My Father Is Di Renjie: I Really Don’t Want to Be Chancellor

He could speak at one, recite texts at two, win debates against scholars at seven, and at fourteen presented a strategy that earned Empress Wu Zetian’s praise: “The Di clan has a worthy successor!” I grew up listening to tales of Emperor Taizong. The empress is my benefactor, Princess Taiping is practically my childhood sweetheart, and Third Master Li is the little brat who used to follow me around in his split-crotch pants. Even Li Bai and Du Fu have to respectfully call me “Uncle”! I transmigrated as Di Renjie’s son, and I know being a chancellor is a high-risk job: the Zhou usurpation, Empress Wei’s political chaos, the princess meddling in government, the undercurrents of the Kaiyuan era, the consort bringing ruin to the nation, the bloodshed of the An Lushan Rebellion... Every step is perilous! My motto: cherish life and stay away from power! I play dumb, turn down office and titles, and ask only to survive in peace and live as a wealthy man of leisure. When the iron hooves of the An Lushan Rebellion trample Chang’an, Third Master arrives with Yang Yuhuan to beg for my help, and at last I can no longer hide who I am! Everyone wants to make me chancellor! But all I want is to lie flat!