Wu Sansi - During Wu Zetian's Reign

During Wu Zetian's Reign

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. She created a number of her Wu clan relatives imperial princes, and Wu Sansi was created the Prince of Liang and made the minister of civil service affairs (天官尚書, Tianguan Shangshu). He did not appear to have as much power as Wu Chengsi (who became chancellor), but was nevertheless honored. For example, in 693, when Wu Zetian made sacrifices to heaven and earth, she offered the sacrifices herself first, followed by Wu Chengsi, and then Wu Sansi. It was said that he had done some studies in literature and history and was good at flattery. As the years went by, he often flattered Wu Zetian's successive lovers Huaiyi, Zhang Yizhi, and Zhang Changzong.

In 694, Wu Sansi led a group of non-Han chieftains in requesting that a massive iron pillar be erected to commemorate Wu Zetian's reign with text on it to deprecate Tang and to praise Zhou, and Wu Zetian agreed, putting the chancellor Yao Shu in charge of the project. It was said that the chieftains gathered up their wealth and bought iron, but the iron they bought was not enough, and so the people's farm equipment were requisitioned and melted for the project.

In 695, Wu Sansi was made the minister of rites (春官尚書) and was put in charge of editing the imperial history.

In 696, when Khitan attacked under the leadership of Li Jinzhong and Sun Wanrong, Wu Sansi was put in command of one of the major armies defending against the Khitan attack, assisted by Yao.

In 697, Wu Sansi was given the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Sanpin (同鳳閣鸞臺三品), making him a chancellor de facto, but about a month later, he was stripped of the chancellor designation. It was said that he and Wu Chengsi both had designs on being crown prince, and often had their associates try to persuade Wu Zetian that in ages past, there had never been an emperor who had, as his heir, someone with a different family name. (At that time, Wu Zetian's crown prince was her son Li Dan (the former Emperor Ruizong).) In 698, however, at the suggestion of the chancellor Di Renjie, concurred in by Wang Jishan and Wang Fangqing, as well as Wu Zetian's close advisor Ji Xu and her lovers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, Wu Zetian recalled Li Zhe the Prince of Luling (the former Emperor Zhongzong) from exile and soon, after Li Dan offered to yield the position of crown prince to him, created him crown prince and changed his name to Li Xian and then to Wu Xian.

In 698, Wu Zetian made Wu Sansi acting Neishi (內史), the head of the legislative bureau of government (鳳閣, Fengge) and a post considered one for a chancellor and in 699 made him full Neishi. In 700, however, he was no longer chancellor and made an advisor to Li Xian, and further given the honorific title of Tejin (特進).

In 702, Wu Zetian considered launching a major attack against Eastern Tujue, and she initially put Wu Sansi in command, assisted by Jing Hui. She later changed the orders to have LI Dan in command, assisted by Wu Sansi, his cousin Wu Youning the Prince of Jiancheng, and the chancellor Wei Yuanzhong. However, the army was eventually not launched.

In 704, at Wu Sansi's suggestion, Wu Zetian constructed the vacation palace Xingtai Palace (興泰宮) at Mount Wan'an (萬安山, near the capital Luoyang), at much expense and labor.