The indispensable person in life

Author: Xiuping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: People only know that Di Renjie's case-solving skills were extraordinary, but they don't know that his exceptional qualities went far beyond that. He was upright, selfless, and enforced the law like a mountain, upholding justice without fearing power. Even before Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu Zetian, he remained firm in his principles and ultimately won Empress Wu's trust and his colleagues' respect. Di Renjie came from a distinguished family; his grandfather and father had both served as high-ranking officials in the Tang Dynasty. However, he was naturally virtuous and never relied on his background, which earned him praise from many elders at a young age. Even when he was serving as the Legal Officer of the Bingzhou Commandery, his colleague Zheng Chongzhi was sent on a mission to a very remote and barbaric land. Zheng Chongzhi had an elderly and sick mother, and he felt guilty leaving her behind alone for such a long journey. Di Renjie, seeing his distress, went to meet the Chief Administrator Lian Renji, the head official, and said, "Zheng Chongzhi's mother is so frail, how can we bear to see him worry about her from thousands of miles away!" He then volunteered to replace Zheng Chongzhi on the mission. Di Renjie's actions deeply moved Lian Renji. At the time, Lian Renji was in conflict with the Marquis Li Xiaoliang, and the two not only undermined each other in official matters but also treated each other with disdain in daily life, taking pleasure in mocking one another. Faced with Di Renjie, who was inexperienced in the world yet so dedicated to public good, Lian Renji felt deeply ashamed. He mustered the courage to find Li Xiaoliang, recounted Di Renjie's deeds in detail, and sighed profoundly, saying, "Compared to Renjie, can we not feel humbled?" Li Xiaoliang was indeed moved and the two reconciled, becoming close friends from then on. Not only did he treat his colleagues who were as close as brothers this way, but even those who had once spoken ill of him, Di Renjie could put aside personal grievances for the greater good and maintain harmonious relations with them. It is said that Empress Wu was ruthless and cruel, but she treated Di Renjie differently. Whenever Empress Wu made a mistake, Di Renjie would point it out without hesitation. Perhaps truly moved by Di Renjie's unwavering loyalty, the usually harsh Empress Wu showed great respect for him. Di Renjie was straightforward by nature and often argued logically, which sometimes led him to clash with Empress Wu directly. Yet Empress Wu not only didn't mind but often readily accepted his opinions. Once, Empress Wu went to the Three-Sun Palace (near Luoyang) for a summer retreat. A monk from the Western Regions invited her to view Buddhist holy relics, the sarira. The devout Buddhist Empress Wu happily agreed. However, just as she was about to leave, Di Renjie knelt before her horse and said earnestly, "Buddhism is merely the deity of the barbarians; it should not surpass the ruler of all under heaven. Moreover, the mountain path is narrow and dangerous—your journey is not advisable." At the time, Empress Wu dismissed Di Renjie's words with a laugh but still insisted on going. However, halfway there, she began to realize Di Renjie was right and ordered the retreat. She even jokingly said to herself, "This is to uphold the integrity of my honest minister." Empress Wu usually referred to Di Renjie as "the Elder Statesman" rather than by his name, a privilege that other ministers could only dream of. In his later years, when Di Renjie's mobility became limited, Empress Wu allowed him to forgo the kowtow during court sessions and even teased him, "Every time I see you kneel, my body aches too." At that time,