is that not an honor for my family?"

Li Zhi countered, "Minister Wang, your blunt and loyal remonstrations and your incorruptible nature are indeed enough to secure your reputation, but this does not prevent you from maintaining social ties with others."

Wang Gui argued, "Human relationships inevitably involve selfish desires. As time passes, complications are bound to arise. How then would I handle myself?"

Li Zhi said, "The friendship of a gentleman is as pure as water, while that of a petty man is as sweet as wine. There are degrees of intimacy in all relationships; surely you, Minister, know how to choose?" Before Wang Gui could respond, Li Zhi added, "You must realize that having more friends means more paths, while having more enemies means more walls."

Wang Gui had not expected that someone as young as Li Zhi could grasp such sophisticated worldly wisdom. For a moment, he felt dazed, as if the person speaking before him were not a child, but a sage who had seen the world.

Wang Gui had always carried the arrogance typical of a scholar. He had always been outspoken about the people and things he found distasteful. It was precisely because of this bluntness that, aside from Fang Xuanling, Li Jing, Dai Zhou, and the late Du Ruhui, he had almost no close friends. While this earned him the full trust of Li Shimin, it also left him isolated from the majority.

Li Zhi’s words left Wang Gui in a long silence. Others had said similar things to him before, but none had touched him as deeply as this. The reason was simple: previously, his position had been secure and his conduct flawless, so others dared not offend him. This led him to believe his methods were correct, and that only by acting this way would others listen to him. But now, he had felt the malice of others in the court, and even Li Tai, whom he had meticulously mentored, sought to distance himself. In such a state, hearing these issues pointed out by Li Zhi felt entirely different.

After a long silence, Wang Gui bowed deeply to Li Zhi. With a face full of shame, he said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your guidance. I have indeed been too reclusive and cold, to the point of dragging down my old friends."

Li Zhi replied, "You are too kind, Minister. I must also remind you that given the sacrifices Minister Dai has made for you, this is not the state he wishes to see you in."

Wang Gui bowed again and said, "I have awakened. From now on, I shall devote my full efforts and will not be remiss." He then added, "However, I must still advise you, Your Highness, that you need not trouble yourself so much over my family affairs."

Li Zhi smiled, "Please set your mind at ease, Minister. I am thorough in all I do. Anyone who wishes to use this to target me will only be wasting their efforts."

After discovering the dire straits of Wang Gui’s family, Li Zhi had already informed Li Shimin. He had even personally sent people to investigate the living conditions of the families of ministers like Fang Xuanling. He discovered that few of those who had followed Li Shimin from the beginning lived in comfort. Consequently, he had suggested that Li Shimin use his private funds to improve the housing conditions of these loyalists. This would undoubtedly ensure their unwavering loyalty to the Emperor. As for the money, Li Zhi would provide it covertly; his ability to generate wealth was well-established. To secure his bond with Li Shimin, the most powerful man in the realm, spending a little money was of no concern.

This year, the wine served at Empress Zhangsun’s birthday banquet was provided by Li Zhi. Although everyone was accustomed to Li Zhi’s miraculous talents, they were still astonished by the quality of the spirits. The distilled liquor he brewed was as clear as water, and the fruit wines were far superior to anything they had tasted before. When Li Zhi informed Li Shimin that these spirits would be sold exclusively at their joint-venture restaurant, even the less commercially-minded Li Shimin realized that this establishment would bring him immense profits.

Due to Wang Gui’s leak, Li Shimin’s travel plans had to be altered. Yet, this wait allowed him to receive the second report of victory from the Dragon Cavalry Army. Upon learning from the dispatch that the Dragon Cavalry had once again easily annihilated a force of over ten thousand Tuyuhun troops, he was so pleased that he immediately announced a two-rank promotion for everyone in the unit. He had every reason to be happy. In previous battles between the Tang and the Tuyuhun, even when victories were achieved, they were often pyrrhic—the costs of grain and fodder often outweighed the spoils of livestock. But the Dragon Cavalry was entirely different; they required no supplies from the imperial court. Every bit of spoils they sent back was pure profit. Li Shimin wished such good fortune could happen every single day.