Chapter 108: The Divine Judge Handling the Case—Di Gong's Wild Speculations

Di Renjie finally took office.

The Ministry of Justice was overwhelmed with a backlog of cases. This was an unfortunate reality; while there were no major rebellions or uprisings during this time of disaster and hardship, petty crimes like theft and pickpocketing had surged. People did not want to commit crimes, but they were driven by the need to survive and feed their families. Most of the offenders were not local Luoyang residents, but refugees who had flocked to the city, desperate because they and their families were starving.

In truth, the Ministry of Justice in Chang'an faced an even greater backlog.

Di Renjie, who served as a strategist and advisor to the Crown Prince and as an official of the imperial court, was even more meticulous than Wei Yuanzhong in separating public and private matters. He had junior officials bring him the stacks of pending cases and began to review and process them. His pace was swift; he would read a case and immediately draft his judgment. Only the particularly complex ones caused him to pause and reflect.

The junior officials, witnessing his speed, grew anxious. "Magistrate Di, Magistrate Di..." one bold official stuttered, gesturing to the mountain of paperwork. In that short time, Di Renjie had already cleared sixty or seventy cases.

"Follow my annotations to resolve these. If any offender is dissatisfied, tell them to come to the Ministry of Justice to see me personally. If any errors arise, I shall take full responsibility," Di Renjie declared with an air of confidence. Handling cases was his greatest specialty.

He was also deliberately showing off. First, to fulfill his duties; second, to establish authority. Only by earning the admiration of the junior staff could he gain their trust, which would allow him to reallocate manpower to finally uncover the truth behind the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince at Mount Zhongnan.

The Emperor and Empress placed great trust in Xu Jingzong. However, if he could gather irrefutable evidence that Xu Jingzong had orchestrated the assassination of the Crown Prince and framed Helan Minzhi, then Xu Jingzong would be finished!

Yet, obtaining solid evidence from Xu Jingzong’s grip would be no easy task. The proof had to be so damning that Xu could offer no defense; otherwise, it would be ineffective and merely alert the enemy. To avoid alarming him, not even the Crown Prince had spoken to him about it, and not a word had been leaked to Wei Yuanzhong.

The junior officials, half-doubting, took the annotated files away.

Di Renjie did not slow his pace, taking only a brief meal and a short rest at noon before continuing his review. By the end of the day, he had processed over two hundred cases involving more than eight hundred people. It was likely that the other officials in the Ministry did not handle as many cases in a whole year. Moreover, not a single person had cried injustice or complained of unfair treatment.

In reality, while most rulings were just, there were a few minor biases. However, these were long-standing backlogs, and the common people—being in a position of weakness—were generally content to have their matters concluded.

Even so, it was a remarkable feat. As the sun set and the workday ended, the officials of the Ministry of Justice watched Di Renjie’s departing figure with expressions of profound reverence. It was no wonder he was the Crown Prince's premier advisor; his skill was truly godlike.

In just one day, Di Renjie had stunned everyone in the Ministry.

Upon returning to his residence—or, more accurately, his house, as "mansion" would be an exaggeration—he found it quite far from the Ministry. It was a property he had purchased himself. As an incorruptible official, he lacked great wealth, so he had bought a house in the Xingyi Ward on the east side of Luoyang. This was meant to accommodate his two adopted daughters; otherwise, he would have simply borrowed a room at a temple. The house was modest, consisting of two rows of rooms with a courtyard in the middle containing a mulberry tree, two elm trees, and a small well—much like a traditional courtyard dwelling. Its price, however, was affordable. The best houses were near the south of the Tianjin Bridge, close to the court, but Old Di could not afford those.

The environment, however, was tranquil.

As he reached his gate, Di Hui and Di Hao hurried out to greet him, bowing gracefully. "Greetings, Father."

Fearing trouble, the two young women continued to wear veils when they went out, even after moving into Di Renjie’s home. The neighbors praised them, noting that such propriety was surely why the Crown Prince had taken an interest in them. Their conduct was more disciplined than that of many daughters from noble families.

Di Renjie felt somewhat embarrassed by the praise; it wasn't that he was strictly disciplining them for virtue’s sake, but rather that he had to be rigorous in order to eventually send them into the Imperial Palace. In truth, his own children were a mixed lot.

Inside, he asked with a smile, "You arrived so quickly?"

Di Hui replied, "Father’s instructions were clear, so we dared not delay on the road."

"Are you satisfied with this new home?"

"We are very satisfied. It is infinitely better than the life of forced smiles we led before."

"The past is behind us; do not speak of it again," Di Renjie said sternly.

"Yes," the two replied in unison. They then added, "Father, let us prepare tea for you."

Their grace was beyond compare, and their etiquette surpassed that of the young lady from the Xu family. Looking at them as they bustled about, Di Renjie sighed inwardly. After taking a sip of tea, he added, "However, you must stay here for a time. We cannot rush your entry into the palace."

There were things Di Renjie did not say. He was waiting, and it would be a long wait. He had to wait until the Crown Prince’s wedding; he hoped to secure some minor official status for these two adopted daughters before sending them into the palace. Otherwise, with their peerless beauty, if the Emperor were to see them first, it would be problematic. The customs of the royal family were loose; the Emperor was unrestrained, the Empress’s background was what it was, and the rumors regarding the Lady of Wei were scandalous. Even the late Emperor Taizong had been unrestrained. Yet, the Empress rarely intervened.

Getting them into the Eastern Palace would be difficult enough, let alone securing them a proper status. Only Di Renjie’s sharp mind could conceive of such a plan.

"Entering the palace is a luxury for us. If it happens, it happens; if not, Father, please do not worry or overexert yourself," Di Hui said after a pause, then added, "Father, ten sheets of bamboo paper were delivered from the Imperial Palace."

"Bring them here, let me have a look," Di Renjie said delightedly.

Li Wei had been experimenting with bamboo, and the first batch of bamboo paper was significant. Most of the vats produced paper with various flaws, but four or five produced usable sheets. The best were sent to Luoyang and to the chancellors in Chang'an. The second batch had a higher success rate, though it was still being refined.

But it wasn't just about the paper; it was about the greater cause. It had to be promoted throughout the land. First, it would be distributed to officials, starting with Chang'an and Luoyang, then spreading to the provinces. Then, because the influence of the aristocratic clans in the Tang Dynasty was immense, they would receive a share. The scholars and students of the Imperial Academy would also receive some to write poetry and prose, extolling the virtues of the state. Finally, the influence of the religious circles could not be ignored, so the temples and Daoist shrines would also receive a supply.

At this rate, even if all the bamboo in the vats were turned into top-tier paper, it would not be enough to go around.

Since returning from Guangcheng Marsh, Di Renjie had heard endless talk of this bamboo paper but had never seen it. Was it truly as miraculous as they said? He unfolded a sheet. It was very white with a decent luster. He picked it up again, recalling the rumor that one could see objects through the paper. He wanted to see if it were true.

He was disappointed; he could not see through it. Refusing to give up, he went outside to view it in the twilight, but still, he could see nothing. Di Renjie was a clever man, yet he had become obsessed. If the sunlight were strong, one could indeed see faint shadows behind it, but in the current light, even by squinting, it was impossible.

Still, the paper was very thin. Di Renjie took up his brush and ink and wrote a large character: "Benevolence!"

The brush moved smoothly, the ink flowed well, and he saw no signs of bleeding. However, compared to some tribute papers, it was not necessarily superior. Thinking of what Li Wei had said, he gently tore the paper. It was indeed weak; a small tear appeared easily. Finally, he understood—the rumors outside had been greatly exaggerated. Its greatest advantage was simply its low cost, which would allow more poor families to afford it.

Di Hui remarked, "Father, the paper is so white—whiter than frost or snow."

It was indeed white, but Di Renjie was lost in other thoughts. The Crown Prince's bamboo paper, the new plows—these things seemed simple, but how difficult it must have been to create them from nothing!

Di Hui asked, "Father, how did the Crown Prince think of these things?"

"I do not know," Di Renjie replied. He doubted it was truly the Crown Prince’s own invention. He had spent much time with him and admired him, but there were many things he still didn't understand. It had nothing to do with the Emperor or Empress; the Crown Prince was clearly letting them take the credit to secure their support. There was one theory he found plausible: a mysterious master from antiquity had taught the Crown Prince. Since the paper had not existed before, and people had used bamboo slips, it was a return to tradition.

Whether this master was from antiquity was debatable, but the existence of such a hermit was possible. Such people usually disdained the world. He was suspicious of people like Ming Chongyan and his "magic"—if someone were truly capable of magic, they would be too worldly to seek wealth. Since this master did not wish to reveal himself, the Crown Prince was covering for him. This explanation…?

As he pondered this, he thought of another matter: salt evaporation. He had been skeptical at first, but now he was mostly convinced.

If this method succeeded, it would be a monumental event. Boiling salt was slow and required expensive firewood, but the sun and the sea cost nothing. With the boundless ocean as the Tang Empire’s massive salt field, would they ever lack salt again?

It would be reasonable to levy taxes on it; the court would benefit, and the people could afford cheaper salt. The ocean could become the court's mountain of gold and silver…

Poor Old Di, under the influence of the bamboo paper, finally began to let his imagination run wild.

Moreover, the Turks, the Khitans, and the Xi tribes lacked salt. The Tang dynasty had always faced a salt shortage and limited trade. If salt were abundant, they could exchange it for horses, cattle, and sheep. It was a pity about Qinghai; had it not been lost, even the Tibetans would have been short of salt.

Suddenly, another thought struck him, and he cried out, "Oh no! I must go to the Eastern Palace!"

"Father, it is already late," Di Hao gently reminded him. Even a prime minister would not be able to see the Crown Prince at this hour without a major emergency. She wondered, however, what could have made her wise foster father act so out of character?