Chapter 13: The Dilemma of Choosing Three out of Seven! Bao Zheng and Di Renjie: Whom to Pick?
At that moment, the system’s voice sounded again:
[Reminder: The Famous Minister System reward is about to be triggered.]
[Host, please choose whether to activate the Famous Minister System and view the recommended list of ministers.]
Startled by the sudden prompt, Li Muchen took a moment before recalling the system’s earlier reminder.
“A recommended list of famous ministers?”
“This is too good an opportunity to pass up!”
“Activate the Famous Minister System for me!”
[Command received.]
[Ding—The Famous Minister System is now active.]
[Updating the latest list of successful candidates from the imperial examination for the host.]
[Please wait…]
After a few minutes, the system’s voice sounded once more:
[Ding—The list of successful candidates has been updated.]
[Host, please click the screen again to view the details.]
Following the instructions, Li Muchen operated the high-definition screen step by step, selecting the list from a distance.
[Reminder: Names marked in red are the ministers recommended by the Famous Minister System.]
He followed the system’s hint and saw that some names were indeed marked with a distinctive red symbol.
Swiping left and right, he found a category labeled “Super Famous Ministers.”
“Super Famous Ministers…” Li Muchen murmured. “What’s that?”
“No matter, let’s click in and see.”
He tapped the “Super Famous Ministers” category, and immediately, corresponding names and portraits appeared.
One by one, Li Muchen read aloud their names:
“Bao Zheng…”
“Fang Xuanling…”
The further he read, the more astonished he became.
“Di Renjie…”
These were all the most renowned ministers from the historical world he had come from.
He never imagined they would appear in this world.
System, oh system…
Not gonna lie, you’re pretty impressive!
He continued:
“Wang Yangming…”
“Wang Anshi…”
A smile crept across Li Muchen’s face, his lips curling upward uncontrollably.
“Li Guang…”
“Changsun Wuji.”
Having finished the last name, Li Muchen realized there were no other famous ministers listed.
He counted them: “One, two, three… six, seven…”
“Not bad, seven super famous ministers.”
“I am quite pleased!”
His eyes curved into crescent moons, revealing a row of neat white teeth, his face glowing with bright joy.
He whistled a few times, excitedly calling to the system, “System, come out quickly!”
“I want all seven of them.”
[Reminder: Only three can be selected.]
[The chosen three will become the top three graduates of this imperial examination.]
The system’s words doused Li Muchen’s excitement like a bucket of cold water.
The smile on his face began to stiffen.
“Did I just mishear?”
“What did that lousy system say just now?”
Seeing Li Muchen frozen in place, the system repeated itself.
[Only three famous ministers can be selected this time.]
[Host, please make your decision quickly.]
“The old saying is right.”
“Old habits die hard… You really are a lousy system!”
“Why give me seven names if I can only choose three?!”
Li Muchen’s expression darkened as he scowled silently at the system.
Now he had to bear the pain of letting some go.
He couldn’t bear to give up any of the seven.
Once again, Li Muchen reviewed the list, pondering which three to pick:
Bao Zheng, Fang Xuanling, Di Renjie, Wang Yangming, Wang Anshi, Li Guang, Changsun Wuji.
“This seven are really hard to choose from.”
“I remember…”
“Bao Zheng is the legendary incorruptible judge, and Di Renjie is known for his brilliant case-solving skills.”
“Both are masters of judicial matters.”
“But Bao Zheng is upright and impartial, with no wrongful cases under his watch.”
“Di Renjie is clever and wise, handling even the most extraordinary cases.”
Li Muchen began analyzing and comparing the two, trying to decide whom to appoint as Minister of Justice.
“This is tough. Who should I pick?”
Hesitating, he stared back and forth between their portraits.
“Forget it, I’ll put this aside for now.”
He then looked further down the list and saw Li Guang’s name.
“Li Guang, famed general of the Western Han.”
“Known as the ‘Flying General’ by later generations!”
Currently, the Great Tang Empire’s territory was small, protected by national barriers and guarded by four divine beasts, so immediate military threats were unlikely.
“Li Guang is a military man; I’ll let him go this time.”
“The country needs revitalization; focusing on economy and people’s livelihood is paramount.”
Having ruled out Li Guang, he turned to the remaining four:
Fang Xuanling, Wang Yangming, Wang Anshi, Changsun Wuji.
He had to pick two from these.
“Wang Yangming… I recall he founded ‘Mind Learning,’ advocating the unity of knowledge and action, and he was quite capable militarily.”
“If there were a Ministry of Rites, keeping him would be good.”
Li Muchen decided to give up on Wang Yangming and continued.
Now only Fang Xuanling, Wang Anshi, and Changsun Wuji remained.
“Wang Anshi’s reforms…?”
He remembered Wang Anshi’s reforms focused on ‘enriching the state and strengthening the military,’ especially his economic reforms.
“Economic reform is exactly what the Great Tang Empire urgently needs right now!”
“Wang Anshi, you’re the one.”
“I’ll appoint you to the Ministry of Revenue—go make money for me.”
Li Muchen then looked at the last two:
“As for Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji?”
“Fang Xuanling was known historically as a virtuous prime minister, while Changsun Wuji was more ambitious.”
“But…”
“Fang Xuanling was reputed to excel in personnel management.”
Since the Great Tang Empire was newly established, it indeed needed to recruit talents and cultivate capable ministers with both virtue and ability.
“Fang Xuanling is skilled in governance and personnel management, so assigning him as Minister of Personnel is just right.”
Li Muchen finalized the appointments for the Ministries of Revenue and Personnel: Wang Anshi, adept at finance, and Fang Xuanling, expert in governance.
The only position left undecided was Minister of Justice.
He still had to choose between Bao Zheng and Di Renjie for this post.
Li Muchen pressed his lips tightly, his mind tangled.
“Should I choose Bao Zheng… or Di Renjie?”
He stared at their portraits, recalling their historical comparisons.
Bao Zheng was incorruptible and upright, strict in law enforcement, earning the honorable title of ‘Justice Bao.’
“With Bao Zheng, the Ministry of Justice would be clean and free from corruption; the people of the Great Tang Empire would naturally be loyal.”
However, he also remembered that Di Renjie eventually rose to Chancellor.
Moreover, during his career, Di Renjie served as Chief Justice, possessing far more judicial experience than Bao Zheng.
“Comparing the two… both are worthy choices.”
After a quarter of an hour’s contemplation, Li Muchen finally made his decision.
“System, I want to choose—”