In 690, Empress Dowager Wu had Emperor Ruizong yield the throne to her, and she took the throne as "emperor," establishing a new Zhou dynasty and interrupting Tang. During a
Khitan attack in 697, Wu Zetian requested Wang Jishan to come out of retirement to serve as the prefect of Hua Prefecture (滑州, roughly modern
Anyang,
Henan), stating to him, "The thieves on the border have rebelled. Even though you are ill, you can head slowly to your post 30
li a day [(i.e., 15 kilometers a day)]) with your wife and children. Even if you can only govern the prefecture while lying on your bed, you can cut off the
Yellow River for me." She then inquired him as to his opinion on a number of central government affairs. He gave her some 10-odd items of opinion. She, in turn, responded, "A prefecture is unimportant compared to the important matters of the central government. You must not leave." She then made him
Neishi (內史), the head of the legislative bureau of government (鳳閣,
Fengge) and a post considered one for a
chancellor. Later that year, when her secret police official
Lai Junchen were accused of crimes warranting death and yet she considered pardoning Lai on account of his contributions to her in the past, Wang pointed out that Lai had falsely killed many virtuous officials and that he must be killed. Wu Zetian agreed and executed Lai. In 698, the chancellor
Di Renjie advocated that Wu Zetian recall Emperor Ruizong's older brother
Li Zhe the Prince of Luling, himself a former emperor, from exile, an opinion that Wang Jishan and fellow chancellor
Wang Fangqing shared. With her close advisor
Ji Xu and her lovers
Zhang Yizhi and
Zhang Changzong advocating the same, she agreed and recalled Li Zhe, soon changing his name to Li Xian and making him crown prince. Later in 698, with rumors that Li Xian's crown prince position was not secure, Wang Jishan requested that Wu Zetian have Li Xian go to the central government buildings to meet with the officials, to quell the rumors, and she agreed. It was said that Wang was not well-studied but was honest and upright in his acts. Around 699, at imperial feasts, Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were often not acting in accordance with proper regulations for imperial subjects, and Wang often counseled Wu Zetian not to allow them to carry out these actions. This displeased her, and she told Wang, "You are old. It is not right that you be required to attend so many feasts. From now on, just tend to the matters of the legislative bureau." Wang, in turn, claimed illness and requested sick leave. After taking leave for a month, Wu Zetian had not yet tried to see him. He sighed and stated, "How can the
Son of Heaven not see someone as important as the head of the legislative bureau on a daily basis? This shows how unimportant I am viewed." He then requested retirement, but she did not approve of it. Instead, she made him
Wenchang Zuo Xiang (文昌左相), one of the heads of the executive bureau (文昌臺,
Wenchang Tai), and gave him the designation of
Tong Fengge Luantai Sanpin (同鳳閣鸞臺三品), having him still serve as a chancellor
de facto. He died a month later and was buried with honors, near the tomb of Emperor Gaozong, where Wu Zetian herself would eventually be buried as well. == Notes and references ==